CONFLICTED TEEN FICTION

"What do you want, Dane?" I shove his overly heavy arm from my shoulder and elbow him in the ribs to get him off me. I can't stand his lounging on me casually like I'm another one of his endless girlfriends.

"Can't I walk my sister into school without being accused of ulterior motives?" He smirks down at me from his much taller height, too close for comfort, all bright white teeth, great bone structure, and grey eyes that seem to drive the hormonal teens here crazy. It grinds my eternal gears with irritation.

"For one, I'm only your sister when you want something. Two … you always have a motive when you are being nice to me." I point out, shrugging off his second attempt at slinging an arm around me and batting him with my schoolbag instead. Not caring if I injure him in any way. I’d rather not have him near me on any given day of the week.

"Kayla, honey….sweetest little step-sibling of mine. You are my favorite sister and always have been. How can you be so untrusting?" he smirks, that devilish side on show.

"I'm your only sister… only step-sibling. Therefore, that doesn't mean anything. I wouldn’t trust you as far as I could throw you, and with your weight, that wouldn’t be far at all." I walk faster to outrun him, annoyed that other students are starting to notice their godlike leader has appeared and his fan club of moping girls are waving this way. Eyes on us – prying, gossiping.

The one thing I hate about high school is the non-original behavior and cliché groups of kids like this who flock to a handsome face and good body and treat him them a superstar for winning the gene lottery. It’s sad that even in 2022, we still value people on how good-looking they are.

"Kayla…. baby. Don't make me pull out the big guns." Dane catches me by the back of my shoulders in a strong grip, bringing me to a sudden halt, and spins me so fast I almost topple over and end up nose-butting him in the center of his overly amped-up chest from too much gym time. It feels like I get my face splatted against brick, and my eyes water over with the sudden stinging pain it causes.

"Ouch!" I snap in irritation, shoving him hard in the abs to make him move back, shaking him off my shoulders to rub my face, and glaring at him with fury beginning to grow. An internal brewing storm of anger because normally, I prefer my mornings to be Dane-free.

"What is it? What now? Spit it out and leave me alone before kids actually think we like each other. I know you want something, as it’s the only time you bother acknowledging my existence!" I stomp at him and fix my bag and blazer, smoothing out clothes to avoid the way he's eyeing me up in that practiced playboy manner he has. He's in full seduction mode, the charm and smiles for my benefit are fake, and he has a request I will refuse.

He straightens up, pats me on both shoulders, then brushes imaginary dust off my lapel before fixing a smile on his face and tilting his head to look cute. My stomach tightens with rage, and I narrow my eyes further. I’m no stranger to his tactics. I see him use them all day long on his line of playthings.