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43 || Stop hiding
CALUM
Cathy is hardly awake by the time the car drives into the familiar streets of Wells. The best I can do is haul our bags. Sadly, I have to watch my girl trot up the stairs on wobbly feet when she should be nestled in my arms and carried up to her room. Our long kisses, hugs on the way home feel like nothing now we have to face reality.It’s time for us to stop hiding.
Pete’s car is parked out front. I flash my image on the window a smile and rehearse a few lines in my head. Mum should also be home. She’s the real issue, the person we need to convince.
Cathy halts at the top of the front stairs without opening the door. Quickening my pace to find out the problem, I’m smothered in a tight hug. Her eyes well with tears, she sniffs and throws me a smile. Questions hang on the tip of my tongue as she unlocks the door. I follow behind but slow down to see what caught her interest.
Our parents cuddled on the co
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 44 || Simple biology
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To Tempt My Stepbrother 45 || Bad boyfriend
By Tuesday morning, I am feeling much better. Dad is the first one at my door. Yesterday was tough with him and Dani fussing so much. I pat my cheeks to give them some colour, then invite him inside. If he thinks I’m not well enough, it will be another day in the house for me. That itself isn’t bad but I miss my friends and Calum will have no excuse to stay back with me.“Hey,” Dad calls out from the door. He shuts the door with his foot and continues towards the vanity. Our blues meet in the mirror. “How do you feel now, Cathy? Any better or worse?”“Much better.” I turn around to hug him and he holds on for an extra second longer. A warning bell trips off in my head. “Are you okay, Dad?”His blues are smiling. He nods. “Why wouldn’t I be? I was just worried about my daughter.”“Okay, Dad.”Picking up my backpack strapped to the
To Tempt My Stepbrother 46 || It’s wrong
I was nervous before taking the solo but the emotions of that day don’t compare to the fear coursing through my body right now. Oh, my God. What if I’m pregnant? I don’t want a baby. Someone taps me. I move away from the door and try to refocus my thoughts but the person taps me again. My head snaps towards the source. Amelia. I release a tired breath. She is the reason I’m in this mess. I’m not ready. “It’s time,” she says. I nod. Because what else am I supposed to say? The instructions on the kit said to wait at least five minutes before checking. Amelia slings her arm through my elbow and walks me inside the bathroom. I pause at the sink where the cup and pregnancy stick is. We share a glance. “You do it,” I tell her. She laughs. “It’s not funny.” “Yeah.” I try not to peek over Amelia’s shoulder but my curiosity gets the best of me. Two lines glare at me from the white stick and I stagger backwards until my back hits the wall. Maybe I saw wrong.A sob catches in my chest. I
To Tempt My Stepbrother 47 || Even if it hurts
“Do you really have to go today?” I ask Calum.He stops packing to sit on the edge of his bed. I stare down at my feet. I thought I could handle him leaving for a few days. But I haven’t been the same since Amelia talked about the test.We will be going to the hospital this evening.“Yeah. You know I want you to be there with me but I don’t know what to tell our parents. And you have school today.” Fuck school. He walks over to me. His hip nudges mine playfully but I don’t look up. “Baby. We can do something when I get back.”“Okay.”“Cathy, look at me.” I obey. His expression cracks. Without warning, he sweeps me off my feet and pulls me down with him to the bed. I straddle him. “Baby, what’s wrong? Superstar, I can’t leave if you’re this way.”He needs to leave so he can work on his career but my b
To Tempt My Stepbrother 48 || I dare you
Calum has not called or texted. Granted, it has only been four hours since he left but that’s too much time without a word from him. He should be in London. I could text or call him to find out instead of staring at my phone. But I was the one who walked out on him. The one who locked myself in my room and didn’t step out till he was gone.Amelia had to come pick me up. We were both late because of that. I put my phone away. It’s for the best. I can focus on Girls Code while he focuses on his music. The term is almost over anyway, he will be leaving soon to his America where he can eat fries and call football soccer.It takes me less than a minute to bring out my phone. I open my WattsApp, and my heart clenches. Calum has updated his status. He is in London. I type in a long apology in reply to his status but instead of hitting the send button, I hit delete and place my phone face down on the cafeteria table.The girls should
To Tempt My Stepbrother 49 || One less problem
The test came out negative.One less problem for me to worry about.Curled in bed, I hug a pillow to my chest, acting like it’s Calum and we are cool. I have been in here since I had lunch with Dani and my dad. They think I’m having a lazy Saturday. But the truth is, Calum still hasn’t called or texted to check in. Jackson hasn’t either. I wish he would so we could get his shit over with as soon as possible.What does he want?My thoughts wander to the possibilities. Fear races down my spine, and I clench my eyes shut. Jackson can’t ask for money. He can’t ask for sex. He can’t ask me to give Calum up because I won’t. I can’t do that to him.How do I know for sure that he knows a thing? He could be bluffing for all I know, fishing for information to use against me.What will he ask for?The bed vibrates. I roll over in search of my phone and anno
To Tempt My Stepbrother 50 || Talk to me
Calum twists in my arms so he’s facing me. He peers down at me with an intensity that strips me of my confidence. I fake a smile but he clicks his tongue. He sees through my bullshit. Telling him about Jackson won’t solve the problem. It only means two more worried people.“Is everything okay, Cathy?”“Why won’t it be?”“The least you owe me is the truth, Cathy. Don’t lie to me. I know something is up.”My arms stretch out to hug Calum but he keeps me at a distance. My lower lip trembles. I think I’m about to cry again. He runs a hand through his hair. I need to say something. Why am I not talking?“I’m here because of you,” he murmurs, his frustration evident. “Scott is mad I left, there’s so much work to be done but I’m here because I know my baby is not happy.”“Cal,” I whisper.
To Tempt My Stepbrother 51 || Mission accomplished
On Sunday morning when Calum is still asleep, I sneak into the bathroom to call Jackson. The call rings uninterruptedly for the first time, and the second time, it goes straight to voicemail. I bite my fingernails while pacing the bathroom.He might be in church with his family for morning mass. Our parents left already. Jackson’s parents oversee the Bible study group. He attends church for their sake.I dump the phone on the sink and splash water on my face. One minute later, I’m still staring at myself in the mirror.What will Jackson do?Turning my back to the mirror, I scroll through our interactions from yesterday. There’s an unread text from Jackson. The content causes a sob of relief to escape me. I clap a hand over my mouth and breathe. I’m safe now, but what happens next time?I reread the message.Jackson: you are lucky Regina showed upSo it was all about sex for h
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