Wrong: A Spoiled Stepbrother Romance

by Pfeiffer Jayst

  "Maddie you have to give him a chance," Mother pleaded. Her continued use of my childhood nickname really started to get under my skin.

  "When...when did this happen?" I stammered.

  "A few months ago. You're so busy with school, I didn't want to bother you unless I thought it was starting to get serious. He just proposed last week, that's why I'm here."

  My arms folded across my chest. "Oh, so you're not here for your only daughter's graduation from college?"

  She appeared surprised. "Oh no, I...of course I'm...when is it again?"

  It should've hurt more than it did but I wasn't surprised. "It's ok, you don't have to come."

  "Ok, are you sure? Because I have to get back to planning for the wedding. We're gonna do it soon. What are your plans for this summer?"

  This was our relationship, I had frequently been an afterthought to my mother. Though maybe I should've, I never really thought of her as selfish, just easily distracted. She was reliable in the sense that I always needed to remind her of dance recitals, graduations, birthdays. It was what it was.

  "Well, I'm trying to get an internship with a lab at the school. My best friend Becca and I are gonna get an apartment in town. My boyfriend Derek is trying to get his own place down the street."

  Mother beamed with what I hoped was pride. "It's good to see you going after what you want, for once."

  As I thought the best way to respond to that, our waitress arrived. Mother's order was more elaborate than I had ever seen her, a number of items as apparently, money was no longer a worry. My selection was much more conservative but a dish I loved dearly, one that kept me coming back to this restaurant.

  “Sorry, dear. We're not offering that today,” the waitress told me, her face frowning as she pretended to be as disappointed as I was.

  “That's ok, I guess I'll just have the house spaghetti dish, sauce on the side please.”

  The waitress' face twisted a little bit more to let me know that more bad news was coming.

  “Actually...that dish is prepared with the sauce mixed in...”

  One look at my mother and I saw that she was watching on with delight, wanting desperately to see how I would handle things so that she could tell me later how she would've handled it differently. I just wanted the whole interaction over with.

  “Ok, that's fine. Just bring it, that's fine,” I said quickly to the waitress while shoving the useless menus into her hands. The second she had left our table, my mother started in.

  “Maddie, dear,” a deep condescending tone already wrapped around her words, “you're never going to get what you want in life if you refuse to stand up for it. Between the seating here and the food, you've let them walk all over you.”

  “Mom, I didn't...it's just easier...”

  “Maddie, there's two types of people in this world: those who get what they want and the sad, bitter people too afraid to go after anything. Don't be bitter, you're too young.”

  I’m not proud to admit that I crossed my arms and tried to look away from her, pouting like the little brat I worked so hard to prove I wasn’t.

  "Seriously, Maddie, you're stronger than you give yourself credit for," Mom continued. A gleam appeared in her eye as she leaned in closer and held my hands. "How about you come to live with me this summer? Carmine has a huge estate and I don't have to work...we could have fun together, use the opportunity to get closer."

  Had she not heard me lay out my carefully made plans for post-graduation? This was the classic impulsivity that made my mother who she was. Even if I did decide to go along with her sudden plan, she'd likely forget about her idea by morning.

  "Mom, I already told you..."

  She quickly let go of my hands, happy to be resolved of the sudden plan she had blurted out. "Ok, but if things change, you let me know."

  There was but a moment of silence before she lit up again, happy to share more news with me. "There's another surprise for you," she said, waiting for my excitement level to match hers. When it didn't, she continued anyway, "You're gonna have a new stepbrother!"

  Her revelation caused my blood to run cold. How could I have forgotten about the billionaire's brat? The infamous spoiled heir to the fortune was in the news even more than his arrogant father. Rorke Fratelli, an absolute menace wherever he went, starting fights in the street, constantly driving around drunk. He never hesitated to swing at the paparazzi that followed him around and antagonized him. To be honest, after seeing this bastard Rorke acting like an entitled jerk one too many times, at one point I genuinely considered swearing off Mama Fratelli's pizza forever; I didn't want to contribute to this delinquent's wealth. Now I was being delivered the news that I was going to be related to him and I made no effort to hide my disgust. "Mom, gross."

  "Oh Maddie, stop. Yeah he's a little challenging but he's not that bad." She couldn't even look me in the eyes as she lied to me. It couldn't bother me; sure I was now related to the tabloid twins but I was going to be far away, building my life in another town with Derek, the boy I loved.

  "It's your bed, you can lie in it," I told her, hoping to be done with the gross subject.

  "Where is that waitress?" Mom suddenly wondered, "she's never even brought us water. As far as I'm concerned, that's three strikes. You want to get out of here?"

  Unlike my mother, I didn't blame the waitress for the business she couldn't control, even if it appeared we were the only customers in there. "Mom, let's just wait. It's not her fault."

  My mother's disappointing look was ten shades heavier than my own. She just shook her head as we waited patiently for the waitress to return, each passing second validating my mother’s belief that I was a doormat.

  *****

  ROUND TWO

  *****

  Madelyn

  My heart fluttered with excitement as I walked up the concrete steps of Derek’s apartment building. It had been weeks since I had last seen him and I was planning on giving him a big reward for being so patient. Underneath my modest top and pants were the sexiest lingerie I owned, a pair of matching pink lacy bra and panties that I had been saving for a special occasion. It was probably the most confident I ever felt, head held high, chest out, ready to ravage my man.

  Peeking between the blinds and his window, I could only make out his feet at the end of his couch. Poor guy was sleeping. After a deep breath, I pushed open his foolishly unlocked door and stopped dead in my tracks. There, on the couch I had sat on a million times, my boyfriend was horizontal and on top of my former best friend Becca. It was too late for her to try to cover up her pushed up shirt and bra or him to do anything but slowly pull his hand out from inside of Becca’s pants. For a minute there, I had hoped that this was some kind of reeeeallllly elaborate prank and gave them a good second for the reveal that never came. It was too much for me to even comprehend in that moment, all I could do was turn and start to run away.

  “Madelyn, wait. Wait!” Derek pulled his pants up as he tried to chase after me. Something in me desperately wanted for him to be able to make this better, make this ok. Against prevailing wisdom, Foolishly, I stopped to give him a chance to fix this.

  “Look, I didn’t want you to find out this way,” he said while gently holding my shoulders like you would do to a young person who wasn’t paying attention. He continued speaking but I didn’t hear much, instead lost in my own thoughts as the gravity of the situation started to weigh down on me. I was stunned and confused. My silence hadn’t stopped him from rambling on,

  “It’s just...” he said while looking up to the sky for an answer. His eyes the found mine as he levied the knockout punch. “You’re boring. Not fun. You never want to do anything exciting. Studying, tv, sleep, that’s it. We’re young, these are supposed to be the best years of our lives and you’re too afraid of doing anything fun. It’s boring and I can’t live this that.”

  Every emotion I was capable of having turned up to 11 and overwhelmed my body, I didn’t know what to feel. Rage came
out on top when I noticed that whore Becca sliding up behind my boyfriend and resting her head against his shoulder. She was marking her territory, what she had outright stolen. All I could do was shake my head, too weak to just turn and walk out forever. There was a great fear inside of me that I’d regret having this as my last memory of Derek.

  “If you don’t want to live together anymore this summer, that’s cool,” Becca added in a baby voice that made me want to punch her in the face. The battle lines had now been firmly drawn in the sand and I just couldn’t be around these people anymore, probably forever.

  “This is goodbye, Derek.”

  My goal had been a strong, declarative statement but instead what came out sounded cliche and weak. Still though, there was no way to take them back once they escaped my betrayed lips, the lips that had been dreaming all day of pressing against Derek’s. I tried to storm off with some dignity but the heels I was wearing made it hard to move gracefully. Damned if I didn’t try though. I could've sworn I heard Becca snicker as I stumbled out with the grace of a newborn Bambi.

  My head was still held high and my eyes dry as I located my car. It wasn’t until my car door was completely closed that I let out a guttural scream that was so loud and painful, it almost made me go deaf. Problem was it didn’t make me feel any better. All of the consequences of those selfish assholes was becoming clear to me.

  I no longer had a boyfriend. The only boyfriend I’d ever had and put so many years into, Poof, gone.

  I didn’t have a best friend any more but, eh, I wasn’t dying over that one.

  The most pressing issue became clear: I didn’t have a place to live over the summer.

  My blood ran cold as it all started to come together. Without a roommate, I couldn't afford an apartment on my own. Without an apartment, I could take my dream summer internship in the lab. The two people closest to me had ruined my life with the ultimate betrayal.

  Once I got it together and drove away from that traitor’s apartment building, I searched for a place further away to park. Under the only working street light, I sent a barrage of texts and emails (sometimes both) to anyone I knew who might possibly be staying around for the summer. Maybe I should have waited until I was less panicked but I didn’t, desperate emails met almost everyone I had even somewhat known in college.

  “Sry - full house this summer. You can stay like a day or two if you want.”

  It was mind blowing just how many people sent pretty much the exact same response. While I hadn't immediately heard back from everyone, the possibility of finding a place to crash was starting to look worse than grim. Reality was cold and harsh as it became clear that I wasn't going to find anyone in town to take me in. The panic continued as I drove myself home to the apartment I’d have for only three more days. Not only was I going to lose the internship, I was going to be homeless. The possibility of being out on the streets didn't occur to be even in the realm of possibilities as I prepared myself for life after college yet it was soon a growing likelihood. Desperate times can make a person sink lower than they ever thought possible and I prepared myself to go that low. After the deepest sigh I had ever released, I typed and sent the urgent, desperate text I had never, ever wanted to have to send.

  “mom - something really serious has happened and I really need a place to stay for a bit”

  After pausing for a moment, I sent a followup text:

  “or else i'll be homeless”

  As I watched my phone in hopes of a soothing reply, I was disheartened to not see one pop up immediately. What was worse was that I was able to see that Mom had read my message. "Read 9:52 PM" it said under what I had sent but still no reply from my dear mother. Hoping it was a signal issue, I drove myself back to the apartment, checking the phone at each stop light. Nothing. My phone rested next to my head that night as I tried to sleep but no message ever came.

  *****

  ROUND THREE

  *****

  Rorke

  I never even saw it coming. A powerful haymaker stung my side as it landed flush against a kidney. All of the air left my body as I struggled to remain upright. My first instinct was to move my own gloves down to protect my body. Big mistake. My opponent’s other arm had been prepared and he landed another stinging punch right against the side of my head. My vision became impaired as I used all of my power to keep my legs steady and under me. Leaning against the ropes, only seeing stars circling my head, I tucked my head behind my arms and hoped that the onslaught would stop. Thankfully, punches eventually stopped pummeling my body.

  "Alright, that's it. I've seen enough."

  I slowly opened my eyes and as my vision started to return, I kept my hands up to protect my head, just in case. In doing so I saw that I was alone in the ring; my opponent had climbed out without so much as a word and Hubert, the gym’s owner and only trainer, was already making his way to the office in the back. The horde of people who had been congregated at ringside, cheering on my opponent each time he landed a punch, they had all gone back to their own training, over me and the little entertainment I could provide. My audition was a failure, just like the entire gym had expected. What these people didn’t know about me was that my newest resolution was to never quit no matter what; the new me was going to go after what I wanted at all costs and never, ever back down. My fresh resolve was already being tested.

  It was a lonely and hurried walk to the trainer’s office, each of the gym members looking at me with such disdain, such hatred for a person they didn’t even know. They only thought that they knew me. Internet gossip columns had ruined my reputation and I was surprised to find that the info had found its way into this hardscrabble gym in the middle of the rough part of town. It was part of the reason why I had come, hoping I could be at least somewhat anonymous in this dark corner. I wanted a chance to show I could be a great boxer without all of the judgment from the outside world. It was during that shameful walk out of the ring that I realized when Hubert had granted me a “try-out”, he probably only did so to provide some entertainment for his fighters. Let one of them beat up on a rich kid to break up the day a little. I had been put up as a stooge, a joke. Realizing that, my blood started to boil and I pushed open Hubert’s office door with great immediacy.

  “You have to let me try again. I can still fight…” I said before I was even fully in his office. The grizzled, old trainer didn’t even look up from the papers on his desk.

  “I don’t have to let you do shit,” he said flatly.

  “He got in a lucky punch, I’m better. I know I can do better.”

  “You mind telling me which of those punches was lucky? Santos handed you your ass. You’re not a fighter and you’ve shown you don’t have what it takes. Please,” he finally looked up at me, “stop wasting our time.”

  It was time to switch tactics so I tried my best to appeal to his softer side. “Please, I’ve always wanted to be a fighter. I’ll do anything you ask of me. I’ll surprise you with how hard I work. I’ll do anything.” He didn’t appear swayed.

  “So that’s it? This week you want to be a fighter so you’re here bothering me? Look, I’m sorry you need a new hobby but it’s not my problem. You’re not a fighter, you just proved that to everyone out there. All of those kids out there work harder than dogs for the chance to train here. They’ve earned it. How do you think they’d feel if I just let some spoiled rich kid come in here and take away the time they’ve worked so hard for?”

  Even though he thought he had a point, he really didn’t. “I’m not rich, well, not any more. My father cut me off completely. I’m broke too.”

  Instead of seeing me on the same level of the working class boxers he had in his gym, Hubert instead looked at me with amazement, seemingly unable to process what I had just told him. “You’re telling me you don’t have any money? You expect to train here…for free? You’re out of your damned mind!”

  It became clear to me that I hadn’t thought the whole thing through. It never occu
rred to me that training in such a rundown gym would cost money. Money I didn’t have. As I sat silent, Hubert continued.

  “Each one of those kids works as hard as they possibly can, going to school, holding part time jobs, just so they can bring me at least some kind of money. Something to keep this place operational. And you, your family has more money than all of us combined and you expect to get it all for free? Go see a doctor, boy. You ain’t right.”

  Yet again I was up against the ropes, refusing to go down. I didn’t have a plan on how to save myself, just knew I couldn’t quit. By some miracle, a solution suddenly appeared before my eyes.

  “BATTLE OF THE TRI-CITY GYMS - $5K PURSE” a small placard placed behind Hubert’s desk read. I had almost missed it, just looking up by chance as he returned to the papers on his desk.

  “What about that? The tri-city battle?” I asked and Hubert turned around to read to sign I was pointing at. When he returned to me, Hubert let out a chuckle.

  “That? There’s fighters out there, real fighters, who have been training all year for that. You wouldn’t stand a chance. It’s at the end of the month.”

  “That’s fine. I can be ready in a month,” I cockily assured him though the very idea was ridiculous. He still wasn’t ready to hear me out.