LOGINIsabelle I stood my ground in the packed hallway, lockers pressing cold against my back as Sienna loomed closer. Whispers rippled through the crowd of students slowing to watch. “No, I am not transferring anywhere. Delete whatever fake things you created and leave me alone. You are not bullying me out of my school, Sienna, this ends here.” Sienna stepped even closer, her voice dripping with venom. “Brave words from someone who is clearly guilty. I have explicit edited moments ready. Last chance, or the entire school sees exactly who you are.” “I said no,” I answered firmly, raising my voice so it echoed down the corridor. “I am staying right here. You are desperate for doing all this just because Lucas defended me once. Delete your content and stop harassing me, Sienna. What kind of person wastes their days creating lies about family? It is sad and desperate.” Her face twisted with pure rage. “You think you are untouchable? Lucas only pays attention because you are the new play
Isabelle I ran home from school, sobbing hard about my conversation with Tyler. A soft knock sounded on my door. “Isabelle? It is Lucas. No one is at home at the moment, can I come in?”I wiped my eyes quickly. “What do you want?”“I know today was rough,” Lucas said through the door. “The rumors, the photos, everything. Do you want to watch movies together? Just to escape for a while, no pressure though. We can pick something light downstairs.”I hesitated, then unlocked the door. “Okay, but only because I cannot sit in here alone anymore. Do not make this a weird thing, Lucas.”He smiled slightly. “I will not, come on, I already set up the couch.”We went downstairs to the living room. Lucas picked a comedy movie and started it. We sat on the couch with some space between us at first.“This movie is actually funny,” I said after a few minutes. “I needed something like this after today.”Lucas nodded. “Me too, the team would not stop talking about us at practice. I am glad we are
Isabelle The cafeteria was louder than usual when I walked in. Lucas was already at a table, saving a seat right next to him despite his teammates staring from across the room.“Lucas, you really are sitting with me today?” I asked as I sat down, keeping my voice low.“Yes,” he answered, sliding a tray toward me. “I am not hiding anymore. Eat, you barely touched breakfast this morning after everything.”Cole walked over with his tray, eyes wide. “Dude, what are you doing? The whole team is watching. You cannot just sit here with Isabelle like this after the formal and those photos, people are saying stuff.”“Let them say stuff,” Lucas replied. “Isabelle and I are step-siblings. I am allowed to sit with her, If the team has a problem, they can talk to me directly.”Tyler sat a few tables away, his eyes fixed on us with obvious discomfort. Sienna glared from another corner, whispering to her friends.One of the cheerleaders passed our table. “Look at them. So cozy now. Lucas carrying h
Isabelle The next day at school felt like walking into a battlefield. The moment I stepped through the front doors, heads turned, phones came out. Whispers followed me like shadows.“Did you see the photos Sienna posted?” one girl said loudly enough for me to hear. “Isabelle and Lucas in some seriously compromising positions, looks like they are definitely sleeping together, step-sister my ass.”Another student laughed. “No wonder Tyler punched back. Who wants to date someone who hooks up with their own stepbrother? Isabelle has some nerve showing up here like nothing happened.”I kept my head down and walked faster toward my locker. A group of juniors blocked my path.“Hey Isabelle,” one of them called out. “Is it true you are sleeping with your stepbrother? When do we get to have our turn? Lucas Graham is so hot.”Before I could respond, another added, “My brother saw the posts. He said the whole team is talking about how Lucas is obsessed with you. Are you two actually together? T
Isabelle The sudden confession startled me. We stayed tangled in the driver’s seat, my skirt bunched around my waist, his hands still gripping my hips as our breathing slowly returned to normal. The windows were completely fogged, the car filled with the evidence of what we had just done.“Isabelle,” Lucas whispered, his forehead pressed to mine. “Talk to me, I cannot keep pretending this is nothing. I have feelings for you, actual real feelings, I have been fighting them for so long and I am done, I want you.”“Lucas... we should go home,” I stammered, my voice barely working as I climbed off his lap and back into the passenger seat. My hands shook while I fixed my clothes. “Right now, we cannot stay here.”He reached for my hand but I pulled it away. “Isabelle, please. Do not shut me out, I meant every word. I am in love with you, I have been even when I was pushing you away.”“I said we should go home,” I repeated, staring straight ahead. “Drive, Lucas, I cannot talk about this
LucasI stood just outside the kitchen door, listening as Isabelle’s father’s voice carried clearly. I lost it and walked back to where my mom was, stepping into the room. “Mom, you are blaming Isabelle for seducing me and it is completely unfair. She did not seduce me, stop putting everything on her like she planned any of this mess.”“I heard enough,” I protested. “You wanted us to bond as stepsiblings. You encouraged family dinners and closeness, but accusing Isabelle of seduction after I lost control is wrong.”Lily sighed and motioned for me to sit. The others stayed quiet as we spoke alone in the corner. “Lucas, I wanted you two to bond. I encouraged it from the beginning so this blended family would feel real. Stepsiblings supporting each other, sharing the house, acting like brother and sister. But this was not the right way, you two have crossed every line.”I shook my head and I stood up. “I cannot stay here listening to this, Isabelle does not deserve the blame.” I storme
ISABELLE The table went completely still. My father's face shifted, a small flicker he covered with a nod in my direction. As if he was encouraging what she just said. Like this was healthy, like this was exactly what I needed. My fingers found my pen, but I didn't write anything. "You don't hav
ISABELLETyler looked at Lucas for a moment, then looked past him and his gaze landed on me.I didn't know what my face was doing."Stepsister?" Tyler repeated. "That's what I said," Lucas said.Tyler nodded slowly. "Okay." He looked at Lucas directly. "And what exactly does that change?""It lite
ISABELLEI wrote *But, it's far away,*“I know…but you can think about it,”*I will,* I wrote quickly. Tyler read it, and smiled, “Okay, sure,” he said.I walked to the bus stop, I didn't look back at Lucas as he was staring at the parking lot. The bus came and I got on. I stared out the window t
ISABELLEShe turned and left, I moved my feet slowly. My cheek was still burning when I walked out of that bathroom.I kept my head down, my hand not touching my face because touching it would make it even more real, and I needed it to not be real for at least the next three minutes. I made it to







