Stepbrother

Chapter 9

"Why?" I asked. Jeremy looked up at me.

"Oh uh.. he just.. sounds pretty cool," Jeremy said, obviously lying. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Gabe might show up bright and early one morning. He just shows up here sometimes. It's kinda creepy, but ya know.." I shrugged.

"Okay.. hey uh do you mind if Neil comes over?" Jeremy asked.

"Nah," I shrugged.

"He really wants to see you," Jeremy said, smirking. I raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"Why?" I asked.

"He likes you!" Jeremy smirked. I glared at him.

"Just... shut up," I sighed. Jeremy's grin widened as he jumped up and walked to the door. I followed.

"Neil lives like a five minute walk away from here," he said, walking down the stairs just as the doorbell rang. "But he rode his bike..."

Jeremy opened the door. Neil looked up from his shoes and smiled slightly. "Hey dude!" he said.

"Hey man," Jeremy said, stepping to the side and letting Neil in. Neil walked in and turned into the living room. His eyes met mine and he smiled sheepishly and shoved his hands in his pockets. I waved slightly and he just nodded.

Jeremy took off up the stairs, I followed him. Neil followed us in. "You have to share a room?" Neil asked.

"Yeah," Jeremy nodded, sitting on his bed. "It kinda sucks.. but at least the walls aren't pink."

"If my mom painted them pink I'd kill myself," I said, looking over at Jeremy as I sat down on my bed. Neil stood awkwardly in the middle of the room.

"I like your music taste," Neil said, looking at me.

"Thanks," I said quietly. Jeremy patted his bed next to him and Neil walked over and sat down next to him.

Jeremy showed Neil something on his phone. Neil looked up, red faced. Jeremy was obviously about to bust out laughing. Jeremy eventually laughed, and Neil shoved him off the bed. I watched with my eyebrow raised.

"Hey man, not cool!" Jeremy said, looking up at Neil from the floor. Neil glared at him.

"Neither was... what you did!" Neil shouted. Jeremy laughed.

"But your reaction was priceless!" Jeremy smiled, pulling himself up. Neil pushed him back down by his face. I laughed. Neil looked up, suddenly remembering I was there, his face went from angry to shy.

"Jeremy, that's not even true," Neil whispered.

"Well, I didn't word it exactly like that.. But the point is still there," Jeremy said.

"Can you just tell me what is going on? Cause I'm lost.." I asked, looking down at Jeremy.

"Well, you see," Jeremy began. Neil's face went red. "I told Neil that I told you that he wants you." Neil stood up and walked out. Jeremy rolled his eyes and stood up to go follow him.

I sat down at the top of the stairs, listening in as they talked in the living room downstairs.

"Dude, look, it's not the end of the world," Jeremy said.

"Yeah dude, it is. She knows I like her now! She probably thinks I'm a creep!"

"She doesn't think you're a creep," Jeremy said, laughing softly.

"Yeah, sure!" Neil said. I stood up.