Anti-Stepbrother

He opened his window and called out, “He’s not worth it.”

I was close to ten feet away from him, but I stopped and looked back.

His eyes bore into mine. “Whatever reasons you have for being loyal to him, he doesn’t share the sentiment.” There were no doubts. No questions. Nothing in Caden’s statement besides dead-set resolve.

The wind picked up, sending shivers through me. “What are you talking about?”

He put the Land Rover into drive. “He wouldn’t have your back. Guys like him never do.”

Claudia was coming out of Avery’s room when I got upstairs.

Her eyes skimmed over me. “You’re back.”

She didn’t smile. I took note of that. I didn’t smile either. “Yeah.”

“Listen,” she said as she started toward me, sliding her hands into her back pockets. “Avery was your buddy, and, well, she was upset. She and Marcus dated last year. They broke up, and two months later he was with Maggie.” Her disdain came through loud and clear when she added, “I don’t understand why Avery won’t stop saying she’s Maggie’s friend. The girl’s a bitch.”

I frowned. What was I supposed to do with that? “I feel bad for Avery, but I was told you guys don’t leave your friends behind. You left me behind.”

She stared at me.

I stared back.

She should’ve had some reaction, but there was none. I guess that told me everything. She wasn’t going to apologize, and I wasn’t her friend. I nodded to myself.

“Okay then.”

She shrugged. “It wasn’t personal.”

We were at an impasse, and I had two options. I could ignore her and pretend it was fine, or not.

I sighed. “But it was, you see.” I was going with option B.

“What?”

“It was personal.” My hand touched my chest. “To me. You left me.”

“Look, Avery will apologize to you tomorrow. We got her back, and she’s sleeping now, but if you’re the type to need that sort of thing, you’ll get it tomorrow.”

Her eyes moved past me. She straightened up like she was going to leave, but I had a bee up my ass.

I stepped to the side, as if to block her. Her eyes found mine again, and her pathetic half-grin fell flat. “What?”

I was about to start a confrontation with an upperclassmen. I didn’t really know her. I didn’t really know my RA, but something was going on with me. I suddenly wasn’t willing to let anyone roll over me. I braced myself for whatever was going to happen and forged ahead.

“Look,” I said. “Avery might apologize to me tomorrow, but you’re the first one I’m seeing from the group. I have a hard time imagining that you guys completely forgot me. I don’t think it was a mistake leaving me behind.”

Her eyes narrowed.

I kept going. “So yes, I’ll probably get an apology from Avery tomorrow, but you don’t seem sorry. That makes me wonder if you have a problem with me.”

What had gotten into me? I was more wallflower than confrontational, or at least I used to be.

She folded her arms. “How did you get back?”

That was it? Nothing? I cocked my head to the side. “I got a ride.”

Her left eyebrow lifted. “Someone gave you a ride home?”

I nodded. “Not everyone forgot me.”

She snorted, rolling her eyes. “Who gave you a ride?”

“Marcus’ brother.”

Her eyes widened. “Caden?”

He might’ve been an asshole to me, or maybe not—my head was all muddled about that now—but I enjoyed seeing the surprise from Claudia. “Yeah.”

“Are you sure?” She gave me a dismissing look. “I’m not trying to be mean, but Caden’s a big guy around here. He’s not known for dealing with girls like you.”

I hated asking, but the question burned in the back of my mouth. “Girls like me?”

“Yeah.” She smirked. “Nobodies like you. Freshman and forgettable.”

My lips were stiff. “Is he a senior?”

“Junior, but it doesn’t matter. He’s known, if you know what I mean. I have a hard time believing he just gave you a ride here. What’d you do? Blow him?”

“Why? Is that what you do to get rides?” I stepped closer. “Is that what you’re implying?”

“Maybe I was implying that that’s the only way someone like Caden would pay any attention to someone like you.”

God. She really was a bitch. “I thought you guys were nice.” I shook my head. “That’s the joke here. Not me.” I patted myself on the chest again. “Me looking up to you, thinking how cool you guys were, that’s the joke. I liked Avery.”

Claudia wasn’t the only one who could be cold. I iced my tone, letting her hear my disdain too. “Too bad about that. Too bad about you.”

She’d looked bored while I was talking, but now she perked up. “Wait a minute. Kevin is Caden’s fraternity brother.”

So now it was because of my stepbrother.

I reached for the wall. I needed it to ground me because I was about to launch at her, consequences be damned. “What does Kevin have to do with it?”

“Caden was being nice to you because of Kevin. That’s why you got a ride home, not because he’s interested in you or anything.” She looked me up and down again. “Can you really question why I was confused?” She laughed, moving past me down the hall. “Give Avery hell tomorrow. She’ll be groveling, because unlike me, she likes you for some stupid reason. Have fun!” ns class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">