CONNOR’S POV

She froze. Her eyes grew wider without saying a single word. There it was, the innocence that got me every time. The look in her eyes seemed like relief. I loved it.

Seeing how Elijah treated her like she was nothing triggered me. I had seen him toss her out of his car on occasions when she rode to school with him; other times he would let her take the bus all by herself, even late at night.

One time I picked her up a few miles away from the bus station, walking all by herself. I didn't need to ask; I knew he had abandoned her there, in the middle of nowhere.

Somehow I found her cute: her innocence, the way she pulled up her glasses at intervals, her combination of funny outfits that made her look like a clown, her loud, weird laughter, how she knew the answer to every question asked in class and yet could not hold a decent conversation—all of it.

I could see through those bogus hoodies, baggy pants, and thick glasses to who she really was.

I watched Elijah allow Cathy to humiliate her from where I was seated. I felt irritated by it.

We had been in competition for so long that I could only see him as a rival.

When I got a red-colored helmet, he wanted that too, and days later he had it, in the same color. When I exchanged it for the color blue, he did the same. The same thing happened with the cars.

I was shocked when I arrived at school to see the exact car I drove being driven by none other than Elijah barely a month after I got mine. He was my copycat.

"There's no need for the frown. Don't take what happened in there too seriously. You can breathe now," I said, trying to comfort her.

She took off her glasses, cleaned them with the lace hanging off her hoodie, for the fifth time according to my calculations. It looked like a subconscious habit she wasn't aware of, but I found it strange that she didn't have a glass case or microfiber cloth for cleaning them.

"You keep cleaning those glasses with your clothes; it's weird," I said, searching through the clutter stashed in my dashboard for an old glass case, so she could properly wipe her glasses with the cloth inside it.

"Here," I said, handing it over to her without any explanation. She seemed to catch up immediately and took it from me.

"I know you're trying to get back at me for what happened the other day at practice, but I'm not in for your games," she said sharply.

"You looked like you needed my help. You know I can't stand Elijah; it's nothing personal," I replied in my defense.

"I had it under control. You didn't have to. I can take care of myself."

"I couldn't stand by and watch. They were hurting you."

"Please take me home. I'm exhausted. My mom must be worried sick about me," she said, her eyes glued in front of her. She wouldn't look at me, and I never understood why she was embarrassed around me. I was clearly on her side.

"I'll take you home right away. It's not safe for you out here."

I turned on the ignition switch, and my car engine fired into action immediately. Of course it did; it was a Corvette C8 Z06, the latest edition, the same one her copycat stepbrother had gotten.

The drive to her house was wrapped in silence, with her face thrown out the window. It was difficult to tell if she was grateful for my help or if she was being a brat about it.

"Thanks for your help. I appreciate what you did in there, but I think you went too far. What will happen on Monday, when the school realizes it was all a lie and we are not together?" she said almost immediately, dismissing my thoughts.

"We keep up with it. We don't have to stop by Monday. Let's do this."

"What do you mean?" she asked, clueless.

"Be my girlfriend," I replied sharply, my lips shaking slightly.

She looked at me, maintaining eye contact briefly. I guess she was trying to figure out what had possessed me.

"You're delusional," she responded with a scoff.

"I thought you wanted to get back at him for what he did to you. Don't you want revenge?" I said convincingly.

She looked at me once more, her eyes looking defeated. She knew this was an excellent plan, and we needed to work together to make it happen.

"Okay, let's do it!" she replied with a heavy sigh, which proved she had thought carefully about it.

My lips spread slightly, forming a subtle smile. It was what I needed to hear, but I didn't want to let her see that her response made my heart flutter, so I put up a cold face.

"I still need to know why you helped me," she asked moments later.

"I helped you because—"

I let out a sigh, realizing I didn't have a sensible reason to have helped her. I couldn't define it, but I wanted to protect her. I wanted to make her battles mine. She was too innocent for the cruelty she received from everyone; it hurt me to see it.

"You always get into trouble. You're clumsy and almost blind. You looked like you needed my help." That was the best excuse I could come up with. I couldn't tell her that I cared about her, or that I would do anything to keep her safe, even if it meant getting hurt in the process.

"By the way, I wrote those smut letters. I was too ashamed to admit my feelings for Elijah, so I—"

"You don't need to explain yourself to me. I really do not care. Your life, your choices," I said sharply, trying to save her from the embarrassment she was struggling to conceal. I knew from the beginning she had feelings for her stepbrother; even the blind could see.

It was obvious, from how she looked at him, and how she would try to tuck her short hair behind her glasses whenever he spoke to her in private, trying to avoid prying eyes.

She panicked whenever he fell on the rink during hockey practice, tried to play nurse for every scratch he got while playing, and got rejected every single time. It was more than the kind of love shared between siblings. I knew there was more.

We finally arrived at the Maquin mansion. She insisted I drop her off at the gate, to avoid all the questions from her mother.

"Thanks for tonight," she said softly, avoiding eye contact.

"Have a good night's rest. I'll call you when I get home," I said, and drove off speedily.

Looking at her from my side mirror, I could feel her concern, and I couldn't help but worry about her. I knew she would cry herself to sleep; she had been humiliated in front of half the school's population. That was a lot.

And now she had to be under the same roof as her bully, who she called her brother. I wished I could protect her from him.

As I drove home, I pondered what would have happened if I hadn't done something to help her. Cathy would have shown her no mercy. I cringed at the thought of her being bullied again. It hurt me to see her in pain or in tears. I would do anything to protect her.

No one would bully her anymore. Now that they had heard me call her my girlfriend, she would be safe. I let out a sigh of relief.

ELIJAH'S POV

"She knows Connor hates me, but she dates him anyway, and she's my step-sister. I guess it's convenient for her," I sparked, stomping my feet in a fit of rage.

"Pookie, do not give any attention to this matter. I already told you Connor would dump her soon, just like the others. I know him," Cathy said, rubbing her hands on my head sweetly.

I was angered Anna had made a fuss at the party and drawn attention to herself. It was exactly why I didn't go anywhere with her, or let her ride with me to school, but my dad always insisted she did.

Ever since she moved into our house with her mother, my father had always gone on and on about treating her like my baby sister, but gosh!

Yet everyone asked why I didn't like to have her around me. She had the worst sense of dressing, always looked tacky, wore those absurd glasses, and was unable to drive a car at nineteen. Those were more than enough reasons for me.

She stayed up all night studying, knew everything about history, math, physics, and chemistry, yet couldn't hold a decent conversation without being uncomfortable and shy around people. For a girl from Florida, she was greatly odd.

"I can't believe you let that weirdo piss you off like this," Cathy said, seeing I was still lost in thought.

"Back then in high school, no one ate at the table with her. They called her the night owl, because she had those weird-looking glasses and couldn't see clearly without them," she said with a mocking tone.

Cathy Mclerkin was my girlfriend, the prettiest girl in school, every guy's dream, with the body of a goddess, and she was mine. There was no way I was going to share her with anyone else. I had something Connor could never have; the thought of it excited me.

Connor could have Anna if he wanted. I had no business with it. He could take her away from my house also, so I wouldn't have to drive her to school every day or hear her weird laughter.

All I could think of was Connor having the last laugh, which meant I had lost to him. He was already leading with more points, because my girlfriend was his friend and now he was dating my stepsister. I felt cheated.

I received a text from my father, asking if Anna was with me. I ignored it once more. It was the fourth message in two hours.

I hated how they always asked me about Anna's whereabouts. For God's sake, I wasn't her guardian, and even if I was, I was sick of it. She was exhausting.

I saw how everyone looked at her weirdly the moment she walked through the door. I was embarrassed.

I still couldn't figure out why she had come here, or why she had chosen those tacky clothes.

When Father told me for the first time that I would have a step-sister, I was excited. I looked forward to seeing her. Every day my excitement grew, until they finally arrived.

When I saw her, I was disappointed. Everything about her blew me off: how she smiled weirdly at me all the time. I had never seen her angry at me, ever!

I could do the most bizarre things and she would try to make excuses for my actions. I hated it. She was weak and too tolerating.

"I need to go home now. I bet my dad would be worried about my whereabouts, especially because I didn't take Anna home," I said to Cathy, trying to convince her that we needed to leave. I would have to drive her to her suite before heading home.

---

ANNA'S POV

I stayed up, peeking through my window at intervals, hoping to get a glimpse of his car, but I would have to stay up longer if I wanted to see him.

I had snuck in without my mom and stepdad finding out I had been gone for some time. I was convinced I had succeeded in tricking them into believing I had been in bed all night.

I sighed heavily, leaning into my reading chair, staring at the colorfully painted wall. It brought back memories of how I had been welcomed into this house.

My eyes drifted to the picture frame sitting beside my laptop, holding a photo of me, my mom, and my stepdad. We had taken the photo back in Florida, when we had our first date together.

I was only fifteen years old then, and I never knew he had a son as unkind as Elijah. My mom had assured me he was a sweetheart, but he was always a jerk to me.

And then I felt my heart squeeze in sharply. The whole drama that had happened earlier flashed before my eyes. I thought deeply about Connor, his plan for me to be his girlfriend. I doubted if I could play along perfectly, if he was playing me or having his payback for our little fight days back.

Then I remembered that kiss. My stomach fluttered; my lips moistened. It was my first kiss, from an unexpected end, but it felt good.

I shook off the thoughts of kissing Connor. It was cheating, and I couldn't cheat on Elijah.

Despite the fact that we weren't dating yet, I still needed to be faithful to Elijah. He would come around someday, and I was willing to wait. It didn't matter if I had agreed to date Connor for the show.

He would definitely weary of Cathy soon. She wasn't the type to remain committed; she was a serial dater, and soon I would have Elijah to myself. He would be mine.

Just when I was about to fall asleep, I heard that familiar sound: the sound of his car engine running in the distance.

I jumped to my feet, grabbed my phone, and ran downstairs, excited to see him walk by, to see his handsome face and bask in his aura.

With everything that had happened earlier today, I ordinarily should be angry with him. I should stay in my room, read a book, and stay off his path, but it was difficult. I still wanted to see him walk by with his face hard as a brick. I didn't care if he ignored me like I was invisible.

I put my hair up in a mini ponytail. I had short hair, so it wasn't a big deal. I looked prettier with my hair up, so my mom said.

I stood by the kitchen sink, pretending to get a cup of water, so I could see him get in and steal a glance at him.

I waited until it felt stupid. He never came through the door; it was almost like he was trying to avoid

ANNA'S POV

It was a Friday. Elijah would have to stay back in school for hockey practice. It was undoubtedly my favorite day of the week. I got to watch him practice.

I jerked up, realizing I would be late if I didn't hurry. He would abandon me with the excuse that I was too slow. I needed to match his pace.

I dashed into the shower, brushed my teeth, and dashed downstairs with my backpack hung on my back.

I saw him standing by the kitchen counter with peanut butter on his left hand. He was talking to my mom, who was having her morning coffee. I wondered what they were talking about.

I hesitated, wondering if he was telling her about what had happened last night, or if she had noticed I had been gone. I took in a deep breath.

"Good morning, guys," I said with a tight face, tossing my bag on the table.

They both looked at me, their eyes running down my body. Then their eyes locked, with an accompanying nod.

"You see what I was talking about, Penny? Just look at her," Elijah said suddenly, pointing at me while I stood there clueless. My mother looked at me in a manner that seemed loving but disappointed.

"Honey, you don't have to wear a yellow shirt to match your yellow hair clip. You're no longer in high school," my mom said softly, under her breath, with a smile.

I was right. They were talking about me, but now my mom was taking his side. Whatever I chose to wear was my choice. It was colorful and I loved it. Why was it a big deal to them?

"You'll have to take the bus. I have a place to be before classes," Elijah said to me with a frown, but I wasn't stupid. I knew it was because of what had happened last night. Of course he wouldn't want me riding with him. I had embarrassed him—his words, not mine.

"No, she won't!" Marcus, my stepdad, said, walking down the stairs. He always had my back, even in times when my mom took Elijah's side.

"Why should she take the bus when you have a car, Elijah?" he snapped, his tone on the rise.

Elijah was silent, his lips trembling, a fist clenched at his side. But I didn't care. I just wanted to ride with him to school. He didn't have to speak to me.

"I have somewhere to be. I need to get Cathy before riding to school. You could have the chauffeur drop her off at school."

"You prefer a chauffeur taking her to school over you?" Marcus asked, his tone falling this time, his eyes awakened.

Elijah looked at me, his eyes bloody. I bet he wished I had never come into the picture, but unfortunately he couldn't disrespect Marcus by leaving me behind.

The worst he could do was leave while I ate or say he had hockey morning skate, but those lies were overused. There was no way Marcus would believe that again.

"Hey, Step-dad," I greeted.

Marcus smiled at me, moving away from Elijah. He didn't like it when I called him stepdad, but he knew I was toying with him.

"Hey, Step-daughter," he said, planting a kiss on my forehead.

"You look like you had a good night's rest for hours," Marcus said further, his brows raised. He knew I had been out. But he wouldn't say anything. My mom would snap if she found out I had sneaked out.

"Honey, I need you. Could you excuse me for a second?" Marcus said to my mom, taking her out of the kitchen.

Now I was left alone with Elijah. My breath steepened. I could feel his dead stare crawl up my neck. My heart raced, scared that he would confront me about last night.

I needed to apologize for putting him in that position. But I was the one who had been humiliated. I could swear he would never apologize to me.

And now he had to wait for me. I was a slow eater, so he had to wait. It made me feel slightly better. It was a good punishment for how he had treated me.

Elijah turned to look at me. He didn't need words. I knew I was pissing him off with how slow I ate, but I didn't flinch. Marcus was home, so I didn't have to worry.

He picked up his hockey gear angrily and was about to storm off. He had waited just twenty minutes and he was already irritated. His temper was one of the things I found intriguing about him.

He would stomp his feet violently when angry, his forehead folding into freckles, and his lips always made a pout.

"Where are my damn keys?" he said, searching the room with his eyes.

"I put them right here. Where are they?" he said, looking straight at me with a scorch.

"I don't have them," I lied. I had hidden his car key under the table mat. I knew he was going to abandon me again, so I had taken action.

"Find your way to school. I'm out of here," he said, picking up the key from where I had hidden it. I had to abandon my food and go with him.

"Mom, Marcus, I'm off!" I said loudly as I picked up my bag and ran after him.

I stood in front of the door, my feet on the foot-mat that read "Welcome Home," trying to organize my books in my bag.

We heard a loud honk of a car right outside the house, by the curb, under the oak tree. We both turned around to see where it had come from.

It was Connor. He had come to pick me up for school. I missed a step in shock and almost tripped.

Oh my God! He meant it—everything he had said. A smile escaped my lips. I had never imagined him coming here to pick me up.

I saw Elijah's eyes. They went flat. I didn't know what he thought of it, but I knew for sure he didn't like this.

Connor honked again. That was my cue that he was waiting for me.

I walked past Elijah and gave him a single wave before walking toward the car to join Connor. I knew he was enjoying the view of Elijah's anger.