Step-Secrets

Chapter 5 - Does A Year Really Make A Difference?

Josh POV-

"Find a different way to school, okay?" Tiffany says to me as she walks out the front door to hop on the bus before I have a chance to say anything else. It's a nice morning anyways so I'll bike. As I ride to school, I reflect on some things.

We're now in our sophomore year of high school and it may look like nothing's changed between Tiffany and me but I don't how or why got back to square one. Despite myself, I agreed to tutor Tiffany in the middle of last year. In exchange, I wanted her to teach me how to make friends. And she did but I still wasn't allowed to associate myself with her and her friends at school.

I thought about getting a makeover like she said before in middle school. Surprisingly though, when I broached the subject to Tiffany, she was vehemently opposed it. She was most opposed to me wearing contacts (which was not easy to find for my high prescription). She insisted I wear a tight band that'll keep my glasses on and that I should never take them off. Now that I think about it, Tiffany appeared to be almost obsessive over my glasses. I guess she was concerned for my vision. I shrug as I think this.

We actually regained some semblance of the friendship we once had before middle school and really thought the space between us was really narrowing. However, I soon learned that our 'friendship' had to be only on her terms. We were gaining some ground up until she left for summer camp. When she came back, it was like the months I spent tutoring her and growing closer never happed.

Tiffany is now even more stuck up and haughty then before. She was forced to break up with her boyfriend, Cliff, when he started hanging out with me. Her so called friends pushed her into it because they decided for her that he wasn't good enough for her, especially since he's hanging out with a 'loser' like me.

Cliff's become a close friend and he comes to my house often to chill and visa versa. It's through Cliff that I made other likeminded friends that shared my childlike curiosity about the world.

As I park my bike in the bike rack in front of the school, I'm approached by another new friend, Mary. Mary is actually Cliff's younger sister and is a grade below us. Cliff seems to believe that there's some sort of burgeoning romance between us. Honestly, though, I'm reluctant to let anyone get that close to me.

I could drop dead at any moment because of my heart condition and I'm only half exaggerating on that. My dad and I paid a visit to my doctor but I'll get into those details later. Right now, I have an adorable new acquaintance that demands my attention.

"Hey, there, Joshy," Mary greets me with a cute smile, "nice day for a bike ride into school, huh?'

"I guess so." I say with a shrug.

"Tiffany blew you off again?" she asks rhetorically. "But don't look so gloomy. You have me, your cute friend, to cheer you up." She says with a bright smile.

I will admit, Mary's very cute. With messy brown hair and freckles, she's had many guys ask her out but she's turned down all of them. I think she likes me but she's so cute and sweet, I don't know how to tell her I just want to be friends.

"Yeah," I reply, "I sure am lucky, huh?" I meet her smile with one of my own.

We enter the school together and share some more witty banter and then we separate.

Homeroom has come and went, so now it's chemistry class. I walk in the classroom and I see Tiffany there, speaking with my lab partner, Veronica. This is actually a common occurrence and it's the only time I really get to see Tiffany during school. She ignores my presence, of course. As I understand it, Veronica's the most popular girl in our grade and she's befriended Tiffany over the summer in camp.

I say she's my lab partner but she's more like the entitled, spoiled rich girl that sometimes occupies that seat. She's often skipping class and, unfortunately, Tiffany's doing it, too. She doesn't seem to care that much about keeping up her grades anymore as she even quit the volleyball team. It's like all that time I spent tutoring her last year was for nothing.

There's still a few minutes before class starts. Gosh, I'm tired. I have too many weird hobbies that keep me up all night. I'm just going to take my glasses off for a minute and rest my head and eyes in my arms.

Not ten minutes go by before I feel getting shoved a little and someone saying, "Hey, dipstick! Why'd you take your glasses off?" Of course, I know who's voice it is and, sure enough, when I perk my head back up, there's Tiffany standing in between me and Veronica and glares at me. When our eyes meet I think I hear a faint gasp coming from her but soon she aggressively takes my glasses, roughs my hair back and puts my glasses with the tight strap back around my eyes.

"It's bad enough that everyone knows you're my stepbrother," Tiffany says, "don't embarrass me even more by looking disheveled and not wearing your glasses especially when I'm right here." 

Now, this thing, I don't get at all. What is her fixation on my glasses? Of all the things about me to get hung up on. Ever since she's come home from summer camp she's become even more distant and obtuse then she was before. She barely ever looks me in the eyes during the rare instances where she actually does speak to me.

"Tiff, don't bother with your super lame ass bro," Veronica pipes in, "I never do and I'm forced to sit next to this loser." The bell rings to signal the beginning of class and Tiffany leaves.

The rest of the class goes the way they all do and then the bell rings for lunch break.

Unlike last year, I don't eat lunch alone anymore in the school garden. I meet up with Cliff and a couple of my other new friends and we actually sit in the cafeteria. However, while walking to the cafeteria, we spot a bit of a commotion.

A poor, scrawny kid named Aaron is getting bullied by Dirk and his cohorts. Remember, Dirk was the class clown and delinquent last year and he's the guy that snatched my final love letter to Tiffany. He's no longer either one of those things; a class clown or a delinquent. Rather he's devolved into the typical school bully.

"Oh, there he goes again," Cliff says, "now he's going after Aaron. That poor kid already has it bad enough. It almost makes me want to do something."

"So why don't you?" I ask, "Why doesn't anybody?" Looking at the scene that people are choosing to just walk by, "Why isn't anyone getting a teacher?"

"No one wants to deal with Dirk," says Doug, another new friend, "his father's one of the big muckety mucks that helps fund the school and Dirk, Sr's an even bigger jerk."

"Well, that's just stupid." I say, staring down the scene. "Hey, Cliff," I say, "Here, take these." I hand him my glasses and take off my suit jacket. I start walking toward the fight when Cliff grabs my shoulder.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He asks in a concerned panic.

"Something stupid." I say, simply, and continue walking. I've taught myself some self defense maneuvers, this behavior cannot continue! My heart condition be damned!

End of Chapter. Please vote and comment.