simplicity ✩ pm

one

elle's pov

"dahlia , i don't think i can do this. my mom said i'm getting 3 new step siblings: austin, mason, and ryan."

"e, it's gonna be fine trus- wait. did you say austin? as in austin porter?!"

i shrugged.

"i don't know their last name but i guess i should soon since my mom will be changing her last name soon enough. why do you care?" i asked, chuckling.

"cause he's totally eye candy, elle! anyways, let me know how it goes later, k? and try to get his number for me" she winked and laughed. i rolled my eyes and laughed along. she reassured me with a tight hug, and with that, i grabbed my coffee and shut her car door. i watched her drive as my stomach swirled with anxiety and curiosity. what if they don't like me? i wondered. i slowly turned the key through the locks and was greeted immediately by my mom.

"elle! im glad you're here! i know you all haven't formally met yet, so allow me to introduce you all. this is marc, your new soon-to-be step dad, and austin, mason, and ryan, your new step siblings."

i waved shyly and walked to the kitchen table. i sat down, sipping my coffee and scrolling through my twitter timeline when the chair next to me became occupied by my new step brother.

"hey, i guess maybe we should get to know each other? i understand this is probably hard for you with moving families and everything."austin spoke  softly with sympathy rolling in his words.

"yeah i guess so." i kept quiet, as usual. we went on just chatting and small talking for a few minutes more. our parents went out to dinner, the other boyswas upstairs, and it was just us talking mostly about music and relationships and stuff. we were interrupted by a tall boy with glasses barging into the house.

"austin you've gotta see th-" he paused when he noticed me. he choked up a bit.

"wh-wh-who's this?" he finally spoke. i looked at him and blushed. austinnoticed and rolled his eyes.

"brandon, this is my new step sister, elle," he spoke then looked at me. "brandon lives next door."

i smiled and waved.

"well it's been nice getting to know you, austin, but i'm kind of tired. i'll be in my room, and nice to meet you brandon ." i flashed a flirty smile and walked up the stairs.'holy shit!! brandon is so cute' i thought to myself. damn, tomorrow's the first day of my senior year. i picked out a long sleeved black and white shirt and a thrasher t shirt to wear over it with my black ripped jeans and my black hightops with drawings all over them. call me goth or emo, i fucking dare you lol. i laid my outfit out, texted dahlia for awhile, and finally i fell asleep.

- 3 weeks later -

2:00 a.m.

i woke up abruptly, and i found myself tossing and turning. i got up and walked down to the kitchen. the house was quiet, it was so weird. i grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with water when i nearly dropped it.

"brandon what are you doing here?! it's 2:00 a.m.!" i whisper-shouted

"sorry sorry! i was just getting water, i sleptover here."

"no it's fine you just...you scared me." i sat on the counter and sipped my water. brandon walked closer to me.

"so, how's living here? this must be tough for you." he asked. i stepped a bit closer, what am i doing?

"it's been okay, i haven't talked to the other boys yet but austin seems nice and so do you."

he stepped even closer. i sat on the counter, making me at his eye level. he started leaning in, and i guess i panicked. no i can't do this, it's too soon. i wanted to kiss him so bad, but he's my step brother's best friend. i was inches away from his face but i sighed and backed away.

"i-i'm sorry i should probably go." i left my cup and walked halfway up the stairs.

"goodnight, brandon ." i smiled at him.

"goodnight, elle." he blushed and ran his fingers through his hair. i shut my bedroom door and fell asleep smiling.

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the next morning

i got up, changed, and walked downstairs to find my mom making breakfast.

"morning, honey! i made an arrangement if you want a ride to school, you can go with austin and brandon so-"

i nearly choked on my coffee remembering what happened with brandon last night.

"uhh-um no i um i think i can get a ride with elle but thanks." i said, shakily. at that very moment, dahlia texted me saying she was gonna be late to school so she can't give me a ride. fuck.

"nevermind mom, dahlia can't give me a ride so i'll talk to austin ."

i'm freaking out. brandon is so cute, i wanted to kiss him so bad and now i have to ride to school with him. austin came running down the stairs with brandon so i figured it was a good time to ask.

"austin , would you mind giving me a ride?" i asked.

"yeah, of course! brandon's riding with us too if that's okay."

i sighed and nodded. brandon came from austin's room, we made eye contact and i quickly looked away. time passed and we eventually made it to austin's car.

"so brandon , how are you andcharlotte doing ?" austin asked. my heart dropped, i looked down sadly and i think brandon noticed. the rest of the drive was silent for me, and soon enough it was over.

"thanks for the ride austin, i'll see you guys later." i said, sadly getting out of the car and walking away.

brandon's pov

"...i'll see you guys later." she said while getting out of the car. oh fuck, i need to tell him what happened.

"austin i have to tell you something." i said, nervously.

"oh god, what is it man?" he asked, something told me he already knew.

"fuck bro, don't kill me but i-i-uh-i almost kissed elle yesterday." i waited for him to respond but he didn't say anything for a hot second.

"i mean i don't know what else to say besides WHAT THE HELL?! SHE LITERALLY JOINED MY FAMILY LIKE A MONTH AGO!" he yelled.

"man i'm sorry! i think i like her, i don't know what to do. and i think she likes me too, she got so sad when you mentioned charlotte !" i retorted.

"whatever, i'm sorry but she's my sister now. please just stay away from her, this could complicate everything." he begged. i nodded and sighed. all day, i couldn't stop thinking about her. i had her so close, i was so close to kissing her. how could i be having these thoughts when i have a girlfriend? it's my best friend's sister for fuck's sake. ugh.

elle's pov

"i seriously don't know why this is so weird for me. i met him a month ago, how could i feel this way  about someone so soon? i almost kissed him! this is so weird, this is so so weird." i spewed. she laughed at me as i stared at brandon from across the cafeteria. he smiled and talked with his girlfriend, i felt my heart crumble a bit.

"girl, you got it bad. you seriously almost kissed him?! that's adorable. but you do know it could never work, austin wouldn't let it." dahlia explained. i knew she was right. whatever, i'll find a way to get over it. also, i noticed dahlia was acting kind of weird but i guess i ignored it. i wonder what's up with her.

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