Stepbrother

Chapter 3

I snuck out of the window easily. Right under my window is the roof to the kitchen, so I just walked on that then dropped my skateboard and slid down a tree.

I finally made it to the restaurant a little over thirty minutes later. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked around. Jeremy waved.

I walked up and gave him a confused look. "What the hell do you want?" It was roughly 10:30 at night by now.

"Ouch. I just wanted to get to know you a bit better. I mean, I don't really wanna move in with someone I don't know. This isn't college," Jeremy said. I nodded slowly and followed him as he waved over to a grassy patch behind the building.

He ditched his bike, and I tossed my skateboard to the side. Jeremy sat down and sighed. "I can't believe our parents are actually going through with this."

"Yeah, I know. It seems so unreal. Like, they met literally two months ago." I sighed, sitting down. Jeremy nodded. "Are the rumors about your dad true?"

"Those things made it all the way to Citra? Well, um.." Jeremy took a deep breath. He looked away and nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry." It was obvious that was a sketchy subject.

"No, it's fine. You deserve to know," he nodded slightly. "So uh.. what happened to your dad?"

"Well uh... he um, left," I said, swallowing hard. I felt tears flooding to my eyes. Jeremy started rubbing my back. I tensed at the touch.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. I looked up to him. "My mom left us too," he sighed. I scooted over to him and leaned into his chest. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around me.

"Ya know.. maybe this won't be that bad," I said, looking up at him.

"Maybe not," Jeremy nodded. "You have really pretty eyes.."

"Oh, uh.. thanks," I said. Jeremy blushed slightly and looked away. I looked away, feeling my face grow hot.

My phone started ringing. I looked down. It was my mom. I declined it. Jeremy's phone rang and he let go of me to pull it from his pocket.

"It's my dad.." he sighed, answering it.

"HEEEEY!" Jeff screamed. Jeremy moved the phone away from his ear and groaned. I raised an eyebrow.

"Dad, really?" Jeremy asked.

"I think I'm gonna go see uh... what's her name..?"

"Jordan?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah! I'm gonna marry her," Jeff decided.

"Dad, don't leave the house, please," Jeremy said pleadingly.

"But.. why?" he asked.

"Because Dad, the streets are bad.." Jeremy said. We live in Florida.. the streets are fine.

"Okay, fine. I'll just have to... WAIT then?" he said in an asking tone.

"Yeah, Dad," Jeremy said, hanging up.

Jeremy tossed his phone down and slammed his fist into the ground. "Damnit! He got drunk again! He promised me he wouldn't. But, he also promised me that my mom would never leave, and that ended well."

I hugged him slightly. He seemed a bit taken back, but he wrapped his arms around me again. He buried his head in my shoulder. "We can make this work," Jeremy said, "I think you're just what I need in this screwed up life of mine." I smiled slightly and pulled away from him.

"This can work," I nodded.

"So, what's the sleeping arrangement?" he asked.

"We're gonna have to squeeze another bed in my room. I suppose our parents are sleeping together," I said. "Our house is only two bedrooms so.."