The Stepbrother

Deception

"Zach will you wake up!" Jade yelled. She stood beside Zach's bed, where he was sleeping. Lifting his head, Zach lazily looked at her.

He yawned and turned his head to look at her better, "What?"

"You have to get up and take me to school." Zach reached for his alarm clock.

"What's your hurry, we have an hour till I have to take you," he said looking at the clock.

Sighing Jade scooped up a pillow on the floor, "You know how you're like. If I don't wake you up now, you won't ever wake up on time." With a deep groan Zach pulled his sheets back. Jade's grip on the pillow tightened and her eyes widened at the sight of Zach's bare chest. She had never seen him without a shirt before, but in all honesty he was chiseled! She felt her cheeks grow hot and quickly turned around, with the pillow in hand.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Zach asked. He got up and looked around for anything to put on. "Excuse me," he said to Jade and slid past her.

"Mmmhmm," Jade said moving to give him room. She took in a deep breath and sighed.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Zach asked again.

"What am I like five?" Jade answered. Zach, who was looking in his closet, peeked at her and smiled. "What?"

"I was wondering if you were you. Usually you would have made a smart remark by now!"

"So?" Zach shrugged his shoulders and pulled out a shirt and some cutoff shorts. Jade threw the pillow she had in her hand at him playfully. "Whatever, I'm going to eat something. You better not make me late for school," Jade said walking out of his room. But, before she walked downstairs she looked quickly in his room, to get in one last look. Catching herself quickly she shut her eyes. What in the world was she thinking? This was her stepbrother she was thinking about, she told herself and headed downstairs.

Zach finally finished dressing and walked downstairs. Jade was sitting at the kitchen table, stuffing her face, with a bowl of cereal.

"See? I was in and out and it took less then five minutes." Zach snatched an apple out of the basket in the middle of the kitchen table. "Well I hope you know that the month is almost up."

"So, what the hell does that mean?" Jade asked questioningly.

"It means the rent is due!" Zach told her. He leaned against the sink and took a bite of his apple. He noticed Jade freeze up and her eyes fluttered. "Which mean's I'm going to pay for the rent by myself, am I right?"

"It looks like it," Jade said. She munched down the rest of her cereal and stood up. "Can you move?" she asked, referring to Zach standing in front of the sink.

He shook his head, "When are you going to get a job?"

"I'll." Jade stuttered out. "I'll look for one this weekend ok? Now, will you fucking move," she said pushing him to the side. Zach hit the cabinet softly and positioned himself to look at her.

"Good you better because I can't keep paying $600 a month, while you're not going to help out. Don't think you're staying here for free," he reminded her. She turned her head to look at him, her black curls danced on her shoulder.

"If I get a job you have to get one too Zach," she told him. She began to wash her bowl out, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Zach nudged her with his elbow lightly and leaned back.

"I have a job thank you," he told her biting into his apple.

"Really?" Jade surprisingly asked. She gazed at him after she finished with her bowl. "You have a real-live job?"