Torn Between Rivals

3.

The sun was shining brightly as we made our way to the park, a warm breeze rustling the leaves overhead. ben bounced between oakley and me, his little legs barely keeping up with our longer strides. "Are we there yet?" he chirped, his voice filled with excitement.

"Just a little further, buddy," oakley said, ruffling ben's hair. "I promise it'll be worth it. There's a big slide waiting for you!"

"Yay!" ben squealed, his eyes sparkling. I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. It felt good to escape the chaos of school and spend some time with my brothers.

As we approached the park, the sound of laughter and distant shouts filled the air. Kids were running around, playing on the swings and climbing on the jungle gym. ben took off toward the playground the moment we stepped through the gate, his small figure darting away like a little rocket.

"Hold on, champ!" oakley called after him, chuckling as he jogged to catch up. I followed behind, feeling a sense of warmth as I watched my brothers. It was moments like this that made everything else feel manageable.

Just as I reached the playground, I spotted a familiar figure lounging on a bench nearby. My stomach dropped. cj was sitting there, his arms crossed, watching the scene unfold with a smirk on his face.

"Great," I muttered under my breath. Why did he have to be here? I glanced at oakley, who was oblivious to cj's presence as he helped ben climb up the slide.

"Hey, new girl!" cj called out, his voice dripping with that infuriating smugness. "Nice to see you out of your little bubble for once."

"Shut up, cj," I shot back, trying to keep my voice steady. "What are you doing here?"

"Just hanging out, enjoying the view," he replied, his gaze flicking toward ben, who was now gleefully sliding down. "Looks like you brought your little fan club with you."

"ben isn't a fan of yours," I snapped, feeling my irritation spike. "He's just a kid who wants to play."

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night," cj said, his tone laced with mockery. I could feel my frustration boiling beneath the surface. Why did he have to make everything so much harder?

"Come on, new girl, lighten up!" he said, leaning back casually. "It's just a park. Can't a guy enjoy the sunshine?"

"Not when you're around," I muttered, glancing away as I felt my cheeks heat. I didn't want to engage with him, but there was something about his presence that always set me on edge.

As I turned my focus back to ben, I noticed he was trying to climb up the slide instead of going down it. "ben, sweetie, come down the slide, not up!" I called, trying to redirect his energy.

"Just let him be, newgirl," cj interjected, that annoying smirk still plastered on his face. "He's just trying to assert his dominance. Isn't that what kids do?"

I shot him a glare. "You wouldn't know anything about being a good role model," I retorted, irritation coursing through me.

Just then, oakley rejoined us, lifting ben into the air as he squealed with delight. "You ready for another round?" he asked, grinning at his little brother.

"Yeah!" ben shouted, his little arms pumping in excitement.

"Good," oakley replied, turning to me. "How about you, rory? You gonna come play with us, or are you too busy bickering with cj?"

"I'm coming," I said, shaking my head. I didn't want to be the one to give cj the satisfaction of knowing he got under my skin.

As we all moved closer to the playground equipment, I could feel cj's gaze lingering on me. "Have fun, new girl!" he called out, amusement dancing in his voice. "Try not to let the little one fall!"