My Boyfriend’s Brother

Who really knows the story of the player next door? You know the one, the boy with the lazy smile and killer jawline who lives next door but has never looked your way. The school’s golden boy. A walking i********: filter. Everyone’s dream but yours… except, okay, maybe he was your dream too. Quietly. From behind your curtains. It’s a cliché, right? You stare from your window. He’s effortlessly perfect. You’re just… there. Until fate stumbles in, trips you both into the same orbit, and suddenly, he sees you. He chooses you. And somehow, Cinderella trades her rags for romance and becomes the girl who changed the player. Yeah. That was me. Elisa Kai: the girl who caught Damien Jackson’s eye. And even with the chaos, the awkwardness, the late-night phone calls, and the long-distance ache, I could honestly say... we made it work. So, happy ending, right? Wrong. Because nobody tells you the consequences of falling for the golden boy next door. And no one warns you about Drake Jackson—his younger brother, my personal tormentor, and a walking reminder that karma has a dark sense of humor. Ever since Damien left for college and basically handed Drake the throne, Southdale High has become a warzone. And guess who’s stuck in the middle? That’s right. Me. Drake Jackson is now the new king—crowned by popularity, fueled by ego, and worshipped by every girl with functioning eyes. To them, he’s hot. To me, he’s a nightmare dressed in designer sneakers. He's arrogant. Smug. Loud. Inappropriate. He struts like he owns the place and chews like he’s starring in a zoo documentary. And don’t get me started on how he flirts—or rather, torments. His only joy in life is making mine miserable. So no, I don't swoon when he smirks. I seethe. *Thwack!* A folded piece of paper hit the back of my head. God. Him. “Hey!” I ignored him. “Hey!” Still ignoring. “Hey!” “What?!” I snapped, spinning around to glare. Drake was lounging two tables behind me, legs kicked up on the desk like he was posing for a sneaker ad. He wore a red vest over a white hoodie, black sweatpants, and the cockiest grin known to mankind. Two girls clung to either side of him, laughing like hyenas on helium. He raised an eyebrow. “What’re you doing?” “None of your business,” I hissed. He shrugged like I was the one being unreasonable. “Why do you always have to be so rude? You should try being nicer.” I leaned back in my chair. “You’re not my dad.” “True. But I could make you scream daddy.” Oh. My. God. Gasps echoed like grenades around the classroom. I froze. Did he seriously just— I scanned the room. All eyes were on me, and every pair belonged to a girl who either wanted to be me, or wanted me gone. The glares were daggers. He knew this. Of course, he did. That’s why he said it. I gritted my teeth. “You wish.” Drake smirked, basking in the attention. “Took you long enough to find a comeback. But I get it. You’re saving yourself for marriage.” Cue the evil cackling from his fan club. I smiled sweetly. “No. I’m saving myself for your brother.” Boom. The class erupted. Drake's smirk dropped. Just a twitch—but I saw it. I lived for it. He didn’t say anything, but the look in his eyes said it all. Game on. The teacher finally entered, ignoring the fact that Drake’s legs were still propped up like a throne. He locked eyes on me. “Eyes to the board, Miss Kai.” Seriously? I gave a sugary smile and faced forward, victorious, for now. Because Drake always had a reply. And of course, he muttered just loud enough for me to hear: “Yeah… still don’t get what he sees in you.” Ouch. He knew that line. He knew what it would do to me. I stared at the whiteboard, willing myself not to react, not to let my face crumple. He got what he wanted. Again. And worst of all? That insufferable jerk… was my boyfriend’s brother.