MY STEPBROTHER, MY RUIN

CHAPTER 012: KINDNESS AND A SLICE OF CAKE

JUNE;

Such kindness? No! This was definitely new to me, no one had ever shown me that level of love and kindness. Did you see the tender way the huge boy took the sneaker off my foot? Like he was wiping away my sorrows too.

For one hopeful second, I had caught that girl's face, the one who looped her arms around Ronan. Her eyes had widened too, just like every other person in the classroom. The way the laughter quieted was still magical to me.

The whole class had gone quiet just from one single act of kindness, wiping away the laughter on their faces at once. Wiping away the mockery another created.

I leaned against the bus window, looking out at the streets as the bus glided slowly through the city. I hadn't waited for Mom and Mr. Grayson. This was far better than staying trapped at the back of that SUV, pretending to be one perfect family.

I glanced down at my new pair of sneakers; it felt a little too real, so that if the sneakers were not on my feet right now, I would have thought it was a dream.

Did you see the look on Ronan’s face? That boy is definitely a jerk! Why was he so bitter seeing someone help me? He wanted the entire class to make a mockery of me, and the moment one made an exception, he sat right there at his desk tightening his fist.

I hated him now. I hated that my head ever thought about him. I hated that my eyes ever noticed him. I hated that even at this point, what he thought about the whole scenario mattered a little bit too much to me.

I called out to the bus conductor, telling him I would alight here, the bus pulled off the curb and I stepped out.

***

I walked down the stairs, free-size house dress flowing softly behind me, my head twitching a little from smiling too hard all day and from trying to hate on one single person my mind couldn't let go still.

The moment I pushed the kitchen door open, a slice of cake sitting on a plate stood waiting. If there was one thing I had noticed about this house, it was the fact that Mariah bakes the best cakes ever, and this one that sat in my face right now, chocolate, extra frosting, just the way I like it.

“Mariah,” I called out and she answered, her voice reaching me from the kitchen’s back door. “Can I have some cake?”

“By all means,” she responded. “I'm about to bake a new one.”

Then I moved closer to the kitchen island, but before I could reach the plate. A hand snatched it from behind me. I was stunned. I turned slowly. Of course, it had to be him!

“Not so fast, young lady,” he purred, holding the plate, eyes glaring at me. I gulped hard, trying not to snap.

“I want to have the cake,” I said softly, pulling back my emotions, “Mariah said I could have it.”

He scoffed, picked a little out of the cake, and threw it into his mouth. I felt anger creep up inside me. Heat rushing to my neck.

“Ronan…” The name sounded different in my mouth, this was the first ever time I would say that name out, it felt like his eyes just glistened, yet he was being the jerk that he was. “Give me back the cake.” I shot at him.

Then I lurched forward. His hand grabbed my wrist. Not too hard to hurt me, just enough to stop me in my way. I could hear the thumping of his chest, his cologne drifted into my nostrils pulling on every sensitive part of me.

“Sorry, but this is my house,” he blurted, “I call the shots in here! Don't ever think you can do whatever you like in this house… Maybe when you get to school you can allow all the boys to lift you around like a Disney princess, but in here… You know who owns everything!”

Seriously? How did we move past the cake talk? A flicker lit in my heart, I wanted to know how he felt about Matthew lifting me the way he did. And seeing his glare? Pure satisfaction.

“Let go of me,” I snapped, yanking free from his grip. “What's this about?” I asked, clasping my hand across my chest.

He stood there, smirking in my face.

“You're so annoying and full of yourself… I hate you!” I blurted. My feet clicked past him. He grabbed my hand, pulling me back.

“And that boy?” His eyes moved, like he was searching for answers in my face. “You don't hate him? Did you pay him to put on such a show? If you did, then I must say he's damn good at his skills,”

Yes, now I know this. He was fighting too hard not to believe that none of the things that happened in class earlier today was natural. And for one stupid second, the fear in his eyes, the one that gave him out on how badly he wanted that to be fake, it made me whole.

“Why?” I scoffed, “Because I am not capable of being loved, or shown kindness?”

“Kindness? Is that what you termed that show? I know boys like that… Trust me, he's no good,” he threw another bit of the cake into his mouth.

“No, Ronan,” I stepped a foot closer, hands clasped around my chest. “Let's just say, he was raised better.”

And with that, I ran out of the kitchen. I had seen his eyes go dim with my words, and truth is, I feared what his next action would be.

“June! June!” He called out angrily. But I could only hear him from the top landing of the staircase.

Next, footsteps followed. I turned and it was him. I stopped in the hallway, he walked towards me, mouth pouting.

The hallway light shone on his face, outlining the curve of his face, his hair that looked like he had run his fingers through it countless times. The sleeves of his buffalo check shirt rolled to the bridge of his arm, unbuttoned enough to show off a crisp white T-shirt.

I moved backward till my back pressed against the wall. I was fighting the image of him rising in my head. He looked like he had words, lots of them. He stopped just an inch away from me. A flicker sat in his eyes, one I couldn't place. Maybe my last words hurt a little too much. But, who cares?

“You don't belong here, June,” he muttered into my ear, almost a whisper.

The words rolled in my chest, but I swallowed, enough to ease the tension forming in my head.

“Then, stop watching me like I do.” I managed a smile, slipped away from under his arm, before he could say one more thing. I dashed into my room, jammed my door so hard the frames shook.