LOGINIsabelle I stared at the thick textbook on the hotel desk, the pages blurring after hours of forcing myself through equations and history notes. Suspension sucked, no classes, no normal routine, just this sterile suite that still smelled like fresh paint and someone else's perfume. I flipped another page, muttering under my breath. "Why do they make this stuff so dry? It's like they want me to fall asleep." My phone buzzed on the nightstand for the hundredth time that morning. I glanced over, then immediately regretted it, the screen lit up with another notification, some gossip site headline screaming about me and Lucas again. I snatched it up, scrolled for two seconds, and felt my stomach twist. "Seriously? Now they're saying we ran away together? Who even believes this garbage?" I tossed the phone face down and paced to the window. The city stretched out below, cars crawling like ants. Living here felt temporary, like I was in limbo waiting for the world to forget my name.
Isabelle Lucas grabbed me by my waist and kissed me passionately, as I let myself melt into his arms, I remembered our parents were just down the hall, so I pushed back. “Let's leave from here,” Lucas whispered into my ears, “I will go first, meet me by the car.” And we did just that, I stared out the windshield as Lucas pulled the car into the quiet overlook, the engine humming down to silence. The view stretched out below us, but my mind was anywhere but on the scenery. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears. “Isabelle, we need to talk about everything,” Lucas said, his voice low and serious as he turned toward me. “Our feelings, the complications with our families, what this really means for all of us. I cannot keep avoiding it anymore.” I turned to face him fully, my hands twisting in my lap. “What do you want me to say, Lucas? That I am terrified every single day? That every time we get close I forget you are my stepbrother? Our parents are married. What ar
Isabelle 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
LUCASIsabelle had been off after her recent date with Tyler. Her attitude was always off with me but this was different. I knew I had to do something about it.So, I found Tyler at the rink after. He was the last one off the ice the way he usually was, taking his time with the cool down laps while
ISABELLETyler texted the next morning.*There's a place on Meridian. Small bakery shop, back room, usually empty on weekday mornings. Meet me at ten?*I typed back yes and put my phone down and sat at my desk for a moment with stillness.So, I got dressed. I passed Lucas's door on the way out and
ISABELLETyler came to the house at nighttime. He had been coming to the house at seven on Tuesdays for three weeks. It was the same routine. Lily always opened the door with the warm smile she reserved for him.I heard him downstairs and came out of my room. The first twenty minutes were normal;
ISABELLETyler stayed for an hour after we came inside, sitting with me in the living room while Lily made hot tea for the weather, even though nobody asked for it.He initially wanted to go to my room, but Lily refused it, preaching about premarital sex.Lucas, on the other hand, remained in his r







