Urgh! I hate my stepbrother

Lily’s POV

I could still feel Ryder’s presence long after he had left me in the hallway—like a stain that wouldn’t wash away, a shadow that clung no matter how much light I tried to find.  

I hated him.  

I hated him with everything in me.  

The way his voice dripped with arrogance, the way his smirk made my blood boil, the way he seemed to enjoy making me feel small.  

But worst of all?  

He was right.  

No one was going to save me.  

Hunter tried, but I knew—even he wouldn’t be able to stand against Ryder for long. Ryder wasn’t just a bully. He was a storm, tearing through everything in his path, and I was caught in the eye of it.  

I slammed my locker shut, ignoring the lingering gazes of the students who had witnessed what happened earlier. Some of them pitied me. Others found amusement in it. But none of them would do anything about it.  

Because Ryder Kingston owned this school.  

And me? I was just another toy for him to break.  

I forced myself to walk toward the cafeteria, keeping my head high even though my stomach churned. I wasn’t hungry, but I wouldn’t hide. If I did, Ryder would win.  

I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.  

As I entered, the loud chatter and clatter of trays filled the room. My eyes scanned for the one person who didn’t make me feel like I was suffocating.  

Sam.  

She was already sitting at our usual table, her brown eyes lighting up when she spotted me.  

But before I could take another step—  

THUD!  

A wave of something thick, warm, and slimy crashed against my back, seeping into my clothes.  

Gasps rippled through the cafeteria, followed by a deafening silence.  

I froze.  

The smell hit me first—something tangy and rich, with a hint of herbs.  

Soup.  

Laughter erupted, sharp and cruel, cutting through the stunned silence.  

My heart pounded as I turned my head, already knowing who I’d find standing there.  

Ryder Kingston.  

He stood a few feet away, an empty bowl dangling from his fingers, his dark eyes filled with amusement. Behind him, Vanessa and her minions were doubled over in laughter, whispering to each other between giggles.  

“Oh my god, look at her!” Vanessa snorted, covering her mouth mockingly. “She looks disgusting.”  

More laughter.  

More eyes on me.  

I felt like I was burning under their stares.  

But Ryder?  

He just smirked.  

“What’s wrong, Lily?” His voice was casual, almost lazy, like he hadn’t just humiliated me in front of the entire cafeteria. “You looked like you needed to cool off.”  

I could feel the soup soaking through my shirt, clinging to my skin in thick, sticky patches. The warmth was already fading, leaving behind an uncomfortable dampness that made me want to scream.  

My fingers curled into fists.  

I wanted to throw my tray at him.  

I wanted to slap that smirk off his face.  

I wanted to hurt him the way he constantly hurt me.  

But I knew the moment I reacted, the moment I showed him how much this got to me—he would win.  

I took a shaky breath, forcing my voice to stay even. “You’re pathetic.”  

Ryder’s smirk didn’t falter. If anything, it widened.  

“And you’re a mess,” he taunted. “Guess we both have our issues, huh?”  

Vanessa stepped forward, her perfectly manicured nails resting on Ryder’s arm as she batted her lashes at him. “Maybe she should clean up,” she said sweetly. Then, her lips curled into a cruel smirk. “Oh, wait—she’s used to being dirty.”  

A fresh wave of laughter echoed around me.  

Tears burned at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.  

I turned on my heel and walked straight out of the cafeteria, keeping my back straight even though my hands were shaking.  

I could hear Ryder’s voice following me out the door, laced with mockery and triumph.  

“Run, little Lily. Let’s see how long you last.”

I ran.  

Tears streamed down my cheeks, hot and unstoppable, no matter how hard I tried to blink them away. My vision blurred, making everything around me a haze of indistinct colors and shifting shadows.  

I didn’t care where I was going.  

I just needed to get away.  

But before I could take another step, my body crashed into something solid.  

A pair of strong hands steadied me before I could stumble backward.  

“Lily?”  

The voice was soft, familiar—but laced with concern.  

I blinked rapidly, my vision clearing just enough to see Hunter’s face hovering above mine, his brows furrowed in worry.  

His gaze dropped, taking in the mess I had become—the soup-stained shirt, my damp hair sticking to my forehead, the tear tracks on my cheeks.  

His entire expression darkened in an instant.  

“What the hell happened?” His voice was sharp now, laced with anger.  

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.  

I couldn’t say it.  

I couldn’t admit it.  

Not to him.  

Hunter was the only one who had shown me kindness, and the last thing I wanted was for him to get caught up in Ryder’s games.  

So I shook my head.  

His jaw clenched. “Lily. Who did this to you?”  

I stayed silent, biting my lip hard enough to taste blood.  

Hunter’s fists tightened at his sides. I could feel the rage radiating off him, his body stiff with barely contained fury.  

But instead of pressing me for answers, he let out a sharp breath and grabbed my wrist, pulling me along with him.  

“Come on,” he muttered.  

I let him lead me down the hall, through a door, and into the boys' locker room.  

It was empty, the scent of body wash and faint traces of cologne lingering in the air.  

Hunter grabbed a clean towel from one of the shelves and handed it to me. “Here.”  

I hesitated.  

“Lily.” His voice softened. “Just take it.”  

I swallowed and took the towel from his hands, wiping my face. The warmth of it felt comforting against my cold skin.  

Hunter turned toward the lockers and pulled out a black hoodie. “Wear this,” he said, offering it to me.  

I glanced down at my ruined shirt, the stain dark and humiliating, before hesitantly taking the hoodie. I pulled it over my head, the fabric warm and oversized, swallowing me whole.  

It smelled like him—fresh, clean, safe.  

Hunter watched me carefully, his jaw still tight, his eyes burning with an intensity I had never seen before.  

“Stay here,” he ordered.  

Before I could ask why, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the locker room.  

And I knew exactly where he was going.  

_________

 Hunter’s POV  

I knew who did this.  

I didn’t need Lily to tell me.  

There was only one person cruel enough to humiliate her like this.  

Ryder.  

My own brother.  

And I was done letting him get away with it.  

I stormed through the halls, my blood boiling, my fists already clenched so tightly that my knuckles turned white.  

I found him outside the cafeteria, leaning against the lockers like he didn’t have a single care in the world.  

Vanessa was draped over him, giggling at something he said, while his friends laughed along.  

Like nothing had happened.  

Like he hadn’t just destroyed someone.  

My vision went red.  

“Ryder.”  

My voice was sharp, cutting through the noise.  

He turned his head lazily, his dark eyes landing on me. When he saw my expression, the smirk on his face only grew.  

“Well, well,” he drawled. “Look who’s here.”  

I didn’t stop walking until I was right in front of him.  

“What the hell is wrong with you?!”  

The amusement in his eyes didn’t fade. If anything, it deepened. “You’ll have to be more specific, big brother.”  

I gritted my teeth. “Lily.”  

His smirk widened. “Ah.” He pushed off the lockers, standing to his full height, his confidence unwavering. “What about her?”  

I took a step closer. “You humiliated her.”  

He tilted his head. “And?”  

My fingers twitched, the urge to punch him nearly unbearable. “Why?” I demanded. “What the hell did she ever do to you?”  

His smirk finally faded. His jaw tensed, his eyes darkening as something uglier flickered across his face.  

Then he let out a low, humorless chuckle.  

“You really want to know?” he asked.  

I crossed my arms, my entire body coiled with anger. “Yeah. I do.”  

His expression twisted into something cruel.  

“Because of her,” he spat. “Because of her mother.”  

I froze.  

My anger turned into something heavier, something that settled in my chest like a weight.  

He took a step closer, his voice lowering to something almost venomous. “Do you remember, Hunter? Do you remember why our mother isn’t here anymore?”  

I clenched my fists. “Don’t.”  

“Because of her fucking mom,” he sneered. “Because of Lily.”  

I felt my breath hitch, old wounds ripping open in my chest.  

But I shoved the pain down.  

This wasn’t about that. This wasn’t about our past.  

This was about right now.  

“Lily had nothing to do with that,” I said, my voice dangerously low.  

Ryder’s eyes burned with rage. “You don’t know anything.”  

“I know you’re blaming the wrong person.”  

His lips curled into a snarl. “You’re so damn pathetic, Hunter. Always running to her rescue like a little lapdog. Do you want her that badly?”  

My jaw locked.  

“Maybe,” Ryder mused, his voice taunting, “I should have let Vanessa push her harder into that pool.”  

That was it.  

I snapped.  

Without thinking, I grabbed his collar and slammed him back against the lockers. The impact echoed through the hallway, and a few students gasped.  

But I didn’t care.  

Ryder just laughed.  

“There’s the fire,” he whispered mockingly.  

I glared at him, my entire body trembling with rage.  

“Stay the hell away from her,” I growled. “I mean it, Ryder.”  

His smirk never wavered. “Or what?”  

My grip tightened. “Try me.”  

For the first time, something flickered in his eyes—something dark.  

But then he shoved me off, straightening his shirt like nothing happened.  

He smirked. “You’re getting bold, big brother.”  

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to step back.