MATED TO MY STEPBROTHER

THIRTEEN

“You should come out for breakfast. Mum cooked.”

The knock on my door was followed by Beckett’s voice, a soft sigh escaping my lips as I nodded in response.

The pattern was one I was used to. Having arguments with my mum or Beckett or in worse case scenarios, both of them. My mum proceeding to make breakfast the following morning as her way to ease the tension without ever actually talking about what happened. Beckett inviting me for breakfast and the two of us going on with our lives without ever talking about what happened.

Apologies after arguments never happened with them. We just moved past it and pretended it never happened, making our already strained relationship more strained than ever.

I never had a problem with it though. It was something I was used to. One days I was super pissed, I’d skip the breakfast and ignore both of them for at least a week. But on more neutral days, I’d willingly subject myself to the torture of an awkward breakfast that never had any positive impact on anyone.

I should have refused to go with the latter that morning. But another knock followed by another voice was all it took for me to change my mind.

“Isabella, breakfast is ready. Your mum cooked.”

It was Grayson’s. about a dozen times more cheerful than Beckett’s. if anything he sounded enthusiastic. Almost like he couldn’t wait to try the food.

“Are you coming?! Everyone’s waiting and starving!”

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” I replied him from behind my door. “I’m coming. You can go.”

I held my breath until I could hear his footsteps departing, the familiar silence returning to my doorstep. Certain I was now alone, I let out a sigh then looked at the time, trying to calculate how long I would have to spend at the table.

I could do it. I wasn’t in a mood as bad as I was yesterday. I could survive it. After all, Grayson was going to be at the table.

Immediately dismissing the thought of Grayson from my head, I grabbed the door knob and stepped out of the room. With extremely careful and quiet steps, I made my way to the dining and just like he said, everyone was waiting.

The sitting arrangements were odd. Grayson’s dad sat at the center, my mum by his left and Grayson by his right. Beckett was sitting right next to my mum, leaving an empty space next to him. and another empty space next to Grayson.

Perfect.

“Isabella, did you sleep in?” his dad broke the silence quickly. “You must have stayed out late cause you weren’t home when I returned. How have you been? Or did you see her yesterday when you got back home, Margaret?”

He turned to my mum and for a split second, she looked at me, an awkward chuckle immediately escaping her lips. “Yeah, I saw her when she was heading out. She was a bit in a hurry though so we couldn’t talk for much.”

Just as expected.

“Oh, in that case-”

“Isa, I saved you a seat,” Grayson’s voice suddenly interrupted his dad as he patted the empty chair next to him. “Do you want to stand here and have breakfast on your feet? I mean, I wouldn’t mind but we’re going to be late for school and I wouldn’t allow you delay me. It’s not going to happen again.”

All eyes turned in Grayson’s direction. Eyebrows were raised, arched, furrowed, all shades of confusion flooding my veins.

“What?”

“Did you already forget you have a 9am class today,” he shook his head as he rose to his feet to walk over to me, wrapping his arms around my shoulder. “At this point you can employ me as your personal assistant cause why do I know your schedule even better than you?”

I blinked but he barely paid attention to me, immediately shoving me towards the seat next to him and forcing me to take a sit. Left with no choice, I sat and raised my brow at him, Grayson immediately sending me the most ridiculous smile in response.

“Wow, did you two get so close already?” his dad once again broke the silence. “Gray, is that why you’ve been pestering me to get married all these while? Because you needed company in the house? Damn, what’s next? You and Beckett already play football together?”

Beckett barely smiled, his weird stare at Grayson not escaping me. My mum looked just as lost as I did, eventually managing to return a smile when her new husband smiled at her.

“It’s so nice to see them bonding so quickly, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is,” more awkward chuckles from my mum.

I could feel her staring at me but I refused to meet her gaze, especially when Grayson placed a plate filled with food in front of me and whispered to me to eat. The corners of my lips stretched as I muttered thanks to him and grabbed the cutlery, resuming my torturous breakfast.

For the next couple of minutes, silence reigned and just when I was certain I couldn’t stand it anymore, Grayson rose to his feet, immediately grabbing my arm.

“We need to leave now. See you guys later.”

I didn’t object. I allowed him drag me out of the dining and all the way out of the house. He only freed my arm from his grip when it was time to get into the car, the warmth from his hand lingering as he got into his side of the car.

“What was that about?” I spoke up the second the car roared to life. “At the table?”

“What?” he spared me a quick glance then shrugged. “

“I don’t have a 9am class,” I replied him. “And since when do you drive me to school?”

“Since now,” he didn’t look at me as he replied. “And you have a 9am class. See? I know your schedule more than you do.”

“That doesn’t matter,” I sighed softly. “You didn’t have to. You know, act like, we’re so cool just because my mum was there or what I told you yesterday. She’s not dumb, you know.”

“Good. Cause I wasn’t acting,” he finally tilted his head to stare at me for longer than a second. “We’re cool, aren’t we? We’re friends, remember?”

I bit my lip in response. Friends. Yes, that was something we were.

“Sure, whatever,” I quickly looked away from him and rested my head on the window. “Thanks anyways.”

I was sure he didn’t hear me mutter thanks and didn’t bother repeating it. I simply allowed the silence fall between us the entire ride, only to be interrupted when he pulled over right in front of my faculty.

“You didn’t have to drive me all the way here.”

“What time would you be done today?” he watched me unclasp my seatbelt. “So I can come pick you up.”

“No, that would not be necessary,” I slammed the door as I got out then leaned towards the window. “Thank you.”

I made sure he heard me this time and immediately walked away from the car before he could stop me again. A half smile made its way to my face as I continued walking, the smile disappearing few moments later the second Kai suddenly appeared in front of me.

“Am I seeing things?” he looked behind me and from the look on his face, I could already tell what was going on. “I thought you hated him. How do you get into the car of someone you hate and allow him drive you all the way to school?”

“Well, about that,” I linked arms with Kai, forcing him to turn around. “I think we might just have decided to be friends instead.”

Friends.