Chapter 1 Summer Vacation

Cherry 

I was laying on the couch in the living room pressing on my phone when I heard my brother's voice, he was making a call but what drew my attention was when I heard that his best friend Xavier will be spending the summer vacation over at our place, that was enough to grip my attention, I watched as my brother walked up the stairs still on call but I could no longer focus on what I was doing anymore, 

I could feel my adrenaline surging, my heart was beating so fast but most of all I was I was so damn worried, if he's going to spend the whole of summer vacation at our mansion, does that not mean that my feelings might get bursted what if he noticed that I've been secretly in love with him, no, no, this is not happening, I was filled with so much worry, that I completely forgot about my phone and did not even know when my brother came downstairs and stood beside me, 

“Xavier?” I heard my brother's voice and that brought me back to reality, my brother was standing before me with my phone in his hand,

“Zayn, why are you with my phone” I panicked, balling my fist, and hoping he's not suspecting already, 

“Here, why are you watching Xavier's picture on I*, you're clearly on his page, why?”

I quickly try to grab my phone from him but my brother pulled back and hung his hand midair 

“You haven't answered me yet little sister, why are you watching my bestfriend on I*”

“I, I…..” I stuttered to divert his attention and as soon as I saw that he was already interested and focused on what I was about to say, I used that opportunity to snatch my phone away from him, 

“You…..!” He pointed accusing fingers at me, 

“Can you ask your best friend not to come, I'm going to feel uncomfortable with him around” 

“Uncomfortable?” He tilted his eyes trying to get a reaction from me but when I showed none, he sighed, and fell on the couch I was sitting on earlier, 

“Come on Cherry, you know how Xavier's family is, his parents are not usually at home, always travelling around the world for business and he's always alone at home, I think it's cool if he spends this vacation with us, but I just have to warn you to stay away from him” 

“Stay away? Does he bite?” 

“Bite? Of course not, I just don't want you to fall for his charms, but don't worry I know my little sister can never fall for someone like him” 

He stood up and wrapped his arms around my shoulder, 

“I have one more thing to tell you as well”

“What's that?” I stared at him

“Our cousin Gueneve will be coming over as well”

“What? Come on Zayn you know I never got a long with her” 

“I know sis but come on there's nothing I can do, dad and mum already agreed to this, but you don't have to worry cause I'll always be here, and I promise I won't allow her to give you a tough time okay?”

“But……”

Before I could finish my sentence his phone started ringing,

“My girlfriend is calling, I need to take this call, see you…” He kissed my cheeks and dashed out of the house, I sighed deeply and stared into space,

I thought I was finally going to have a nice vacation after spending a hectic year in my first year in the University, but it seems I was wrong cause right now, my most anticipated vacation is about to get crushed by two people, one of them is my brother's best friend who I've secretly been in love with ever since high school and the other is my cousin who's everybody's favorite and whom I never got along with.

Everybody says that Gueneve is as gentle as a dove, intelligent like no other and beautiful like the morning sun, everyone in the Brentwood family adores her including my parents, but nobody sees what that adoration does to me, with Gueneve around I feel neglected and unseen, cause in my parents eyes I've always been the short tempered, arrogant and stubborn daughter, that is what everybody sees me as, although I've never really taken their words to heart, Gueneve has countless times reminded me that she's the best to everyone,

Now she's coming over thinking I'm going to ignore her like the past, but No, cause this time around I'm no longer the naive Cherry that does nothing to her cause she's my cousin, this time around if she messes with me and tries to take whatever that belong to me I'm going to show her that I've nothing more to lose cause I've already lost so much, and do not care about what anybody is going to say, least they will call me arrogant and stubborn, those words are not new to me anymore.

A week later 

I happily climbed down the stairs with my car key cause I'm about to go to the mall and do some shopping for my book collection, I've been obsessed with books ever since I was a kid and the last book I read was Choosing Between My Hot Stepbrother Or His Rival My Bestfriend, it was such a good book which made me felt like I was reading about myself, the only difference between me and the female character is that I secretly have a crush on my brother's best friend while she has a crush on her Stepbrother.

I made it to the living room but as soon as I heard familiar laughter and voices I froze on my step, not only is Gueneve standing and hugging my brother with my parents all surrounding her and checking on her, but also Xavier was standing beside my brother and Gueneve could not take her eyes away from him, 

“Cherry, come here, come greet your cousin” My mum waved at me and that drew Xavier's attention as he slowly turned and stared at me, our eyes met, and it felt like time stopped, I knew it would be impossible for me to run away from those gray eyes, 

“Hey Xavier, I've heard a lot about you” Gueneve suddenly moved towards Xavier clinging her arms around him, with her gaze on me, 

I balled my fist, I know her intention, I know what she's trying to do, 

“Hey Cherry” Xavier smiled