In Love With My Half Brother

Chapter Six: The One Who Didn’t Look Away

The tension didn’t ease after lunch.

If anything, it got worse.

By the time last period rolled around, it felt like the whole school had already decided who we were supposed to be in their story.

And I hated every version of it.

“Try not to look so miserable,” Maya whispered as we walked down the hallway.

“I’m not miserable,” I said immediately.

She raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been sighing every five seconds since morning.”

“That’s normal breathing.”

“Sure,” she said, not convinced.

We turned the corner—and I stopped.

Because Jason was there.

Again.

Of course.

But this time… he wasn’t alone.

There was a guy standing in front of him.

Tall. Confident. Too relaxed for how intense the space felt.

And worse—

He was smiling.

Not at Jason.

At me.

“Who’s that?” Maya whispered.

I didn’t answer.

Because I already felt it.

Something about him wasn’t casual.

It was intentional.

Jason noticed me first. His eyes flicked toward me for a split second, then back to the guy in front of him.

“You lost?” Jason asked flatly.

The guy chuckled. “Not at all.”

He turned slightly.

And looked at me properly now.

“I’ve been looking for you,” he said.

My stomach tightened.

“Me?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he said, like it was obvious. “Ava, right?”

I frowned. “Do I know you?”

“Not yet,” he replied smoothly. “But I know you.”

Jason shifted slightly beside him.

Not obvious.

But I saw it.

“You have a name?” Jason asked.

The guy finally looked at him.

“Liam.”

“Liam what?” Jason pressed.

Liam smiled wider. “Does it matter?”

A few students nearby slowed down.

Watching.

Of course they were.

I felt it building again—the attention, the whispers, the stupid curiosity.

Liam took a step closer, still looking at me.

“I heard about you,” he said casually.

“From who?” I asked immediately.

He shrugged. “People talk.”

“People talk too much,” Jason said.

Liam glanced at him again. “Yeah. They do.”

Then his eyes came back to me.

“You’re the girl living with the new guy,” he said.

My face went hot instantly.

“That’s not—” I started.

But he cut me off.

“Relax,” he said lightly. “Not judging.”

Jason’s voice dropped slightly. “Why are you here?”

Liam finally turned fully toward him.

“That’s funny,” he said. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

The air shifted.

I felt it instantly.

That kind of shift you don’t see—you just feel it.

Jason didn’t move.

But something in his expression changed.

Just a little.

“Say what you want,” Jason said quietly. “And leave.”

Liam tilted his head. “Or what?”

Silence.

The hallway felt too small suddenly.

Too crowded.

Too aware.

I stepped slightly forward. “Okay, can someone explain what this is about?”

Liam looked at me again, softer this time.

“It’s about you,” he said.

“Me?” I repeated.

“Yeah,” he said. “People are curious. New guy moves in, same school, same classes… same girl.”

My heart skipped.

Same girl.

Jason finally spoke again.

“Careful,” he said.

Liam smiled like he liked that.

“Or what?” he repeated.

Jason stepped forward now.

Not fast.

Not aggressive.

Just enough.

And suddenly, Liam wasn’t the only one smiling anymore.

“Don’t turn this into something it’s not,” Jason said.

Liam shrugged. “I’m not the one people are talking about.”

That landed.

I felt it.

Jason did too.

A pause.

Then Liam turned slightly toward me again.

“You coming after school?” he asked.

I blinked. “Coming where?”

“Basketball court,” he said. “We’re playing. You should watch.”

“I don’t—”

“She doesn’t have time,” Jason cut in immediately.

I looked at him.

So did Liam.

A beat.

Then Liam smiled again.

“Didn’t ask you,” he said simply.

That was it.

The shift changed again.

Sharper this time.

Jason’s jaw tightened slightly.

And I suddenly realized—

This wasn’t just attention.

This was competition.

For the first time.

Liam looked between us slowly.

“Relax,” he said again. “I’m just inviting her.”

Then his eyes stayed on me.

Longer this time.

“You should come,” he added.

Before I could answer—

Jason spoke.

“No.”

One word.

Final.

Cold.

Liam finally laughed.

“Interesting,” he said.

Then he looked at me one last time.

“See you around, Ava.”

And he walked away.

Just like that.

The hallway slowly started moving again.

But I didn’t.

Neither did Jason.

I turned slightly toward him.

“What was that?” I asked.

He didn’t answer immediately.

Just watched Liam disappear into the crowd.

Then—

“Nothing,” he said.

I frowned. “That didn’t look like nothing.”

“It was nothing,” he repeated.

But his voice was different now.

Less calm.

More controlled.

I studied him for a second.

“You don’t like him,” I said.

“I don’t care about him,” Jason corrected.

“Same thing,” I said quietly.

That made him look at me.

Finally.

And for the first time since this all started—

He didn’t have an immediate answer.

The bell rang.

Students started moving again.

But we stayed where we were.

Caught in something neither of us was naming yet.

Something I didn’t understand.

Something I wasn’t ready for.

Jason finally stepped back.

“Go to class,” he said.

“What about you?”

“I’ll deal with it.”

“With what?” I asked.

He glanced down the hallway once more.

Then back at me.

“With him.”

And just like that—

He walked away too.

Leaving me standing there.

With a feeling I absolutely refused to name.