No Strings *COMPLETE*

Chapter One

"Skilar, hurry the fuck up!" My older brother, Alec, yells, pounding on the door. "I'm coming!" I holler back, throwing the last few pieces of clothing I had left to pack into my suitcase and zipping it up. I fling my bedroom door open and plop said suitcase into his arms. He glares at me, but trudged forward anyway, bag in tow. "In order to get you to registration in time, we have to leave in thirty minutes. If you aren't ready and in the truck, I will let mom take you." "You wouldn't," I argue. He stops dead in his tracks on the stairs and faces me.
"Hmm, yes I would. She already doesn't trust you. What makes you think she wouldn't jump at the chance to make sure you are actually doing what you're supposed to?" He sneers, then pauses, waiting for my response. He smirks. "That's what I thought," he says, continuing his walk down the stairs and out the front door. I follow suit without a word until my mother stops me on the front porch.
"Skilar, I expect that your grades will be your top priority and you'll stay out of trouble," she says, giving me a serious look.
"Yes, mother," I say, attempting to sidestep her arms, encircling my torso. Too late. She squishes her body against mine for longer than necessary. "Mom, I'm going to be late!" I exclaim.  She sighs. "Be careful. I love you." "I will," I say, giving her another quick hug,"I love you, too," I dart down the steps and toss my last suitcase into the back of Alec's pick up.
I get into the passenger seat and wait for Alec. Seconds after getting comfortable, he's in the driver's seat, starting the engine. After we get going and a few minutes pass, I turn to him. "So, Alec?"
"Hmm?"
"How does this work?"
"How does what work?"
"College."
He pauses.
"You go to class. You pay attention. You do your home work and deal with doing that for four years with zero sleep," he says with a monotonous tone. I sigh. "Skilar, that is why you're going to college. So you can go somewhere in life, not fuck off for a year to get away from Mom and Dad."
I grit my teeth. "It's not necessarily a vacation to be moving in with you. Funny how two people created me but three act like they have to tell me how to live my damn life," I mutter.
He's silent for a few minutes so I take the opportunity to reach for the auxiliary cord, but he stretches his hand out, stopping me. "Skilar, look. I love you. Mom and dad love you, too... and I get it, you're still in the ' fuck it, I'll do what I want, teenager phase' but we wouldn't be on your ass if we didn't care, okay?" That's it. "Alec, you can not tell me you didn't use college as an escape from mom and dad, too, or that you didn't party yourself silly for the first year you were at University," I say, getting angry that he is still trying to play Parent Number Three.
"Just keep your god damned grades up and stay the fuck out of trouble," he snaps. I give up and decide to drop the subject.
We ride in silence for about 30 more minutes, as we reach campus.
He speaks up first. "We're going to registration first, then we'll go to the house so you can get settled." I nod. He swings into a parking spot and kills the engine. We get out and I follow him into the administration office.
As we approach the front desk, an older gray-haired woman speaks up. "Hello, Alec. How are you today, Honey?" He grins a little. "Hi, Mrs. Patterson. I'm fine, just here to help Skilar enroll in some of her classes." She turns her attention to me with a surprised expression. "Oooh, you must be the little sister I've heard so much about!" She squeals. I smile shyly. She passes me a form. "Here, Sweetie, fill this out and we'll get you in the right classes, okay?" I nod and take the form. Alec snatches it and starts filling it out.
I peek over his shoulder. "A psych class?" I say. "Yes, it fills a hole in your schedule. A full schedule keeps you out of trouble." "Fine, then. I want a creative writing and journalism course," I say, taking the pen and checking both boxes. I hand her the form before he can argue. "Excellent," she says, entering the information into the computer. "And... You're all set Ms. Torres. Your first class of the semester is at ten a.m tomorrow morning," Mrs. Patterson says, handing over my schedule.
"Thank you, Cindy," Alec says, directing me back out of the office and to the truck. We hope into the cab and drive off campus.
"How the hell did you guys manage to get me out of the dorms for my freshman year, anyway?" I ask Alec. Without taking his eyes off the road, he says,"Mom and Dad are really good friends with the Dean. Which also means they have eyes all over campus." I roll my eyes. "Wonderful..." I mumble.
Within minutes, we're pulling into the gravel drive leading to a magnificent, rustic cottage type house. "This is the house Mom and dad bought for you?!" He nods,"See what the benefits are when you do what you're supposed to and prove yourself responsible?"
Ignoring him, I hop out of the passenger seat and grab a couple of my bags. He follows suit and unlocks the front door.
"Alec... this house is-"
"Huge, I know," says an unfamiliar voice. I look at my brother in confusion. "Who the...?" "That would be my roommate," he says. "Roommate?? Why did you decide to leave that detail out?" He shrugs.
A tall black haired boy approaches us in the foyer. "My name is Nathaniel," he says. I let one of my bags drop out of my grasp so I can shake his hand. "Skilar," I say quietly. He stares at me, taken aback. "The  Skilar?? As in your little sister?!" He exclaims, his attention now on me and Alec. Alec nods. "Yes, Nathan, my little sister," he says, putting emphasis that I am in fact, his very own younger sibling.
"Wow," Nathan mumbles. I look at the expressions on both of their faces. Alrighty then... I take my bags and head for the stairs. "Second door on the right!" My brother calls after me. "You didn't tell me your little sister was hot!" Nathan says, most likely assuming I'm out of earshot. What an ass.
Opening my "new bedroom" door, I plop my suitcases on the wooden floor and take it all in. I walk over to the bay window, mesmerized.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Says a deep voice behind me. I jump back. "Jesus I'm gonna have to put a bell on you." Nathan chuckles. "Sorry to scare you. Just wanted to make sure you found your room okay... or mine, whichever works for me," he says, winking at me. I scoff. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, Sweetheart." "Do not call me that." "But why? I think it has a nice ring to it. Don't you?" "No. It doesn't and I already don't fucking like you," I spat. "You don't have to lie to me. I see differently."
And dammit, he's right. It's taking every last bit of self control I have left not to jump his bones right here and now. "Whatever," I walk towards him,"Can you get the hell out of my room now?" He shrugs. "Whatever you wish... Princess." I snap. "Out," I growl, pushing him out in the hall and slamming my door.
He chuckles as the sound of his footsteps fade down the hallway. I begin to put my things away in silence.
About an hour or so later, there is a knock on my door. "Come in!" I say, still arranging my clothes. Alec opens the door and stands in the doorway. "You getting settled in okay?" I nod. "That's good... Hey, I told Nathan to order pizza for dinner.  I'm going to hang out with a few friends, so I'll be home a little late, okay?" I nod and mumble an okay. He steps forward and gives me a light kiss on the crown of my head. "I love you, Skilar. Don't hate me." "I love you, too," I say, not looking up from my task. He waits for a second, then exits my room without another word.
I busy myself with rearranging and hanging curtains.
By the time I stop and look at the time, it's already 8:30 pm. I'm tired as hell. I push my window open and grab for my purse. My cigarettes find their way into my palm and I search for a lighter. "Fuck me, where-" "Gladly," says Nathan from my doorway. "Oh shut up'" I snarl, turning to face him. He holds a little blue Bic out to me. "Looking for one of these?" I grab the lighter from him and light the cigarette in my mouth. He tsks,"What would Alec think if he caught you smoking?" "Hell, I'm pretty sure my smoking is the least of his concerns." He shrugs. "Maybe. That's probably only one of your many dirty little secrets." "You don't know what you're talking about," I say, stubbing my cigarette out on the window sill and shutting the window. "Oh, don't I, though? Tell me differently. Enlighten me on how much of a good girl you are," he purrs. I walk towards him.
"I'm not playing this game with you." "There's no game, Baby Girl," he says, reaching up and gently pushing a fallen Auburn curl behind my ear. I shiver at his touch. Fuck. "I'm not doing this with you." His hand caresses my face and travels south with only the most gentle of touches.
By the time his hand reaches my hip, he speaks,"Then don't," he squeezes and it makes me gasp,"Your call, Baby Girl." I bite my lip. "I hate you." He smirks. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you,Darling."
I grab his shirt and smash his lips to mine. He grabs my ass and lifts me up. Throwing me onto the bed, he kicks the door shut and rips his shirt over his head.
"I'm home!" Shit. "To be continued," he murmurs. And he's gone.