My Future Stepbrother

Chapter 116

Milo came to grab me for dinner. He was clearly ecstatic to have Jayce back, and with the feast Tara had laid on it was clear she was too. It was one of the best things about Tara, she always expressed her love with food.

Milo didn’t let go of my hand until he pulled me into the seat next to him. He was all shaky and jittery with excitement, Tara had decided to let her passion for vegetables slide for the day so had made homemade burgers and fries. Milo was acting like he’d just been given the keys to the kitchen at McDonald’s or something. If it wasn’t for the big blonde elephant in the room I would have found it impossible not to share in his enthusiasm.

I sat down and waited, trying not to maintain eye contact with anyone for too long. His cologne hit me before he even came into sight, it was like he was attacking my senses from all sides. I didn’t look up as I heard him approach, Milo dived from his seat to him but I just kept my eyes glued to my plate.

Why have I had so many of these awkward family dinners now? I guess this is why people shouldn’t get involved with their future stepbrothers Aleah...

I lasted as long as I could. I listened to Tara and Dad talk about work, Milo get very carried away telling us every detail of how the gym at the elementary school was accidentally flooded again. I swear it’s like every week at that place, why do kids insist on flushing everything they see down a toilet?

Nobody asked Jayce too many questions about his stay away, I don’t think anyone wanted to push him into talking about it until he was ready.

“So poppet, how’s the Bio project coming? Nearly done?” I froze. Jayce froze. We both knew it was handed in weeks ago so he must have been wondering why Dad still thought it was going on.

Tara cut in just to make the already awkward situation suddenly unbearable. “It’s definitely nice to finally have you back here sweetie, I’m sure Elizabeth is missing you though. She’s become very fond of you these last few weeks, she told me at lunch what a good influence you’ve been on that boy of hers. Apparently he might actually graduate now with all the work you two have been doing, says she can hear you still working late into the night though, you need to make sure you’re getting your rest darling.”

Kill. Me. Now.

I couldn’t look at Jayce, he’d know damn well that with Chad I would never be up late studying. I don’t think it would matter that nothing had actually happened between us.

Time for my standard practise in these type of situations – running away. “Sorry Dad. I’ve got a pounding headache, can I be excused?” I needed the fuck out of here, preferably to a hot shower that would mask the tears already threatening to show themselves.

“Sure poppet.”

I moved so fast my hip hit the table hard on my way but I didn’t let it slow me as I continued moving until I ran free from the stairs.

I immediately locked myself in the bathroom and turned on the shower. Stripping down and stepping in before it even had time to heat up.

I didn’t want him to find out that way, he probably thinks me and Chad have been at it like bunny’s while he’s been off fixing his head.

I cried into the stream of water. I wasn’t ashamed of spending my nights with Chad, he’d been so good to me and was pretty much the only thing that kept me sane. I just knew it would hurt Jayce to know the person that brought me comfort when I needed it wasn’t him, but his best friend. I don’t know why the fuck I cared so much, shouldn’t this make it easier to end things? Unless that wasn’t what I really... no! Enough Aleah.

I stood under the water until every sob had finally ceased, the waterfall had been hitting my skin for so long I expected it to have little holes like honeycomb by the time I stepped out.

I gathered up most of my clothes from the floor and dumped them into the laundry, there was a gentle knock at the door from Jayce’s side.

“Aleah? When you’re done can you remember to unlock this side, I kind of what to get in there after you? No rush. Take your time.”

I grabbed the last of my clothes and pulled back the bolt. I thought he’d give me a second to leave but the door just swung open. I jumped at the sudden movement and slipped on the water pooling at my feet, steadying myself at the last second by grabbing the sink.

“Still as uncoordinated as ever I see?” He smirked. “I’ll never understand how someone that can dance like you can also be the clumsiest person I know.”

I blushed, really fucking red. The last time I danced was only for him and thinking about it was definitely not something I needed to be doing whilst stood in front of him in nothing but a towel. Why was he being so cool? Wasn’t he furious about what he just heard? Or maybe he just didn’t care enough anymore.

“Different skill set.” I joked.

His eyes dropped to my body, travelling over the small towel that barely covered me until they came back up to look in my hand. I followed their direction until I saw I was still holding my red lacy underwear.

“Well, red was always your colour..” He smiled.

Shit, I can’t do this. I threw the underwear into the basket and ran back through the door to my room, slamming it closed behind me. Really? Red is my colour! For fucks sake, why does he have to have that bloody voice? It does things to me... things no man’s voice should do to a woman.

I get into my pyjamas, although if he wasn’t in the room next door I definitely would have been sleeping in nothing with this heat. Laying on my bed I see I have two messages, one from Brie saying she’s out of class and to call if I need her. The second... From Chad.

‘Hey beautiful. Gonna miss you being here tonight, cuddling the pillow doesn’t do it for me anymore.. plus it doesn’t make those noises in its sleep the way you do 😉 call me x’

Fuck. I felt awful, I hadn’t even thought about calling him. Over the last few weeks we were either together or on the phone, he’d even started texting me across the room in class. Mostly just to tell me how good my ass looked in my jeans but still..

I decide just to text him back instead, I didn’t trust my voice to stay steady with my heart still pounding like this from mine and Jayce’s little run in.

‘Sorry, been in the shower. Killer headache. I’m sure your pillow will appreciate the attention it’s been missing for a night 😂 gonna go straight to sleep, night night xx’

His response was instant, like he’d been sitting there waiting for my message.

‘Thanks for giving me that beautiful image to fall asleep too... Ally in the shower may be the best dream I’ve ever had 😉 hope you feel better in the morning. See you there, same place. Sweet dreams Senorita... hope I’m as good tonight as I was last night 😎❤’

Fuck. The dream. Earlier today I’d been so happy, carefree even. The biggest issue I had was having sex dreams about a guy who most girls in our school were probably having sex dreams about anyway! A part of me wanted to ask him to come get me, sleeping in his bed actually made the world seem much less complicated. That was of course until I stepped out of it again and the world would hit me like a semi-truck.

I try to rest, laying there staring at the ceiling for a while before flicking through insta to keep my mind busy.

Brie had put up some pictures from class today, little May wrapped around Harley smiling. I could just make out Josh in the background looking at them, I know that look. Remember it well. It was the same one I gave Jayce when I watched him play with Milo, the one that you know means ‘that guy is going to be a great dad someday.’ I couldn’t wait to watch those two grow together, they had one of the most fundamentally solid relationships of anyone I know. They gave me hope.

A few of the boys from the team, Chad included, had put up some of us chilling on the grass at lunch. I loved how all the ones that had Kallie in had sweet little comments from Drew underneath. It seemed like everyone around me was in these beautiful relationships, I was happy for them but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a touch jealous.

I had that. I had it and now it’s all fucked up.

I come to the last image Josh had put up, I didn’t even know he’d taken it. It was a photo of me and Chad, I was sat back against his chest with his arms around me, as we sat on the floor with me between his legs. It felt nice, I remember thinking how natural it seemed now to be in his embrace. I was clearly distracted talking to someone but Chad, he was looking down directly at me. His smile huge and sincere, his eyes locked to my own smile.

He looked like a man completely besotted with the woman in front of him.

I lay back down on my pillow. Everything was so much simpler before Jayce came back but now, looking at photos of me and Chad, thinking about the way we are together. It just didn’t feel the same.

I grab my phone ready to call Brie but I know deep down she’s not who I really need to talk to. I need to talk to him.

I walk to the bathroom door, hesitating as my shaking hand holds the doorknob. Do I really want to do this? I try to walk back to the bed but can’t sit back down.

Stop being such a bloody coward.

I repeat this process so many times I start to piss myself off. Finally I just pull the door open, only to be met by a pair of shining blue eyes, poised the other side of the door with his arm raised ready to knock.

“Can we talk?”

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