𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑

~𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓁𝓋𝑒~

TARA

Kohen...

The man who had turned my world upside down and made me question everything I thought I knew. Ever since that night when we had almost kissed, things had been incredibly awkward between us.

I've been avoiding Kohen for two days now, only coming out of my room to eat. He's tried to talk to me but I kept making excuses.

God, this is killing me.

I don't even know why I said what I said. We'll maybe because he's my stepdad and I know if we go there then there's no turning back.

After that night, I couldn't help but think about the things he said in the car.

Was he actually talking about me?

If he was, then I truly have ruined it. It's why I've been avoiding him. For the first time in my life, I didn't want to know the truth.

I groan loudly, and thankfully, my phone buzzes. I grab it and see a text from Lina.

LINA: I'm at the front gate with the hottest security guard ever!

I roll my eyes but smile. I need a little time with Lina. To forget how badly I've fucked this up. I quickly get up and head to my door.

As I reached for the doorknob, a sinking feeling washed over me. I knew he would be there. I take a deep breath and try to focus on the fact that Lina was here.

I open my door and look down at my phone while texting her back to let her know I was coming to the front door. I grin at my screen, but then I bump into someone so hard I almost fall over.

Kohen.

Our eyes met, and time seemed to stand still. The energy in the air crackled with tension, and I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Uh, sorry," I mumbled, trying to find the right words to say. It felt like an eternity as we stood there, silently staring at each other. The weight of our unspoken emotions hung heavy in the air, and I could almost hear the sound of my heart breaking.

Kohen's expression was unreadable, and he didn't say a word. It was as if he had already given up and resigned to the fact that things between us could never be the same. I

I wanted to explain to tell him that I had been avoiding him because it hurt too much to be around him. But the words got stuck in my throat, suffocated by the fear of rejection.

Before I could gather my thoughts, Kohen broke the silence. "Be careful," he said, his voice devoid of any warmth or emotion. And with that, he turned around and walked away, leaving me standing there, feeling utterly lost and alone.

I watched him retreat, tears stinging my eyes. I had hurt him, and I had hurt myself in the process.

I stood there just watching him walk away. I miss him. I really miss him. I sigh and turn back, walking down the steps to the front door.

I opened the door to see Lina with Kohen's body/security guard, Brian. Lina basically jumps into my arms.

"Ahhhhh!" She squealed. "You have no idea how badly I've missed you."

Brian places Lina's duffle bag inside before leaving.

"I'm glad you're here." I smile.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." She says. "And oh my god, this place is huge!"

"Yeah, it is. I still get lost sometimes." I smile.

"Please tell me we get access to everything." She says.

I chuckle and pick up her duffle bag. "Yeah, we do."

Lina and I are laughing and joking as I take her up to my room.

"You need to give me the tea about your hot stepdad." She says as she collapses onto my bed.

"Shhhhh." I sat and closed the door. "There no tea."

"Fuck you mean no tea?" She says with her eyebrow raised.

I place her duffle on the floor and sit on my bed while playing with my fingers. "I think I messed up."

"Why? What happened?" She asks while sitting up.

I look at my fingers, picking the skin around it. It's a nervous tick I have. Most times, I draw blood, but it doesn't faze me. My nerves are worse. "I almost kissed him."

Lina's eyes widened in excitement. "Yes!"

"And I think he wanted to kiss me back, but then my mom called him." I explain.

"Ugh. Bitch."

"But then he came to my room later to talk to me, and I kinda shot my mouth off." I continue.

"Oh no, did you do that thing where you start rumbling and reject the person before they reject you." She says.

"I don't do that."

"Yes, you do." Lina says and sits up.

"Geez, you took one psych class, and now you think you're a therapist." I sigh.

"Actually, yes, and I have a theory to why you do that." She says with a grin.

"Okay, Doctor Lina, what's the diagnosis?"

Lina positions herself, so she's directly in front of me. "Okay, so." She starts. "Your mom left you when you are five in a way you saw that in rejection."

I feel the tears sting in my eyes.

"In your mind, you think that no one can love you when not even your mom could." Lina says, and the tears start pouring down my face.

She looks at me with pity. "Do you want me to -"

"Continue." I manage to say.

Lina sighs and nods. "You have a fear of rejection, Tara. I see it in your relationships, and I see it in you." She says. "And now I'm going to talk to you as your friend and tell you that that's ridiculous. You deserve love. You think that no one loves you, but we do Tara."

I wipe my tears and look up at her. "Thank you, Lina."

She smiles and opens her arms for me. I hug her, and we sink into the bed together.

"Now wipe those tears. We need to take a dip in that pool."

I chuckle.

"Yeah, okay."

~♡~