Resisting my step-brother 2

Annie’s boyfriend

“Elle!” Annie screamed as she entered the house the next day. She was staying until tomorrow evening and I was so happy to see her. I haven’t see her for weeks. She had cut her hair into a bob and it looked so beautiful. She kind of looked like her mum but obviously a lot younger.

“Ugh, it’s been forever!” I exclaimed as I embraced her. She walked in the house with her bag and sat down on the couch. She sighed deeply.

“Where is my brother?” She asked. 

“He was on the late shift last night so he’s just having a nap” I told her and she rolled her eyes. 

“How are you two?” She questioned and I hesitated for a moment.

“We’re good” I replied and she raised her brow at me.

“Good?” She mimicked and I smiled.

“He’s been a bit stressed out with work but we are great” I continued trying to convince her. She shrugged and laid back against the sofa. 

“That’s the fun of being a police officer!” Annie giggled. Dan’s footsteps descended down the stairs and he rushing into the room.

“There she is” he greeted and hugged his sister. She squeezed him tightly and held his face.

“How’s my favourite brother?” She grinned and he chuckled.

“Only brother” he corrected her and then replied “good, tired, but good”.

“Great! So I was thinking we could go out and do something today” she said and Dan looked slightly negative about the idea of going out. He was shattered and I could see it in his eyes.

“Where?” He asked and Annie just grinned. I looked at Dan to see if he had some idea of what she was thinking but he was clueless. 

“You’ll see, go and get changed and I will take us” she commanded so we did.

Annie had already made sandwiches by the time we came back down and had a pile of belongings by the door. This included a blanket, some soft drinks, bags of food and a rucksack. I looked at her slightly puzzled.

“Come on” she beckoned us to the car. We drove for roughly 10 minutes and ended up driving through a forest. The trees were white with the snow that had fallen over night. The road was slippery but the slight tint of brown was showing through from the dirt road. 

“Annie, where are we going?” I said nervously as she drove up a hill.

“We are nearly there” she explained and sure enough, we were. The trees parted to a small car park that oversaw a spectacular view of the city. She jumped out of the car and grabbed her things from the boot. I looked at Dan from the back seat, questioning whether this was really the weather for a picnic.

“Annie! Isn’t it a bit too chilly to be sitting outside?” I asked her and she shook her head.

“Stop being a whimp and get your arse out of the car!” She shouted whilst laying down the blanket on the untouched pavement. I sighed and we both went over to join her. After handing out the sandwiches and snacks we gazed out to the city covered with white snow.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” She asked and I nodded.

“I remember when mum and dad use to bring us up here” Dan said. 

“Yeah and you ran off wanting to collect sticks for your little creation you were working on. You ended up getting lost and it took mum and dad an hour to find you” she giggled. I laughed at the memory they shared and the image of little Dan running off. 

“Well I wasn’t going to find any in the car park now was I?” Dan joked. I looked down at my hands and frowned at the thought of Dan and Annie’s such lovely memories of their parents together. It made me envious of them as I couldn’t remember many memories to do with my dad. But there was one that I will ever forget.

“I remember when I went camping with my mum and dad. They would make a fire and we would sit around it together. My dad always brung his guitar” I bit my lip trying to fight back the tears. 

“He had such an angelic voice. He would sing to us, smiling as he sung the words. The love he had in his eyes was magical. My mum would lay her arm around my shoulder and I would cuddle into her as we listened to him” I finally finished. Both Annie and Dan were looking at me sympathetically. Dan grabbed my hand and said “I bet he would be so proud of you Elle”.

I looked up at him and smiled. 

“I’m sorry Elle, I didn’t even think...” Annie began but I put my hand up to stop her.

“Please, don’t be sorry. It’s nice hearing the memories you both shared when you were young” I reassured her. Dan made his way into the bushy area to go for a wee which left me and Annie alone.

“I need to talk to you about something” Annie quietly confessed leaning over to me.

“What?”

“I’ve met someone” she blushed. My eyes widened and I opened my mouth.

“No way, who?!” I asked and she started chuckling. 

“Just this guy I met in the gym” she explained. 

“The gym? I didn’t even know you went to the gym” I said and she laughed.

“Well I do now, he’s so good looking and really affectionate. He moved here about a year ago” she replied.

“What’s his name?” I asked. Nothing could have prepared for the name that I heard from her mouth.

“Dylan!” She yelled. My smile dropped into a frown.

“What! What’s his last name” I panicked.

“Leeson” she replied and I gasped.

“What? Do you know him?” She asked and Dan walked towards us.

“What did I miss?” He grinned and the shock was still written on my face.

“Elle? What’s going on?”

“Do you know him Elle?” She repeated.

“Know who?!” Dan said slightly frustrated.

“Yeah, I know him” I finally said.

“Can someone explain to me what’s happening here” Dan angrily moaned.

“Annie has got a new boyfriend” I stated and Dan looked over at her. 

“Really?”

“Yeah and Elle knows him” 

“How?” Dan asked turning his attention back to me.

“We use to mess around before I moved away. He got really clingy and...” I didn’t want to confess what he did at that party. After all he could have matured over time. 

“And what?” Dan pressed.

“And he was a nice guy but I didn’t feel that way about him” I finished. Dan seemed to relax a bit. It went quiet with the awkwardness and we decided to make our way back to the house. 

Unfortunately, I had to work the next day. I was at my desk, replying to hundreds of emails and calling various different clients to arrange appointments. I had a list of appointments I needed to add to Liams diary so I printed off the details and made my way to his office. I knocked on his door and entered.

“Elle, what can I do for you?” He asked me, raising his hand from his desk and indicating for me to take a seat. 

“I’ve got some dates you need to add to your diary” I informed him. He clasped his hands together on his desk and gazed at me. 

“Pop them down here and I will add them in” he explained. I put them onto the desk and stood up to leave.

“Elle” he called out and I turned around. 

“Hmm?” 

“Sit down for a minute” he commanded. I sat down and crossed my leg over the other.

“You seem a bit distracted today. Is something bothering you?” He queried and I shook my head.

“Nothing for you to be concerned about.... sir” I reminded him of his title. He smirked seductively and he sniggered.

“I do like it when you call me sir” he admitted and I rolled my eyes.

“Come on Elle, what is it?” He pressured. I looked down at my skirt and bit at my bottom lip.

“Dylan is going out with Annie, Dan’s sister” I explained and he sat back in his chair.

“Oh” he said and I raised my brows at him. 

“Have you told her?” He asked me and I shook my head frantically.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Dan will be pissed off and then things will be difficult for Annie. It’s been years anyway, maybe he’s changed” I said but Liam didn’t seem convinced. 

“Just be careful Elle, I’m here if you ever need anything. You know that don’t you?” He sincerely said and I flashed him a quick smiled before leaving his office. This was going to be a problem, I just know it.