The Step-Brother

Chapter 2:Decepcion

Zach will you wake up!" Jade yelled. She stood beside Zach's bed, where he was sleeping. Lifting his head, Zach lazily looked at her.

He yawned and turned his head to look at her better, "What?"

"You have to get up and take me to school." Zach reached for his alarm clock.

"What's your hurry, we have an hour till I have to take you," he said looking at the clock.

Sighing Jade scooped up a pillow on the floor, "You know how you're like. If I don't wake you up now, you won't ever wake up on time." With a deep groan Zach pulled his sheets back. Jade's grip on the pillow tightened and her eyes widened at the sight of Zach's bare chest. She had never seen him without a shirt before, but in all honesty he was chiseled! She felt her cheeks grow hot and quickly turned around, with the pillow in hand.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Zach asked. He got up and looked around for anything to put on. "Excuse me," he said to Jade and slid past her.

"Mmmhmm," Jade said moving to give him room. She took in a deep breath and sighed.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Zach asked again.

"What am I like five?" Jade answered. Zach, who was looking in his closet, peeked at her and smiled. "What?"

"I was wondering if you were you. Usually you would have made a smart remark by now!"

"So?" Zach shrugged his shoulders and pulled out a shirt and some cutoff shorts. Jade threw the pillow she had in her hand at him playfully. "Whatever, I'm going to eat something. You better not make me late for school," Jade said walking out of his room. But, before she walked downstairs she looked quickly in his room, to get in one last look. Catching herself quickly she shut her eyes. What in the world was she thinking? This was her stepbrother she was thinking about, she told herself and headed downstairs.

Zach finally finished dressing and walked downstairs. Jade was sitting at the kitchen table, stuffing her face, with a bowl of cereal.

"See? I was in and out and it took less then five minutes." Zach snatched an apple out of the basket in the middle of the kitchen table. "Well I hope you know that the month is almost up."

"So, what the hell does that mean?" Jade asked questioningly.

"It means the rent is due!" Zach told her. He leaned against the sink and took a bite of his apple. He noticed Jade freeze up and her eyes fluttered. "Which mean's I'm going to pay for the rent by myself, am I right?"

"It looks like it," Jade said. She munched down the rest of her cereal and stood up. "Can you move?" she asked, referring to Zach standing in front of the sink.

He shook his head, "When are you going to get a job?"

"I'll." Jade stuttered out. "I'll look for one this weekend ok? Now, will you fucking move," she said pushing him to the side. Zach hit the cabinet softly and positioned himself to look at her.

"Good you better because I can't keep paying $600 a month, while you're not going to help out. Don't think you're staying here for free," he reminded her. She turned her head to look at him, her black curls danced on her shoulder.

"If I get a job you have to get one too Zach," she told him. She began to wash her bowl out, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Zach nudged her with his elbow lightly and leaned back.

"I have a job thank you," he told her biting into his apple.

"Really?" Jade surprisingly asked. She gazed at him after she finished with her bowl. "You have a real-live job?"

"Yea of course I do." Jade bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

"Don't fuck with me Zach. It's ok you don't have a job, even though I do wonder where all the money comes from," Jade laughed out. Walking from the kitchen she grabbed her backpack off the floor.

"I have a job!" Zach seriously said following after her.

"Doing what?" Jade asked.

"I'm a pizza delivery boy at Pizza Hut downtown," Zach said. Jade looked at him questioningly, but noticed he didn't seem to be joking.

"Are you serious?" she asked. Zach closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. Jade's eyes went soft and she scoffed. "You are serious! But, you've been living her for what, two years at least? That can't possibly pay off for rent.can it?"

"Well that book that I sold has been bringing home some money for me still. So, really the pizza job isn't a big hassle, just something for me to do."

"When do you work?" Zach bit into his apple again and walked closer to her.

"I work Monday through Thursdays during your school time," he said. "And that's the reason why I've been late picking you up recently." Throwing his apple core away he grabbed his keys.

"I can't believe it! You're really not that worthless," Jade said astonished.

"Are you complimenting me, in your own way?" Jade tossed her book bag on her back and gave him a crooked smile. She walked to the door and opened it slightly.

"Come on and take me to school," she said walking out the door. Zach threw his keys in the air and smiled.

"I guess that's a yes," he said to himself.

The ride this time wasn't as awful as Jade thought it would be. She wore a sundress and sandals, which wasn't good motorcycle attire. Usually the wind would blow the dress upward showing everyone her underwear, or she would lose a sandal, but it didn't happen. She stared at the back of Zach's helmet and held on tight. She couldn't help, but imagine him the way he was this morning, with his shirt off. Her mind began to swim with exotic thoughts of him.shirtless in many kinds of situations. She smiled and tightened her grip around him, then shook her head as the motorcycle came to a stop. Was she just having a daydream fantasy about her stepbrother?

"Uh, you know you can let go of me. I would have thought you would have gotten use to this by now," Zach said pulling off his helmet. Jade let go of him and hopped of the motorcycle. She pulled off the helmet, shoving it into Zach's chest.

"I am used to it!" she yelled out. She noticed that Zach was staring at her oddly and she could hardly breathe. "It's that damn helmet wasn't giving me any breathing room!"

"Yea, and your welcome for taking you to school," Zach said sarcastically.

"JADE!!" a singsong feminine voice called. Jade turned around, noticing her friend Olivia waving at her. Could this not be a perfect time? Jade smiled and waved back at her.

"Try not to be late picking me." Jade said to Zach, but noticed his attention wasn't on her. She slowly turned around and saw Olivia making her way over.

Jade turned back roughly and shook her head side to side. "NO!"

"No what?" Zach said nonchalantly.

"I know that look, and the answer is no."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. What's this look you're speaking of?" Zach asked.

"I see a lot of guys look at her like that. It's basically the 'I want to get into her pants look.' Hell, even I've gotten that look before." Jade admitted.

"You get that look?" Zach asked going off topic. "Never mind, I am not looking at your friend in that way," he said looking Olivia's way. Jade stepped in his view and he smiled.

"She's my friend Zach! Stay the hell away from her!" Jade said waving her finger at him.

"Hey Jade! Oh and who is this?" Olivia said checking Zach out.

"Olivia this is my stepbrother Zach," Jade said rolling her eyes. Zach stood up and shook her hand, giving her a charming smile.

"The stepbrother? Wow, you always talked as though he was a bastard. He doesn't look like a bastard to me at all," Olivia said, not losing her gaze with Zach.

"Trust me he is," Jade said, grabbing Olivia's hand.

"I hope to talk to you again Zach," Olivia yelled, as she was being pulled away.

"Who knows!" he yelled back and hopped back on his motorcycle.

Jade let go of Olivia's hand when she heard Zach speed off. Jade began to walk off to her class, when she heard a loud sigh. Turning around she noticed Olivia staring off into space.

"I think I'm in love," Olivia whispered out. Jade rolled her eyes slightly. It seemed like every other day, Olivia, would fall in love with a guy. Whether, he was big or small, short or tall even young or old. Jade has lived through hell and back trying to soothe Olivia's heartbreak after heartbreak. Jade looked the way Olivia was looking and saw tons of guys walking around the campus.

"Who is this guy?" Jade asked looking around.

"Zach Harris!" Olivia sighed out. Jade took a step back and put her hand on her hip.

"Zach? My stepbrother Zach? Are you out of your fucking mind?" Jade told her friend. "He's insensitive, selfish, and worthless and he's a bum!"

"I don't know, he seemed ok to me," Olivia responded. She turned around and her heels clacked on the pavement, "Do you mind if I call him?" For once in her life Jade was a lost for words. Olivia couldn't possibly be interested in her stepbrother.could she?

"Your not serious," Jade gasped out. Olivia gave a huge grin and shook her head up and down. "He's like 22 or older!"

"So what's your point, I'm 20!" Olivia pointed out. "He may not be as cute as most guys, but he's got that bad boy thing going for him."

"Not as cute as most guys?" Jade said defensively. "Excuse me, but most guys you go out with aren't half as good looking as he is."

Olivia looked shockingly at Jade. "Anyway, tell me again how you keep your hands off him?"

"You see.he's my fucking step brother!" Jade reminded her friend.

"So what? If he was my stepbrother I wouldn't be able to think of him as a brother ..if you know what I mean. You're not related to one another, as in the blood related way, so it doesn't really matter."

"I don't have your sick twisted mind Olivia. But, I don't like him so that must help me keep down the attraction." Jade responded. "Anyway, there's something I have to tell you!"

"What is it?" Olivia asked.

Jade linked arms with her and walked slowly. "You see Zach is totally wrong for you, you should just forget him. Besides, he's." Jade mumbled. "He's seeing someone already," she blurted out. Olivia stopped in her tracks and groaned.

"Really?" she asked sounding disappointed.

"I'm afraid so." Jade said. She looked nervously at Olivia and played with her book bag strap. Biting her bottom lip she felt Olivia break their linking arms.

"Oh well.I guess there are more fish in the sea!" Olivia said with a sly smile. "I'll see you later. I gotta make it to class before the professor chews me out again." With a "Goodbye" and a wave Olivia walked across the grass.

"Your right Olivia so you leave that particular fish alone," Jade said through her teeth.

She smacked her cheek at the shock of sounding so jealous. She gasped at herself and felt her face flame up. Why had she been so defensive and just lied to her best friend just a couple of minutes ago? Why had she made that comment about him being cuter? Why was she even looking at him in that way? He was her stepbrother for goodness sake!

"I was just protecting her from getting her heartbroken," she said. "Not because I suddenly get the feeling that..that.I'm falling for my stepbrother!"