I swallowed hard, forcing myself to calm down before joining my friends. Mia’s eyes widened as she took in the surroundings.
“Your house is huge!” Mia exclaimed, her voice filled with awe. I managed a nervous smile, but my mind was elsewhere. Eva’s gaze met mine, and she seemed to understand my unease, letting out a small sigh.
“Hi,” I said to Marco, trying to keep my tone neutral. He smiled warmly at me.
“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice gentle. The other girls-Stephanie, Rachel, and Mia-giggled, but Eva stayed silent, her expression sympathetic.
“we are going to stick around,” Stephanie teased as she, Rachel, and Mia moved away, leaving me with Marco and Eva.
“Can I talk to her?” Marco asked, glancing at Eva, but I cut in before she could respond.
“No… she should stay,” I said firmly. “My brothers wouldn’t like it if I talked to you alone.” Marco nodded, looking a bit deflated but still hopeful.
“I know you’re surprised to see me,” he said, trying to maintain his smile.
“You shouldn’t have come,” I replied, my voice strained. “I told you not to.”
“You said you’d get back to me,” he countered.
“And I didn’t, which should have been a sign for you to stay home,” I said, glancing nervously at my brothers. Reggie’s piercing gaze was fixed on us, and I felt a shiver of apprehension. He was the last person I wanted to see this.
“I’m sorry, but I’m your friend. What’s wrong with having a male friend?” Marco asked, his confusion evident.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “You don’t get it, Marco. I know my brothers, and you don’t want to mess with them. Trust me on this.”
“If I tell my brothers that you’re just a friend, it won’t cause any immediate trouble,” I explained, trying to find the right words. “But they’d still keep a close watch on you, even if we aren’t close anymore. They’d make sure you’re not a threat in any way.”
Marco’s expression turned more serious. “Why would they do that? I’m not trying to cause any problems.”
“You don’t get it,” I said, my voice tinged with frustration. “They’re protective to a fault. It’s their way of making sure I’m safe, even if it means overstepping boundaries. They’d follow you around, ask questions, and maybe even scare you off. It’s just how they are.”
Marco looked conflicted but nodded slowly. “I understand. I don’t want to make things harder for you.”
“Thanks,” I said, feeling a pang of guilt. “Just stick with the girls for today, and we’ll talk more about this later.”
Eva gave me a sympathetic look. “Let’s go,” she said gently, steering me away from Marco.
As we walked off, I couldn’t help but glance back. “He really shouldn’t have come,” I murmured to Eva, who nodded in agreement.
“I know. I told Stephanie not to invite him, but they thought you’d be happy to see him,” she said.
“I just feel awful now,” I said, exhaling deeply.
“You did what you had to do. Your brothers are intense, and it’s okay to set boundaries for everyone’s sake,” Eva reassured me, squeezing my arm gently.
“Hmmm,” Reggie said, his eyes narrowing as he approached us, a suspicious smile playing on his lips.
“Hi,” Eva greeted, her voice cautious.
“Hey. Can you give us a minute?” Reggie asked, his tone leaving no room for argument. Eva nodded, casting a worried glance at me before walking away.
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “Have you come to withdraw your bet?” I asked, attempting to sound casual.
“Hell no,” Reggie replied, shaking his head.
“Then what’s so important?” I asked, trying to smile.
“Why were you with that guy?” he asked, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made me uneasy.
“Guy? When?” I tried to feign ignorance, hoping to deflect his suspicion.
“Don’t act dumb, Selena. You know exactly what I’m talking about,” he said, his voice firm.
“Oh… you mean that guy? Stephanie’s cousin. She invited him. He’s just a friend,” I said, forcing a smile.
“Hmmm… a friend,” he murmured, not looking convinced.
“Yeah…” I said, my smile faltering under his scrutiny.
“Hmm, okay,” Reggie said, grabbing a drink from the table and taking a sip. His eyes never left mine.
“Stay away from him. He’s bad news,” Reggie said before turning and walking away, leaving me standing there, confused and a bit shaken.
What does he mean by he’s bad news?
I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the encounter. Well, whatever. Where’s Eva?
~~
“What the fuck,” Eva exclaimed as she was pulled into a dimly lit room. Her heart raced, panic rising as she struggled against her captor.
“Shhhh,” a voice murmured, and she felt a hand clamp over her mouth, muffling her protests. Her eyes widened as she met Ezra’s intense gaze. His expression was a mix of frustration and desperation, causing her to grumble in annoyance behind his hand.
“Calm down, shawty,” Ezra said softly, his hand moving to her waist, holding her firmly yet not unkindly. Eva’s eyes flashed with irritation, and she tried to speak but could only manage muffled sounds.
“I’ll take my hand off, but you have to promise not to scream,” he said, his voice a low whisper. Eva glared at him, her breath heavy, and after a moment, she nodded reluctantly.
Ezra slowly removed his hand, giving her room to breathe. “What do you want, Ezra?” she demanded, her voice a mix of anger and confusion, as she rubbed her mouth where his hand had been.
He stepped back, running a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. “I just need to talk to you,” he said, his eyes pleading. “You’ve been avoiding me, and I need to know why.”
Eva crossed her arms, keeping her distance. “Maybe because you keep pulling stunts like this,” she snapped. “Dragging me into dark rooms isn’t exactly endearing.”
Ezra sighed, looking down at his feet for a moment before meeting her gaze again. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t know how else to get your attention. I feel like you’ve been slipping away, and I can’t stand it.”
Eva’s expression softened slightly, but she kept her guard up. “You need to stop. This isn’t the way to fix things between us.”
“I know,” Ezra said, his voice quieter now. “I just… I don’t know what else to do. I can’t lose you, Eva. Not like this.”
She sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and sympathy. “We need to talk, but not like this. Not in secret, and definitely not with you pulling me around.”
Ezra nodded, looking relieved. “Okay. I’ll stop. Just… can we talk later? When things are calmer?”
Eva hesitated before nodding. “Fine. But this is your last chance, Ezra. Don’t make me regret it.”
He smiled weakly, relief evident in his eyes. “Thank you. I promise, I’ll do better.”
Eva nodded, then turned to leave the room, her mind racing with thoughts about their complicated relationship. She couldn’t shake the feeling that things were far from resolved.
~~
~~SELENA~~
The excitement in the air was palpable as the party reached its peak. Everyone had gathered in the backyard, where the final preparations for the gender reveal were underway. Colorful decorations and an air of anticipation filled the space.
Eva joined me, looking a bit disheveled but smiling. “Where were you?” I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly.
“Oh… just went to take a quick pee,” she replied, avoiding my gaze. I nodded, sensing something was off, but decided to let it slide for now. There were more pressing matters at hand.
The time had finally come. My parents stood together, holding a large balloon. The guests crowded around, their faces filled with excitement and curiosity. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked at my brothers, all grinning confidently. Reggie, Blue, and Grey were practically vibrating with anticipation. Ezra seemed chilled though.
I glanced at my friends, who were also caught up in the moment. Teddy gave me a supportive smile, while Marco, standing a bit apart, looked uncertain. I tried to focus, pushing aside my earlier concerns.
“Alright, everyone,” my dad announced, holding up the balloon. “This is it! Ready?”
Everyone cheered, the crowd buzzing with excitement. I held my breath, clutching Eva’s hand tightly.
With a dramatic flourish, my dad popped the balloon. A cloud of blue confetti exploded into the air, raining down on us like a mini-celebration.
“No way!” I gasped, a mix of disbelief and amusement washing over me.
“It’s a boy!” Reggie shouted, pumping his fist in the air. Blue and Grey high-fived each other, their faces lighting up with victorious grins.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe it,” I said, half-laughing, half-exasperated. My friends burst into laughter and cheers around me.
“You owe me big time!” Blue shouted over the noise, pointing at me with a triumphant grin. I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help laughing.
“Well, looks like I’m getting another brother,” I said, shaking my head. “Just what I needed.”
Eva squeezed my hand, her earlier tension forgotten in the excitement. “It’s going to be okay,” she said, smiling warmly. “You’ll be an amazing sister, even to another boy.”
I sighed dramatically but couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “Yeah, I guess I’ll manage. Somehow.”
As the celebration continued, I glanced around at my family and friends, feeling a mixture of joy and resignation. The party was a whirlwind of congratulations and playful teasing. My brothers were in their element, reveling in their victory, while I accepted my fate with as much grace as I could muster.
” You can keep your 10k dollars to yourself broke girl” Reggie said laughing before walking away.
Amid the laughter and joy, I caught Marco’s eye. He gave me a small, understanding smile. I knew we’d have to talk later, but for now, I decided to enjoy the moment.
As I hugged my parents and joined in the celebration, I realized that no matter how outnumbered I was by boys, this family was mine. And maybe, just maybe, having another brother wouldn’t be so bad after all.
~~~
“I’ll be back,” I said to Eva, feeling the urgent need to use the bathroom. I made my way upstairs, weaving through the crowd, and hurried into my room.
Once inside, I went straight to my bathroom, closing the door behind me. The relief was immediate as I finally took care of business. I sighed deeply, feeling much better, and flushed the toilet.
Just as I was washing my hands, I heard a faint noise outside my bathroom. I paused, listening intently. It was a shuffling sound, followed by the creak of my bedroom door. My heart skipped a beat. Who could be in my room?
Quickly, I dried my hands and opened the bathroom door, stepping cautiously into my bedroom. There, standing by my bed, was Cyrus.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended. My eyes narrowed in suspicion as I tried to read his expression.
Cyrus’s gaze locked onto mine, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Congratulations,” he said, his tone almost mocking.
“Thanks,” I replied warily, my body tensing as he started moving closer. “But that doesn’t answer my question. Why are you here?”
He didn’t respond, just kept advancing until I felt the wall press against my back. My heart raced, a mix of anger and something I couldn’t quite identify.
“What the hell, Cyrus?” I snapped, trying to push him away. “Get out of my room!” I could feel panic creeping in, but I masked it with fury, hurling insults at him. “You’re such a creep! I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but-”
Cyrus just smirked, unfazed by my outburst. He leaned in closer, his hands finding their way to my neck, not squeezing but holding me in place. His breath was warm against my skin.
“Stop it, Cyrus,” I said, my voice faltering. “I mean it.”
Ignoring my protests, he pressed his lips to my neck, kissing me slowly. I froze, my mind racing. I hated myself for the shiver that ran down my spine. “Don’t,” I whispered, though my voice lacked the conviction I wanted.
Cyrus’s hands moved gently, his kisses trailing up my neck. I felt trapped, overwhelmed by conflicting emotions. Part of me wanted to shove him away, but another part of me was inexplicably drawn to him.
“Why are you doing this?” I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper. His response was another kiss, deeper this time, sending a confusing rush of heat through me.
As I struggled to regain control, the sound of voices approaching the room snapped me back to reality.
I heard the doorknob turn, panic surging through me. Before I could even push Cyrus away, the door swung open, revealing a set of wide, shocked eyes staring back at us.
TBC