Forbidden Desires: the step brother who ruined me

Hospital

Chapter two

I woke up pissed, the sun was doing its job. All gold and warm through my window like the world wasn’t ending.

I was pissed at me, Because I went to bed crying over him and I woke up still doing it. Eight hours and my chest still felt like somebody parked a car on it.

Rubben home with mara.

God.

I got up scrubs Hospital shift, patients to attend to , Twelve hours of other people’s problems. Maybe that would shut my brain up.

My face looked like hell, my hair all tangled , Eyes puffy Cheeks still pink from last night, and not in a cute way. “i cried until 4 am I'm pathetic”

Stop. Just stop Already, He’s got a girlfriend. He picked her not you . You’re his little sister tiny Remember?

I showered hot, like I could burn him off my skin. I threw on scrubs , no makeup just my mascaral

because without it I looked dead, like reK dead

“Lia! Breakfast!” my mom called

My stomach twisted. Food and Him Both bad ideas.

I Went down anyway.

Coffee smell hit first, Then toast. Then......

Rubben.

He was on the couch, newspaper. Those stupid reading glasses he didn’t need. He wore them to look grown. Serious. Like he wasn’t the same guy who taught me to drive and only yelled twice when I hit the mailbox.

I hated the glasses. Because they worked.

He looked up.

And my brain just… stopped.

His eyes did that thing the Up, Down.. Quick. Like he was checking If i was still breathing.

Then he smiled, that one, the real one. The 3 am one.

“Morning, Lia.” Voice all rough from sleep. “You look… good. Your Patients are lucky.”

My cheeks were burning hot all over ,Neck. Face, I felt Stupid.

I Looked at the floor shyly and muttered “Thanks.”

Couldn’t look at him. If I did, he’d see it. All of it.

He opened his mouth. Gonna say something else. Something that would’ve wrecked my whole day

Just then the door banged open.

"Mara"

Perfect, it was obvious her hair, dress, smile. All of it. Like she walked out of a magazine and into my house.

“Rubben, darling!” Darling. she said it Like she owned the word. Like she owned him. “I got us tickets. For the art exhibition tonight. Just us.”

And just like that he switched , off me . On her like I was not important like I was not there .

“That’s great, baby,” he said. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Baby.

He called her baby.

Something in me just… shut down.

“I’m late,” I said. To no one. To the floor.

I Didn’t touch the toast. I just Grabbed my bag and Left.

I slammed the door so hard I Hope it scared him.

*Hospital.*

By the time I reached the hospital, my mind was already exhausted . The sterile smell of disinfectant and the soft booming of machine greeted me like old friends. I waved at my colleagues, putting on my mask.

"Morning ,Lia"a familiar voice called from across the nurse station.

Leaning on the nurses’ station. Same smile. Same brown eyes. Same guy who’d been asking me out since February.

“Morning,” I said. But didn't stop.

“That it? Just morning?” He followed. “You been ghosting me all week. Did I do something?”

“Busy.”

“Busy or—”

“Distracted,” I snapped. Then bit my tongue.

Because yeah distracted By a guy who called me tiny, by a hand on my back and the word baby.

“I’m working, David.”

He looked at me. Really looked. “You’re hiding something. You do that quiet thing when you’re upset.

David smirked. “Uh-huh. Sure. You’ve been avoiding me all week. Not even a smile in the hallway. Not even a glance. Something’s up.”

I bit my lip angrily . “I said I’m fine, Rubben. Please… let’s just work.”

He tilted his head, studying me as if trying to see through a wall I had built. “You’re hiding something. I can tell.”

I rolled my eyes ignoring whatever he was saying.

Before I could respond, a patient’s call interrupted us. I took a deep breath, straightened my back, and walked toward the room. Rubben followed, a few steps behind, still grinning.

i could feel his eyes lingering against my curve taking in the shape of my hips, I knew i had a body that commanded attention, And I wasn't surprised when he quickened his pace.

As I checked on the patient, she just had a light fever that some drugs prescription will do justice to.

I checked her pulse and her heart beat rate , all was normal. My mind drafted to Rubben sitting with Mara, laughing so naturally the way he looked at her . My hand shook slightly as I adjusted the IV , I felt silly for letting someone else Control my emotions, I couldn't help it.

Daniel noticed, " You okay?, he asked quietly leaning against the door frame

"Yes, everything is fine."

He stepped closer, lowering his voice even further, are you avoiding me Lia?.

I shook my head frustration rising, "Just leave it, Daniel"

He sighed dramatically, but there was a playful sparkle in his eyes. “Alright. But don’t think I’m giving up. One day, Lia, you’ll notice me.”

I smiled faintly, though inside I felt torn. Daniel’s attention should have made me happy. Most girls would have been flattered. But my heart was already tangled in knots for someone I could never have.

*Lunch.*

At lunch,I sat alone in the staff room unpacking my sandwich, that was when Linda walked in , the sound of her heels echoing through the walls, swaying her hips towards me.

Linda the head nurse , hated me because David liked me

Looked me up and down like I was something she stepped in.

“Doctor wants you,” she said. Dropped a file on my sandwich. “Room 401. Now.”

Just then she walked out

Other nurses started the second the door shut.

“God, what’s her deal?”

“She’s just jealous David doesn’t look at her.”

“He never will. Not with Lia here.”

*Shift ended at seven.*

I was hallow, like somebody took everything took everything out of me.

The sun was already going down, all orange and pink, filled with attraction.

But it didn't last . I kept thinking, how do you live like this ? How do you share a house with the thing that's killing you? How could you watch him call someone else baby and not go insane?

How do you hide it from mom, from Mr Carter from him.

I got to the crosswalk, I didn't see the red light , didn't see anything except his face this morning

Didn’t see anything except his face this morning. His hand. Her back.

was about crossing the street when a light highlights Blazed toward me , my breath caught, my feet glued to the pervement, I tried to move but it was too fast.....

And the last thing I thought, the last stupid thing in my head before everything went white—

Rubben.