6

Right after school, I hit the mall without Christina because she had cheer practice.

I bought clothes that were more my style, not because I wanted to fit in. I was so over that. I didn’t care if anyone at Middleton High School liked me anymore. They were all the same, just copies of each other and I like standing out from that.

When I got home, I hurried upstairs with my bags, removed the tags and acted as if Aaron the scum bag never stole any of my clothes. Besides, I was on top of the world. I heard a rumor that someone wanted to ask me out and might even want me to be their prom date, and it’s not Coby.

The asking me out to prom seemed somewhat far-fetched since it was still so early in the year and the principal said we wouldn’t get a prom unless our attitude and grades improved.

Not me though, I was the top girl in school, never got anything below a B and had made national news for getting good grades three years in a row.

But I was just glad I have a date, that’s if it was true, and didn’t have to go stag and watch everyone else dance and have a good time.

I went downstairs, ready to make dinner so mom and her husband could have something to eat when they came home from work. Besides that, I was hungry as well. I was afraid to go to lunch and be exposed for not wearing underwear, so I hid in the bathroom.

After making the spaghetti and meatballs, I began to make some garlic bread as well and, after adding them into the oven, I sat around the table with a glass of apple juice and scrolled through social media.

Aaron came in. I held my head down, trying to ignore his presence while he took the remainder of the apple juice.

The timer went off, and I opened the oven to take out the garlic bread. Then made myself a plate and sat back around the counter.

I closed my eyes to not look at Aaron, who was on the other side of me.

He took my fork out of my hand, and I opened my eyes to see him slurping up a stray noodle.

‘’This is good. Can I have some?’’

I rolled my eyes but did it, anyway.

I then opened the oven and placed two garlic bread on his plate, then piled spaghetti and meatballs on top.

‘’I see that you are still wearing that dress.’’

I ignored his words and placed the plate before him. He began to eat and for a while we were silent until his words once again broke it.

‘’Didn’t know you could cook,’’ he said, and I nodded.

This was the only thing I trusted myself to make. It was easy to soften spaghetti in boiling water and the meatballs were premade, just needed to add sauce.

Silence again. But this was the longest time Aaron had ever graced me with his presence, so I might as well appreciate it.

Aaron hit his fork against the plate, and I could tell that something was bothering him. “What happened to your father? I mean, how did he die?”

Normally I would deflect this question, but for some reason, I answered him.

“He was a heavy drinker and smoker since in his early teenage years due to issues in his life. He developed lung cancer, ulcer, and kidney problems. I remember seeing this healthy man wasting away. At first he was coughing up blood and passed it off as him over working himself. It eventually got worse and by the time he got medical attention, he was told that it was too late.’’

Aaron nodded. ‘’I’m sorry.’’

“Thanks.”

We sat there in silence once more until our plates were empty and he got up, taking my plate to the dishwasher. He then left to go upstairs without saying anything else.

Soon, I had a moment of ‘fuck my life’. That damn douchebag. No wonder why he made that comment about me still wearing my dress. Each time I opened the oven to take the garlic bread out, I accidentally flashed him a peek of my very private area.

When I went up to my room, I saw a single piece of underwear of mine on my bed.

‘’I think you need this. Hope you didn’t bend over at school,’’ the note said.

Jokes on him, because I had new clothes, too bad I forgot to put underwear on after coming home. Good thing it wasn’t Johnathon who walked in. I think I would have shit myself, die, go to hell, and had to come back to explain to my mother that it was all an accident.

***

Saturday, I was at the mall with Christina at our usual hangout spot. The ice cream parlor when Aaron and a girl from school walked in.

From where I was sitting, I could see them clearly, while Christina had to turn slightly to have a good look.

‘’Isn’t that Hanna?’’ Christina asked.

I nodded. While Hanna wasn’t the most beautiful girl at school, she looked better than most of them. Me included, she was tall with a curvy body, perky breasts and long bleached blond hair down to her back. While I was short, had more of an athletic body from when my mom forced me to join the track team (then I made an excuse to quit). My hair wasn’t so tall, but at least I was a natural blonde.

Despite her good looks, she was actually nice and not a bitch like you would think she would be.

She waved and walked up to our table. ‘’Hey guys,’’ she smiled.

‘’Hey Hanna,’’ Christina and I said at the same time.

Christina made a face, and I bumped into her with my shoulder.

‘’Is it ok if we join you?’’ Hanna asked.

There were two nos and a yes.

The nos came from me and Aaron, while Christina was the one to say yes.

Aaron gave Christina a distasteful look while he tried his best to not look at me.

‘’Hmm, so yes, no?’’ Hanna asked.

I doubted she knew that we were step-siblings. It’s not like I went around and announced it at school, and I knew for sure Aaron never told anyone either.

Aaron took her hand. ‘’We are on a date, and it seems as if they are as well. Let’s go somewhere for just us two.’’

A pang of jealousy hit me when she nodded and allowed him to pull her away.

‘’Such a bitch,’’ Christina grumbled.

‘’What? She is nice.’’

‘’But are we friends with her?’’ she asked.

I would think Aaron would go to the back for his ‘privacy’ but no, he is sitting in the seat directly in front of us. The jerk even winked at me when he saw me staring.

I didn't know who was more jealous, me or Christina, because both of us turned around so we didn’t have to see them make out anymore.

‘’So disgusting, I want to throw up.’’ Christina said and put the rest of her ice cream down. ‘’Hanna sure moves fast, just like with Jimmy.’’

“I remember him, within two weeks and they were dating.’’ I nodded.

‘’Well, this is a record. It isn’t even a week.’’

Christina looked behind us. I did the same, and they were still making out.

‘’Let’s go,’’ Christina got up.

She walked around the side where Hanna was sitting and ‘accidentally’ dumped her drink on her.

‘’Oh, I’m so sorry, and it is grape juice. It is going to leave a stain.’’ the corners of Christina’s lips curved up and I was the one to offer a genuine apology.

I even offered to get her a new outfit, while Christina went with her to the restroom to try to get the stain out.

While walking around the store, I was confused about what to get Hanna. I didn’t know what size she wore or her style.

Soon, I saw Aaron walking in and looking around. I held up a hand to wave him over so I could get his opinion on what to get Hanna.

‘’Which of these you think Hanna would wear?’’ I asked, holding up a pair of ripped jeans and a skirt.

‘’You think this is funny?’’ Aaron asked.

I gave him a confused look.

‘’I know you told your friend to do that.’’

‘’To do what?’’

‘’You two ruin my date. I texted Hanna to see if she was ok and she told me to leave her alone that she will go home.’’

‘’I don’t see how I had any influence on any of that.’’

‘’Well, your ugly friend said something to her. Because she said something only you would know about, and she must have heard it from your friend.’’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘’Yet, they say I am the bad one, but look at you.’’

I dropped the clothes and walked out.

How dare he blame me for this? I had no control over Christina’s action. I had no idea she was going to do something like that. He was acting as if we planned the entire thing.

I went to the bathroom and pulled Christina out, not caring about Hanna one bit. She and Aaron could work their own shit out. I had my own mess to deal with, with Christina.

‘’What did you say to her? Aaron is so upset.’’

‘’Just that he may or may not have an STD and that he used to beat up girls at his old school and that’s why he is here.’’

‘’Come on Christina, that can’t be all.’’

‘’Fine, I also told her about how shitty the relationship between him and his father is.’’

‘’Why would you do that? That is a sensitive topic for anyone.’’ I groaned.

‘’I know that I express how much I hate him, but nobody deserves for something like that to be public. When my dad died, I was scared to face the world, afraid that I will be mocked for no longer having a father. Neither of us can’t even imagine what it must be like to have a living father and not having him care.’’

Aaron came to stand beside me; I almost jumped out of my skin because I didn’t notice him approaching.

‘’Seeing that you told my date that I beat up girls. I might as well do this.’’ Aaron ripped the lid off a soda cup and before Christina could react, he threw the drink in her face.

Christina squealed out and under any other circumstances, I would have laughed at the look on her face.

‘’Why did you do that?’’ I asked Aaron.

‘’I’ll deal with you when you get home,’’ he simply told me and walked off.

When I got home, mom and Johnathan were still out and I thought Aaron was as well, but then he cornered me in the hallway on the third floor, just before I could enter my room.

Before I could respond, Aaron grabbed my face with both hands and smashed his lips into mine. He pulled back slightly to bite my lower lip before his tongue nudged my mouth open so he could deepen the kiss.

I was frozen on the spot and can’t help but moan into his mouth. I was both shocked and excited by this. It had my body shaking, because I had never been kissed like this before.

Suddenly, Aaron pulled away from me.

“Don’t fuck with me!” He yelled, walked away and slammed his door while I was left standing in the hall panting and confused.

‘’You kissed me,’’ I managed out weakly.

Holy shit.

The worst of it was the throbbing between my legs.

When I finally gained enough composure, all I could do was enter my room and collapse on my bed.

That fucker had my panties wet.