Step Brother

Tall Glass of Water

WYOMING, US

Scarlett Johnson

  I woke to the sound of birds chirping just outside my bedroom window.

As usual I had left my window open the night before allowing cool air to fill my room.

  I peered through one eye, rays of blinding white light hit my pupil causing me to groan loudly in frustration.

   I slowly sat up from my disaster of a bed and stretched my arms high above my head in an attempt to snap out of my morning daze.

  "SCARLETT!"

  My Mother called from downstairs.

I sighed, knowing already that she had breakfast made.

   I was absolutely dreading going downstairs to face reality.

      So, my Mother decided to randomly marry this guy she had been dating for the past year.

   In which she happened to not tell me anything about it.

    I didn't even know the guy existed, all until my Mother had a talk with me last night.

  I knew that they were already downstairs waiting on me.

  I got out of bed and hurried for my vanity, I stared at myself in my mirror.

  My green eyes almost bloodshot from a horrible night's rest and my long golden brown hair a complete tangled mess.

  I quickly ran a brush through my thick hair and pulled it up into a messy bun.

  I threw on an old t shirt and started for the door and down the stairs to the kitchen.

  When I entered my heart skipped a beat.

   My Mother also forgot to mention that one of his kids happened to be the famous Canadian pop singer, Shawn Mendes.

  My eyes stared and my mouth about fell open.

I quickly shook my head to snap myself out of my trance.

  The man my Mother called her husband stood leaning against a wall near the fridge and a smile appeared across his face.

"Hello, you must be Scarlett! I'm Manuel, but everyone calls me Manny!"

The man spoke, I looked to my Mom, a nervous smile shifted onto her pink plump lips.

I forced a smile, at least attempting to be nice.

  "This is my daughter Aayliah and son Shawn!"

  He said next introducing his kids.

  "Nice to meet you all!"

I replied playing the part for my Mom, she grinned and Manuel put his arm across her shoulders.

    With that the three of them stayed the night in our home, Aayliah his thirteen year old daughter stayed in my room and she ended up sleeping on my bedroom floor, she wasn't one to talk much.

     "You've already met my Mom before right?"

I asked.

  "Ya, she came over a ton this past year or so."

She told me shyly.

   I nodded and rolled over to face the wall and my thoughts drifted to Shawn, who was asleep downstairs on the couch.

   Around 3am I woke up needing a glass of water, my throat so dry it was on fire.

I had totally forgotten about the marriage and everything that was going on.

So, I got up barely missing Aaliyah's face with my foot and half asleep I made my way downstairs to the kitchen.

I felt my way through the pitch black hallway and down the stairs.

I had managed not running into anything, all until I ran into something as I rounded the corner to enter the kitchen.

That something turned out to be a someone, I quickly backed away and grabbed onto their arms to keep myself balanced.

    "Oh Scarlett! Sorry you scared me."

I heard Shawn whisper, I quickly let go of him.

Suddenly a light came on, he had turned on his flashlight and his face was then visible to me.

  I sighed as it all came back to me, it wasn't all just a bad dream.

   "It's fine."

I whispered, I then remembered everyone was still asleep in the house and that we should quiet down.

I started past him for the fridge, I was desperate for water at that point.

My throat was very dry and I was practically on the verge of having a panic attack.

  I could hear his light footsteps following not too far behind me as I walked across the cool tiled floor.

   "Couldn't sleep?"

I heard him ask from behind me, I turned around to see him leaning his elbows on the kitchen island.

I slowly nodded and pulled a glass out of the nearest cabinet.

    "Water?"

I asked him meeting his chocolate hazel eyes, he nodded and I pulled another glass out.

I filled them both with water from the fridge and once done I set one on the countertop in front of him.

    "Thanks."

He thanked me with a grin, I stared at him questioningly. 

    "Why are you up?"

I asked him, he smiled up at me after he took a sip of water.

   "Time difference, it's 5:00am back in Canada."

He told me with a laugh, I nodded a little confused.

  "Who wakes up at 5am?"

I asked, he smiled and let out a quiet laugh.

   "Me, I go to the gym every morning."

He told me, I smiled tiredly and placed my now empty glass into the sink.

He stood up straight and headed for the sink as well, he placed his glass gently in and turned to look at me.

Our faces were literally less than a foot apart even though he was a lot taller than me, he seemed to be leaning down to my level on purpose.

  My breath hitched in my throat and I prayed to God he didn't hear it.

     "Well thanks for the water. Goodnight Scarlett."

He whispered, his breath fanned over my breath, he smelled of cinnamon.

  He turned and walked silently into the living room.

   "Goodnight Shawn."

I whispered back as his light slowly disappeared.