Chapter 1 Chapter One

I am outside my boyfriend’s apartment. I just took a 10-hour flight from East Coat to the West, transferred twice, switched subway, and then bus, just to get here in time to surprise him on his birthday. And here I am. Listening to him fucking another woman inside that door. “Oh yes…oh Zack babe…fuck me! Fuck!” I can clearly hear the bed rattling, sweaty flesh smashing against each other, husky morns of pleasure. I clamp my hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming. All these times he’s been begging me to come and visit, and this is his welcome gift? Cheating on me with another woman? I feel betrayed, furious, and disgusted. Before I know it, I’m banging on his apartment door. “Zack! Open the fucking door! Zack!” The sound suddenly stops. A moment later, the door flies open as Zack appears behind it. His chest is naked, hair all raffled, I can still see all the hickey on his neck. “Nat!” His eyes widen in panic, “What are you doing here?” I can’t stop my voice from trembling. “What the hell are you doing? Have you been cheating on me? Who is in there!” I shove him aside and try to push myself into the door. But Zack grabs my arm and stops me, as he growls, “Calm down! Will you?” He runs his fingers through his hair, obviously frustrated. “Look…Nat, I never meant for you to find out about this. But think about it, for the past one year we are almost never together. You never visit. What do you expect me to do?” I can’t believe my ear. He is the cheater. And somehow, I’m responsible. “What to do? I expect you to keep your thing inside of your pants. Is that really so hard?” His forehead twists into a frown. “Come on, Nat.” Finally he said, “Don’t be a baby.” My heart is bumping repeatedly against my chest. I glare at him and boom through my clenched teeth, “Never, ever, call me a BABY! You disgusting, cheating, PIG!” I slap him, so hard across the face that his head almost knocks on the doorframe. Before he realizes what happened, I turn my heel and stride away. I rush out of the building and suddenly realize it’s pouring outside. I want to head back, but the entrance door is already locked. Great job, Natalia. You just locked yourself in the rain. “Fuck…” I wipe the rain off my face and take out my phone. I want to call someone. The top one and two person on my contact list are Jenna and my dad, none of whom supported my idea of coming here in the first place. The last thing I need right now is another “you should have” lecture. I scroll down my contact list while my body shivers in the rain. Suddenly my finger stops at someone’s name. I’ve never thought about contacting this person…but I am exhausted and soaking wet and have no place to go to. What better idea do I have left? ** One hour later, my cab pulls over in front a townhouse. This is the most prestigious area in the city. You gotta have both the money and the power to be part of this community. Now as I open the passenger door, someone rushes over and opens an umbrella for me. “God what happened! You are drenched! Why can’t you give me a call and let me pick you up at the airport?” I let her drag me into the house. “Mom I’m fine…I’m probably just here for one night.” “What are you talking about?” her tone rises, “Aren’t you here to—” “I’m not here to visit you, mom.” I tell her, matter-of-factly. “Oh.” The smile on her face faints, as she tucks a lock of hair to the back of her ear, apparently embarrassed. My mom is undeniably stunning, with her oval blue eyes and thick brown hair cascades down past her shoulder. She is well aware of her physical attractiveness, probably why she left my dad years ago and threw herself right into the arms of a billionaire. I resemble her a lot, like looking into the mirror. Zack once said he fell for me instantly the first time he saw me and he compliments me all the time about how good I look. But I don’t care much about my appearance. And as it turns out, a pretty face is not enough to hold onto a cheating soul. Seeing the sad look on mom’s face, I already regretted my earlier decision. “Are…Mr. Ramirez and Eason home? If this is not a good time, I can easily get room at the hotel.” “No!” said my mom quickly, “Shawn is away for business trip and Eason is staying at his penthouse. You can stay in his old room tonight. Come, I’ll show you.” So my stepbrother has a penthouse. Why am I not surprise? Eason’s old room is on the second floor, first door to the left. When mom opens his bedroom door for me, suddenly it’s like clock has been turned back. Everything is the same as I remembered it. Posters on the wall, his skateboard at the corner, and a glass cabinet showcasing all his antique collections. Eason loves to collect weird and funny stuffs when he travels abroad. All his collections are shockingly expensive. One time I wanted to use a teacup in his collection to drink water, and he told me this seemingly normal teacup is actually passed down from Victoria Era and worth thousands of dollars. It shocked the crap out of me. But he just laughed and tossed me the teacup like it’s no big deal, saying I can have anything that I like. Awkward as it is between me and my mom, I do miss Eason. “I always keep his room tidy and clean, in case he wants to stay the night.” Mom holds the door for me, “but if you’re not comfortable with staying in his room, just give me half-an-hour, I’ll get the guest room ready for you.” I cut her off. “No that’s fine.” “Alright, then.” She seems to have something else to say but eventually swallows it back. “Love you baby, sleep tight.” She brings my backpack inside and close the door for me. Once I’m alone by myself, I immediately sink to the floor. Closing my eyes, I can still hear Zack banging her and both of them growls in pleasure. That makes my stomach swirl with disgust. I slip into Eason’s bed, pulling up the bed sheet to cover my head. His beddings smell like mint and oak wood, a smell that quickly soothes me. I crawl deeper into the bed, immerse myself into the warmth. It almost feels like someone is holding me. Too bad Eason isn’t here. Although we haven’t spoken to each other for 3 years, I can really use some company right now… ** I cry myself into sleep. When the morning sunshine falls in through the window, the headache is like a chainsaw slicing my scalp apart. “Ugh…” I moan. I’m desperately in need of a cold shower. Eason’s bathroom is spotless, doesn’t even have a bottle of shampoo or conditioner. I wonder how long he hasn’t been home. I turn on the shower and flinch at the ice-cold water running down my skin, but this is just what I need to clear up my head. But then it occurs to me, I left my backpack and clean clothes outside. And there’s not even a towel for me to cover my body. Of course, I don’t feel comfortable walking around naked in my stepbrother’s bedroom. But he’s not around and I should be fine. I crack the door open, making sure no one is outside, and quickly sneak out. Mom stored my backpack in the closet last night. Now as I yank the closet door open and pull out the backpack strap, a box is knocked off and falls to the floor. “What the—” I look down and gasp. It’s a box of condoms. Funny how his room doesn’t even own a towel but has a full box of condoms in storage. And the next second, the bedroom door flies open. I jerk around and scream at the sight of a strange young man standing beside the door.

Chapter 2 Chapter Two

I leap at the bed sheet and cover my body with it. The man is apparently shocked as well. His hand still rests on the doorknob, taking in the sight that he’s seeing. “Who the hell are you!” I snap, “Don’t you know how to knock??” The man is tall and shockingly good-looking. His brown hair is in natural curls, which suits his pretty face. His eyes widen with surprise and then gradually squints. His lip suddenly curls into a smile and holds up his arm as he leans against the door. I can’t believe he just stares. How rude! “Can you not look??” The smile on his lip deepens into a sarcastic angel. “Can you get out of my room?” His room? I look at him blankly for two seconds and suddenly take in a sharp inhale. “Oh my god…Eason?” He sure has changed a lot. Taller, prettier, looking more like a man. I even catch a glimpse of a tattoo on the side of his neck. We spent one summer three years ago when my parents got divorced. It was such a great time. I was so sad when I had to leave for Miami to live with my dad. So I asked him to call or visit. But he never did. I tried to call him, but he rarely answered. We gradually grew apart. This is the first time we speak to each other in almost three years. “Um…” I’m a little overwhelmed. I want to give him a reunion hug and suddenly realize I’m still naked, “Eason. I’m so happy to see you. But can you close the door for me? I’m kindda in the middle of—” He casually nods and closes the door. Behind him. I widen my eyes as he strides over and approaches me. I take a few steps back. He pushes When my bare buns touch the wallpaper, I suddenly realize now I’m trapped between the wall and him. He’s so close, chest almost touching my shoulders. He lowers his eyeline and gaze gradually fixes on me. I must be going insane right now. But he just felt so different. Not like Eason at all. Like some stranger with an amazing smell of mint and oak. This stranger makes my pulse quicken. “Eason…” I stutter. I remember he has emerald green eyes. But now his pupil is completely black, so dark that it’s like an abyss luring me in. I should look away, but I can’t. Then he sneers and takes a step back. “So, I saw you invite yourself into my closet without my permission?” My thought is still on his eyes. “What—no. It’s a mistake. My backpack is in your closet, and I was trying to get my—”“Then why are you in my room?” He cuts me off, “Why do you even come back?” I feel bewildered and hurt. “I’m sorry but mom said you don’t live here and I’m just here for one night. So, I thought it’s fine.” But somehow, he seems even more angry. “One night?” he says with a nasty tone, “so you just love to show up, ruin everyone’s plan and disappear again, right? Like you are the princess and the sun orbits around you!” My jaw drops. But before I could react, he turns his heels and storms out of the room. What the fuck was that? Where is that sweet and charming Eason, who would give me the brightest smile whenever he sees me? Has he been using drugs and messed up his mind? I quickly get dressed. Before leaving the room, I still decide to clean the mess on the floor. My cheeks burn when I thought of these condoms belong to Eason. I rush downstair and catch mom coming out of the kitchen. “Morning Nat. Do you want to have some breakfast?”“Where is Eason?” I ask. I want to talk to him about what just happened. But my mom seems even more surprised. “He’s back?” Then I hear the engine sound from the garage. I run to the window and just in time to catch a sport car disappears around the street corner. Mom comes to my side. “Did you bump into him? My god…hope he’s not mad with you staying in his room.” He can be mad. But he doesn’t have to be such a jerk. I thought to myself. “Ok, enough of him.” Mom holds my hand, “What do you say we go out for brunch? Then we can go shopping and have our nails and hair done. When was the last time we shop together?” Shopping with mom is horrible. The last time I went out with her, she looted the entire mall without a blink. The sale assistant at Hermès has to temporarily close the store just for us. I was half-scared that Mr. Ramirez would blame her lavish spending. But the man only complimented mom’s taste when he got home. Then I gradually realize, “lavish” doesn’t exist in Ramirez’s dictionary. The wealth that this family possess exceeds my imagination. Now my mom seems so overly excited. I hate to break it to her. “Mom, I’m leaving today.” I’ve got no reason to stay. Turns out my boyfriend is a cheating pig. And the heir of this townhouse apparently doesn’t like me in his territory. “No! Don’t leave, not so soon, ok?” mom begs. I’m surprised to find tears welled up in her eyes. “Stay for another couple of days. Your semester won’t begin in at least a month. What’s the hurry? Let’s go out for brunch and you can tell me what brings you back this time.” I remain silent. I push back the urge of asking her if she wants me to stay so bad, then why did she leave me and my dad in the first place? But I don’t want to be so cruel to her. “Mom…” Before I can finish, my phone buzz. I take it out and is surprised to find it’s Zack. [Nat. Can we meet up? At least let me explain.] That shameless bastard has the face to come back to me. I sneer at his text. Wondering what else he has got to say. Maybe he deserves another slap from me. [Ok. But not at your place.] He texts me an address. “Mom, I need to go…somewhere.” I tell her, “Maybe we can have dinner together?”“Sure!” mom’s face lights up. “You need a car? Or I can drive you myself.” I don’t need her to spoil me with my stepfather’s money, so I take the bus. An hour later, I find myself in Boston’s most bustling and extravagant mall, and I suddenly realize Zack’s plan. Whenever we fight, he’d take me to a fancy restaurant where waiters wear black ties and pulls out the chair for you. I lost my temper once in a restaurant like these, and must have the most awkward conversation with the manager. So, I try my best to hold the anger in that kind of environment. Zack knows my weakness and he use it against me whenever he needs my forgiveness. If I never caught him cheating, it’d probably take longer for me to realize he’s such a condescending, manipulative jerk. I lift my head, puff out my chest, and march into the restaurant. The waiter leads me to our table. Zack’s already sitting there. His face expression all normal, not a shred of guilt in him. He stands up to greet me, but I ignore him. He passes me a menu. “You must be hungry. Let’s order first.”“No.” I say, sternly, “If you got nothing to say, I’m leaving.” He pulses for a second and lets out a heavy sign. He crosses his fingers together and places them on the table, trying to look sincere. “Nat, last night was a mistake.” He says, “It’s just a one-time thing, it never happened before I swear. I’m so so sorry. I just—I just really miss you and when you’re not around, it’s hard for me.”“You miss me so much that you have to fuck another woman?” I ask. He frowns upon my words. “No! Look, I was drunk alright? I’d never do this with a sound mind.” Trying to blame the alcohol? I can sense fury building inside of my body. “Just say what you want.”“I want you.” He reaches out and tries to grab my hand, “I don’t want us to break up because I made a stupid mistake. But could you please move to Boston? Your mom and stepfather live here anyway. Long distant is too hard, and everything will be alright once we are together.” I laugh. Maybe a little too loud. People turn around and look at us. “Don’t blame distance and the wine. You cheated on me because you want to mess with other women. Even if I move back, you’d still cheat. Nothing will ever change.” I know this. Because this is how my parents got divorced. Zack seems offended. “Oh, so you’re the saint now? Maybe I sleep with others because my girlfriend can’t satisfy me. Ever think of that?” What did he just say? I jump up from my seat, chair scratches the hardwood floor making a screeching noise. Now everyone in the restaurant is starring. I glower at Zack, breath quickening, just when I’m about to shout back, he stands up as well. “Natalia.” He warns, “Be civil. Don’t forget where we are at.” I can feel people’s staring. And quiet whispering all around the room. I’m totally causing a scene. Then I hear footstep approaching me from behind. I wince in fear that it might be the manager, but suddenly I’m pulled into a muscled chest and immersed in that wonderful smell of mint and oak once again. I look up and find Eason standing by my side. He is dressed in a casual white t-shirt and jeans, but he still gives off an aura of supercity. I can sense all the ladies in the restaurant are quietly checking on him. “Hey there.” He reveals a friendly smile and offers his hand, “Natalia’s boyfriend, right? I don’t think we’ve met. Eason Ramirez. Nat’s brother.” Zack is confused but he leans in anyway to shake hand with Eason. The next second, Eason’s hand drops. He casually grabs the water on the table and spills the entire glass right onto Zack’s face.

Chapter 3 Chapter Three

Holy f— I clamp my hands over my mouth to stop the screaming. Gasp and sharp inhales coming from every corner of the restaurant. Zack is beyond shock. He freezes, as water dripping down his hair and forehead. He slowly looks up and seems still can’t believe what has just happened. Eason is probably the only person not freaking out. He calmly places the glass back and smiles at Zack. “It suits you.”“Are you FUCKING insane?” Zack shouts. He points at Eason and then directs at me, “Who the fuck is this guy, Natalia? What’s the matter with—” Eason grips his wrist before he can finish. Eason’s expression darkens, almost scary to look at. Inch by inch, he pushes down Zack’s hand. “Don’t point at her, ever again.” He states, word by word. I’m still in trance. Everything happened too fast. How did Eason know I’m here? And why is he standing up for me? He was such a jerk this morning. What changed? Zack cringes. He’s about the same size as Eason, but apparently he is afraid to fight him. “Waiter!” Zack snaps his head at the waiter rushing towards us. “This man just attacked me! I want to call police!” My heart suddenly drops. I can’t believe how shameless he can be. But he’s going to get everyone into trouble. “Zack!” I hiss, “There’s no need for that.” Eason snorts. “It’s ok. Let him tell on us.” The waiter approaches us. Yet surprisingly, he turns to Eason and me first and slightly bows. “Can I help you with anything, Mr. Ramirez?” …Mr. Ramirez? Right, how can I forget? If Zack is a patronizing rich bastard, then Eason is ten times what he is. My heartrate is back to normal. Now I want to laugh so bad. Zack’s fossilized face is amusing to be looked at. Eason holds me in his arm and nods at the waiter. “Yes. You heard the man. There has been some shouting and attacking. Better call the police before things escalate.” I stop my laughter. “Wait Eason…let him go.” As pleasant as it is to see Zack go down to hell, I can’t bare spending another second with him. I’ve had enough fun. That should be enough. “You sure?” Eason looks at me. He seems so normal right now, like a protective big brother. I nod. “Whatever Miss Moore prefers then.” It’s strange to hear him call me “Miss Moore.” But I don’t hate the ring of it. Zack glowers at us and quickly storms out of the restaurant. I want to thank Eason for everything, but before I could do that, he turns back at me and gives me a small snort of laughter. “So that’s your Prince Charming huh?” I frown. I don’t like his sarcastic tone, but I’m still grateful for what he just did. “I already broke up with him. Anyway, thanks for everything.” Yet Eason ignores my gratitude. Both hands in his pocket, he looks down at me and seems more condescending than ever. “Sure you did.” He chuckles, “You love the hypocrite type. As long as they write huge checks to animal shelter and pretend to care about global warming, you’d let them do anything. No matter how much of a jerk he really is.” My jaw drops. What’s with all the mood swing?! One minute he’s this loving and protective big brother, and the next minute he just turns into this malicious monster. He must be on drugs. “Are you seriously judging my love life?” I snap, “Oh I’m sure Mr. Playboy must have a lot to say about this. Because he has so many condoms in his closet and has to sleep with almost every woman he ever set eyes on!” Eason’s green eyes burn with flame of fury. He shouts back, “I won’t sleep with you! That’s for sure!” My mouth falls open. What did he just say? Eason seems to be shocked by his own words as well. His ears are red, but he continues to glower at me, not flinching away. Our fight has caused almost everyone in the restaurant to put down their food and enjoy the scene. The waiter tries to break our tension. “Mr. Ramirez, do you want to use our balcony?”“Yeah go to your fancy balcony!” I yell at him, “I’m out of here.” I rush out of the restaurant. It’s a huge mistake coming down here. No, it’s a huge mistake coming down to Boston. I should have listened to dad and Jenna on this. Mom is home when I get back. She’s surprise to see my lunch plan end so quick. “So soon? Did you have a good time?”“No. It’s awful.” I sit on the couch, frustrated. “Eason is an asshole.”“What happened?” mom moves closer to me and pours me a cup of hot tea, “I thought you and Eason were getting along.” Mom has the charisma of making people open up to her. Before I realize, I have already told her everything. “Oh Nat, I’m sorry about your boyfriend.” She gently rubs my shoulder. “Ex, boyfriend.” I correct her. “Yes, sorry.” She smiles, “And about Eason…well I’m sure he meant well. He’s just not good at expressing his feelings. Despite his pride and everything, I think he really likes you.”“He maybe, three years ago. But not anymore.” I murmur, “Now he hates me.” And I have no idea why. Mom seems to disagree. “Well maybe you don’t know the whole story. I still remember when you left three years ago, Eason went through quiet a hard time.” I look up to her, confused. “That’s when he moved out.” Mom signs, “He got into a huge fight with Shawn. They rarely talk to each other since. He’s become quite…well how should I put it…gloomy.” Eason and gloomy? I highly doubt that. “Mom, this is far-fetching. I think he’s just upset because you and Mr. Ramirez were getting married. I have nothing to do with this.”“No. I don’t think he cares that much about our marriage.” Mom smiles wanly, “But can you try to be friend with Eason? It’s already hard enough to have two people ignoring each other under this roof.”“Mom.” I try to remind her, “I’m not staying. In fact, I’m leaving today.” There’s nothing worth sticking around for. It’s already bad enough to get dumped by my boyfriend, I don’t need to stay here and admire my mom’s happy remarried life. Plus, it’d be too awkward now to stay in Eason’s bedroom. I rush upstairs to pack my bag, despite mom calling my name behind me. I ignore her and dial dad’s number. He picks up on the first ring, “Nat, everything alright?”“Yeah. Just want you to know I’m coming home today. Can you pick me up at the airport later?” He sounds surprised, “Today? But Nat…I thought you were going to stay a bit longer.”“Well, if you can’t come, I can take the shuttle. No worries.” His voice tenses up even more, “It’s not that…I thought that—I mean why don’t you stay at your mom’s place, for a while longer?” My body becomes stiff. I can sense a trace of nervous and embarrassment in his tone. “Dad…” I gulp, “Are you asking me not to come home?”

Chapter 4 Chapter Four

I don’t believe this. He didn’t want me to come down to Boston earlier. What happened? What changed? Dad mumbles over the phone, “Of course you are welcome to come back. It’s just—I think you should spend more time with your mom. When was the last time you visit her? Maybe this is a great chance for you to bond.” I don’t buy that. “How long do you want me to stay here?” He falls into silence. My mouth goes dry. And my heart is falling into a bottomless pit. After a long wait, I decide to make this easier for him. “Dad. What is the real reason?” Another painful silence. He finally speaks up. “…Hallie wants to move in with me.” His voice so low. Almost hard to catch up, “I thought it might be awkward if you two are both here at the beginning.” My mind went completely blank. I don’t know what to think, nor what to say. But I guess my reaction doesn’t really matter to these people anyway. “So, this is it?” I grip the phone till my knuckles turn white, “You are kicking me out because you want to please your girlfriend?”“No!” Dad’s voice is squeaky, seems like he’s trying to hide the guilt, “I’m just afraid that you’d be uncomfortable. And I talked to your mom, Boston has better education. Maybe you’ll have a greater chance getting into a better college if you stay there.” So mom is in this too. And it’s a long-term plan. Oh yes. Just looking out for me. As they have always been. When they first got divorced, mom also kindly suggested me go to Miami with my dad because she was afraid that I would be “uncomfortable” here. And the same excuse again. I am a soccer ball to them? They can just kick me aside whenever they don’t want me around? “Nat?” Dad calls my name, “This is up to you really. If you want to come back—” I quietly hang up on him. I put away my phone and walk out of the room. Mom is standing in the hallway, twisting her frail fingers, looking nervous. “Nat. Did he tell you?” She comes to me, “About his girlfriend Hallie?”“Yes. And his plan of getting rid of me.” I grip my first and ask through my clenched teeth, “Have you ever thought of what I want? Why do you have to decide my life for me!” Mom takes a sharp inhale. Her eyes are filled with tears and sadness. But I don’t really care what she thinks right now. I rush out of the townhouse. I don’t really know where to go. I thought I could stay with Zack when I came here, but that plan went to drain; I wanted to go back to Miami, but I was kicked out; my mom and that fancy townhouse shut the door on me long ago, so I don’t really want to stay there either. Guess I am homeless. I wander around aimlessly and end up on a bus going out of town. The bus bumps up and down for more than two hours. I cry and fall asleep during the trip. When I wake up again, the bus has already stopped. “Final stop, kid!” The driver shouts at me. I stumble off and find myself nearby a city park. Through the woods I can vaguely see the sea. It’s getting dark now. Might not be a good idea going into the park. I slump onto a bench and start to question the point of this runaway. It’s silly. Can I really live a life on my own without ever returning? I have exactly $529 on my account, which can’t last a month. Not to mention I will start college next year… I want to scream, cry and smash things. What have I done to deserve this life?! My phone has been buzzing nonstop. I take it out and find a ton of missing calls: mom, dad, Jenna…even Eason and Mr. Ramirez. I can’t believe mom told everyone about this. I lay back on the bench and gaze blankly into the air. Maybe I’ll go back and suck up with whatever plans they’ve made for me. But tonight, just tonight, I want to be alone. Suddenly I hear heavy footsteps. I look up and find a group of drunk men coming around the corner. They are pretty wasted, I can smell the vodka as they approaching me. It’s an open street. But there’s no one around except us. “Hey!” one of the men spotted me, “What are you doing there!” My pulse quickens. I quickly stand up, ducking my head down to avoid eye contact, and hurry down the road. I pray for them to get lost. But today isn’t my lucky day. Heavy footstep tags along as they keep teasing me with whistles and dirty jokes. “Hey where are you going? Get back there!” They all burst into laughter. I start running as I fumble in my pocket in search of my phone and call someone. The phone slips through my fingers during the chaos. I crouch down to find it. But someone suddenly grasps my shoulder from behind. “No!” I scream, “Get away from me!”“Shush…” someone locks both of my hands and presses my body against the tree. I start yelling for help, but he covers my mouth to muffle my words. “This one is feisty. I like her.” His friends chortle and gather around. My body is shivering. I tried the kicking and biting, but none of those works. These are tough-built man and, even drunk, are still way stronger than me. I’ve never thought of this even in my worst nightmare. Desperate eating me alive. I bite my tongue till copper taste fills my mouth, as tears drop down my cheeks and falls on a man’s hand. “She’s crying!” someone shouts in excitement, “Go gentle on her.” I can smell his terrible breath, like rotten fish and putrid water. I hold my breath and close the eyes, giving up on any useless resistance. Headlights pierce through darkness as a sport car flies around the corner making a shrill noise. Everyone is startled and turns back to look. The car full speeds towards us and makes a sudden stop, almost hitting a drunk man. “Hey!” shouts the man, “look where you are going!” The driver’s door bursts open. A tall figure immerses from the bright headlight. My eyes squint at the strong light but, the next second, I recognized him. It’s amazing how you can feel so desperate and fear one moment and the next totally safe and secure. My vision is blurred by tears as I take in a shuddering breath. It’s Eason. As shocking and miraculous as it may be, he found me. He marches towards us without any hesitation and pulls a heavy punch on the man closest to him. The man yells in pain and staggers back. This all happens so fast. Before they realize, he has knocked down a few of them with ease. I dive aside. At first, I was still worried since they clearly outnumbered him. But a few moments later I realize there’s no way they can beat him. “Get the fuck out of my sight!” he deeply growls, pulling me into his arms. No one dares to challenge him. They immediately turn on their heels and run off into the darkness. As soon as they disappear, the last bit of strength that keeps me standing vanishes. I almost collapse onto the ground, but he catches me. “What the hell are you thinking?!” he roars onto my face. “What if I didn’t get here in time? What if I never found you? Before you shut off you phone, have you thought of the consequences!” My heart’s still pounding from what happened earlier. The way he looks at me right now makes me want to scream and disappear. But his hands are still holding my arms firmly. Having nowhere to hide, I am forced to look back at him as tears scream down my face. He freezes. Gradually, the fury in his eyes fades away, giving way to a more complex emotion. “Stop crying.” He rigidly orders. But he sounds way less commanding than he needs to be. Then I go from sobbing to wailing. I bury my face into his shoulders and let my tears wet his clothes. He didn’t push me away. Instead, he holds on to me tighter, one arm around my waist and the other gently holding the back of my head. I feel safe in his arms. So I cry and cry, venting out all my sorrow and suffering. Between the choking sound I made, I hear his husky low voice mutters into my ears. “I was worried sick.”

Chapter 5 Chapter Five

It takes me a long time to quiet down. Then it suddenly occurs to me that my eyes are all red and puffed. Feeling embarrassed, I slightly push him away. “Can you not look?” I said in a whisper. “Your eyes are what you are worried about?” Great, the sarcastic version of him is back. I heave a long sign and groan, “Please let me know if you are going to begin the judging. So I can be prepared.” He glares at me. But I’m not afraid. Somehow his angry face makes me want to laugh. “Glad to entertain you.” He taunts. “…Sorry.” I manage to push my lips down, “How did you find me?” He signs. “Your mom called me. I don’t think you would take the taxi. And there’s only one bus stop near the house. So I followed the route, searched every bus stop.” My heart twitches with guilt. What I did was childish. And he’s right, if he didn’t get here in time, something horrible could have happened. “Maybe I should call mom.” I stutter. I know I should call her and put her mind at ease. But my head is still a complete chaos and it’s terrifying just thinking how she would react to tonight’s event. Eason notices my reluctant. “I can call her. If you don’t want to.”“Really? You would do that?”“Sure.” He shrugs, “I’ve done you two big favors today. Why not make it a third?” I laugh and I know he’s right. He walks away to make a quick phone call. Moments later he comes back, and I am nervous. “What did she say?” I ask, “You didn’t tell her about the—about what happened did you?”“No. She just asked me to keep you safe.” I’m relieved. I can deal with mom and whatever she has to say tomorrow. Tonight I’ll be fine. “I guess you don’t want to head home right now, do you?” he grins, “I’ve got a plan for us. Hop in.” He goes to open the door for me. I’ve never ridden a sport car before. The space is restricted, making my whole body tightly anchored to the seat. Guess this car isn’t built for comfort. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, fumbling for the seatbelt. Eason gets in the driver’s seat, both hands on steering wheel, squinting at me with a frown on his face. “What?” embarrassed, I mutter. I’m a bit worried that he’d make fun of my ignorance. The next second, he suddenly leans forward, cornering me between his chest and the seat. I immediately stiffen. His presence is so apparent, making the already confined room even more crowded. He’s so close that I can literally count his thick long eyelashes. “Why? What do you want?” I stutter. A slight smile touches his lips. He leans in even more and grabs something from behind my side. “Nothing.” he sits back and chuckles quietly, “Just getting your seatbelt for you.” I feel stupid of having my head all swirly around him. But he’s way too attractive that sometimes I forgot he’s my stepbrother. The drive is quiet at first. None of us speaks up. But Eason seems to be in a nice mood, since he’s been tapping rhythmically on the steer wheel. When we are finally on the free road, he turns around and asks me: “Ready for something fun?” My guard is up. His version of “fun” can’t possibly mean the same thing as mine. “Maybe, what do you have in mind?” He grins at me widely and then turns on the music. I immediately cover my ear. The sound is unbearable! It shouldn’t be called as music, just loud, annoying, frantic noise! “Turn it off! Now!” I shout. “You will be thanking me soon!” he shouts back over the sound. Suddenly he hits the pedal to the metal. I feel my body being thrusted forward, like a truck has hit me from behind, and snapped back to the seat. The roaring engine, the howling wind and the heavy metal music are almost deafening! It’s like being thrown on a goddamn rollercoaster! I scream on top my lung. “What the fuck! Stop!” He slightly releases the gas, but the speed is still so fast. “Relax! Just enjoy it!” How can I possibly enjoy it?! It’s more like torture! But after the initial panic passes, a strange electricity runs down my spine. My mind is completely blank and my body so light that it almost feels like flying. I don’t want to admit it. But he’s right…this is thrilling! He notices my change of expression and shouts to me over the wind. “Having fun?”“Eyes on the road!” I scream and he laughs. The ride is shorter than I expect. Before I realize, we have already exited the free road and pull into the city. My heart is still pounding from earlier excitement as he smiles at me, “You like it?”“Yeah.” I admit, “But next time give me a head up.” He laughs. “Already planning on our next ride? I’ll see how my schedule fit to it.” I laugh along, but then suddenly realize, I must not be the only girl he has brought to a car-racing before. In fact, this sport car is such a woman killer that he must have pulled this act a thousand times. My heart sinks a bit thinking of this. I’ve always knew Eason is popular among girls, but it has never bothered me as much. Maybe because he has changed so much, and I’m still not used to it. “What’s on your mind?” he can be so observant sometimes. “Nothing.” I lie and look up. We are pulling into the driveway in front of a fancy building. “Where are we?”“My place.” Eason kills the engine and clears his throat, “I thought…I don’t know. If you don’t want to go back home, you can stay here for tonight. I have extra rooms.” He’s nice to me again. I look to him directly and sincerely say, “Thank you Eason.” He casually shrugs, as if it’s no big deal. But I can tell that he’s not so use to other’s gratitude. I smile to myself and follow him into the building. His apartment is on the top floor, the penthouse of course. When we exit the elevator and he opens the door, I immediately take in a sharp inhale. I’ve imagined his place to be huge. But I’ve never pictured…this. The living room is shockingly spacious, featuring a glazed wall overlooking the entire city. Soft lights come to life as we step inside, illuminating the light-colored room décor. The brown leather sofa and ivory hardwood floor are very harmonious to each other. This room looks like a picture from a home design magazine. “Wow.” I don’t know what to say, “Wow!” He chuckles and gesture me to come inside. “Thanks for the compliment.” I walk around and carefully put my hand on an ornament sitting on the table. “This looks nothing like a house for a student.”“Yeah well. I didn’t want to stay in the townhouse. So this is what I get.” I snort a laughter. “Most student rent a studio with shared bathroom or live on campus if they don’t want to stay with parents. They don’t get this.”“And I’m glad you like it.” He smiles as he opens the fridge and tosses me a bottle of ice beer. I really shouldn’t be drinking. But thinking about everything that happened today, I decide that I deserve a sip. Eason pops up his can and sits next to me, “Do you want to talk about why you stormed out this afternoon?” I fall into silent. I still feel hurt, but I don’t resist the idea of telling him. So I told him, from how I plan to surprise Zack on his birthday to how I got kicked out by my dad. “That means…you are staying?” he asks. For some reason, his tone sounds odd, as if he’s trying to suppress some strong feelings. “I guess.” I groan. “I can’t believe this. I’m so used to Miami now and I can’t imagine I must start over on my senior year.” He doesn’t seem to be so happy. “You are only in Miami for 3 years. You were born in Boston.”“Yeah, still.” I turn around at him, “But you know what? If I stay, I might end up in your school. That’s not so bad, is it?” He looks at me with a gentle gleam in his eyes. Gradually, he curls his lips and forms a smile. “Yeah, that’s not so bad.” He grins. That smile is probably the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I know he’s my stepbrother and everything, but my heart race still quickens because of him from time to time. Without thinking twice, something slips out through my lips. “Can I ask you something?” He raises his eyebrows. “Sure.” There’s no turning back. I take in a swallow. “Why do you hate me?” He looks at me for a long time, face unreadable. I suddenly feel nervous under his gaze. I want to change the subject, but he suddenly leans in and closes the gap between us. His voice husky and gentle. And he asks me, “Why do you think I do?”

Chapter 6 Chapter Six

I slightly open my mouth, but no words come out of it. I completely lost track of what I’m going to say. A moment later, I stutter, “isn’t it obvious? You chase me out of your room. You shout at me at the restaurant. And you—”“And I drove around crazy trying to find you, I fought for you, and I risked getting a ticket just to cheer you up.” He shrugs, “yeah, I must have hated your guts.” I flush. That’s why he confuses me. “Thanks.” He grins, “as long as you feel better.” I truly do. The way I feel around him…it’s so new and exciting and thrill. Being with him is such an adventure that it blows my head off. I know that’s partially because he comes from a different world than I do. But I don’t hate it when he gets his rich on, not the way I hated Zack. And that’s why he’s so different. We talk for a while and finish the beer. And he leads me to the guest room. “Bathroom is inside. You’ll find anything you need…towels included.” I giggle. “Anything in particular that I should keep my hands off?” He lets out a short laugh. “No. Just make yourself at home.” We both smile at each other. Just when I’m about to say goodnight, he gently lets me into his arm, giving me a short and warm hug. “Goodnight Natalia.” Before I can react, he takes a step back and closes the door for me. *** I had a hard time falling sleep. But once I did, I slept surprisingly well. I wake up feeling refreshed. Breaking up with Zack, running away and chased by some scums in the park all seem like a century ago. I stretch a little in bed and reach out for my phone. God, it’s almost 5 in the afternoon. How long did I sleep? I’m also not too surprised to find hundreds of missing texts and calls from mom. I sign and toss it aside. My mom and her nagging can wait. The house is super quiet when I come out. Seems like no one is around. I walk around a bit and see a slide door on the glazed wall. It was too dark last night so I didn’t notice. I stride over and slide the door open. Then I got completely astonished by the view outside. There is an infinity pool outside. Golden afternoon sunshine casts down on the sparkling water, as a muscular body emerges from it, creating radiating ripples. Hearing the door, he pulls himself to the surface and draws his wet hair to the back of his head. Gleaming drops run down his broad shoulders to his firm chest, he seems so handsome and godlike. “Hey.” He reveals a grin to me, “you are a late sleeper.” I step outside and crouch down by the pool. “If your house has a rocket ship, I still won’t be surprised.” He laughs. Green eyes glitter with joy. I suddenly feel a pull inside of my heart. God he is so hot and attractive…almost toxic. No girl on earth can resist him. He swims over and place his arms on the curb. “Care to join me?” I gulp. “No thanks.”“Why not?”“Well for one thing, I don’t have a swimming suit.” He shrugs. “Take off your shirt and swim in your bra.” I gasp at his bold statement. “No! Not in a million years, no!” He whines. “What’s the big deal. We used to swim together all the time. You’ve grown into a prude you know that?” Yes we swim together a lot, that summer three years ago. During that time, I see him only as my brother and friend. But we have both changed a lot since. Now it makes me blush just thinking of taking my shirt in front of him. He extends a hand to me. “Come. The water is warm.” I am still fighting with the temptation as he suddenly takes a pull at my pants, almost yanking me off the curb. “What the hell!” I steady myself and yell, “Let go off me.” He bursts into laughter and is about to say something, when my phone suddenly buzzes. I take it out and, of course, it’s my mom. “Nat! Babe, are you alright? Gosh I was so worried last night. Where have you been? How did Eason find you? Where were you two last night?” I have to chime in before she throws more questions at me, “Mom I’m fine. I am at Eason’s place.”“Oh.” She sounds relived, “when are you coming back? At least talk to me. We can work everything out together—”“I need some time.” I pause, “Alone.” Mom falls into silence. I can tell she’s breaking down piece by piece, but she’s not going to win me over this time with tears and pleas. She has coped with my father to banish me. I deserve some alone time. Then someone else speaks up on the other end. “Natalia. It’s Shawn.” I involuntarily sit up straight. “Yes. Hi Mr. Ramirez.” Eason’s father always scares the crap out of me. He is nice to me, no doubt, but he is also a very intimidating guy that no one dares to joke around. I’ve never passed first name basis with him. “You mom has been very concerned. We are all relieved to hear that you are alright.” I stutter. “Yeah, I’m fine…and I’m sorry that you have to fly back because of me.”“My business trip is ending anyway. So, are you coming back today? We can all have dinner together if you want.” I want to decline his offer. But Shawn Ramirez is not a person you can say no to. During my hesitation, he speaks up again, “Or if you want to stay with Eason for a couple more days, that’s fine too.” I feel a tuck at my heart. Stay with Eason? But like…me and him alone? In his apartment? I take a quick glimpse at Eason, who is still standing in the water and watching me closely. Yet the more important question is: would he let me stay? “Natalia?”“That sounds great.” My answer slips out before I realize. “Awesome.” Mr. Ramirez sounds pleased, “Let me know if he gives you a hard time. Though I know he wouldn’t dare.” I hang up. Eason immediately pursues, “Was that my dad? What did he say?”“Well…” I’m a little nervous and try to avoid eye-contact with him, “He asks me if I want to stay here for a couple of days. And I kind of said yes.” The next few seconds are awful for me. My heart keeps sinking as he remains silence. God, what’s on his mind? What am I thinking? Of course he doesn’t want me to stay. I’m such an idiot. Just when I’m about to tell him that this is a joke and save myself from the embarrassment, suddenly— “AH!” He drags me directly into the pool, causing a huge splash. I choke on the water as I grab the nearest thing in my reach—his arms. “What the fuck!” I yell between coughs, “I told you I don’t want to swim!” He bursts into laughter and holds my waist tight. Now I’m floating in the warm afternoon water with him, with both of my hands on his broad shoulders, gasping for breath, and look down at him only an inch far away. His eyes are so beautiful, like a crystal-clear emerald, flickering with golden daylight. My mouth suddenly went dry as he raises his hand and runs his long fingers through my wet hairs. “Hey Nat.” his voice soft like a summer breeze, “I’m glad you can stay.” I can’t pull myself away from his gaze. From the look in his eyes, I know he can’t either. The way we lock eyes with each other, breath lingering, everything feels like a dream too good to be true. His palm holds my cheek and slowly closes the gap between us. My mind went completely blank and right at this moment suddenly— A thump comes from the door. Then large talking and laughing poor into the house. Eason immediately pulls away from me. Something comes to his mind as he curses, “fuck. I forgot.” I’m still in trance. “What? What’s that?” He seems furious. “There’s supposed to be a party here. I forgot to tell them…hang on.” He swims away, but someone slides the glass door before he gets to the curb. “Wow look at the lovely couple.” A red hair guy steps out and teases, “who’s this? Now Val must be pissed.” A pretty blonde behind him hisses, “Shut up James.” Then she walks toward Eason, pulls him up from the water and wraps her arms around his waist. Her possessive gesture makes it clear that they are intimate. Then she shots me a hostile glare. “Enjoying your afternoon swim?” she chuckles, “you should have waited for me.” Eason remains silence. But he didn’t push her away either. Now I’m still standing in the water alone, and all of them are standing on the shore looking down at me. I seem like a complete idiot. Eason has no intention of introducing me to these people. He grabs a towel from the bench and heads directly towards the house. The blonde follows him closely. My whole body went cold seeing him leave. I can’t believe he just left me here, without a single word. What’s wrong with him? Is he embarrassed of me or anything? At least he can have the decency of pulling me up and introducing me, not ditch me in the water like this and make me like a fool. The entire group loses interest in me and follows Eason inside. Only one guy in the back looks back at me, “you need a hand?”“No.” I snap as I climb out of the pool. I’m now furious at that jerk.