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Parker snickers, and I shoot him a look but end up convulsing in giggles right along with him. I look like a tribal warrior with war paint on.
“I’ll leave you to your girl stuff,” Parker finally resigns and gets up from behind me, heading for the door. “I’ll be downstairs, find me when you’re ready.”
“Yes dear,” I say mockingly and stick my tongue out at him, but he just laughs and leaves me to the disaster that is my makeup look. I’m smiling as I reach for a cotton pad and makeup remover, spilling the liquid on the pad and smudging my makeup even further as I try to remove it. Parker and I are going to the movies, and once more, I’m thankful he decided—unlike Kade—to stay close to home when he went to college. While Kade finished early, Parker’s two years behind. He never was very good at traditional education. I have no idea what I’d do without his daily visits.
I finally manage to take all of my makeup off, and I toss the black-streaked pad into the trash. I sigh and try once again to make myself look presentable. Mascara first, and this time, I don’t fail so badly. But my eyelashes are a little clumpy, and I’m not happy when I investigate in the mirror. Staring back at me is a willowy, dark-haired, too tall girl, with awkwardly long limbs. But I have a pretty face, and I’m told that at every corner, so I’ve started to believe it myself. And I guess I am pretty, if you have a thing for too-big eyes, too-full lips, and a too-small nose. I smirk at myself but end up hopefully staring at my chest.
I’m flat as a board. Mom says they’ll grow eventually. I’ll be a late bloomer, just like her. But that isn’t much consolation when you’re sixteen freaking years old and starting to gain an interest in the opposite sex. I blush at the word. Sex. For some reason, the first picture, the first association to it, is still Kade.
Ever since Mom caught us in the treehouse, I've done everything and anything in my power to get my stepbrother out of my head. But I'm fighting a losing battle. How can you forget someone when you can't even bring yourself to stop thinking about them for five whole minutes? I shake my head to get rid of the thoughts, scrambling in my drawer to find some lipstick I've stolen from Mom.
I layer some on my lips, and finally, I’m satisfied with my appearance. I get up and reach for my favorite fragrance—a gift from my stepfather. It’s made in Grasse in France, custom to my liking, and it’s probably my favorite thing I own. I spray it on myself and inhale the well-known, enticing scent. I imagine Kade kissing me on the spot where I just sprayed it. Imagine a world where we could be together, where that would be acceptable. And before I know it, I'm saying his name softly.
“Kade…”
I’m so afraid someone will hear me I clamp a hand over my mouth, looking around in panic. But there’s no one here—only I know about my dirty, forbidden crush. And it better stay that way. Finally, I grab my purse and head for the door. Parker is waiting for me.
But he is nowhere to be found.
I’ve been to the kitchen, living room, and the lounge, and he’s just nowhere in sight. So I finally head to the garage, thinking he might be admiring his new car, as he so often does.
But when I come to the polished white doors, I hear laughter from the inside. And it belongs to a woman. I grit my teeth because I hate seeing the girls Parker likes to hang out with. They’re always jealous of me—which I find pretty much ridiculous since he’s my stepbrother. Though if we were talking about his twin...
I blush violently and realize I shouldn’t intrude, but nonetheless find myself pressed to the wall, peeking into the garage.
And it’s not Parker in there with a pretty brunette.
It’s his brother, the very object of my fantasies.
I gasp ever so quietly and lower my eyes. I shouldn't look. But I can try all I want; my eyes keep going to the scenario unfolding only a few feet away from me.
I’m in a storage room that leads to the garage. And they’re in there, with Kade’s car parked in Mom’s usual space as though he owns the place. I grit my teeth. He thinks he’s all that.
Ever since Mom told us off for kissing, Kade has been pulling back more and more. Our talks when we couldn't sleep at night are a thing of the past. Kade barely spends any time with me anymore, probably always feeling Mom's watchful gaze on us. No, these days, he's either at college or using any excuse to get out of the house. Like he's so freaking desperate not to be around me, he'd do anything to be away.
