Caught between my bully and my step brother

Chapter 1

Red strobe lights flashed, bodies writhed all around me, young and free. Yet I was trapped, trapped in the glare of him as he froze me to my spot. My next-door neighbor, my stepbrother's best friend, the one that ended up at the same college as me. The one that had tortured me my whole high school life and now continues to do so. We were meant to be adults now, grown up and moving on. That was what I had thought. But college was just like school, same clicks, same dramas and, for me, the same living hell I had endured my whole life. The only difference now is that we were old enough to drink; we were young adults.

My brother never really stuck up for me much, given he was my step-brother, he wasn’t all that fond of me from the moment me and my mom moved into his house with him and his dad. He blames my mom for his own parents' divorce, and still does. He had been a rebellious kid from the moment I stepped in the house. I was thirteen then, we were the same age. He a few months older.

Before Trent became my neighbor, he had been my school bully long before that. How unfortunate that we moved next door to him of all the people. It then meant I didn’t get any peace at home either. Given he was over most days hanging out with Toby.

The sad thing was, Toby had never really been mean to me at school before we came along and wrecked his family as he saw it. He had always kind of just ignored me. A few words spoken of hellos and such a few glances here and there. I had actually had a little silly schoolgirl crush on him at one point, before he was my step-brother, of course, and I had seen him glancing at me a few times too. He would even tell Trent to cool it sometimes when he was poking his cruel jokes at me. But all that changed the second I stepped foot in his house as his step sister.

I had questioned my mum why his dad of all people, but given we were from a small pokey town, I guess choices were few and far between. My issue is she went with him while he was still with Toby’s mum. I had long forgiven her. She told me the heart wants what it wants, and sometimes it's hard to fight it. My mum wasn’t a bad person. By far, she was the nicest, biggest-hearted person I knew, so it was hard not to forgive her. I know she would never have done it to intentionally hurt Toby’s mum, but Toby never forgave any of us.

Speaking of the other object of my other torturer, he strode up to Trent at that moment and looked to see where Trent’s anger was currently being aimed. When Toby saw it was me, his lips curled up in a sneer and then his eyes tracked down my body, a look of displeasure evident on his face.

Yep, I had landed at the same college as the pair of them. My only reprieve now was that I was in a whole other dorm building. Tonight, my only friend that I had made here had promised me that these two weren't coming to this party. She had it in good words. They were attending another one all the way across campus, one that we were definitely not invited to. The party was hosted by Toby’s girlfriend, Tammy, and when I say that the girl hates me as much as they do, believe me, I was not lying. So I had come hoping for a night of fun. I had worn a short dress that clung to my figure, done my hair and my make-up in a sexy way and I had planned to drink and party and, for once, have fun.

But here they were both glaring at me !!

Why were they not at Tammy’s party ?

Toby leaned down and whispered something in Trent's ear, then Trent nodded at him and stood. The next thing, they were both heading over to me. I internally braced myself for what was to come next.

My feet stood frozen until finally my damn fight or flight kicked in. I turned as they got a few steps away from me and went to bolt, but I had barely made it a few steps before someone grabbed my wrist. I was yanked and span at the same time and I ended up face to face with Trent. I crashed into his chest and our noses nearly bumped. I gasped and looked up into those steel gray eyes that were narrowed on me. Trent had black shaggy hair that hung over his forehead, a constant scowl and the reddest lips I had ever seen. His lashes were that dark that it looked like he had eyeliner framing his eyes. He was the quiet one of the two, the grumpy, dark, mysterious one that called girls like a beacon into his trap. He was a man wh*re, he was never seen with a girlfriend ever. Never committed to one, but that didn't stop him from sleeping with as many as he could. I would be surprised if he had any bedposts left with how many notches he would have carved into them. He gave off that damaged broken boy aura and women tried to fix him. He often fought and got himself into trouble, but yet he must have been smart enough to end up here. That was a shock in itself.

" What the f*ck are you doing here ? " Toby's voice came into my ear, low and dangerous and filled with hate, making me shudder. He had come up behind me and pressed his body to my back the pair of them caging me in. I tried to pull my wrist back from Trent so that I could create some space, but he held it like a vice. I huffed and looked to the side at Toby.

Toby was more your boy next door. He had brown hair that had natural flecks of blonde running through it, vibrant green eyes and bone structure to kill for. His body was muscular from years of football. He was your college jock, but he was pretty in a strong sort of way. He was a man wh*re too, but unlike Trent he occasionally had a girlfriend. They just never lasted long.

I may run from them and try to avoid them at all costs and I may be petrified of them. My body gave that away, but my mouth. I tried to make it stand up to them and show them I was unfazed by them. It was a clear lie. I would try and fail every time. They always won the game, their words would be the ones to cut the deepest and their actions. But I refused to be a mouse, or at least I tried not to be,

" What does it look like, dumb ass?" I spat at him over my shoulder.

His hands went to my hips and dug in a little. " In this dress it looks like you are trying to wh*re yourself out to any willing guy " he snapped in my ear, making me flinch.

Then I felt Trent's finger on my thigh, and it ran along the hem of my dress. " One more inch and everyone here would see everything, is that what you want ? To flash your p*ssy to every guy here " Trent snarled. He was exaggerating. It wasn't that bad. " Like mother, like daughter, I bet she would take any guy that looked her way without a thought", Toby spat, his words hit like ice.

" F*ck you" I spat, feeling the tears start to well up in my eyes. Toby laughed and, if possible, stepped closer.

" Would you like that, me to f*ck you ? " His words made my eyes round like saucers and my lips pop open. Did he just say that ? He has a girlfriend. He was my stepbrother. Trent let out a dark chuckle as he leaned closer and his lips went just at the side of mine, not touching, but hovering there. I felt my heart beat faster, my breathing became erratic. The action caused my breasts to rub against his chest and this dress would not allow a bra, so I didn't wear one. My n*****s turned stiff peaks. It was just a physical reaction, there was no way I would ever get turned on by him, either of them.

" You are both vile" I whispered, our breaths lingering and mixing with each other's. Why was he so close ? Trent smirked and moved his lips away from nearby mine and to my other ear.

" I feel your n*****s doll, are we that vile ? " He asked, pulling back and looking down. I felt Toby lean further over my shoulder and look too. I glanced around us, and we had gained an audience. Everyone had stopped dancing, and they all looked at what the two of them were looking at. I glanced down and, of course, you could see them. My face burned, embarrassment shot through me like electricity.

" Hey the f*ck are you two doing get off of her " came Lacey's voice beside me. She had two cups in her hands. Finally, she was back from getting drinks. I looked at both of them and displeasure was once again evident as they both stepped off of me and took their hands off of me. I looked around and saw all the mocking smiles from around the room, people talking and sniggering about me. This was meant to be my fresh start where no one knew me where I could live and be free and have fun, no more cruel jokes. But they, from day one, made the popular hierarchy and made it clear I was just something to poke fun at. Day one, they embarrassed me in front of everyone at orientation after our parents had left with one of their pranks where I ended up wet in the fountain everyone laughing at me. Just like that, it was just like school. Everyone followed the popular crowd. I turned and ran from the party, Lacey shouting at me as tears streamed down my face. I hated them !!!