The Role Switch | ✓

20. quarter of the truth

LET THIS BE OVER. Please let this be over

The words revolved around Stephen's mind, the mental chanting increasing by every passing minute. To be honest, he wasn't a social outcast or anti-social, but when a person didn't like you, you are not excited about the prospect of spending time with them.

After Alisha had hugged him- it gave rise to a thing between them, better known as awkwardness. Symptoms included- no talking, avoiding eye contact, and learning the material of the jeans because you keep staring at it.

Oh yeah, it was getting to Stephen's head. And to top that, they were doing chemistry.

"Do you think we will get good grades?" Alisha asked, breaking his thoughts. Tomorrow was the last date of the submission, so Alisha had invited herself to his house, informing him fifteen minutes before ringing the doorbell.

Unexpected guests always made him cranky.

"We better. I researched and found a lot of crap while doing this assignment."

An hour passed. With the quietness engulfing them, they sat and did the work without talking much out when he heard a loud crash coming from the kitchen.

"That must be my brother. I will come in a minute." With that, Stephen rushed out of the room, almost relieved to get out of there.

His parents were out of town to visit his grandparents, leaving Stephen as a guardian to Kian. The little kid was leaving no stones upturned to make it difficult for him, creating a mess everywhere to get a rise out of him.

When Stephen stepped into the kitchen, he ran a hand over his hair, thrown off by the sight of his small brother covered in flour from the top of his head to the bottom.

"Kian," he stressed his name and stepped forward. "What are you-" he turned around and saw his iPad on the kitchen island. Taking it in his hands, Stephen saw the video titled science experiments for small children.

"How are you even able to understand this video, Kian?" Stephen asked while washing his brother's face. Kian giggled in response, causing Stephen to roll his eyes. "I will ban YouTube for you. That thing is no good for small kids for you."

"Stephen, everything okay?" he heard Alisha's call out, who was standing at the entrance of the kitchen.

"Is she your girlfriend, Stephen? What about Pi-" Stephen placed a hand over Kian's mouth, faking out a forced laugh. "She is my classmate. Not my girlfriend," he put a hand on Kian's back, ignoring the blush on Alisha's face and nudged him outside, patting his head. "Go and play outside, no mess. And, I mean it."

"Can I ask someone to come and play with me?"

"Yeah, you can as long as you don't bring a stranger."

After successfully kicking Kian out of the house, he turned to look at Alisha. "My small brother doesn't understand human interactions yet."

Alisha laughed, looking at the running figure of Kian. "You both are way too same when it comes to looks."

"Yeah, we both inherited our mom's genes."

Alisha's smiled dropped. Stephen cleared his throat, then after a second's hesitation asked her the question. "How did she die?"

"Brain stroke. Sudden death."

"So, do you live with your father?"

"Yeah, I live with my dad," Alisha said, dropping her head and twisting her hands. He wanted to say something to put her at ease, but that was Piper's work. Before he could consider his next sentence, Alisha spoke up. "Listen about that hug, forget it okay? I was in a vulnerable moment."

"Ah sure, it's hmm fine."

"Okay, thank you for not making this any more awkward, I, Is that Piper?"

"Piper? What happened to her?" Stephen asked confusion on his face at the sudden change in her voice. Alisha pointed a finger over the window in his kitchen. "What is Piper doing in your yard?"

Without waiting for his answer, she got out, and Stephen followed. Piper who was busy playing a dance game with Kian stopped, her stance frozen.

"Piper, what are you doing here?" Alisha asked, her arms crossed over her chest, her voice curious.

"She lives here!" Kian answered cheerfully. Stephen put a hand on his cheek, and shook his head, looking upwards at the sky.

"WHAT? Are you serious? Since when?" Alisha shouted, wildly looking between Stephen and Piper, surprise clear on her face.

"She just moved in," Stephen jumped into the conversation, walking towards Piper, and putting a hand around her shoulders. "Right, Piper?" He looked at Alisha, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you care?"

"Yes. I moved in, uh, a week ago," Piper answered, her voice louder than usual. "Crazy, isn't it?"

"That's wrong, Piper. Mom told me once that have been with us since we-" Kian stopped and scrunched up his nose when Stephen gritted out his name.

"Kian. Go to your room."

"Piper is your girlfriend, right?" Kian asked, and if it wasn't possible Alisha's eyes widened more, her jaw tight with anger.

"What?" Alisha looked at Kian, asking him again. "What did you say?"

"I will buy you a new video game," Stephen said in a desperate effort to shut Kian's mouth. Nothing worked more on kids than bribing.

"Promise?"

The little negotiator. "I promise, Kian. Now, go."

"Piper, you are dating Stephen? Stephen?" Alisha asked, shocked, gawking at Piper.

"Kian is a kid, Alisha. He doesn't know anything," Piper said, going over to Alisha. "I forgot to tell you that Stephen is a neighbor. I was going to tell you."

"How could you? We talk every day!"

"People forget sometimes," Stephen added, earning a glare from Alisha.

Alisha huffed out a breath. "I need to get out of here. I will talk to you later. Bye." Glancing at Stephen, Alisha went away, not before turning back and speaking over her shoulder. "Bring the assignment tomorrow."

When they saw her retreating figure disappear, Piper leaned back, placing her head on Stephen's chest. "Well, that didn't go so well."

He tightened his hold on Piper, wrapping his hands around her waist and placed his head on top of hers. "And, she doesn't even know the whole truth."

"At least she knows the quarter now."

"Want to eat an ice-cream with me?"

When Piper turned around and kissed him, he let go of all the worries of the day, concentrating on making the most important person in his life happy.

Reality could wait.