Stepbrother

Chapter 54

"What was that?" I asked. Neil stood up.

"Stay here," he said, opening his door. I put my head back down and listened closely.

I could barely make out the muffled voices. "Dad.."

"Neil, go!"

"Dad, what are you doing?!"

"I'm making it better!"

"This won't solve it!" Neil shouted. "You have two kids, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'RE GONNA DO?"

"I don't care! You'd be better off!"

"No, we wouldn't! Give it to me, Dad!"

"NO!" his father yelled.

"GIVE... IT.." Neil sounded like he was struggling. I got up and went to the top of the stairs.

Neil and his father were on the ground, limbs intertwined. Neil was under his dad, but Neil had one of his dads hands down... the one holding the knife.

Neil noticed me. "Lendzie!" I ran down the stairs and took the knife from his fathers hand. Neil hit his father in the throat and he began coughing. Neil quickly got up and grabbed my hand, dragging me up the stairs. He shut and locked the door.

"What the fuck?"

"He'll be fine," Neil panted.

"Yeah.. but what was he doing?" I asked, holding up the knife. I realized there was blood on it. "Was he...?"

"No, that's my blood." Neil held up the palm of his hand and revealed a cut.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He nodded. "You need to get out of this house before you get hurt."

"Same for you."

"Three years." Neil sighed. "I don't know what I'll do with Niall."

"Well-"

"I don't really like to even think about it."

"Okay."

"Ya know.. it scares me," Neil said.

"What? Moving from your brother?"

"No.. no." He shook his head. "It scares me how close we are. How close Jeremy and I are."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because. I feel like one day one of you is gonna get jealous," Neil said.

"Jeremy is the jealous type. He's probably at home right now in my bed with his arms crossed."

Neil laughed. "Yeah! But, there's a reason I'm so close."

"Why?"

"Well, for my benefit and yours. I never had and good friends.. Niall never really loved me like you two do until just recently. And, you don't realize it, but I'm helping you too."

"How? Making me very uncomfortable?"

"I make you uncomfortable?" He cocked his head.

"Yeah, you keep cuddling me in your sleep!"

"Anyway, you'll see it one day." Neil nodded. I stared at him. He smirked. "Wipe that constipated look off your face!" He tackled me onto his bed.

"Uhh.." My eyes widened.

"Always remember- I'm not trying to get with you or Jeremy. But, I do love you."

"Oh that's reassuring," I said, putting my arms on his shoulders.

"Do you not get angry when Jeremy and I do stuff like this."

"The only time I got angry is when Jeremy tied you up and almost took your underwear off." Neil rolled his eyes.

"Don't remind me of that nightmare," Neil sighed. I laughed and tried to push him off of me. "Hey, don't push me away." Neil frowned.

"Get off me." I sighed. Neil collapsed on me. "Ow!" I coughed. I pushed him again.

"Let me love you!" Neil called. "But.. not like that."

I sighed. "This is weird."

"No, it's not." Neil shook his head. I stared at him until he sat up. Neil's phone dinged.

1:35 AM
Did you fuck my girlfriend?
Now
I need my girlfriend back and if you fucking hurt her you're dead.

"I should take you home," he nodded. I stood up and stretched.

-

"Next time, don't make fun of Kevin for answering the door in his underwear," Neil said as we walked down the street.

"Why?"

"You're walking down the street in boxers."

"Fuck." I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever. They look like shorts anyway." Neil shrugged, reaching up to knock on my door.

"I live here," I said, catching his hand.

"Oh, yeah," he said, opening the door.

Jeremy ran down the stairs. "Lendzie!" he yelled, picking me up. He ran over to the couch and dropped me. He jumped on top of me and kissed me roughly.

"Our parents are shopping. The only person holding us back is Neil. Bye Neil," Jeremy said, getting up and shoving Neil toward the door.

"Hey!" Neil shouted. Jeremy slammed the door in his face. He picked me up and carried me up the stairs.

"Why are you wearing Neil's underwear?"

"Well, I wasn't sleeping in jeans," I said. Jeremy shrugged slightly and threw me on the bed.

"I missed you. I didn't sleep well," he said, climbing over me.

"I missed you too," I said as he kissed down my neck. "You know I hate that."

"Yup," he answered, sliding his arms up the side of my shirt. "Is this Neil's?"

"Yeah." He rolled his eyes and took it off. We both sat up and Jeremy unhooked my bra. "I missed you..."

"I know. I was only gone for one night." I laughed.

"Yes.." He nodded. "But I missed you." He slid his underwear down. "So did Henry."

I rolled my eyes as Jeremy laid down on his back. I kissed his tip. "Come on, now," he whined. I flicked my tongue against it. "Heeey!"

-

~ONE WEEK LATER (October)~

"I need you to answer this question honestly," Jeremy said, putting his phone down on the bed.

"Yeah?" I asked, rolling over into him. He pushed me away from him.

"Did you cheat on me?"

"What..? When!" I answered, sitting up.

"You cheated on me..." Jeremy whispered.

"No, I didn't! I would never cheat on you." I said loudly. Jeremy's face turned red.

"Cheat on me then lie about it?! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Jeremy pushed me into the floor. I stared at him wide eyed. "I KNOW YOU DID IT!"

"Jeremy.."

"GO!" he cried.

With tears streaming down my face, I reached for my clothes. Jeremy threw a blanket at me and shoved me out into the hall.

I ran down the street, the large blanket wrapped around me tightly. I choked on my tears as they fell quickly.

I had to go to the only place I could.