The Step-Brother

Part 1

Elliana's POV

I stared at the wall my room blankly. Minutes earlier, my dad had come in to tell me that we were going to meet his new girlfriend and her son in an hour. I had no idea my dad even had a girlfriend, and I sure as hell didn't want to meet her. As close minded as that sounds, how else would you feel when your mother dies and then your dad gets a new girlfriend not even 4 months later? I was enraged, but mostly disappointed. I loved my mother more than anything, and the pain I had experienced when she died had yet to remove itself from my body in these months she's been gone. If anything, it had gotten worse. My depression was like a black hole, sadness spewing in every direction and coating everything I had ever loved in a lifeless grey color. Everything reminded me of her, and I couldn't help but just fall into bed each night, praying for God to take me to her and let me not wake up the next day. On top of that, my anxiety had been through the roof. I skipped half of a month of school due to the fact that I was too scared to go around anyone anymore and I couldn't even get out of bed. My mother was the one person who truly understood my anxiety, and she could always calm me down. She would rub her hand across my back and say soothing words to me, never losing her patience whether I was crying, hyperventilating, or shaking. Ever since she'd died I had been missing that feeling; being able to talk to someone and not have them judge you. Everyone at my school judged me, they told me I was worthless, fat, ugly, the nerd, etc. They said I did it for attention. That made no sense to me, because, if anything, I wanted everyone's attention to be away from me, not on me. I hated attention, and I most certainly hated being the center of it. I would do anything to be able to just crawl in my own little nook and not be bothered for the rest of my days. As it was too good to be true, I got off my bed and walked in to the small bathroom that connected to my room. It also connected to the guest bedroom on the other side, but we never had guests; so I had 2 sinks, a shower, and a toilet all to myself. I looked at myself in the mirror, frowning in disapproval. My long blonde hair reached my waist in a flat mess, and my blue/grey eyes were dull, missing the secret twinkle they held before my mother passed. My tank top and shorts would obviously not be fit for a meeting like this with strangers, so I decided to change. I looked in the closet next to my bathroom, pulling out blue skinny jeans and a maroon tank top. I pulled them both on and headed back to the bathroom, attempting to tame my monstrous hair. To no avail, I threw it up into a ponytail, letting a few pieces fall to frame my face. I sighed once more at my appearance before brushing my teeth and applying some of my favorite perfume as well as deodorant.  I slipped on my black converse and walked out of my bedroom door, stalking down the hallway and bounding down the stairs. "Oh good, you're done. We have to leave soon." My father said, glancing at me from his newspaper at the kitchen table. I stayed silent as I walked to the kitchen cupboard, retrieving a cup and filling it with water. "Alright, I suppose we should leave. We have to be there in 10 minutes." My father spoke as I took one last swig, letting my cup clatter into the sink. "Jesus, Elliana, be careful." My dad said, slipping on his shoes. "Mhm." I grunted in response. He couldn't actually expect me to be happy about this. My mother wouldn't want this, she would want me happy, with my dad, not with some new family. I told myself over and over again in my head that it wouldn't be so bad as I walked out the door, hopping in the front seat of our Ford Flex. I turned up the radio to my favorite band, iPrevail, and leaned my head against the window, hoping for a good outcome.

Harry's POV

      "Harry Edward Styles get your arse down here right now!" I heard my mother scream. I groaned, rolling out of bed. My mom had just told me that we were going to meet her "boyfriend" and his daughter in a while, and man was I pissed. She didn't tell me anything about them, but I didn't want anything to do with that douchebag and his daughter who was probably like 10 and obsessed with barbies. I really didn't give a shit about this new family, and I wanted nothing to do with them. Regardless, I loved my mom more than anything, and I'd do anything for her. On that note, I sat up in bed, throwing a black t-shirt on and pulling on skinny jeans. I then rolled a army green beanie over my head in attempt to tame my curls that were poking out everywhere. I walked downstairs to meet an extremely angry mother, tapping her foot ferociously on the ground as if she's been waiting for 6 years or something. "We'll look who finally came down." She remarked. I stifled a forced chuckle before putting on my shoes and walking out the door, eager to get this done and over with.

*SKIP THE CAR RIDE*

We finally pulled up to Den's, a little café across town, and I jumped out of the car. "Now, Harry, be nice. You'll like them, I promise." I scoffed, but didn't let my feet lose their momentum as I walked towards as I walked towards the door. Yeah sure, I'll like them, him and his little baby of a daughter. I opened the door for my mom and she immediately starting fast walking towards a table with a middle-aged man and a girl who looked to be - about my age? Her head was hung to face her lap, and her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back in a long ponytail.  That can't be them. I thought. But sure enough, the man stood up, enveloping my mom in a hug. Only when he waved towards me was when the girl looked up, and her piercing blue eyes met mine. Her face tinted pink as I looked up and down her body and her eyes raked mine. When our eyes finally met again and I smiled, she smiled softly, almost like it was forced and even a bit sad. I let my feet carry me over to the table as her dad urged her to stand up. She did as told, and I absolutely towered over her; she must have only been about 5 foot 2, and I was 6 foot 1. I smiled down at her before sticking out my hand, and she took it slowly, shaking it lightly. "I'm Harry." I said. She finally looked up, letting her hand rest in mine for a minute while our eyes burned into each other, and for a split second, I saw a glimmer of happiness cross them. However, it was gone all too soon as she removed her hand from mine, sitting back down in the booth, shifting her gaze to the floor.