OUTCAST: A Stepbrother Romance (18 page)

T
hen something happened
. Something that jolted my senses, stimulated every nerve in my body, and jumpstarted my heart into seeming overdrive.

B
eneath the table
, away from everyone’s eyes, he held my hand.

H
e held my hand
...

“
W
hen someone decides
to act on something,” he continued, “the right thing to do is to take responsibility for it.”

W
ow
! As in... wow!
Was he talking about City Hall? Or was he referring to himself?

“
F
ull responsibility
!” he emphasized...

A
nd he squeezed my hand
.

A
nd tears
of absolute joy would’ve fallen from my eyes if I wasn’t quick enough to look away and regain my composure.

M
y folks were nodding
, expressing their assent... as well as their delight that Nash has started to open up to us.

T
here we were
, savoring our breakfast, together, as one family.

A
family
that will soon be tested once my parents found out about my pregnancy... and my affair with my stepbrother.

B
ut none
of that mattered at that particular moment. We were together. We were happy. A rare occasion... and I wanted to enjoy it as much as I could...

T
hen my phone beeped
.

H
esitantly
, I had to withdraw my hand from Nash’s grip to grab my mobile. I swiped at the screen and discovered that a text message was received.

I
t was from Finn
.

I
quickly hid my phone
. I didn’t want him to see the message. He wouldn’t like it. And it would definitely ruin what we were having.

A
s soon as
I put it away though, he took my hand once more. His grip was firm but gentle. His fingers started to caress my skin. It was a simple act that forged an unforgettable instance... one that I will always carry in my heart.

B
ut Finn’s
text was an unwanted reminder...

O
f the unfinished
business that I had to attend to...

O
f the pain
that many will feel once I reveal that I’m carrying a child within me...

O
f the peculiar
sensation that lingered in my gut... one that seemed to tell me that though all was right in the world that morning, it was just a momentary peace... a quiet prelude to the days ahead... a calm before the storm.

N
ash actually managed
to fix the power window. Singular. Because he was only able to restore the functionality of the window at the driver’s side.

I
t didn’t matter
, though.

I
t wouldn’t even matter
if he failed to repair it.

F
rom all indications
, he was a changed man. More responsive. More expressive. And most importantly, more responsible. I knew there were no guarantees that it would last. But it’s always more bearable to hope for something to stay than for something to happen. The latter involved countless hours of anxious waiting. At least, with the former, I could always relish what’s there before it went away.

T
he drive
to school was refreshingly pleasant. The AC was busted, yes, but the window - my window, at least - was open and I was able to cherish the feel of the morning breeze.

S
chool was rather uneventful
. Mr. Schumeister slipped on the floor as he entered the room. That should’ve been funny already. What made it hilarious, however, was that no one actually approached to help him up. Everybody was busy laughing.

I
n the middle
of his class, I placed my hand on my tummy. Was it getting bigger? No, it wasn’t. How long before the bulge became noticeable, I wondered? I must remind myself to google it later. If I wouldn’t be able to gather enough courage to tell the people who should know about my predicament, I might as well learn up to when I could hide my pregnancy.

I
caressed my stomach
.
Don’t worry about a thing
, I found myself muttering,
you’ll be safe and healthy and everything will be alright
.

I
went
home as soon as school was over, excited to see Nash once again.

B
ut he wasn’t there
.

I
started to feel sad
. Then, dreadful thoughts began to invade my mind.

H
as
he gone back to his mysterious ways again?

W
as
he back with the gang he left? The same gang that wanted him dead?

H
as
something bad happened to him.

I
spent
the rest of the afternoon and the entire evening worrying about Nash. I tried to remember his sweet, sweet words just that morning...

D
id
he really mean those words, I wondered? Earlier, I believed that he did. But that night, as everyone slept and the blackness of the eve has crept into my room, I began to doubt his sincerity.

T
hen
, my phone rang.

I
t must be Nash
! It could only be him.

I
quickly picked
it up without even looking at who was calling.

“
H
ello
?” I said.

“
A
ndrea
, it’s Finn! Thank goodness you answered!”

M
y heart sank
when I heard his voice... not only because of disappointment that it wasn’t Nash, but because I was afraid about the questions Finn would most certainly ask... questions that I might be compelled to answer due to the fact that I owed him for helping Nash get out of jail.

“
O
h
, hi Finn,” I replied sullenly.

“
H
ey
, what’s wrong, Andrea?” he asked. “You sound... sad...”

“
N
o
, no I’m not,” I lied. “I’m just... a little bit under the weather, that’s all.”

“
I
’m so
sorry to hear that. Listen, can we talk?”

“
W
e’re already talking
.” I didn’t want to be rude, but I also didn’t want to sound welcoming. The truth was, I would rather not communicate with Finn until Saturday when we’d go to the Homecoming Party together.

“
U
hm
... yes, we are,” he said while chuckling. “How have you been?”

H
ow have I been
? That was a funny question. Should I just say that everything’s swell? Or should I tell him the truth? That I made love to my stepbrother and he knocked me up? That he was actually a member of this gang and now that he left, they’re after his head? That sooner or later I will have to tell him... and my folks... about the baby I was expecting?

T
hat I was quickly realizing
that I actually was in love with...

A
movement on the window
...

A
shadow
...

T
he silhouette of a man
...

H
e’s not hooded
...

H
e’s not Nash
...

A
tap
.

A
familiar tap
.

I
t was actually him
. I was so used to him sneaking into my windowsill with his trademark hoodie that I didn’t recognize him without it. I stood up and opened the glass pane. He greeted me with a smile. I greeted him back with a finger across my lips to tell him to hush up.

“
A
ndrea
... are you still there?” Finn asked, worryingly.

“
Y
es
... yes... I’m still here,” I answered. “I was just... I.... I just picked up something from the drawer.”

“
O
ooohhhh
... a piece of lingerie, I hope...” he naughtily remarked. That was totally unexpected. The previous month, he completely respected the distance I asked for. His teasing remark was surprising... though it sounded playful as if he just said it in jest.

“
F
inn
...” I said, reminding him to avoid that kind of talk.

U
pon hearing
me mention his name, Nash squinted in seeming anger.

I
held
his cheek to assure him that he had nothing to be mad about. Then I grabbed his hand and led him inside.

“
S
orry
, sorry,” Finn quickly apologized. “That was so... improper. I’m sorry, Andrea... it’s just that I... miss you, s’all.”

“
U
huh
,” was all I could say as I went back to bed. Nash sat beside me.

“
U
hm
... about this Saturday,” he started to speak, leading towards a topic I hoped we would not discuss, especially at that time when Nash was so near me that he could almost hear what Finn was saying.

“
U
huh
...” was, again, all I could reply with.

T
hen it happened
.

N
ash brushed
my hair over my shoulder, exposing my neck in the process. He drew his head closer and he started to kiss me... small, gentle kisses that were meant to excite my senses.

M
y body tingled
. Goosebumps formed all me. An intense kind of heat shot up from my groin and swiftly spread all over my being. It was so tempting to just surrender everything... to lose control... to submit myself to the lover beside me.

B
ut I cannot
.

F
inn was still
on the phone.

“
S
o
... are we on?” he asked, with a tinge of nervousness in his voice, just like a pre-adolescent kid who was talking to his crush.

N
ash pressed
his lips harder against my skin and he started to nibble, and I tried my best not to moan.

I
failed
.

“
U
ngghhhhh
...” the sound that escaped my mouth.

“
A
ndrea
?” Finn asked with concern. “What’s wrong? Did you step on something? Are you hurt?”

“
N
-No
... I... I... I’m okay, Finn,” I said, struggling to speak.

N
ash continued
to softly bite my neck, like a vampire of yore who seduced his victims before he preyed on them. He then began to unbutton my pajama top. The exhilaration I felt escalated, thrilled by what his hands - his
good, good
hands - had in store for me.

“
O
kay
,” Finn replied, the puzzlement in his tone was very much evident. “So... are we on this Saturday, just as you promised?”

P
romised
? I never said such a word. I told him that I’ll think about it, but what he has done for me... what he has done for Nash... made him expect that I would say yes. Deep inside, though, I knew I had no choice. I had to go with him, to express my gratitude, at least. To reciprocate his kindness.

J
ust for that Saturday
. A simple company for the night. Nothing more, nothing le...

“
O
ooohhhhh
...” I inadvertently moaned.

N
ash’s hand
managed to slide into my top, and he started to fondle my breast, going for my nipple immediately, squeezing it with just the right amount of force that was stimulating enough to make me squeal.

“
A
ndrea
?” Finn called my attention. “What’s going on? Why are you making that kind of sound?”

“
W
-What kind of sound
?” I asked as I tried to catch my breath.

“
L
ike you’re in agony
,” he replied. “Are you sure you’re not hurt or something?”

“
I
... I’m okay, Finn,” I told him.

“
O
kay then
. Can you answer me now? Are we still on for Saturday?” He was growing impatient. He didn’t want to show it, as he deliberately delivered his question in the kindest tone possible. But I knew him too much. I always knew when he was getting edgy.

“
Y
es
, Finn, I’ll see you this Saturday.” I finally delivered the answer he wanted to hear.

N
ash gave me a sharp look
.

I
slightly shook
my head as I tried to tell him that it was nothing, that it was just something I had to do. There was nothing more to it.

H
e got the message
.

A
nd he continued
with what he was doing.

H
e drove
his head towards my bosom and started sucking my breasts, squeezing both of them together and swallowing them alternately. His pace was frantic... as if he wanted to let me know how much he pined for me, how much he wanted me at that very moment.

I
bit
my lip to prevent myself from wailing.

“
T
hat’s great
, Andrea!” Finn enthusiastically responded. “Thank you so much! It’s going to be a wonderful night!”

N
ash inserted
his other hand underneath my pajama pants, inside my underwear, and instantly went for my cunt. He rubbed my slit to check if it was wet. It was. He smiled. My eyes rolled up in anticipation of the promise of ecstasy.

“
O
-Okay
, Finn... see you S-Saturday,” I tried to end the conversation.

“
A
re you saying goodbye
, Andrea?” he questioned, pleadingly. “Please don’t. The night is young. Let’s talk.”

S
hit
!

N
ash speared
my pussy with his finger as he sucked on my breast, his tongue slapping my already erect nipple. He had me locked up in a sensual embrace. His free hand held my arm firmly. He didn’t want to let me go.

T
hen his intrusions became rapid
, spurring my womanhood into a fevered state of rapture that kept building up with every encroachment of his deft finger.

I
started to breathe heavier
... faster...