Blended Family

Joey

Pippa had walked in on Elliott and I feeling each other up. How embarrassing. My feelings for Elliott had made a complete 180. I'd gone from despising him to being really into him. It felt a little weird that we lived together, but it's not like we're related. We're not even step-siblings. We're roommates.

Pippa seemed pissed about the whole situation, but can she blame us? She and my dad were the ones who decided to move us all in together, and now she's mad when we like each other? First, they were pissed that we were enemies and now this? There's just no pleasing them.

Dad came to talk to me later in the evening. He seemed much more level-headed. Unlike a lot of dads, he seemed okay with me starting to become interested in boys. He said it was perfectly natural, but that I needed to respect myself. I wasn't about to throw my future away for some boy, so he had nothing to worry about. If I eventually decided to have sex, which I'm definitely not ready for yet, I'll use protection. I bet Mom would let me get birth control.

Dad and Pippa seemed to be at odds that night and I wondered if they were arguing about us. I figured they'd be sitting us both down that night to talk about the situation, but they never did. When I went to get a snack around 8:00 no one was out in the living room and both their bedroom doors were closed.

After everyone had gone to bed I snuck back into Elliott's room. He smirked as he looked up from his reading. I grinned widely as I sat on his bed. We immediately started making out, which is probably what Pippa was so afraid of.

What was I supposed to do with my hands? I awkwardly put my hands on his shoulders and let one hand slowly rub at his chest. He was way more experienced than me. He let his fingers snake up under my shirt and I shuddered, my heart pounding. This was all new for me and it felt amazing.

As he moved to take off my bra, suddenly I got scared.

"We should stop," I told him, catching my breath.

"Okay," he said immediately. I liked that he didn't try to pressure me. He gave me another kiss and we rested our foreheads together.

"I better get to bed," I whispered. He nodded and kissed my forehead. I giggled a little and then stood up, our hands still connected. I looked back at him as I tiptoed to the door. Very carefully and quietly I made my way back to my room. I sighed contentedly as I slipped back into bed.

___

I felt like people must know what I'd been doing. I avoided eye contact with both Dad and Pippa the next morning. Elliott played footsie with me under the table, causing me to blush. Dad and Pippa were barely talking - just saying what was necessary to take care of the little kids. I could sense tension.

I took my bowl to the sink and rinsed it out, then Dad handed me my sack lunch. "Do you have anything after school today?"

"Mock trial," I told him, and he nodded.

"Come straight back afterwards," he said. "We all need to talk."

"Am I in trouble?" I asked.

"No," he said. "We just have some things to discuss."

The nice thing about New York City was that there were so many people that almost everywhere you went you were around strangers. So, Elliott and I stole kisses on the subway as we rode to school. No classmates around. No family or friends. We were free to act how we wanted. We didn't want to advertise that we were going out just yet. Not that we would keep it a secret, but if our parents were forbidding it we'd have to be careful.

I made it through the school day and mock trial, then headed home, mentally spent. I loved the way mock trial made me think on my toes. It was sharpening my debate skills. I dropped my backpack by the door and immediately went to get a snack. Dad was in the middle of making dinner.