The Summer (Stepsister X Stepbrother)

36

I zipped my case shut, and stood it up against my bedroom wall. 6 am tomorrow I'll be heading to the airport and I'll be gone forever.

I ring my mum and tell her I'm so excited to see her. I haven't spoken much to her whilst I've been here. I guess too much of it I couldn't tell. Then I FaceTimed Gabby and she told me all about how she got into her college too. My life back home was so much better I can't wait to get back to it.

Sue had received a text from Lucas today telling her he was safe at his mate's house and to trust him until he sorts himself out. My dad won't let him back with drugs anyway. Little do they know one big reason he won't come home. Me. Tyler tells me how Lucas doing because I won't see him again. He brings back pain.  The whole school knows it must be so hard for him although I guess he's not even turning up to school anymore.

I'm cuddled up watching me before you on Netflix when my phone begins to ring. I grab it only to realise Lola is calling. I hesitate, do I really want to pick up, she'll probably rant about how I've messed up Brooke's life. It keeps persistently ringing so I answer.

"You haven't left yet right?" She asks as soon as we're connected. "No, tomorrow morning, why?" I reply. I hear a slight background noise. "I'm gonna come over, won't be long." She says and then the beep comes, she hung up. What was happening now?

I see her pink car roll up to the house so I open the door. "Hey," she says quietly, I let her in and lead her to my bare room. All my posters were down, makeup away, wardrobe empty. It was like I was never here.

The air was thick with tension. What was she here for? What do we talk about? We sit on my bed and she finally starts to talk.

"I want you to know I don't hate you," she says fiddling with her hands. " I knew you and Lucas were a thing for a while, it made me mad at him, not you. I couldn't care less you were Step siblings but I knew it would hurt Brooke." She continues. I nod along as she carries on.

"Brooke has been obsessed with Lucas since 2nd grade. She was so happy when they finally dated. So you can imagine how she felt when he ended it. And then Lucas' dad did, you know and Brooke being insane used it to benefit her. Everyone could see they had no chemistry, so I knew if he hasn't already he would cheat soon enough."

She exhales. "Thanks for telling me, I was so scared you hated me," I say. "You deserve him, I haven't seen him this happy and clean for ages, well he's not anymore. You rescued him and I'm glad about that no matter what Brooke says. She's messed up school for him now. And you're going so he has no luck. Me and Tyler will try and keep him afloat."

The rest of the evening we watched movies like the whole situation wasn't going on. She told me how she and Tyler might have a thing and I'm so glad, they'll make each other so happy. Brooke has gone to her grandparents this weekend to get away from it all. I don't blame her.

At 8 Sue comes up to my room. "Hey Rosa, I've made us all a dinner to say goodbye, Lola you can stay for it" she beams, still wearing an apron. I produce a grin across my face. "Thanks, Sue, Lola?" I say. "Yep I can stay, nothing beats your cooking Mrs Sue." Sue chuckles and makes her way to Mike's room. We freshen up and head downstairs.

There he is. Sitting in his place. Lucas. A lump rises in my throat, a rush of heat pumps through my body, but somehow I'm shivering. Just before I feel like I'm going to faint Lola grabs my arm. "You can do this" she whispers. So I do. I sit down on my seat, next to Lucas.