Again (PUBLISHED!)

Chapter 45.1.

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I walked through the crowded halls lost in a myriad of thoughts. I was totally averse to Katherine being my father's wife. I honestly didn't get a good vibe from her when she first came home with Papa. And now I had ample reasons to believe that she wasn't good.

Or was I judging Katherine all wrong? Was I missing out something here? Was I averse to the whole stepmother thing on the first place after getting to know Cheryl? Or was it just so hard for me to see Papa with someone else for the first time when all these years I'd pictured him with my own mental image of Ma.

I was in the Lockers Room stuffing my books into the locker when a gloomy looking Stef walked in there with her head bowed low.

"Hey, what's up? You don't look okay...." I told her anxiously.

"Adam..." she trailed off in a low voice.

"Adam? I didn't see him post lunch but saw him messaging a lot during the boring History class," I winked at her knowingly.

But my words didn't make her smile or blush like I had expected. Instead she looked more pale and upset. And the lump in her throat was painful to watch.

"Stef, you've got to tell me what's going on between you and him. I can't be a silent witness anymore," I said decisively.

"I-I think Adam is cheating on me..." Stef gulped hard.

"What???" I stood there ashen- faced looking at her. I was rendered numb and motionless in shock.

Stef cleared her throat and continued, her voice cracking, "He's been lying to me I think, avoiding me a lot lately and when I try to talk to him about it, we end up fighting bitterly...."

I was just about to speak---

"That's sad but why am I not sorry that I overheard it."

My eyes widened as I heard that sneer. I spun around to see Devon casually leaning against the wall of lockers with a callous smirk on his face.

A split second later, I was hit by a bad feeling that he was gonna be a nasty trouble....

Stef was equally taken aback seeing Devon there. "Oh I didn't see that you are here too," she mumbled, visibly uncomfortable that someone else other than me knew about her personal matters now.

"Devon, leave," I ordered sharply.

"Yeah I'm right here," said Devon flippantly pretending I just didn't say anything. "I can't get enough of my girl. I'm always around her," he added in a raw huskily tone fixing his dark gazes on me.

My mouth fell dry seeing Stef's white face. Devon was purposely saying that to make her feel worse about herself.

"T-There's nothing like that. Don't-Don't listen to him," I said hurriedly, trying to make her feel better. "Every relationship has problems. Devon and I aren't on talking terms right now."

"It's a pity you're lying to your best friend, sweetheart. Didn't tell her about how you and I cannot keep away from each other?" remarked Devon, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I saw the lump of self-pity reappear in Stef's throat.

I shot an icy glare at Devon. "Can't you just fucking leave?!"

"Nah, I think my feet feel amazing standing right here," responded Devon at once with a sass.

I was about to retort but Stef interrupted me, "You guys are couple goals...w-wish Adam and I shared a similar relationship," she swallowed hard.