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Chapter 86: What If It All Falls Apart
Last Updated:
2025-10-14 00:43:02
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We shouldn’t be doing this, Step-brother Chapter 114: Coach Daniels Visit
SiennaThe smell of coffee and toasted bread drifted into my room before I even opened my eyes.For a few seconds, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, listening to the faint hum of voices coming from downstairs.It was still early — the kind of morning where sunlight poured through half-drawn curtains, warm and slow. I stretched, checked my phone, and noticed the time. Almost 9:00.Then I heard a familiar deep voice downstairs.A voice that made my stomach drop.Coach Daniels.I sat up instantly, heart thudding. He’s here? Now?Throwing on a hoodie, I tied my hair into a messy bun and hurried toward the stairs.Laughter floated up from the kitchen — not nervous or tense, but cheerful. The kind of laughter that told me everyone downstairs was comfortable. Too comfortable.When I reached the last step, I froze.There they were — all four of them around the dining table like it was the most normal thing in the world.Dad was pouring coffee. Mom was slicing strawberries. Jaxon was s
We shouldn’t be doing this, Step-brother Chapter 113: When our parents arrived
SiennaThe door swung open before we could even move.Mom’s voice filled the house first—warm, breathless, full of that kind of joy only people who’ve just returned from a trip carry.“Jaxon! Sienna! Come help with the bags!”For a second, Jaxon and I just stared at each other. Neither of us moved. His hand brushed mine once, quick, like a secret goodbye before we stepped into normal life again.I forced a smile. “Okay. Showtime.”We hurried out to the driveway, the evening air carrying that faint chill after rain. Dad was pulling out two large suitcases from the trunk while Mom was balancing shopping bags in both hands—souvenirs, by the looks of it.“There you are!” Mom said, laughing as she saw us. “You both look like you just woke up.”Jaxon scratched the back of his neck, smiling awkwardly. “We, uh… might’ve.”“Help me with these, will you?” Dad said, handing one of the heavy suitcases over to him. I took the lighter bags from Mom and followed them inside.The house filled quickly
We shouldn’t be doing this, Step-brother Chapter 112: When Love Starts to Tremble
SiennaBack in the present, sitting with him now, remembering all that made my chest ache and my heart feel full at the same time.I looked at him and whispered, “You were trouble from day one.”He smiled softly. “Yeah. And you still let me in anyway.”I grinned faintly. “Guess I did.”For a second, we both laughed. The kind of laughter that reminded me why I fell for him in the first place.But it didn’t last long. The weight came back, quiet and cold, the moment the laughter faded.Around midnight, Jaxon fell asleep on the couch. His arm was draped over his face, phone still beside him.I sat there watching him, thinking about everything—Coach, the scholarship, our parents’ messages, and how small this house suddenly felt with all the secrets it was holding.My phone buzzed on the table. It was Kendra.Kendra: Hey, saw the group chat. Heard about the scholarship 😭 tell Jax congrats for meKendra: You okay though? I stared at her message for a long time before typing back.Me: Yeah
We shouldn’t be doing this, Step-brother Chapter 111: The Weight of a Dream
SiennaI sat frozen beside Jaxon, staring at the family group chat like the words might change if I blinked enough times.Mom’s cheerful message, Dad’s proud emojis, the triple exclamation marks—they all stared back at us like they belonged in another world. A simpler one.One where Jaxon wasn’t my stepbrother. One where this secret between us wasn’t twisting everything into knots.Jaxon dropped his phone onto the couch cushion, rubbing his face hard. “Well,” he said finally, voice tired, “I guess the news travels fast.”I tried to laugh, but it came out shaky. “At least they don’t know everything.”He gave me a small sideways look, eyes soft but weighed down. “Yeah. For now.”The silence that followed was heavy. The kind that wraps around you and doesn’t let go. I fiddled with the hem of my shirt, thinking about Coach Daniels, about those faraway colleges, and about how proud our parents must’ve sounded—because they didn’t know what that scholarship could really mean for us.It wasn’
We shouldn’t be doing this, Step-brother Chapter 110: The Visit and the offer
SiennaThe sound of a car pulling into the driveway made both our heads turn. I peeked through the blinds and my heart nearly stopped — Coach Daniels.“Oh no,” I muttered. “Jaxon… your coach is here.”Jaxon’s face drained of color. “Now? What the hell—” He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes darting toward the door. “Stay upstairs, Sienna. Please.”I nodded quickly and slipped away to my room. My stomach was in knots. From upstairs, I could hear the knock on the door — sharp, steady, and way too serious.Knock. Knock. Knock.“Evening, Coach,” Jaxon’s voice came, trying to sound relaxed.“Evening, Jax.” The coach’s deep voice carried through the house. “Sorry to show up unannounced, son, but I tried calling. You didn’t answer.”“Yeah, sorry about that. Come in, sir,” Jaxon said.I heard the door close, then the faint clink of glasses. Jaxon must’ve offered him a drink.“Your parents around?” Coach asked.“No, sir. They’re still out of town. I can take any message for them, though.”Coach
We shouldn’t be doing this, Step-brother Chapter 109: The Talk
SiennaThe air in the house was tight long before Ezra even arrived. I’d texted Kendra about him coming, thinking she should be here too — she’d been the glue holding us together through every meltdown lately.But her reply came fast:Kendra: I think it’s better you two talk to him alone this time. He needs to hear from just you and Jaxon.So, it was just us. Me and Jaxon. Waiting in silence.Jaxon sat on the couch, tapping his leg restlessly while I tried not to keep checking the clock. Every car that passed outside made my heart jump, until finally, we heard the gate creak open.A few seconds later, Ezra walked in.He didn’t greet. Didn’t smile. Didn’t even look at Jaxon properly.He just nodded at me stiffly, dropped his car keys on the center table, and sat down across from us.The silence stretched so long that even the ticking wall clock felt loud.Jaxon cleared his throat first. “Thanks for coming, man.”Ezra didn’t reply. He just stared at him with an unreadable look.So I spo
