My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 216: Jealousy, Jealousy

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Gigi blinked at me as if I’d really grown that second head after all. "Not a big deal? Noah, you hate attention. You once hid in the bathroom for an entire period just because someone complimented your shoes too loudly. This is, like, your personal nightmare!"

Skylar nodded vigorously. "People are going to be weird about it all week. Asking questions, making jokes—"

"Yeah, I know," I stood up, slinging my backpack over one shoulder. "I’ve got class in ten. I’ll catch you guys at lunch, okay?"

They stared after me, mouths slightly open, as I walked away. Gigi called out, "Are you feeling okay? Did you hit your head or something? Should I do a reading?!"

I just waved without looking back, keeping my head high as I pushed through the front doors.

The truth was, after everything that had happened over the past few weeks, secret road trips, blizzards, late-night rendezvous, digging up ghosts from Adrien’s past...this was no big deal.

Whispers about being step-brothers? No biggie. I’d survived worse. And somewhere along the way, I had picked up a bit of Adrien’s nonchalant armor. It fit better than I expected.

Still, Gigi’s worried look lingered in my mind as I navigated the crowded hallway toward my locker. That guy had a sixth sense for when I was hiding something major.

I wasn’t sure if I found that comforting or terrifying how well he knew me.

I was almost at my locker when I spotted him.

Ethan was leaning against a row of lockers halfway down the hall, talking to some cheerleader I vaguely recognized, brunette ponytail, bubbly laugh, the whole deal. She was twirling her hair and laughing up at him, and he wore that charming smile that used to make my heart race.

My heart gave an unexpected, traitorous pang.

We were on a break...my choice, my mess.

I knew Ethan wasn’t into girls; he’d trusted me with that months ago. This was probably just him being friendly or maybe even putting on an act because people expected it from a guy like him.

And I had no right, no right at all...to feel that twist of jealousy when I’d spent the weekend doing things with my stepbrother that would make the whole school combust if they found out.

But still. It hurt.

His blue eyes met mine across the hallway just then. The cheerleader kept chatting, totally unaware, but Ethan’s smile faded. For a heartbeat, we just stared at each other...me frozen like a complete idiot, him trying to read my face for something I wasn’t sure I could give. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

I turned away quickly, yanking open my locker with way more force than necessary, and my textbooks tumbled out in response.

I picked up the scattered books from the floor, letting out a deep, exhausted sigh, trying my best to avoid Ethan’s gaze. I could feel his eyes on me, steady and questioning, maybe a bit hurt and pretending not to notice only tensed my shoulders further.

I shoved the biology textbook and my notebook into my locker, slammed it shut with a loud bang that echoed down the hallway, and walked away as quickly as I could without making it look like I was running.

The stares followed me all the way to class. It wasn’t the usual curious looks, but outright gawking. Even Mr. Hargrove, who usually jumps right into his lectures about cellular respiration without taking attendance, paused mid-sentence when I slipped into my seat at the back.

The room fell silent for just a bit too long before he cleared his throat and went back to droning on about ecosystems and trophic levels.

I sank lower into my chair, flipping open my textbook to some random page just to have something to distract myself with. So what if Ethan had been chatting with a cheerleader? And so what if he was flirting with half the school...girls, guys, anyone?

We were on a break. My break.

My idea.

Yet, here I was, feeling this ridiculous twist of jealousy in my chest when I’d spent the last few doing things with Adrien that would probably make a moral committee pass out.

But knowing that didn’t ease the ache. Who would’ve thought I was this messed up?

I tried to pay attention to the lecture—something about energy flow and keystone species, but the words just blurred together. My phone buzzed softly in my pocket, and for a moment, I thought it was one of those silly school forum notifications everyone rants about.

My heart did a little leap when I snuck a peek and saw Ethan’s name instead.

Ethan💙💖: Hey. You’ve got a free period after lunch today, right?

Ethan 💙💖: Meet me at the library?

I hovered my thumb over the screen. I could lie...say I had plans, or a study group, or even a sudden case of explosive diarrhea, anything to dodge whatever chat he wanted to have.

Because I already knew it would be painful. He’d probably ask about the break, or why I’d vanished for two days, or if I was seeing someone else. And I’d have to dodge, lie, or watch his face fall again, hating myself for already hurting him.

But in the end, I typed back a simple ’ok’ because, apparently, I was a masochist.

The rest of the morning dragged on in a blur of lectures and whispers. By the time the lunch bell rang, I felt like I’d aged ten years.

I made my way to my locker to stash my books and grab my lunch bag, weaving through the crowd that parted just enough to make me feel like Moses with a backpack. Halfway there, I caught a snippet of conversation from a group of sophomores leaning against the wall.

"I never would’ve guessed Noah and Adrien were step-brothers," one said loudly, completely unbothered. "They used to hate each other so much."

"Yeah," another laughed. "Remember when he and his friends shoved him into the mud by the track last year before the pool incident? Good times. Too bad they live together now, guess he has to be nice."

A third voice chimed in with a dramatic sigh. "Tragic. We’ll never get to see them knock his books out of his hands again."

Something hot and sharp flared in my chest. I stopped, turned slowly, and shot them a glare that I’d picked up from Adrien, half bored, half ready to pounce.

"I hope you know I fucking have ears," I said pleasantly, "and I can hear you just fine."

They went pale, stumbled over each other with apologies, and scattered like startled pigeons.

I started walking again, pulse racing, but also... kind of proud? The old me would’ve shrunk away and scurried off. New me apparently had a spine made of steel, little zero patience for stupidity and borrowed attitude.

I was still riding that little high when I turned into a quieter stretch of hallway near the science wing, only for the janitor’s closet door to swing open.

A hand shot out, grabbed my wrist, and yanked me inside without any ceremony.

I stumbled into the dim, chemical-scented space, heart racing, ready to scream or swing only to find Adrien shutting the door behind us, glancing down the hall quickly to make sure no one was watching. He turned the lock with a soft click, then leaned back against the door, arms crossed, grinning like he’d just pulled off the perfect prank.

"What the hell?" I hissed, clutching my chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! I thought I was being kidnapped by the mafia!"