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Awkward moment..

VIOLET

“Wait, hold on, you’re living with RYAN JENKINS?” Ashley practically screamed as we sat in the school cafeteria the next day. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, and she was clutching her tray as if it were the only thing keeping her grounded.

“Jeez you're yelling” I said, trying to hush her down while my cheeks flamed with embarrassment. Ashley's volume was drawing curious glances from other students but she didn't care

“I need to process this” she exhaled. “The man your mom wants to marry is Ryan's dad and you'll be leaving with Ryan fucking Jenkins??”

She stared at me,her eyes wide as if I’d hit a huge jackpot.

“It's kind of hard to believe. He's my new stepbrother apparently”

“You're so lucky Vi, that's like something straight out of a movie. Honestly if I had a brother like Ryan,I wouldn't ever leave the house again”

I couldn’t blame her for her reaction. I’d been just as stunned the previous night when I discovered that Ryan was my stepbrother. It explained why his dad had seemed vaguely familiar—he was like a carbon copy of Ryan, except for their hair color.. I mentally slapped myself for not realizing earlier

“Tell me everything. How was it like being in close proximity with him? Did you like catch a glimpse of the body? Did he talk to you” Ashley leaned closer,her eyes widened dreamily. I was relieved she finally brought her voice down.

“He's like the most withdrawn person I've ever met. He didn't say a word to me. Barely acknowledged my presence. He didn't seem pleased with the arrangement either. He's probably too wrapped in his own world to give two shits about me”

I said,a knot forming in my stomach.

“It’ll get better,” Ashley said, though her eyes still sparkled with excitement. “I still can’t believe this. Sleepovers are going to be so much more fun with you now!”

I was about to respond when a ripple of chatter erupted through the cafeteria. I looked up to see Ryan entering with his supposed girlfriend, Evelyn. They took a seat at a table across the room, and the usual buzz of admiration followed him.

Girls began to gawk at Ryan, their eyes devouring him like he was a juicy piece of gossip. I scoffed in disgust. Seriously?

Every girl in school would kill to be in my shoes, living with the infamous Ryan Jenkins, but honestly, I had mixed feelings about it. I would have preferred having a different stepbrother, one who didn't make my life so complicated.

“Wow,” Ashley breathed, her gaze fixed on Ryan. “You’re really staying with this demigod. I’d do anything to be in your position, trust me.”

I rolled my eyes. “Now you're being extremely dramatic”

Just then, Ryan's gaze drifted in my direction, and for a brief moment, our eyes met. He quickly looked away, his expression cold and indifferent. Irritation swelled up inside me. Why was he acting like I was the worst thing in his world? As if he's the only one whose life got affected like mine didn't just take a drastic turn too

A voice broke me out of my trance.

“Hey, is this seat taken?”

I turned to see a guy standing beside our table. He had tousled dark hair, bright blue eyes, and an easy smile that made him instantly approachable. His face was cute, with a hint of boyish charm that softened his otherwise serious demeanor.

Ashley looked up, her eyes widening with a mixture of curiosity and interest. “Oh, hi! No, it’s not taken.”

The guy nodded, sliding into the seat next to me.

“Thanks. I’m Luke. I’m in your grade, but we haven’t really talked before.”

I raised an eyebrow, trying to place him. “Oh, hey. I’ve seen you around. I didn’t know you were in our grade.”

Luke chuckled softly. “Yeah, I’m kind of a quiet one. Just thought I’d introduce myself and maybe sit with you guys if that’s alright.”

Ashley shot me a look that clearly said ‘This guy seems nice enough.”

I shrugged, a bit surprised by the sudden turn of events. “Sure, you can sit with us.”

Luke settled in, and we fell into a comfortable silence as we ate. Ashley, ever the social butterfly, eventually broke it with her usual ease. “So, Luke, what’s your story? What do you do when you’re not being mysterious?”

Luke smiled, his eyes lighting up. “Not much, really. Just focusing on school and hobbies. I like reading and playing guitar. You guys?”

Ashley’s enthusiasm quickly took over as she launched into a conversation about her latest interests and school activities. Luke listened intently, nodding and chiming in where he could. It was clear he was more relaxed as the conversation went on.

From what I gathered, Luke was genuinely kind and easy to talk to. His quiet nature wasn’t off-putting; instead, it seemed like he was just reserved. As the lunch period went on, I found myself feeling a bit better about the day. Luke’s presence, while unexpected, was a pleasant distraction from the turmoil of my new living situation.

Once lunch was over, we gathered our things and headed to class. The day seemed to fly by with Like fitting in well

When the final bell rang, I felt a sense of relief. I'd be going home. But my heart sank at the thought. Home was no longer the place it once was; it was now with an extremely hot Playboy who didn’t even seem to notice I existed.

We said our goodbyes to Luke, who promised to catch up with us soon. Ashley and I didn't walk to the same bus stop; I had to head in another direction now. I waved goodbye to her, and she called out, asking me to promise I'd bring up a conversation with Ryan soon.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure how I’d manage that. It was sunny, and I regretted not putting on sunscreen before leaving the house. A car suddenly screeched to a halt beside me, nearly hitting me

“What the
” The words caught in my throat when the window rolled down, revealing Ryan’s icy face

“Get in” He commanded, his tone as cold and authoritative as his expression. I muttered a low cuss under my breath.

“Why would you want to help me?”

“Helping you is the last thing I’d do, little mouse,” Ryan replied, his eyes narrowing with chilling detachment.

Little mouse? Really?

“Why are you helping me then?”I shot back, struggling to keep my voice steady. Ryan's demeanor was unsettling, making me shiver despite the warmth of the day.

“Beats me. Why don't you ask my dad?”

The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. My mom must have informed Max about my migraines and inability to drive, and he probably instructed Ryan to handle my transportation. My mouth dropped open as I processed the fact that Ryan might be driving me until my probation ended.

“Now get in. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Reluctantly, I slid into the front seat and fastened the seatbelt. The scent of a strong, masculine cologne filled the car—a blend of something sharp and alluring. This was the first time I was this close to Ryan, and he looked even more attractive up close. I turned my gaze outside the window, preferring to watch the trees and houses pass by rather than endure the uncomfortable silence between us.

“Wait for me at that spot every day. Don’t make me come looking for you.”

It dawned on me that he probably didn’t want anyone to see us together. The realization stung, but I shrugged it off. It was probably for the best. If anyone found out I was living with Ryan, I’d have every girl in school gunning for me.

The rest of the ride was eerily quiet and tense. I was relieved when Ryan finally pulled up to their house.

I tried to unfasten the seat belt but it seemed stuck. I wriggled and tugged, but it wouldn’t budge.

“I’m stuck here,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ryan’s eyes flicked from me to the seatbelt. He muttered something under his breath—words I couldn’t catch, but the displeasure in his tone was clear.

He moved over to my side of the car, his movements deliberate and cool. His hand reached out, slightly brushing mine as he worked on the seatbelt. For a moment, the proximity of his touch was electrifying. Ryan’s gaze remained focused on the buckle, his expression a mix of concentration and annoyance.

He fiddled with the belt for a while before finally stopping. Releasing a slow breath, he turned to me, his face mere inches from mine. It was then I noticed the flicker of blue in his eyes, giving them a mesmerizing green-blue hue. His lips, so pink and slightly parted, were unnervingly close.

“There you go,” he said, his voice clipped.

I hurriedly unbuckled myself and scrambled out of the car, desperate to escape the tension. I let out a long breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. This whole arrangement was proving to be incredibly difficult. The feeling I had in the car was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. And when his hand brushed against mine,it sent a spark through my body.

One thing was clear: I needed to avoid Ryan as much as possible. Otherwise, I’d risk losing my heart to him, and that was a dangerous game I wasn’t willing to play.

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