My New Stepbrother

22

We both stood up, then hugged each other. I embraced her tiny frame, and no improper feelings came to me. I just felt glad that we could finally start the healing process. I knew that...things still wouldn't be that same, and it would take a lot of work...but this was a big step.

xxxx

Mom and I spent the whole day together. She made me food, even though she wasn't much of a cook anymore I still enjoyed it. We watched movies, and we talked—a lot. We talked about everything under the sun, from school, to therapy, to work for her, every single current event or past event that we could think of we spoke on.

It felt so refreshing to be able to talk to her, and have normal conversations with her again. Even I could tell, that this was doing something to me. This was helping me in so many ways that I could never even have imagined. I felt so, cherished and loved.

Plus, just hearing her say that she had been watching me all these years, instead of living it up with some random man like I thought, was pretty much the icing on the cake.

"Uh oh." She said, with a smile on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"It's your father calling. Probably wants to know where you are. It is getting pretty late, you should probably get back home. I wouldn't want you getting in trouble."

"Yeah." I replied, standing up from my spot. "It was really good talking to you again mom."

"You too sweetie." She replied, then hugged me again.

Once we said our good nights, I watched as she retreated upstairs then I made my way to the front door. I opened it up and then I saw:

Angel.

Her boyfriend Darell has his hands all over her, and she looked like she was frazzled, her hair was messed up, clearly he was touching it, and her clothes were also clearly touched as well—somebody should chop off his hands. That would teach him not to touch things that don't belong to him.

Her eyes were wide, just staring into mine. I just had—such a good day, and here she was already about to put a sour spin on it. I couldn't understand why she felt the need to be with this...boy. Obviously, he did absolutely nothing for her.

Clearly she lowered her standards and would talk to anybody nowadays.

I just watched her trying to see her reaction, and how she felt about me still being here.

"Uhm. Actually, baby...I think I'll go in and check on Vanessa. I'll see you at school tomorrow okay?" She said, looking at him.

"Okay babe. Bye. Oh and what's up man, I'm Darell."

It took everything in me not to roll my eyes and to keep my face expressionless. I simply nodded my head, refusing to shake the hand that he so eagerly stuck out to me.

"Uh...okay. Bye baby." He said, then he kissed Angel's cheek, almost like he was trying to piss me off.

Clearly he was trying to have some kind of competition with me, clearly he was claiming his spot in Angel's life and she was just allowing him too. Clearly, this girl had forgotten who I was, and what I meant to her. She waited until he walked away, then after that she actually tried to walk past me again without saying a word.

I couldn't help myself, I grabbed her arm then dragged her right back to the spot she was standing in before, closing the door shut behind me.

"Let fucking go of me Blake!" She yelled.

Oh?

So the first time she acknowledged me today, she wanted to curse at me in the process?