6 - Annabelle.

“Guess who’s gonna be sister-in-laws?” says Samantha, leaning across the aisle after she finally saunters into Civics class - late as usual.

I shrug. “You?”

Samantha snorts. “Close enough. You and me, dummy. I saw a text on Kiara’s phone from your dad this morning, asking if she wanted to go out this week.”

“No way!” I say, louder than intended.

“Annabelle and Samantha, pay attention!” The teacher snaps at us.

“Sorry, sir,” we apologize in unison, straightening in our seats and face forward, but I can’t focus on class. My mind is racing.

Josh and Kiara?

The thing is, I always sort of thought they’d make a good couple. Except that now that it is a possibility, I don’t like the idea anymore.

I don’t want my Big Daddy dating anyone.

It’s not really fair, I guess. I will have to get used to the idea at some point. But I don’t like it.

I’ve come to think of him as mine, somehow. Not that we are… I mean, he is my dad… stepdad though, but I have gotten used to it just being the two of us. What will happen to our movie nights, or our camping trips, if there is someone else in the picture? Could we still snuggle if Josh has a girlfriend? Would it seem weird? And where does Mom stand in all of this? Are they going to get a divorce?

By the time I get home from school, I’m feeling moody and upset. I’ve been stewing on the Josh and Kiara thing all day - like, a lot. I know it doesn’t make any sense to feel this way, but I feel like a girlfriend will take Josh away from me, and I have to admit that upsets me.

Samantha, on the other hand, is thrilled. At lunchtime, she tells some of the other girls and gushes, “For real, though. Imagine if Anna and I were actually family? Like sisters? How amazing would that be?”

Before I can stop myself, I snap at her in front of everyone, “Would you really like that, though? I thought you wanted to fuck my hot stepfather?” and she looks at me with wide eyes, utterly stunned. Everyone is silent for a minute until, thank God, Amanda starts to snicker, and then they all laugh. Samantha just keeps looking at me, though, and soon I excuse myself and leave.

The only thing that is balancing out my mood is the hits on my OnlyFans footage from the night before. I’ve made $800 so far and I have 17 new subscribers. All of that will go into my savings for getting my own place at college as Mom will never let me stay off campus. And suddenly, if Josh is going to be dating someone new, moving out seemed more urgent than ever.

I’m looking at my OnlyFans page when I walk into the house, and I shut it quickly when I realize Josh is standing in the hall. Our eyes lock, his lips pursed.

He looks mad.

“Good thing you’re back, young lady. Can you come into the kitchen, please?” he asks in a clipped tone. “We need to talk.”

I can’t imagine what it was now. Is he about to tell me about the divorce? Fuck – that would mean me going over to Miami to be with mom. Permanently. Because, if they’re separating, Josh is no longer my guardian.

With these thoughts racing through my mind, I follow him into the kitchen, dropping my bag by the kitchen island as usual - a habit he hates. He says nothing this time. I take a seat across from him at the kitchen table.

He clears his throat. His jaw is set, one angry muscle twitching as he prepares to speak.

“I made a very upsetting discovery last night.”

I don’t like where this is going. He looks really Pissed, and I’ve never seen him like this before.

This is not about a divorce.

I start to wonder if this is going to be a really big deal. Did mom cheat and found out? Or did something serious happen to her?

But his next words make my heart stop.

“I saw a light on in the garage last night, and when I went over there to turn it off, I saw something really disturbing, Annabelle.”

I feel my face go white.

No.

Oh my God.

I start praying, please don’t let my stepfather have seen me filming a sexy video.