On Monday morning, I join Dad to school. It’s a silent ride with my earbuds plugged in to avoid him asking questions. Calum should still be at home. I don’t know. I don’t care. Okay, I care.But I don’t understand. Okay, maybe I also do. Calum has every right to be mad for me lying and meddling but I was trying to help. Tessa and I. He shut everyone out after the band broke up and they want their friend back. Not to resume the band but to have him. To be friends again. And they sounded so excited about him meeting this producer in London. London is only three hours away. He could meet up with him and return to me the same day. How can that man not see that we are on his side and we are doing all of these because we love him?I roll up the window as Dad’s car slows in the parking lot. The term will be over in fifty days, then what? He can’t teach forever. There’s more for him out there. His friends are

Later turns into four days. By Friday, Calum is still not talking to me and I have had enough with his silent treatment. We fought. Couples fight all the time. And they make up. Kiss too. I want to kiss him. More than that, I want a hug. After the last period for the day, I hug the girls goodbye and race to the teacher’s parking lot. Over the last few days, I have avoided any chat that might lead to them asking about C. It will be Amelia and I secret. So far, she has been doing a good job of steering the conversation each time it comes up. Slowing to catch my breath, I walk the rest of the distance to Calum’s car. He doesn’t show up and when he does, he’s with Miss Gates. I swear he does it to annoy me. Or not. Whatever the case, I don’t like seeing him with her, not when we are having a fight because my brain keeps bringing up these wild conspiracy theories. I have given that man enough space to get over his anger.Calu

The greatest part about having a boyfriend is asking him mindless questions he mustn’t fail to answer. Oh, and the random selfies too. I can be doing assignments and my phone pings with a picture from him. And I love the sexting too. “Why’s the sky so blue?” I ask. Calum rolls his eyes again and his guitar almost slips from his grasp. He must be tired of me. Too bad for him because I’m here to stay. My books are sprawled on the floor in his room, he’s helping me with my music homework. It might be considered cheating if he was actually doing any work but he’s letting me do it all while offering little to nothing but his sexy presence. I poke him on his cheek with my pencil. He’s seated cross-legged on the floor while I’m flat on my belly. The blanket he spread on the floor is keeping me warm but I know something else that will do a better job and make me warmer.“Answer me, Cal.

The bell for the next period goes off while I’m still in my thoughts. Another peek at my phone and my fists clench. Calum hasn’t replied me. Jamming my locker door close, I start for my next class before students start swarming the hallway. Sadly, I don’t have music today so I sit still throughout the classes for the rest of the day. As soon as the bell goes off, I bounce. I’m alone in the parking lot. Impatience knots my joints and my fingers beat against the roof Calum’s car. Speaking of the annoying man who ignores his girlfriend’s texts, Calum walks out a few minutes later. One look at my frowning face and the jerk of a boyfriend cracks a smile. It draws one from me. Damn him. The car beeps to signify it’s unlocked, I slide into the passenger seat and his hand comes down immediately on my knee. “I was busy.” “Too busy to reply your girlfriend,” I murmur. 

Dainty fingers spread across my stepbrother’s firm chest. I press closer to him, my breasts squashed against his side. We have to do this again. I have to fall asleep in his arms and wake there the next day. It’s the best feeling on earth.“How did you manage to pull it off?” I whisper. “Honestly, it’s all thanks to your dad.” I jerk but his hand on my belly keeps me from sitting up. “Not like that, baby. Pete was planning a date for my mum and I suggested he took her to a place outside of town.” It’s always so weird hearing my dad addressed by his first name. I cringe. “We hardly get the house to ourselves, so I couldn’t miss my chance to celebrate my superstar.”“And you did. And I love you, Calum Dissick.” My fingers graze his chest, rolling over the hard points of his nipples. “I love you too, Cathy.” The bedside lamp is the o