Step-Secrets

Chapter 6 - Unreliable Deniability

Tiffany POV-

"So you're going to wait for me before we go to the game, right, Tiff?" Veronica asked.

We just started our lunch break. We're sitting behind the bleachers with a bunch of the other elites. Tonight is a big football game and Veronica's boyfriend, Tommy, is the star quarterback.

"Yeah, sure," I reply, "I'm not gonna miss a chance to see Tyler again." I say gleefully.

"It sucks that I have detention once, again. Ugh!" Veronica scoffs. Veronica is not just popular but in the elite popular crowd and she and Tommy are the IT couple. Of our grade, at least.

So I guess I should address some obvious questions. How and why did I become friends with the most popular girl in school? Who's Tyler? Why did I break up with Cliff? What happened to Jessica and Gina? Why did I quit the volleyball team? Why am I neglecting my grades? Those are all reasonable questions that I hope to answer.

Oh, and....I guess I should also talk about what's going on with me and my stepbrother, Josh.

I really have one simple answer for most of those questions; because it was time for me to move on to something bigger and better than the regular old, boring way of life. And what can I say, some of us are meant to be at the top and some aren't and those that aren't should be happy for those who are. Jessica and Gina were jealous that I was allowed into Veronica's inner circle. It was Veronica who approached me when it was found out that we were going to the same summer camp.

I broke up with Cliff because Veronica pointed out that he's just as much an inferior loser as Josh is, Cliff is just better looking and is on the football team (with Tommy). Also, Tyler is the star quarterback for the opposing team in the game tonight. So that's why I'm extra excited to go to the game! And my grades? Well, Veronica said she'd get me a job at her dad's company after graduation and that I'd start as an intern in the summer. So if I don't have to worry about employment, who cares about college so I might as well enjoy my high school years.

And Josh? Ugh!... Do I really need to address that? I really regret letting him tutoring me and getting friendly with me. He's still a weird geeky loser and I'm on a way different level then him. At least, that's what I've convinced myself. The thought that I might actually be a little attracted to that doofus has me really confused.

"Oh, my god, Tiff, I finally found you!" I hear a familiar voice calling my name. It was Cliff, he sounds out of breath. He came to where we were sitting behind the bleachers.

"Hey, loser, get it through your head, she's not getting back with you!" Veronica yells at Cliff.

"Tiffany," Cliff is panting, "it's Josh, he's in trouble!" Cliff then tells me Josh is in a fight with Dirk after helping Aaron, the poor kid that's always being picked on.

"So what," Veronica answers for me, "he's a weirdo loser. If it's not about one of us then it's beneath us to even give it any sort of attention."

"C'mon, Tiffany," Cliff says, completely ignoring Veronica's comment, "don't pretend like you don't care," there was something about the way he says that, "he's your step-brother if nothing else, he'll listen to you to stop." Then I noticed something in his hand, that made me jump.

"Are those Josh's glasses?!" I exclaim

"Seriously, Tiff" Veronica turns to me with a disgusted look, "why are you so obsessed with that dork and his glasses?"

I don't know how to answer that. I don't really know, myself. I really want to go see this fight. I know it's weird but I'm more worried about everyone seeing Josh without his glasses than I am of him getting hurt. Ok, I'll admit it right now, Josh's beautiful eyes are my kryptonite. I realize by now that the cat's out of the bag so now it doesn't matter if anyone see's his eyes. Plus, Veronica's here so I have to pretend that I don't care.

"Cliff, I told you before," I say, "I'm embarrassed that that loser is my stepbrother. He bothered me for years to get me to go out with him. I don't care about what idiot's doing." I think I went a little too far there but I can't stop myself now. "Oh, and Cliff, since you chose to be friends with Josh over being with me, that puts you in the same category as him. So, don't ever talk to me again. I have a much hotter and much better guy that's into me."

"What the hell happened to you?" Cliff says, it's all he says, and looks so hurt, and he leaves.

"You did the right thing, Tiff," Veronica says, "you don't need that nonsense in your life."

I don't know what everyone's problem is. So I made better friends; so what? People change and get better. Then why do I feel really rotten inside?

It's later in the day and I'm waiting outside the detention room for Veronica to come out so we could go to the game together. When the door finally opens, the first person I see is Josh.

"Josh? Why are you in detention?" I ask him. He says nothing; only glares at me disgustedly. His hair and clothes look messed and no, he's not wearing his glasses? "How are you able to see without your glasses?"

He still says nothing, all he does is grab my hand and opens my palm and then reaches into his pocket and gives me his broken glasses and walks off. I'm a little stunned by that interaction but then my thoughts are interrupted.

"Oh, just the girl we were talking about," says Dirk who comes out with his cronies, he's limping and has a black eye, "that step brother of yours is a real piece of work; sticking his nose into my business. But I got him back just now; really hard." Did Josh give Dirk that black eye? But what does he mean he got him back? "Remember that love letter he tried to give you last year?" Oh! The letter! With everything going on I still haven't read it. "Remember, I snatched it from him before he could give it to you. I read enough to know what it said and I told everyone in detention and they're going to spread it to everyone! Haha. You're lucky he decided to stop going after you after that last letter because you don't have to deal with him." Again, I'm left stunned.

"Hey, Dirty Boy," Veronica yells out to Dirk, "go beat up someone else and leave my friend alone." Then she looks at me and says, "so should we get going to the game?"

"Y-yeah." I say, shaking my self out of that daze. We link arms and make our way to the football field. Y'know, seeing Veronica pulled me out of that little funk I had a second ago and not it's back to reality. "I can't wait to see Tyler again!"

"Yeah, he wants to see you to, Tiff," she says, "if we win there's an after party after the game. Tyler will be there, too, you need to come." Oh, I'll be there.

"I know we're a little late, thanks for waiting for me, detention is such a drag," Veronica complains, "but, this time it wasn't so boring. I learned a couple things about your step bro that I never noticed all this time being his lab partner. Well, maybe that's because I hardly went to class but I found out a little about your history with him from that creep, Dirk." Oh, no, what did that letter say!? I really want to ask Veronica what Dirk said but I guess I'll find out soon enough.

"Also," Veronica continues, "I discovered that Josh is kind of a hottie without his glasses, and his hair all messed up and sweaty." She kind of giggles at this. And once again, I stunned to silence from those words.

We resume with stupid chitchat before getting to the game but I can't stop thinking about what Veronica just said, about Josh's looks. The biggest question I keep asking myself is why does this bother me so much?..."

End of Chapter. Please comment and vote.