Stepbrother

by Stacy McWilliams

  “I don’t have a choice,” I muttered sullenly as I pressed my fingers to my head, trying to massage my oncoming headache away when he spoke again.

  “Bailey, for goodness’ sake, stop letting people jerk you around and grow up.” His tone was sharp, but his words cut into me. My eyes stung as they filled with tears.

  “Coop, is it true you’ve been dating this whole time?” I asked in a low voice and his face paled. I had my answer, and he froze staring at me, before he hissed out, “That’s not the point here.” My eyes narrowed, and he moved towards me, but I stopped him with my next words.

  “That’s exactly the point. It’s okay for you to go on dates and screw around, but I can’t go on one date for my mom.”

  We stood facing off and I knew something had changed between us. He knew it too if the hard look in his eyes was anything to go by.

  “Coop, just go. I know you don’t want to be here, so just leave.” My tired voice and pale face got through to him, and he marched for the door, hissing over his shoulder, “Enjoy your date.”

  He slammed the door closed. I rolled my eyes and lay down on my bed, fiddling with my cell as I tried to find some music to match my mood.

  I spent the next few hours avoiding Cooper and when I went downstairs for dinner he was out. He went out every night that week and I pondered trying to reach out but decided against it.

  Thanksgiving was the following Thursday, and Cooper and I hadn’t spoken all week. I’d avoided him, and he’d avoided me, both of us successfully, but it hurt on Thanksgiving when I found him down in the family room with a dyed blonde-haired bimbo I didn’t recognize.

  My heart hammered in my chest as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard. I turned from them with tears in my eyes and rushed to make a coffee. As I stood waiting for the coffee pot to fill, both he and his bimbo came into the kitchen. I ignored them, staring at the coffee pot, willing it to brew faster.

  She said hi to me, but Coop spoke before I could utter a response.

  “Don’t bother, she’s a freak who doesn’t speak to anyone.”

  My shoulders stiffened and my eyes stung with tears, but I ignored them as they walked out again. As soon as my mug was full, I grabbed my sweatshirt from the laundry hamper and rushed out of the house.

  I went out and sat on the deck, trying to ignore the images flashing my eyes. He’d kissed her in front of me, why? To make me jealous? To hurt me? To make me regret deciding to go out with someone else? If he was, it was working, on all three counts. I sat there for a while, ignoring the biting wind when a sound made me turn around. It was a moan and my heart sank like a stone as I glanced around catching a glimpse of them having sex against the window of his room.

  My face heated up and the tears that had threatened to fall earlier finally spilled over. I rushed from the deck and ran into the woods. My boots rubbing against my bare feet and my sweatshirt barely kept me warm. I sat in the woods, hidden from the house and the biting wind, but not the rain. I hid for as long as I could and when I went back to the house, I was a mess. I’d slipped in mud on my way back and sliced my arm open.

  As I walked into the house, I hurt all over and I moved upstairs in a daze. Mud, water, and blood dripped from me as I made my way to my bedroom, with my eyes red from crying. I kept my eyes down and made it to our hall. I rushed along it, praying I made it into my room before his door opened, but it was in vain. His door opened a few seconds before I passed his room, and he shoved her against the wall kissing her ferociously as I rushed by.

  I didn’t speak or lift my head or look in their direction at all, but his laugh followed me into my room as I closed and locked the door before jumping in the shower watching as my blood dripped down the tiles and stained the water. I sat in the shower and sobbed until my throat hurt. I hated it. I hated him, and I hated everyone.

  Once I’d gotten out of the shower, I wrapped my arm in gauze and tied it tightly together. I focused only on the task at hand and refused to think about Cooper at all or about how awful it was in this house.

  As I went into my room, I thought about how it was Thanksgiving and wanted to just hide. A day to be thankful, hah. If it wasn’t for Cate and baby Blair coming round, I would have hidden in my room all day.

  My mom called me to watch the parade and I went down to the family room, ignoring everyone. Coop was sitting with his bimbo beside him. Zane had Clara over and she was now his girlfriend, while my mom and Shawn were sitting at one end of the sofa. The only available seat was between Coop and Zane. I moved towards it slowly, my face devoid of all emotion as I finally sat down. Zane smiled at me and I tried to smile back but failed miserably.

  Dinner was fun, but only because of Blair. She was adorable with a head of ebony hair and her mom’s cute smile. Cate’s husband, Nixon, was working. He was a doctor, and this was his year on call, so he was at the hospital.

  I ignored everyone and when we had to say what we were thankful for, I glanced down at baby Blair asleep in my arms and whispered, “Family.” I didn’t speak through the rest of the dinner and went to bed as soon as Cate left, claiming I had a migraine which was partly true. I did have a migraine, but it wasn’t the only reason. Coop and his “girl” and Zane and Clara had all gone down to the theater room to watch a movie, and I didn’t feel like being the fifth wheel, so I made my excuses and left them to it.

  I was exhausted from the day and drifted off almost as soon as my head hit the pillow, but I had the most horrific nightmare. I was trapped in quicksand, surrounded by snakes, and no one would help me. I screamed and screamed but everyone from my mom to my dad, Cooper, Zane, Louis, and Shawn all just stood laughing at me. When I woke myself up screaming, I couldn’t get the image of the snakes or those watching out of my head and I crawled out of bed heading for a shower when voices floated into me.

  “No, it’s okay, Jan. She’s a freak, I already told you that. She screams like that every night.” His words cut into me and I moved towards my door, ready to close it. I didn’t hear what she’d said next, but his mean laugh and the words he spoke helped me guess.

  “No, I really hate her. In fact, I’ve never hated anyone quite as much as I hate her.” Tears spilled from my eyes and I heard her mutter something softly in response, but I couldn't make out what. I began to close the door when he spoke again, “God, no. I wish my dad had never met her mom and then I wouldn’t have to put up with her repulsive face every day.”

  The door closed and leaned back against it, feeling the floor under my knees as I slid down, and broke apart. I spent the rest of the night sobbing into my pillow and dozing, hearing those words over and over again. He wished he’d never met me. I was repulsive. Every time I thought of him, pain shot through me and I couldn’t breathe. I knew he was mad at me and that I’d hurt him, but to say those things was unforgivable.

  Eventually, at somewhere around five a.m. I finally drifted off, sleeping through breakfast and waking at lunchtime. I didn’t want to go downstairs, so I went for another shower, grabbing a breakfast bar from my backpack and scarfing it down before entering the bathroom.

  As I stood under the hot water, his words hit me again and I doubled over holding my chest as sobs tore free from me again. When I’d finished and dried myself, I dressed in sweats and composed myself - as much as I could - before going into my room to find Coop standing in the doorway.

  “Your mom wants you,” he hissed at me before turning and storming out, slamming his door closed. I continued to my desk, grabbing my cell before heading downstairs.

  His door opened as I moved past it, I caught a glimpse of him with no top on as he kissed Jan. She ran her fingers over his back, and he moaned in response. I shot for the stairs, bumping into the banister as I tried to hurry down. I squeaked in pain but continued moving, finding myself standing in front of my mom as I reached the bottom. She wanted to style me for my date, and I decided to let her. It would be easier than to be in the next room while he had sex.

&nbs
p; I let her buff and polish me, wax and tone me, and style my hair. She’d put cucumber over my eyes as she worked and applied light makeup and set my hair in loose curls that framed my face. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. I looked beautiful. I snapped a picture and sent it to Wendy asking what she thought and her response: “Wow, you look hot.”

  As I made my way upstairs, I passed Zane, and he whistled at me which made me giggle and blush.

  “Bailey, you look gorgeous,” he muttered as he leaned over and kissed my cheek and Clara smiled at me from behind him.

  “You look stunning, honey.”

  I said thank you and continued upstairs, I didn’t look around and made it to my room with no incidents. As I relaxed inside there was a knock on my door and I opened it to find Coop standing there with her. His mouth dropped open as he passed me my cell. I didn’t look at him the entire time before I closed the door on him and listened to their footsteps as they went downstairs.

  My heart hammered as I got ready and I ignored the text that pinged on my cell. It was from Coop. I pondered what to do, but it set me on edge even though I didn’t respond to it. There was nothing to respond to. It was an empty message and as it got nearer to seven my butterflies at going on a date grew. I missed Coop and I wanted to speak to him so badly, but I couldn’t do it.

  Instead, I called Wendy, and she filled me in on all the goings-on at my old school. It was enough of a distraction that when it came to six-thirty and I had to get ready Coop wasn’t on my mind at all. I pulled on black fitted jeans, a black tank, and a red see-through blouse. I put on a chunky belt and a thick black necklace with black hooped earrings. I had black and cream wedges on which added a few inches to my height and made my legs look long, slim, and toned.

  My mom knocked on my door to get me for my date and rushed me downstairs to meet Phil. As we entered, everyone was there: Coop, Zane, Shawn, and Phil. No one was speaking and I glanced around nervously, fiddling with the sleeve of my shirt.

  Phil was tall, brown-haired, with dark blue eyes and a nice smile, but something about him set me on edge. I couldn’t identify it, but I was sure there was something about him. My mom was glowing, and Phil was full of compliments. When we left, I glanced at Coop, and he looked like the lost boy I’d comforted a while ago, but within a second that look had been replaced with a sneer and I turned away from him feeling my chest burn with chagrin.

  The date dragged, Phil talked on and on about himself, and a few times I contemplated faking an illness to get out of it. Over dinner, he talked about cars, where he wanted to go to college, and how his mom was set on him going to Brown, even though both he and his dad wanted Dartmouth.

  I hadn’t said a word all evening and when we’d left, he’d spoken to me in a low voice, “Bailey, do you wanna come back to my place? My folks are out of town, and we can get to know each other better.” I tried to think of a polite way to decline, but couldn’t, so I used my mom as an excuse. “I can’t. I have a curfew at ten and if I’m not back, my mom’ll go postal.”

  His face dropped a little, but he smirked after checking his watch. “It’s only eight-thirty now. Surely you can come back for a short while.” I shook my head at him, and he growled, his handsome face changing completely, “Look, you little bitch, that dinner cost me a fortune, so the least you can do is come back to my place to say thank you.”

  I pulled back a step and spoke in a hard voice, “No, thank you.”

  I began walking down the street, away from him, hoping to hail a cab when he yanked my hand up my back, twisting it until I yelped in pain.

  “Walk to my car or I’ll break your fucking arm.” I didn’t have a choice, I walked with him, trying to remain calm as he shoved me into the car, driving away from town quickly. I texted Zane and Coop from the car.

  911. Help me, please. This guy’s a giant dicknozzle and I’m scared.

  Neither replied and I texted Coop again.

  Coop, please, I know you’re mad at me, but I’m in danger.

  I didn’t get to text Zane again because my cell was snatched from my hand and thrown into the back seat. Phil’s hand gripped my knee and he squeezed hard.

  “It’s not polite to text while on a date.” His tone was hard as he reprimanded me, and I shuddered.

  My eyes watered and I gripped on to the door handle. Fine, if they wouldn’t rescue me, I’d need to do it myself. At the next stop sign, I threw his hand off me, let myself out of the car before it stopped, and rolled along the ground.

  I crawled to my knees, and he appeared over me, grabbing my hair and pulling my head back. As he did, I grabbed his balls and twisted, digging my nails in. He howled and let me go and I leaped to my feet, running into the woods by the side of the road. I didn’t have my purse, my cell, or any idea where I was, but I needed to get away from him. I slipped and slid as I walked along for a while until I found a good thick tree. I could hear him plowing through the bushes to find me, so I scaled the tree, shoes in hand, and hid among the branches at the top.

  It began to rain, and the wind was bitter cold, but I didn’t move. I could see him looking for me, but after what felt like an eternity he headed back in the direction of his car. I sat shivering in the tree and a short while later heard the distant sound of his engine start up. I didn’t move from my tree and figured I’d need to spend the night, but it was so cold I only lasted another ten minutes. I made my way back to the road, with ripped jeans, my hands skinned, and my face sore and cut.

  I didn’t know where I was, but I made it back to the road and heard an odd ringing noise. My cell was ringing. Phil had obviously thrown it from the car when he’d taken off.

  I moved towards the sound and picked it up, answering it and shuffling into the woods on the other side. The screen was cracked, but it was okay. Zane’s voice spoke into the line.

  “Bailey, where are you? I got your text.” I shook hard and began to sob.

  “I don’t know, I don’t know where I am, Zane.” I heard an engine start in the background as he spoke again.

  “Listen, I’m in the car and I’ll find you soon. When you left town, did you head left or right?”

  I paused and thought, “We went straight through, then left.” My whole body shivered as a violent tremor rocked through me.

  “Okay, I think I know what road you’re on. Hide and put your phone on silent. I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He ended the call and I went along the tree line, finding a bush just as car headlights swung by me. I scurried under the leaves, silencing my cell as the car stopped and in the light of the car, I could see Phil glancing around.

  He felt around the ground where my cell had been and then took off into the woods at the side of the road I was on, murmuring “fuck” as he passed where I was hiding. I texted Zane to warn him that Phil was back, and he was crazy, my shoes were tucked under my legs and my neck was squished against my chest as I hid.

  After a few more minutes the sounds of cars approaching reached my ears. I didn’t know who was coming, but I was praying it was Zane. It wasn’t. Two police cars pulled up and Phil approached them coming out of the woods on my right. The night was dark and as the moon was covered by a cloud the only light was from the police cars’ headlights.

  “Phil, we can’t keep doing this,” one of the guys spoke. “You need to stop making trouble.” As the other two officers joined them, I texted Zane and told him to stop. If these guys, police officers, were involved, then him appearing would make everything worse. He texted back a question mark but told me he’d stop in a passing spot nearby.

  “Where did the girl go?” one of the cops asked and Phil pointed in the opposite direction to where I was. They all nodded and took off in that direction.

  “Fan out. Find her quickly,” came across to me and I scuttled out of the bush, running towards town. After ten minutes and with a stitch in my side I saw lights ahead.

  I followed the light and sighed in relief as Zane’s car came into sight. He
was sitting in the driver’s seat, and he stared in relief as I threw open the door.

  “Zane, get us out of here now,” I muttered, and he turned slowly and then took off back towards town. Ten minutes later he pulled up in front of the house and I shot out of the car.

  “Bailey, wait. You look a mess.” I shrugged and ran towards the front door when Zane tugged on my arm. “No, come in the back door. No one will be in the kitchen at this time and you can escape to your room without an inquisition.”

  He led me to the door and sure enough, the kitchen light was off. I didn’t think anyone was in the kitchen as I walked through the door, but Coop was sitting just inside the dining room staring out at the water. My breathing increased and I moved slowly and quietly towards the stairs. My eyes stayed on him and after a moment he turned around. His eyes widened as he took in my appearance, and he half rose from the seat, but then sat back down.

  My first thought was that he really didn’t care anymore as he turned to look out of the window again. I sprinted for the stairs, closing and locking my door before making my way into the bathroom, closing and locking that door too. I heard the soft knock at my door, but I ignored it and climbed into the shower, turning the power and heat on. I couldn’t help grimacing as the warm water burned my cold skin.

  I sat in the shower for an hour, washing and cleaning my skin. I had scrapes and cuts all over my arms and legs and one graze on my forehead. After I was clean, I went to go to bed when the sound of my door being tapped reached my ears. I couldn’t cope with it, so I grabbed my pillow and comforter from my bed, taking them into the closet. I made myself a little hole at the back end of the closet, hidden from sight, but big enough that I could fall asleep without worrying about anyone finding me.

  As I lay there, on the floor of my closet, I struggled to close my eyes. The events of the previous few days ran through my mind and adrenaline causing my heart to flutter in my chest.

  After hours of thought, I finally nodded off and didn’t wake until late morning. Panicked voices woke me up and someone was banging on my room door.