Chapter 3 - My secret or yours

NOAH

It's 3am, and my phone beeps a second time before I pick it up.

It's Natasha, my best friend, and I could tell from her voice she had just returned from a party.

“You called just at the right time,” I said, lifting my frame from the bed.

My tummy growled as I stood, which meant I needed to find something to eat soon.

“Really? Well, I hate you. I'm so jealous. The dressing room!” Nat said over the phone. Earlier on, I had sent her a video of my room and its contents, and this was her trying to tell me she was impressed with my new clothes.

“I am not going to wear any of those dresses,” I acknowledged; those were not my style, and I could imagine being strapped in a bodycon dress.

“Are you crazy?” she yells, shocked at my revelation. “Enjoy it !” she continued.

By now I'm out of my room and heading downstairs to the kitchen. 

“I just can't stand the extravagance,” I explained to her, swivelling my glance sideways to know if anyone was around.

“The house smells like poodle perfume. Can you picture me in the spa cuddling up to one of those pom-poms on legs? I lamented over the phone, which made Nat break into a laugh; she is my best friend and the one that understood me the most.

“So I have to feel sorry for you for being rich?” She remarks, and we both laugh.

I am going down the stairs, and my eyes catch the picture of Max's great-grandfather, who was an admiral, and I remember the dinner.

“Today is the family dinner on a boat. Bet I am going to puke overboard,” I say with an accent, disgust reeling at me.

“Just send millions of photos,” Nat pleaded, and I accepted anything for her.

“I didn't eat anything yesterday, and I am starving.” 

“Why don't you ask the butlers?” she asks.

“It's late, and I bet they don't have a lousy sandwich." I stepped into the kitchen, flipping the switch on before heading towards the refrigerator.

Just as expected. I opened the fridge, and there were no sandwiches but filled with stuff I knew couldn't take care of my hunger.

I shut it with a bang only to find Max by the side, and my phone fell from my fingers subconsciously. I hadn't expected anyone to be awake by this time of the night.

“Shit !” I murmur in panic, trying to bring my racing heart to a halt.

He opens the refrigerator once more.

“How about an Angus ragout? Some ramen? An apple strudel?

Don't know what you eat in Yokel-land if you are going to throw up on any of the meals I listed," he explains, and I stare at him.

“What in particular are you doing here?” I asked.

“Same thing you came down for…midnight snack,” he responded.

Nat called my name, and I turned to look at my phone.

“Is Noah not a name for boys?” he asks, wrapping his hands around his middle.

“Your limited vocabulary doesn't include the word ‘unisex? I chirped in.

I leapt downwards, and his dog was right in my face, a Spanish bulldog, which was obviously 18-22 inches in height, just the same size as I was in my leapt state.

He barked once, twice, and I felt my heart leap to my throat.

“Do you know what Thor’s favourite word from my vocabulary is? He asked, referring to his dog as it charged at me.

“It starts with ‘a’, ‘tta’, and ends with ‘ck’,“ he continued, and I could feel fear recoil in my being. Tears glittering in my eyes, maybe this was the end, and I was going to die, but if I did live, I wouldn't let Max off the hook easily.

Thor’s teeth flared at me, hard and sharp. I kept contact with it as I lounged my hands forward to pick up my phone.

“It's not funny,” I yelled at Max.

“He doesn't like you and must think you sneaked into the house at midnight. That should ring a bell?” He asked in a casual manner, clearly wearing a contented smile.

“That is enough, Max,” I yelled, raising my voice and taking my phone and bringing my flame upwards while the dog barked harder.

“He is like a poodle but smarter”, 

“Did they hit your head as a baby, you jerk?”

“Thor hates it when people insult me,” he leans forward, whispering into my ear. Thor comes nearer, barking loudly. I run behind Max, pushing him forward as a shield.

“Say something,” I pleaded behind him; my sharp tongue had rested by now, and here I was, quivering behind my despicable stepbrother.

“Thor, stop,” he says, but the dog won't budge.

Seeing that the situation was more than I could handle, I picked up the frying pan on the kitchen table and aimed at using it.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“Protecting myself and maybe planning to hit you”, I retorted.

“If he senses any threat, he will rip you to shreds.”

“At least you will still get a pan on your head”, 

He tells the dog to sit, and it respects its master.

He turns around, pinning me on the side of the refrigerator.

“You are crazy, aren't you?” He said his face was not too far from mine.

“I didn't see your freckles yesterday, sis, he said in a little whisper.

“I am not your sis or anything related to that,” I answered, taking myself out of his embrace.

Mr Cupid entered the kitchen at that minute, and I decided to leave, but not before my home screen went on, and that caught Max's attention as he frowned.

"And who is that?" he asked, snatching my phone as he referred to the boy in the photo with his arm around me.

“Someone better than you, my boyfriend,” I utterly replied, snatching the phone back.

When I got to the room, I heard Nat squeaking on the phone as she was super excited.

Damn! She had heard the whole conversation and wasn't going to let it go easily. 

“My God, your stepbrother,

Was that the sweet boy your mother mentioned?” she asked.

Sweet boy, my foot; he was my worst nightmare.

“Yes, a total dick”, I remark.

We talked a few more times before ending the call.

8 am came faster than expected, and I needed to go to school.

On my way out, Mr Hawthorne called out to me, informing me that Max was outside and was to take me to school.

“Remember, don't forget to ask him if you need anything,” he announced before I faked a smile and left the house.

Talk of the devil, he was outside, looking more handsome than ever and leaning on a red sports car.

God help me, but I knew I was falling for my stepbrother. Evans would be mad if he found out, and he would tell Mom, and that would be the end of me.

Evans was my boyfriend who hadn't bothered to reach out since I left Yokel-land, and to make matters worse, I couldn't view his timeline on social media, and his number has been unreachable ever since.

And maybe that was why my body was acting differently and out of control… because I missed him, but maybe it was a lie and I was falling for Max because he made me feel things Evans didn't make me feel.

“You are smoking here,” I reprimanded him, but he blew the puff of smoke in my face.

“My dad doesn't care what I do; that man only cares about my grades, and don't think you are getting a free ride because he said so,” he responded, moving over to the driver's car door.

He opens it and gets in. I rush over to the passenger door only for him to wiggle my vibrator in my face, a smile planted on his lips.

Now I am furious, and my cheeks are red with shame; my eyes stare in shock at the scene in front of me.

“Max, you are disgusting; give it back,” I yelled, stretching my hands towards him.

“Keep my secret, and I’ll keep yours,” he says, igniting the car, throwing the vibrator to the backseat and driving off.

Now I was doomed; if everyone in school found out I touched myself, that would be the end of me, and they wouldn't let it slide easily ... not in that extravagant school for the rich.

Now I had to make a choice, or my perfectly crafted line would be ruined.