CHAPTER SIX

Austin

I didn’t know how to feel. Scratch that—I knew, I just didn’t want to admit it.

My dad marrying the mother of the dork I tease at school? That was low-key insane. Out of all the women in the city, heck, in the country, he had to choose her? Reina’s mom? The one who sells cheap flowers at the downtown street market in that dusty little kiosk that always smells like overripe lilies?

It made no sense.

Worse, now Reina was going to be part of my family. Family.

Just thinking about it gave me a headache.

Reina Grimes, the scholarship girl with oversized sweaters and those weird drawings in her notebook. The quiet, awkward, totally beneath the Reed name. But somehow, she managed to get under my skin.

It wasn’t like I had a thing for her, hell no. But something about the way she reacts to me always made my day a little more interesting.

The way her cheeks flush when I call her “charity case.” The way her lips tighten like she’s trying not to scream. And those icy blue, sharp eyes burning with hate.

Cute, honestly. Even if she pretends she’s invisible, I see her. I always see her.

But now?

Now, she wasn’t just some school joke. She was about to be my stepsister.

I slammed my bedroom door shut and threw myself on the bed, still dressed from the party. The room smelled like cologne, sweat, and Beth’s perfume that always smelled sweet, fake, and suffocating.

She was already sitting at the edge of the bed, twirling her hair around her finger like she owned my place.

"You're quiet today," she said, moving closer. Her hand slipped onto my chest, fingers trailing toward my abs like she had a right to touch me.

I didn’t move.

"You know... I’ve missed this," Beth whispered, leaning in to kiss my neck. Her lips brushed my skin, soft and familiar.

I stared at the ceiling, unmoved. Not even a flicker of interest. Then my phone buzzed. I checked to see it was an unknown number.

Beth kissed me again. "Ignore it. It's probably some loser."

I shoved her back gently, but firmly. "Whatever you're hoping is gonna happen here... it’s not."

Her eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"I’m not in the mood for this,"I said, picking up the phone. "Not tonight."

Beth crossed her arms, insulted, but I was already answering the call.

"Hello?" I said, a little rougher than I intended.

There was silence, then a shaky breath, and then her voice came on.

"Austin...?"

I sat up, stiff. "Reina?"

Her voice cracked. "Please... I need help."

That was all it took. No thinking. No questions. I was on my feet, grabbing my keys from the table, ignoring Beth's shriek behind me.

"Wait! What the hell, Austin?"

I didn’t respond.

My feet hit the stairs two at a time, my heart already racing. I didn’t even know what was happening. I just knew something was wrong. Reina didn’t sound like Reina. Not the stubborn, quiet girl who’d rather die than ask me for anything.

This Reina was scared. And that twisted something in my gut.

I jumped into my car, the engine roaring to life. "Where are you?" I asked as I sped down the driveway.

Her voice was faint, breaking up.

"Old bridge... near Route 7... I think... I—"

The line went dead.

"Sh*t!"

I swerved onto the road, eyes locked ahead. I didn’t even bother checking my speed. The only thing I could see was her face. That pale, angry, brave face I’d mocked a million times.

And now I just wanted to find her fast.

The streets outside the estate were almost pitch-black, my headlights slicing through the silence. When I turned a sharp corner, I saw five, maybe six shadows hunched in a corner.

My chest tightened.

I pulled over hard, slammed the door, and grabbed the flashlight from my car. The beam cut across their faces.

"Hey!" My voice came out sharp and menacing. For a split second, they froze like animals caught in a trap. Then, one by one, they bolted into the darkness.

The light fell on what they’d been circling and that's when I saw Reina with her glasses broken beside her, glittering in the beam. Her hair was a tangled mess, her cheeks blotchy from crying.

Something hot and ugly burned in my chest. Perhaps it was anger, or guilt, maybe both. I didn’t stop to think. I crouched down, grabbed her arm, and pulled her up.

She flinched but didn’t fight me.

"Come on," I muttered, dragging her toward the car.

We didn’t speak. Not while I drove through the gates, or while the mansion lights came into view.

When I pulled into the driveway, she finally whispered, "Thank you."

"Cut the act," I said flatly, eyes on the steering wheel. "I only saved you because I’m not looking to cross my dad. That’s all."

Her mouth opened slightly, but she didn’t reply. She just got out, clutching her bag to her chest, and disappeared inside.

The night passed like it hadn’t happened.

By morning, I was back at school. But the gossips had already started.

"The Reeds’ engagement party? Dude, it was insane."

In the locker room, Winnfred slapped my back. "Man, your stepmom’s hot. Like—model hot. Total upgrade for your dad."

Ethan snorted. "Yeah, but her daughter? Total downgrade. Don’t know how the same DNA produced that."

My jaw tightened. She wasn’t even that bad. If only she would loose the glasses and relax her shoulders a bit. Normally, I’d laugh with them. Maybe throw in a jab myself. But today was different.

"Shut your mouth, Ethan," I said sharply, shooting a glare at him.

He smirked. "What, you got a thing for the dork now?"

The smirk didn’t last long as my fist was already halfway up before I forced myself to step back. "Say one more thing, and we’ll see if you can still talk."

Both of them went quiet. I walked out before I really did something I’d regret.

On the way to class, I spotted movement near the lockers and when I looked, it was Reina.

She was kneeling on the floor, hands full of crumpled fliers, while a group of kids laughed and kicked a few just out of her reach.

Usually, this would’ve been my cue to pile on, make her day worse and keep up the tradition. But all I could see was her on the ground last night, shaking with her broken glasses and tear-stained cheeks.

That same guilt from last night punched me in the gut. I started forward, ready to make the laughing stop, when Beth appeared out of nowhere, sliding her hand onto my chest. "Hey, babe," she said in that sweet, sticky voice. "About last night—" She leaned closer, smiling like she just won a lottery. "I can’t stop thinking about it."

I stiffened. Over her shoulder, my eyes caught Reina’s. She had stopped picking up the fliers, her gaze fixed on Beth’s hand on me.

Something flickered in her expression, anger, maybe disgust. I didn’t look long enough to figure it out. I looked away first, and kept walking.