Life with the Stevens' Boys

Chapter 3

Copyrighted.

I spent the next few days lounging near the Stevens' pool, listening to Brenda chirp about boys, the new school year coming up, and a bunch of other stuff I didn't really listen to.

"Vanessa? Vanessa!" I heard Brenda yell.

"What?" I asked, startled.

"Were you even listening to me?"

"Um..." Oops, I hadn't been listening. I was dozing off behind my new sunglasses Joanna got me.

Brenda sighed. "Rob asked me out!"

"Who's Rob?" I was completely lost.

"The guy I was telling you about a few days ago! When we were shopping." Brenda said, annoyed.

"Oh.. Oh!" That guy. "The one you were confused about?"

"Yeah. I did what you said and told him how I felt! And, well, he felt the same way! So, now we're officially a couple. I get to start off my sophomore year with a boyfriend!" Brenda smiled widely.

Sometimes it seemed like Brenda was only interested in materialistic things, like shoes and makeup and that she only cared about what people though of her, but she was nice all the same.

"Brenda." said a girly voice. I looked up to see a tall girl, with short blonde hair towering over Brenda's tanned and oiled-up body.

Brenda took off her sunglasses and looked up. "Oh, hey, Leah." That name rung a bell. Wait. That was Nate's girlfriend! Wow, she was pretty.

"Do you know where Nate is? I couldn't find him in the house." Leah asked, looking somewhat irritated.

"Mm. I think he's four-wheeling with Chris and Dylan." Brenda responded, turning a page of her magazine.

"When's he going to be back? He told me we could hangout." Leah complained.

Brenda slowly turned so she was facing Leah completely. "Leah. I don't know. Call him. He's your boyfriend, not mine." And Brenda turned her back to Leah, signifying the end of the conversation.

"Well, shouldn't you know where he is? He's your brother! Oh. Wait. He's not really, is he?" Leah said, her voice sickening sweet.

I saw Brenda's mouth drop.

"You need to leave. Now." Brenda's voice shook. Leah smirked and strutted off.

Brenda smashes her sunglasses back on her face, to cover the tears I saw already falling.

"Brenda...? Are you okay?" I asked timidly.

"Fine." She replied, sharp.

I paused, then said, "What was she talking about?" Brenda didn't respond.

"Brenda."

"You know what, I need to go talk to Nate." Brenda jumped up abruptly. I swung my legs around to follow her. "To ask him why he's telling his stupid girlfriend MY business."

"Brenda!" I called after her. She kept running, ignoring me. She went into the house, and through the kitchen. I caught up with her, out of breath. Wow, I needed to get in shape.

Brenda went out to the back patio and out to the backyard. I walked behind her.

In the distance, I saw Nate, Chris, and Dylan walking their four-wheelers back. I glanced over at Brenda. She was searching her huge property for them. Once her eyes landed on Nate, she took off. I sprinted after her, yelling, "Brenda!"

"NATE!" Brenda screamed, smacking into him. The guys stopped dead in their tracks and Nate yelped, "Ow! Brenda?"

"What the hell were you thinking?" She screamed, her eyes on fire.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, really? Did you or did you not tell Leah I'm adopted?!" Brenda started crying. My eyes widened. Brenda was adopted?

"Uh... Brenda--" Nate stuttered.

"You asshole!" Brenda choked.

"Come on, Brenda." Chris said softly, grabbing onto her elbow.

Brenda let Chris lead her towards the house, but turned back to say, "You better make sure that Barbie doesn't say a word about this or I'll kill both of you." Dylan tugged his four-wheeler away, leaving Chris and Nate's.

Nate stood next to me, not saying anything.

"Did you really tell your girlfriend about Brenda?" I asked him, quietly.

"Vanessa, I didn't mean--" Nate started to say, but I cut him off.

"How could you do that to Brenda? She obviously didn't want anyone to know and you didn't have a right to say anything, especially to Leah!" I said heatedly.

"I know. And I'm sorry. I really am, Vanessa. I know it wasn't my secret to tell, but Leah's not going to say anything. She loves Brenda and she would never do that." Nate argued.

"Okay. She might seem like that to you, but when you're not around, she acts like a raging bitch."

"Don't call my girlfriend a bitch! You don't even know her."

"I saw how she acted with Brenda!"

"You haven't even been here a full week and you think you can tell me that my girlfriend isn't a good person?"

"She's going to use that against Brenda!"

Nate threw his hands in the air and started walking away. He got to the back door and said, "I don't even get why we have to keep Brenda's adoption a secret!" And with that, he slammed the door, leaving me outside with two dirty four-wheelers.

* * *

I knocked on Brenda's door. "Who is it?" She called hoarsely.

"Me." I gulped. Brenda didn't answer at first, then said, "Come in."

I slowly opened the door and walked in. Brenda was laying in her bed with the covers thrown over her head. I sat on the edge of her bed, not touching her. Brenda didn't move.

"Brenda, are you--"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. If you were fine, you wouldn't be hiding under your covers."

Brenda sat up slowly. Her mascara was down her cheeks and her hair was standing up and knotty. She wiped a few tears away.

"Okay. I'm not fine." Brenda admitted. I pulled Brenda into a hug and let her cry it out.

A few minute later, she pulled away. "I just didn't want people to know I was adopted."

"Why?" I questioned.

"I didn't want people to treat me differently. Like I was this poor girl who got lucky enough to be accepted into the Stevens' family. Like I was their charity case."

I swallowed, hard. Was that how people were going to treat me?

"Yeah," I whispered.

"And, I don't want anyone to know why they adopted me. I don't want anyone to know about my past." Brenda whimpered.

"Why are you adopted?" I asked her cautiously. Brenda just cried harder and shook her head.

I hugged her again and said, "It's okay, it's okay. You don't have to tell me, Brenda."

"I'm just not ready to." Brenda sobbed. "I'm sorry."

I nodded, a few of my own tears falling.

Author's Note: Another chapter, yay! (: Tell me what you think!