My Stepbrother secret obsession

The final bell rang, signalling the beginning of senior year summer break.

Just like every other student in the hallway, I excitedly exit the school building with my backpack hanging over my shoulder. By my sides are my two mates Evie and Tori, twinning the same cheetah tee shirt; we make our way to the car park and climb into my magnolia Bentley Bentayga.

Yes, I've gotten my driver's license and my very own vehicle. The luxurious car was my sixteen birthday present which I wasn't so excited about given the time and circumstance, but all I did was fake a smile and say 'thank you,' and no one noticed I was struggling with pain inside.

"Why isn't the air conditioner functioning?" Evie complains and proceeds to poke every operating button with her finger.

I yank her hand off the control panel and assure her: "Calm down, don't break my car, just give it some time; it would cool."

Evie groans and droops back into the passenger seat before letting out: "I swear Las Vegas can be brutally hot. I need a vacation, or I might turn into a roasted fish just when I thought this year would be fair."

"I'm gonna stop you right there." From the backseat, Tori said. "I can not visualise that. All I see is us with olive skins and a healthy lifestyle as soon school resumes."

I hold up my palm for a high five, and she reciprocates while I praise her: "I like the way you think."

Victoria had joined hills high on the first day of junior year; she's from Florida. The kind everyone wants to hang around, she's fun but flawed at the same time. On the other hand, she's one of my best flyers. Did I mention I'm presently the cheer captain of cheetahs? Well, I am thanks to Sofia Halt who has graduated last year.

Anyway, back to Tori; We call her Tori because it's better that way. Tori is pretty and slender, though a little shorter than I am; we have almost the same hair colour and food interest. Even more interesting, we live on the same street, so we found ourselves bonding easily.

"I don't get it. You guys really aren't feeling the heat?" Evie confusedly turns back, shifting her eyes between Tori and me.

I have to admit the weather isn't at all friendly. I can't even imagine what it will feel like in the near future.

But I playfully shook my head while Tori said: "Nah, Evie, we're supposed to feel like ice inside and volcano on the outside, didn't you hear Lucas Nelson? He says the temperature increases whenever we walk into the homeroom. So the weather shouldn't have an impact on us."

"That idiot would say anything to get to Ava." Evie rolls her eyes and uses her phone case to fan herself.

"Apparently, all Summerlin boys would, but unfortunately, I don't do toads," I smirk, pulling out of the school.

It's the last day of school, that means there's too much to do for the holiday. Yes, Lilith just graduated high school, but that's not it. I am officially a senior. I can either live the life every teenager would kill for or go back to that unsophisticated child I used to be.

"We should stop by creamery and grab something cold," Tori suggests.

"By something, do you mean ice cream?" I winked at her through the rare mirror.

"You know me." She trills.

Driving downtown after school closes to grab some ice cream has become our routine for almost a year, so I am quick to point out an excuse before one of the girls could. "That means I am not driving; anyone among you shall do that while I enjoy the company of my ice cream since I won't be having it for some weeks."

When today is the last day of school, it is also the day my family had decided we move to the mountain house for the holiday.

"Not fair." They both groan and then promptly point at each other. "You will do."

"You know I shouldn't delay, I have family waiting for me, but I'm making these sacrifices for you." I bat my eyelashes at them, knowing I've already gotten my pass with the convincing eyes of mine.

"Do you really have to go? I can't believe we won't be spending summer together." Tori sprawls in the back.

They have no idea how much I want to escape this family trip.

"Leave it to the party pooper," Evie calls me out like I have any other choice.

"Guys, I told you several times I do not have any intention of leaving either, but as we all know, mom and Christian wouldn't let me stay here alone."

"Duhhh." Evie rolls her eyes whilst connecting her phone with my car Bluetooth and turning up the volume of some electronic music.

"Boring. Just make up a story that will earn you a key to that mansion."

"Like what exactly, Tori?" I derisively grin at her through the rare mirror again.

She leans towards me and being, "I don't know, maybe like the school are willing to make you repeat a year if you don't stay for the summer class."

"With a 4.0 GPA, I think that's an absurd excuse." I point out.

"That's insane." Evie objects, but I ignore her and concentrate on Tori's scheme.

"Imagine the summer parties we will bring to life before senior year even gets to begin." Tori inserts some reasoning in my head, and a crooked smile takes over my face.

"I can see more of popularity," I remark.

"And boys worshipping us, pleading we girls to take them." Tori countered.

"Heaven." I agreed, even though I'm not genuinely interested in the portrait in my head.

"Don't do it." Evie object. However, I ignored her and cheered: "I'm so in."

"Yay." Tori sang while Evie reluctantly murmured: "Nay."

"So! I would need you two to lie for me." I turn to the girls when I take another turn, heading for the ice cream place.

"Not again, I can't be responsible for lying for the millionth of time."

"What's the worst that could happen?" I shook my head at Evie. I still don't comprehend why she's not letting herself live a little. I understand her parent are stricter than mine, but it's fucking high school, and we are damn young.

"You said the same the last time you convinced me to lie to Mr. Boyce; you're staying the night at my place, and then we ended up in jail, and he had to come to bail us out. I swear that man still looks at me like the enemy." Her face falls into her palms, and now I'm the one rolling my eyes.

"Stop being dramatic. If you've jumped the fence as we told you, we wouldn't have been caught." Tori reminds her.

"I'm sorry, I don't do stunts like you two." Evie sarcastically said and stretched both her legs on the dashboard.

"Can we just focus on my pass to circumvent the shitty family summer get-together?" I probed.

"We already have a plan. Just drive, babe." Tori drawled, patting my shoulder.

We arrived at my house an hour later and found an Escalade waiting outside the driveway.

I climb out of my car and lead my two friends into my home.

There are boxes set around the house, including mine, just like always mom had packed for me, but she should know I have no intention of leaving with them, and so I say: "Ouch, unfortunately, I wouldn't be enjoying the mountain house along with you guys."

"Where have you been? School closed two hours ago, and what are you yammering about?" Mom asked as she emerged from Christian's home office. She's dressed in some white sleeveless gown. Her healthy hair bounces freely by her sides.

Well, I think it's high time we recap the main highlights of last year; mom and Christian had finally gotten married at The Venetian hotel last summer. That official made me a stepsister to Christian's two children.

I spent most of last year with Lilith and my friends and some of the housekeepers my mom had hired since she and Christian had toured the world through the remaining months.

Back to the present; mom just asked a question. And for the past months, I've proven I cannot be honest to the family, so mom averts her gaze to the only friend of mine she trusted, Evie.

Tori and I heave a sigh, waiting for Evie to expose us as she would, whenever mom gave her that look that says, 'you're a good girl, don't lie to me.'

"There are summer classes, and the counselor suggested starting as soon as possible." But she had our back, and most importantly, she wanted me around for summer, so she lied.

Sometimes I wonder what good I've done to get someone as loyal as Evie for a best friend.

"Why weren't we notified about this?" Christian frowns at the ridiculous news. I must say I am impressed, for any intelligent parent would disagree with the bizarre information my mates and I came up with.

"I will call the school to confirm." Mom faltered, observing the three of us with suspicious eyes.

"You can, or you can also forget about it because it's already getting late, and you have a long drive ahead," I suggested, hoping it works.

"I don't trust them," Lilith yells from the living area.

I exhale and swallow the bile in my throat. "No one asked for your trust Lilith." Lately, she has been behaving so grown up; I just don't understand her anymore.

"Mrs. Boyce, you can call when you get there." Tori implied, with an innocent smile on her face. So you know Tori is anything but innocent.

"Then I am taking my daughter. When I have full confirmation about this summer studies that have no meaning giving your GPA, then I will get the driver to bring you back." Mom sternly says. "Now go change, and let's get going."

"Mom, we have class tomorrow morning." I blurt, hoping it's convincing enough.

"What? on a Saturday? That's insane. The holiday just started."

"Attendance is very strict. We have to be in class by seven in the morning." I retorted.

That's when Lilith chooses to appear from the door, in a pair of jeans trousers and a plain white shirt and headphones on, beating softly around her neck. Her head inclined to the mobile phone in her hand when she decided to poke her nose in my firm. "Why haven't I heard about these lessons? You know I schooled there."

Oh dear goodness, how do you tolerate someone who won't stay out of your business?

"Because you are no longer a student of the school, sis." I retaliate equally fiendish. She sneered and said: "I just graduated, Ava."

"Yes, that means you are out of the school," I explained with a bitter smile on my lips.

"It means I still know stuff." She smirks just when mom gets enough of our bickering and orders: "Can you just get parking?"

"Whatever, but Susan, I guaranty you there's something stinky about all of these." Lilith waves her manicured nails around my friends before starting to ascend the staircase, but I stopped her right there when I hit her hard for who she really is.

"Like what actually? Is it when you sneak Quincy or Clark through your bedroom window? Or do you mean the part where it means you're a disloyal bitch? Which?" I crossed my arms around my chest and balanced my posture. With a malicious smile on my lips, I take pleasure watching her fidget in the presence of her father.

I know I've gotten to her when her complexion suddenly changes.

To be honest, I know I've changed through the year. I have no idea how or when, but I find myself being tough and rude and nothing like how I used to be when I was just that polite British girl who moved to America with nothing but her suitcase. But now, Even Lilith, the badest, could barely handle me. Nevertheless, as they say, getting through heartbreak can change even the softest of humans. It did to me. If I am honest to myself, all this isn't my proudest moment, but what would you do if you find yourself in my shoes?

"Ava!" Christian and mom harshly warn.

"Don't you think is time to grow up, Ava? Whatever game you're playing, you should be able to move on. You've done this shit for a year; it's old. And if your so-called admirers couldn't tell you; the first naive Ava is considerably the coolest kid that Vegas once had, then they're not worth pleasing. Because this?" Lilith waves her hand up and down towards me. "Is just fake. You disgust me." She asserted and headed upstairs, leaving me with nothing as little as regret.

"Don't take it personal. She envies you just like the others," Tori whispered in my hearing, and I giggled: "I know." Before turning back to the two disappointed parents, and sassily ask: "So?"

"You can stay, but we will call the school tomorrow," Mom reassured.

"Cool." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and a genuine smile was plastered on my face.

But mom wiped it away when she had to state: "You should know I agree with Lilith."

"Sure, like mother like stepdaughter." I spat and saunter to the kitchen, practically terminating the conversation.

"You need to grow up." She calls behind me.

"Just enjoying my last days of sweet sixteen, mom."

***