My Stepbrother, My Bully, My Sin

AMY “F*ck me harder!” My mom’s voice screamed from her bedroom, followed by a loud thump that echoed through the thin walls. I blinked awake, groaned, and sat up. “Yes! Just like that! Harder! Hit me harder!” I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and dragged myself out of bed, trying to ignore the soundtrack of my life. Welcome to my morning routine. I shuffled into the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water, and twisted the cap just as another crack rang through the house followed by her loud moan. Again. I took a long sip, trying to drown out the noise. Yeah. That’s my mom. Esther Kamen. Single, loud, and proudly promiscuous. She thinks she’s still living her twenties. The neighbors? They’ve either complained, judged, or both. But even if they did, she doesn’t give a f**k. And honestly, I’ve stopped caring too. My name’s Amy A. Kamen. I’m nineteen, and I’ve been raising myself since I was old enough to reach the stove. People say everyone has their demons, and their job is to break our minds and drag us to hell. At first, I thought it was my mom, because of her constant bringing men into the house, and moaning out loud that it pushed me into having my first s*x at seventeen. But believe it or not, she wasn’t. My real demon? His name is Aaron Ray. Let me take you back to eighth grade. That’s when everything started. Aaron was the new boy—filthy rich, ridiculously attractive, and a walking hurricane of arrogance. He had the swagger, the limo, the designer shades, and a trail of followers who worshiped the ground he walked on. Nathan. Luke. Jeremy. Marcellus. His loyal hounds. Every girl wanted him. And me? I just wanted to survive him. He bullied me, teased me, and played with me like a cat plays with a half-dead mouse. He made sure I never forgot where I stood—in the dirt beneath his boots. And yet... Sometimes I catch myself staring. Not at his cruelty, but at the way his lips curled when he smirked. Or how his shirt clung to his chest when he ran laps on the field. Disgusting, right? I hated myself for it. We all know bad boys break your heart, but somehow, some girls believe they can redeem a bad boy. You only see that in a fantasy story. Aaron is a bad boy, always a bad boy, and will forever be a bad boy. Fast-forward to today. I was sitting on the school field during my free period, soaking up the sun, ear buds in, blasting hip-hop beats to chase away the morning madness. Then a shadow blocked my light. I opened my eyes. Aaron Ray. He stood there, tall and cocky, smirking down at me. I sighed and didn’t bother taking out my earbuds, but he bent down and yanked them out himself. “I’m talking to you, pup,” he said, his voice low. I rolled my eyes. “What do you want, Aaron?” “You’ve been playing hard to get,” he said. “What the hell are you talking about?” “I heard things,” he said, his smirk widening. “Heard you’ve been screaming in the girls’ bathroom.” I froze. It was one time. One. Freaking. Time. After catching my mom in the living room with a stranger, I had a meltdown. Ended up in the restroom, overwhelmed, frustrated, and… yeah, it got weird. I didn’t know someone was listening. Of course, the whole school knew within a day. Even the principal called me in. “That was a long time ago,” I snapped. “And it wasn’t about you.” “Lying doesn’t suit you, Amy,” he said, brushing his fingers across my cheek. “Touch me again and lose a finger.” I swatted his hand away. He laughed and backed off. “You’ll come around, won’t you?” “I’d rather die.” He winked and walked off, joining his pack of hyenas, who laughed like they’d been watching everything. I sat there, stunned, until cold hands suddenly covered my eyes. “Rebecca,” I muttered. “Hey, redhead,” she giggled, plopping beside me. Rebecca’s my best friend. The kind who threatens to beat up your enemies, but also steals your fries. “I saw Aaron walk away. What does that douchebag want this time?” she said with irritation laced in her tone. “He thinks I’m one of his pets now.” I shrugged. “Girl, what?!” Her eyes widened. “I’m serious.” “Were you smiling?” She narrowed her eyes, staring at me suspiciously. “Come on, Rebecca.” I scoffed. “You were. I swear you were smiling like someone gave you a free phone.” I touched my lips. Crap. Was I? I dabbed the back of my palm on my forehead to feel my temperature. How could I be smiling at the fact that Aaron wants me as one of his pets? It might be the bad boy effect playing its tricks on me, or I’m just losing my mind. “I’m losing my mind,” I said with a resigned sigh. “No,” she said, grinning. “You’re just horny. And you need someone to blow your mind.” “Gross.” “I’m not talking about Aaron,” she said. “I’m talking about the janitor’s son. What was his name again? Ethan?” “Girl, that was months ago.” I groaned. “But you slept with him twice.” She nudged my shoulder. “And ghosted him.” “Classic Amy. No strings, just vibes.” Rebecca smirked. I smirked back. She wasn’t wrong. Love? That’s for suckers. I learned that the hard way, watching my mom ruin every relationship with her twisted idea of fun. The bell rang and Rebecca and I walked back to class, her still listing thousands of reasons I should give Ethan another try. Maybe she’s right. Maybe I need someone to distract me. Or maybe… I’m already too deep in the mess called Aaron Ray.