The forbidden Love between us

Chapter 19

Kaden POV

The video was down in 12 minutes.

It didn’t matter.

By the time Keira and I pulled into the school parking lot, St. Claire Confessions had 400 new comments, 12 reposts, and a title that made me want to put my fist through the windshield:

“WEST STEP-SIBLINGS CAUGHT ON CAMERA. INCINERATE THEM.”

I didn’t let her see my phone.

She didn’t need to see the worst of it yet.

She was quiet in the passenger seat.

Not crying.

Not scared.

Just still.

Like she was bracing for impact.

“Let me handle it,” I said as we got out.

She stopped me with a hand on my arm.

“No.

We handle it.

Together.”

I nodded.

Because that was the only way it would work.

---

The second we walked through the front doors, it hit.

Silence.

Then whispers.

Then stares.

Lila was waiting by the lockers, phone in hand, eyes lit up like it was Christmas.

“Look who decided to show up,” she said loud enough for the whole hallway to hear.

“The Wests.

Step-siblings in love.

How romantic.”

Keira didn’t flinch.

She stepped forward.

“Delete it, Lila.”

Lila laughed.

“Delete what?

The truth?

Everyone’s already seen it, Keira.

You’re done.”

I moved between them before I could think about it.

“Back off.”

Lila’s smile dropped.

“Oh, so it’s true?

You really are screwing your step-sister, Kaden?”

The hallway went dead quiet.

I leaned down until my face was level with hers.

“You say her name again like that, and you won’t be talking for a week.”

She paled.

But she didn’t back down.

“Or what?

You’ll hit me?

Go ahead.

Add assault to the list.”

Keira’s hand was on my chest again.

The same way it was last night with Rory.

Calming me down when I wanted to break something.

“Don’t,” she said quietly.

“Not here.”

She was right.

If I hit Lila, I’d be expelled.

And Rory would win.

So I let go.

Barely.

“Delete the post,” I said.

“Now.”

Lila’s phone buzzed.

She looked down, and her face went slack.

“What the—”

She tapped furiously, then looked up at Keira.

“You did this.”

Keira didn’t deny it.

“Yeah.

I did.”

The video was gone.

Not just from St. Claire Confessions.

From every repost.

Every backup.

Rory’s password gave us access to more than his cloud.

It gave us access to the admin panel for the site.

Keira deleted the post, banned the account, and wiped the logs.

Lila didn’t know that part.

She just knew her leverage was gone.

“You can’t stop this,” Lila said, voice shaking now.

“People already saw it.”

“Yeah,” Keira said.

“They did.

And they’ll forget.

Because without the video, it’s just a rumor.

And rumors die when you stop feeding them.”

She turned to me.

“Let’s go to class.”

I followed her.

The hallway parted for us.

Not out of respect.

Out of fear.

For the first time, I didn’t mind.

---

First period was English.

Mr. Daniels didn’t say anything about the video.

He just started class like normal.

But I could feel it.

Every set of eyes on us.

Every whispered “step-siblings” and “disgusting.”

Keira sat next to me.

On purpose.

She didn’t sit in the back like she usually did to avoid me.

She slid her hand into mine under the desk.

Squeezed once.

I squeezed back.

“Your mom called the principal,” Keira whispered.

“Emergency meeting after school.”

I nodded.

I figured.

The school couldn’t ignore this.

Not when it was all over the student site.

Even if the video was gone, the accusation was still there.

Step-siblings.

Inappropriate relationship.

Code of conduct violation.

Expulsion was on the table.

I didn’t care about me.

But Keira didn’t deserve to lose her place here because of me.

After class, Principal Vance pulled us into her office.

Mom and Dad were already there.

So was the district lawyer.

Vance didn’t waste time.

“We have a video circulating that shows you two in what appears to be an intimate situation,” she said.

“The video has been removed, but we have screenshots.

Do you have anything to say?”

Keira spoke first.

“It was illegally recorded.

We were being surveilled without consent.

The person responsible is in police custody.”

Vance blinked.

“That doesn’t answer the question.

Are you in a relationship?”

I stepped forward.

“Yeah.”

Dad flinched.

Mom went pale.

Keira looked at me, surprised.

I hadn’t planned to say it.

But I wasn’t lying anymore.

“Not when the video was taken,” I said.

“We weren’t together then.

We are now.”

The room went silent.

Vance recovered first.

“Mr. West, Miss Morgan, you’re both minors.

And you’re step-siblings.

This violates school policy section 4.2.”

“Then change the policy,” Keira said.

“Or expel us.

But don’t pretend this is about policy.

This is about a leaked video taken without consent.

And you’re punishing the victims.”

Vance’s jaw tightened.

“Miss Morgan, watch your tone.”

“No,” I said.

“You watch yours.

If you expel her, you’ll have to expel me too.

And my dad owns the science wing you just built.

Want me to call him?”

That shut her up.

Dad looked at me like he didn’t know whether to be proud or terrified.

Vance sighed.

“Temporary suspension.

Both of you.

Two weeks.

Pending investigation.”

“Fine,” Keira said.

“Two weeks.”

We walked out together.

Outside, the courtyard was full of students.

All of them watching.

Keira stopped in the middle of it.

Turned to me.

And kissed me.

Right there.

In front of everyone.

It wasn’t soft.

It wasn’t careful.

It was pissed off and defiant and real.

When she pulled back, her eyes were bright.

“Let them talk,” she said.

I pulled her against me.

“Mate,” I said.

Low enough that only she could hear.

She smiled.

For the first time since this started.

“Yeah,” she said.

“Mate.”

The whispers started again.

Louder this time.

Let them.

They could talk all they wanted.

Keira was mine.

And I wasn’t letting go.