ELIANA

Walking down the noisy hallway, I take in the surroundings, reminding myself about my plan to focus on my studies and avoiding trouble.

Most students are in small groups, recounting about what they did over the summer break with their boyfriends while others are gossiping about anything and everything.

"Me and my boyfriend did it for the first time during the summer inside the cabin!" I hear a girl giggle happily as I pass by, minding my own damn business. I smile and shake my head.

At times, I feel like I don't belong here because I'm a little older than most of the students and most of them act immature.

The majority of the students in my senior year are eighteen years old, a few seventeen while I'm nineteen.

I fell sick while in fourth grade and I couldn't attend school the whole year. Every time I remember, I always curse that damn year!

Jackson is eighteen and equally annoying like his peers. My jaw twitches when I remember the exchange between us in the kitchen.

I swear, he's more annoying than all of them.

"Eliana!" My mind snaps back to the present when I hear that familiar voice, Zoe Russo, my best friend.

I turn around and almost bump into her. She's breathing heavily, trying to catch a breath.

She has long black hair like me and we're almost the same height but I'm slightly taller. Someone might think we're twins. However, what differentiates us is that she has green eyes while I have brown hazel eyes.

"I can't believe it! I thought you were lying." She says in between the panting.

"Lying about what?" I ask, trying to connect to what she was talking about but nothing rings a bell in my head.

"About Jackson," I heaved a deep sigh. I had forgotten about his existence for a split second but here we're again.

"I wish it wasn't true but..." I pause for a second then release a breath, "I can't do anything about it since he's my stepbrother and I'm stuck with him. I can't leave my mother alone because she will be sad. I'm only staying for my mother."I know she's one of the few people who always understands me more than anyone else.

We've been friends since freshman year. She's eighteen years old like most students in senior year. Unlike them, she behaves maturely and that's why we get along well.

"Yeah, I agree with you. Aunty Vicky will feel lonely if you leave." She nods in agreement and I can feel the sadness in her voice.

"Just ignore him and pretend like he doesn't exist. I know you can do that." She nudges me as we head over to the lockers to arrange our stuff before the first day of our senior year officially starts.

A frustrated sigh escapes my lips, "Only God knows how much I have been trying to ignore him but he always finds a way to get my attention. So annoying." I grumble, the memories from the breakfast flashing in my mind and it only intensifies the rage inside me.

"Don't mind him, you know him too well right? He likes attention and that's what he's doing. Don't let him win against you.If he doesn't stop annoying you, let me know and we'll teach him some lesson." Zoe winks at me and I can't help but smile, keeping her words in mind.

Zoe and I arrive at the lockers and we start arranging our stuff as we talk about our senior year plans and everything in between.

While I'm busy arranging the notebooks, a shadow towers beside me. I stop to check who it is only to find out that it's Ethan, my boyfriend.

He's 6 '1 tall, brown hair which is nicely brushed away from his face, brown eyes which match his hair perfectly and he has an athletic body.

He looks neat unlike Jackson who had messy hair and unbuttoned shirt. The only thing that Jackson holds against Ethan is the slight height difference. Jackson is taller, perhaps one of two inches. However, that doesn't matter because he's still an asshole.

My lips curl into a big smile and he smiles back at me, "Ethan? I was planning to come look for you once I'm done arranging my locker." I say, leaving everything and wrapping my hands around him tightly.

Ethan hugs me back tightly, giving my body a gentle squeeze. I relax in his arms, all the worry fading away. It feels good to be in his arms again after not seeing each other in a while.

"I couldn't wait to see you." He says, when we pull back from the hug and gives me a kiss on the lips.

Zoe coughs intentionally and we both turn to look at her, "I think...I should get going. Eli, see you in class. And for you Ethan, don't keep her for that long. She has a class to catch a few." She winks at me and I give her a warning look for teasing me but she doesn't look bothered by it.

"Maybe just a little." Ethan jokes, pulling me close to him. Zoe smiles then walks away, giving us some privacy.

"So...it's true." I frown when I hear Ethan's words, following his line of vision and that's when I spot Jackson. He's leaning on the locker with his group of friends while talking to some girl whom I didn't know their names.

I can feel the underlying dislike in Ethan's voice and I'm not surprised. The two have been rivals for as long as I could remember.

Their hatred runs deep because they're both hockey captains of the rival teams. Ethan is the captain for the Python hockey team while Jackson is the captain for the Hawkers. And each year, they both compete for that precious opportunity, to represent HILL academy in high school hockey championships.

It used to be two separate schools which belonged to the HILL brothers. Golden Hills and Upper Hills. However, the hill brothers decided to merge the two schools and made it one.

Python belonged to Golden Hills while Hawkers belonged to the Upper Hills. That's why HILL academy has two senior hockey teams. And we're known for having the strongest hockey team in the region because of the stiff competition.

I blow a deep breath, "As much as I don't want to accept it, yes." I nod, responding to Ethan's question that he had asked earlier.

Ethan turns his attention to me and I can see the worry in his eyes, "You need to stay away from him, Eli. I don't like the idea of you staying under the same roof with him and sharing the same space." He says in almost a growl.

My lips curl into a smile, "You don't need to worry about me. I can handle him." I assure him because I don't want him to worry too much about me.

Ethan grabs my hands,"It's not you that I don't trust, Eli. It's him. You know too well that he likes getting into trouble and he has a reputation with...you know girls." He gives my hand a gentle squeeze.

"I know, but you don't need to worry about anything. I'm nothing like those girls." I say and he relaxes a little, a smile taking over his features and he looks handsome.

Ethan didn't believe me when I told him over the phone that Jackson Harrison, his biggest rival, turned out to be my stepbrother. I understood where he was coming from and that's why I was assuring him that he didn't have to worry about Jackson.

"I think...I have an idea on how to deal with him." I tilt my head to the side and pretend to give the idea a deep thought.

Ethan looks at me with creased eyebrows, "And what is it?" He asks, eager to know what's going on in my head.

"What about we teach him some lessons? You know how we usually do it. I will ask uncle James for some tips to help with your python team." I suggest and Ethan's eyes brighten up immediately.

"That's a good idea! I can't wait to see his face when my team wins against him!" His voice is confident.

Sometimes, I help Ethan with tips from uncle James since he's a hockey coach of one of the well known clubs in the country. He's the reason why I love hockey so much.

Whenever I visit him, we watch hockey till late in the night and at times I accompany him to the club and spend the time watching the players train.

"That makes the two of us," The corner of my lips curves into a smile.

"I love you, Eli." Ethan confess, pulling me into his arms. I hug him back, "I love you too." I respond.

I look into Jackson's direction and realize he's watching us,his face unreadable. The corner of my lips tips up into a smile, my grip around Ethan tightening.

JACKSON / JAX

Scheming my eyes around the overcrowded field, my eyes easily find her, hard to miss because she's different from most of the girls. She's not too loud or seeking attention like what most of them do.

Eliana Brook. My step-sister.

She's sitting on the bench across the field, her long dark hair hanging down her back and nicely tucked behind her ear, not even a single strand out of place.

She's talking to her friend and laughing at whatever she's saying. I have never been this curious about someone else's conversation but...I wonder what her friend said that had her laughing so hard.

This is the first time in three days that I have seen a genuine smile on her face. Even though I didn't want to say it out loud, she has one of the best smiles that I have come across. It isn't forced and I can tell that it comes from deep within.

I can't help but smile too.

I watch as Eliana's friend looks in my way then leans to whisper something in her ear and her head jerks in my direction. The smile on her face fades away subtly and it's replaced with irritation.

The corner of my lips curves into a smirk and she gets irritated even more. I can't tell why I find her annoyance fascinating. Perhaps it's her stubbornness, how she bites her lower lip to suppress her emotions, the fire burning in her eyes when she's pissed off or maybe, just maybe, it's the way she loves hockey because I have never come across a girl who loves hockey so much in my entire life.

I have walked in on her watching hockey games a couple times in the past three days on her phone. There's something about how she cheered each time her team scored. I could feel the passion and the genuine happiness in her voice.

She mumbles something through her clenched teeth but I can't hear what she said since I'm sitting far from them.

However, I can tell that she said "Asshole" by the movement of her lips. She looks away, turning her back at me. I should be offended because she just insulted me. However, I don't find it offensive. Instead, I find it funny and can't help but chuckle.

"Hey big man, what the heck are you doing here? I have been looking for you all over the place. I was expecting to find you at our usual hanging spot but you weren't there," Cilian, my assistant captain and closest friend complains, sliding on my right at the bench.

I hesitate to respond to his question and he follows my line of vision to check what has me staring. He knows damn well that it's hard for me to give something or anyone attention unless it's HAWKER, my hockey team.

"Oh, your step-sister." He says with a nod, a teasing smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Just checking on my step-sister to make sure she's doing fine. Isn't that how these sibling things work? It's new to me so...I don't have any idea." I defend and he gives me a doubtful look, not believing a single word that comes out of my mouth.

Not that I care if he trusts me or not. Of course he has never trusted me with anything apart from my leadership when it comes to hawkers.

"When did you even start to care? The last time I checked, you didn't like the idea of having a stepsister." Cilian reminds me about the conversation we had on facetime while training at the home gym a few days ago.

It's true I didn't like the idea even one bit when my dad informed me about Eliana and her mother moving in to stay with us. I thought that she would be like one of those unbearable step-sisters who want everything for themselves, loud for no reason and awfully annoying.

I was expecting her to be all that and much more. However, she turned out to be the exact opposite of what I expected.

She amazed me when she politely declined the credit card that my dad gave her the previous day, saying she has some savings that she could use in case of emergency.

"Well, let's say." I tilt my head to the side and pretend to give it a thought, "I'm still getting used to the idea of having one." I shrugged and Cilian raised a brow at me, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I see you're liking the idea a little too much." He jokes. I shoot him a hard glare and he dramatically raises his hands in the air in surrender.

"Though I have to admit that she's beautiful. You know I always have a thing for brunettes." Cilian compliments and I let out another growl.

I don't agree with Cilian on many things like his training routine for hockey among other things but this. What he said a second ago, I have to agree with him.

She's one of the beautiful brunettes that I have come across. I had never looked at her from a close range but when I did this morning while helping her to reach for the mug from the top shelf, I noticed those tiny details that I never cared about before. The long lashes that didn't need that much mascara to stand out, thick eyebrows, pink pouty lips and those golden-hazel eyes that looked back at me, warm and almost intoxicating.

"Jax! Did you even hear what I said?" My mind snaps back to the present when Jackson bumps his shoulder with mine.

"What did you say again?" I ask and he blows a breath, clearly disappointed.

"I said, 'what about becoming your brother-in-law?' " The corner of his lips tips up into a naughty smile and I immediately regret why I asked him to repeat what he had said.

"Brother-in-laws? No way in hell.I think we're good as teammates and friends." I reply, making a face to show how disgusting the idea sounds and he chuckles.

"Please don't tell me you want him as a brother-in-law." Cilian nods towards Eliana's direction and my head snaps to check what he's talking about and my jaw twitches.

Ethan Williams has his hand wrapped around her shoulders possessively. The same hand that he uses to hold with the hockey stick as he hits the puck to the Hawker's goalie.

Ethan turns to look at me, his hand around Eliana tightening a little more and the corner of his lips curls up into a smirk that I so badly want to smack it away with my hockey stick.

Him as my brother-in-law?

No fucking way!

I clench my hands into tight fists, my knuckles burning. He's rubbing on my face that he's with my stepsister and there's nothing I can do about it. Cilian notices the tension between us and he shifts his attention to me.

"I think he's trying to mock you man. Are you going to let him walk away just like that?" Cilian asks with a raised eyebrow and I can feel the irritation in his voice.Cillian doesn't like the guy and so is everyone in my team.

The corner of my lips lifts up into a smile, "You know me too well, Cilian. I'm not the kind who lets things go that easily." I say, the smile broadening as an idea pops in my head.

"That's my guy!" Cilian cheers and I'm not surprised. He's the kind who likes trouble and the adrenaline rush that comes with it.

"What's the plan? You can always count me in." He's curious to know what crazy idea I have in mind this time.

"We're gonna kick his ass." I shrug nonchalantly, "Today?" He asks before I finish my statement.

"I'm not talking about physical, psycho. I'm talking about the rink. We're starting the training tomorrow!" Cilian looks a little disappointed but still nods to my words.

I have never cared to prove anything to anyone before but...I want to prove to my dear stepsister that I'm better than her boyfriend!

ELIANA

Standing by the window in my room, I'm watching while Jackson is training. He's standing on a white, large shooting pad laid out on the driveway under the bright security lights. He has a heavy-duty regulation metal goal net, a bucket full of pucks, and his stick tightly clutched in his hands.

He's shooting pucks over and over again. Slapshots, wristers, backhands and he looks so focused and determined to get it right, each hit harder than the previous. And each time the puck hits the metal goal, his lips move to spit a curse and he repeats.

He's wearing black shorts, his strong masculine legs a proof of not missing leg days. The white polo shirt is hugging his muscles and I'm damn sure that he's doing it intentionally to show everyone that he doesn't miss the arm day either. His upper body is moving in sync each time he twists his hips and hits the puck, his core doing the heavy work.

Jackson is taking turns shooting the puck at the goalie from different angles, both the right and left side. Even though I don't want to admit it out loud, he's quite good and skillful. However, as I continue to watch a minute longer, I notice a tiny weakness which I almost missed. He has a weakness on his left side while the right side is strong.

The corner of my lips curved into a smile, making a mental note of it.

As if he senses someone's staring from the shadows, he stops mid action, the stick hanging in the air and turns to look at my room's big window which faces direct to the driveway but I'm quick to hide behind the curtains, my breath in my throat and my heart pumping wildly against my ribcage.

Jax stares at the window for a while then turns his attention to the puck on the shooting pad and slap shoots it to the goalie. From the window, I can see the big smile on his face and I can tell that he was enjoying it a little too much.

I can't help but smile too...

"It reminds me of how you used to watch your uncle train when you were little." I almost jump out of the window when my mom's voice comes from behind me.

"Mom? Don't you know how to knock?" I complain, releasing a deep breath and she smiles.

"I knocked thrice but there was no response so, I invited myself in. I thought maybe you were already asleep or something. But now I understand why you didn't hear me knock." I swallow when I hear her words, feeling embarrassed because she caught me watching my Stepbrother training.

It's true I used to watch my uncle train and I used to love it so much. Sometimes he would teach me a few things, show me how to hold the hockey stick and hit the puck into the goalie. He's the reason why I love hockey and know a lot of things about the sport.

"I just came to check up on you and say goodnight." She says, her face soft and eyes gentle.

I smile, "Actually, I was about to go to bed. I-I was fixing the curtains. I don't like too much lights, you know." I try to come up with a believable explanation so that I don't sound like a creepy step-sister who is stalking her Stepbrother.

I pull the curtains together, blocking all the security lights from penetrating through the curtains into my room. The smile on my mother's face broadens, falling for my lie because she knows for a fact that I don't like too much light while sleeping.

"I'm happy that you're getting along with your stepbrother well. I knew that the two of you would be fine once you get to know each other." I take a sharp breath upon hearing my mother's words. However, I manage a smile.

I pull my hair into a messy ponytail then sit on the edge of the bed and my mother joins me.

I turn to look at her, "You don't need to worry that much about me, mother. I'm fine. Jackson..." I hesitate, the words stuck in my throat. My mom looks eager to hear what I have to say, a smile on her face.

'Annoying, troublemaker, playboy," I scream in my head.

"He's good." The smile on my mom's face broadens when she hears my words, "That's true. He's a sweet boy. He might look a little tough on the outside but he has a good heart." I can feel the admiration my mother has for Jackson in her voice.

I'm not surprised because the two get along well. I have seen them talking and laughing freely a few times for the past three days.

I'm tempted to tell my mother the damn truth but I bite my tongue, recalling the promise that I made to her. Instead, I nod in support of her words and maintain the smile.

"You remember how you used to tell me you would like to have a little brother to play with? Feeling jealous whenever you see girls in the neighborhood playing with their brothers?" My mother reminds me and I can't help but laugh.

"Of course I would never forget about it." The memories of my childhood flashes in my head.

"I have found you one! Don't you see mommy is good?" She jokes and I roll my eyes.

It's true I always wanted to have a brother and when my mom told me that I was going to have a stepbrother, I was so excited to meet him. However, I never imagined that Jackson Harrison would turn out to be my Stepbrother. Not even in my wildest dreams.

I swallow when I give it a thought, hiding the disappointment behind the smile and pretend that I'm happy to have him as my Stepbrother.

"All I have ever wanted is for you to be happy, mother." A big smile takes over her features.

"Thank you for supporting my marriage with Robert, Eli. You have no idea how much your support meant to me." Her voice is full of emotions. I recalled the day she informed me and she looked so nervous.

Not that she needed my approval. She thought that including me was a good idea. She always includes me in important decisions which involve me.

"If he makes you happy." I respond with a shrug, proving to her that I didn't care about anything else. Her happiness was the only thing that I cared about.

I'm not surprised how my mother and Robert knew each other because I know it's from those boring parents gathering at school.

If I have to tolerate my annoying Stepbrother. I will do it. For her!

______

"How was your first day of senior year?" My mother asks in concern.

I heaved a deep sigh, "A little exhausting, but good. Though I can't say that much because it's too early." I joke.

My mother is quiet for a while, then releases a deep breath as though she's carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. She reaches for my hands holding them gently.

"I'm so proud of you, Eli." She says, giving my hands a small squeeze and a subtle smile takes over her features.

I squeeze back her hand.

"My wish is for you to get good grades so that you can join your dream university like you said this morning. Something that...I failed to do. I don't want you to be a failure like me." Her voice trails off when she says the last statement, looking away in shame.

I can feel the broken dreams in her voice and regrets, my heart aching inside my chest. I guess her parents' cruel words have been stuck in her head and have been weighing her down for years.

She got pregnant with me in her senior year and her parents kicked her out. Even though she had good grades, she couldn't further her education because she had to take care of me. My chest tightens when I think about the hardship that my mother went through to care for me.

I swallow the lump down my throat, "You're not a failure, mother." My voice is a little shaky because it hurts me so much to see my mother heartbroken.

"You have proven it a thousand times. You always make sure that I get the best. I have never slept hungry and I always had a roof over my head.You'll always be the best mother in the world to me." I give her hand a tight squeeze.

"I have never regretted having you because you're the best thing that ever happened to me." She says with a big smile, tears glistening in her eyes and I can feel the affection.

She opens her arms wide for me and we hug tightly.

"I promise you that I will try my best in my studies. I want to make you and uncle James proud." I assure my mother as we pull off from the tight embrace.

"I believe in you." She says in confidence, wiping away a teardrop using the back of her hand.

"However, I don't believe in that young man. I know he's a good boy and all but you need to be careful Eli. I know that I can't control your life because you're an adult now." She's silent for a while then heaves a deep sigh.

"However, I told you that whenever the two of you get intimate, don't ever forget to use protection."

"Mom...." I stress her name, my cheeks burning from embarrassment.

"What? Just reminding you because I don't want you to end up like me. I'm your mother, Eli. It's my responsibility to guide you."

God, I want to hide my face. My mother has always been open to me about sex. I know she's doing it to protect me so that I don't end up like her but each time she brings up the subject, I always feel embarrassed.

"Ethan and I haven't...you know. We just kiss and hug. We agreed that we'll do it when we're done with high school." My mother gives me one of those doubtful looks when she hears my words.

"I didn't say the two of you did anything. Just reminding you so that you can be cautious." She defends herself and I can't help but shake my head in disbelief. "Okay...I will be careful." I grumble and she smiles in satisfaction. I guess I will never run away from my mother's teaching about sex life.

My mother and I talked a little more. I inquired about how her flower shop is doing because it has been a few days since I visited, and I'm happy that everything is well...

I release a deep breath, staring at the ceiling as I lay on the bed, the conversation that I shared with my mother not long ago still fresh in my mind.

My phone on the side bed table dings, pulling my mind back to the present. I reach for the phone, my lips twitching into a smile.

I light up the screen to check the text notification. However, I crease my eyebrows when I realise the text message isn't from the person that I'm expecting. It's a new number.

"Goodnight,dear sis." I take a sharp breath when I read the message.

Only one person can send me that kind of message...