I Knew What I Was Going For All Along

Christian and I arrived home earlier than Mom and Lilith because Christian's Audi is a really powerful car.

"We need to order something. I'm sure you kids are hungry, but in case you want a home-cooked dinner, there's macaroni and cheese in the oven," Christian tells me as we step into the house.

My first instinct is to decline, so I politely express my preference. "I think I would prefer salad for tonight and perhaps have a cup of tea before going to bed."

"Alright then, I will order a vegetable salad and pizza for Lilith and Leigh, though those two are wolves when it comes to macaroni and cheese. I think one box of pizza will do." He says the last words to himself.

"Have you and Mom already eaten?" I ask Christian as I take a seat on the staircase, waiting for everyone to arrive. Maybe Mom and Lilith, as Leigh disappeared with his teammates after briefly greeting his family.

And yes, he's still avoiding me, so I don't know where our bet stands. Maybe it's irrelevant now.

"Yes, I made the macaroni before your mom came back home from the hospital," he answers me while walking through the hall with his mobile phone in his hands, leaving me alone in the foyer like a night guard.

To pass the time, I take out my mobile phone from my pocket and check my inbox. I only have two messages from Sawyer, asking me about homecoming and the dance, so I quickly message her about the victory and some uninteresting news that I know won't stop her from coming here.

When I log into Instagram, to my surprise, I find that I have over ten thousand followers. I panic and mutter to myself, "Bloody intense," just as Mom and Lilith walk through the entrance door.

My eyes widen even more. Not because their arrival startles me, but because I'm trying to find the right words to say to Lilith, which I still cannot gather myself to do. So, I take action.

I grab Lilith by her arm while she stubbornly struggles to free herself from my sudden minor attack. I pull her into the laundry room and shut the door.

"What's so important that you had to kidnap me from your mother and lock us in here?" Lilith sarcastically shakes her head and rolls her eyes at me.

Since I'm at a loss for words, I try to calm down my breathing. "What, Ava? Did you figure out your sexuality? Oh no, no, I'm sorry, that's not what I mean. I just haven't found the right person, but I'm not into girls. Look, I love you but as a sister, not the other way around. You don't have to worry; I'm sure your mom and my dad will be proud of you."

She's unbelievable, but she genuinely means her words, as she looks serious and sincere right now.

"What?" I blurt out.

"You were probably turned on, and so you waited for me by the staircase and pulled me in here for privacy," she says, shaking her head slightly, trying to summarize what just happened as if I have no clue.

"Oh my goodness, Lilith, of course, I need privacy, but I'm not gay, and if I am, I don't think I would fall for you. I was by the staircase because I was waiting for everyone," I eagerly explain, as I'm trying to share the main news.

Lilith bursts into laughter before leaning against the washing machine and scanning me up and down. "Uhhhh, I was just happy we have a gay person in the house, and you went and crushed my joy. Anyways, why were you practically panting?" She asks, confused.

"If you had let me explain, we would have been out of here by now, but no! You had to create your drama first," I say in a duh manner and lift my mobile phone screen towards her.

"What? Isn't that your profile?" She nonchalantly says, along with a shrug.

"Yes, it is," I emphasize, growing bored with her attitude.

"Then?" With widened eyes, she shakes her head. She still doesn't get it.

"Look at my followers, Lilith. I have over ten thousand followers," I say.

She pauses for a moment. I think she's shocked. "Eleven thousand," she corrects me, and I look over to see that she's right. "Don't you wish you had two thousand followers overnight?" She confusingly questions.

Well, I am also confused because I didn't know how this miracle happened a couple of hours ago. "Yes," I reply and lean against the opposite side, on another washing machine, as we mystifyingly stare at each other.

"But what did you possibly do? Did you do something embarrassing that your video is circulating around the world right now, and we have no idea?" Lilith horrifiedly exclaims.

For a moment, I try to reason with her while my heart pounds against my ribcage, but what embarrassing thing could I have done that would gain me followers instead of losing them? "I don't know. I'm not sure people would want to be fans of someone with an embarrassing video going viral. Besides, if there is an embarrassing video of me going viral right now, I would have been mentioned in it." I think that makes sense; there's no way I have a viral video.

Lilith sighs and rolls her eyes, looking up at the ceiling as she tries to think deeper, I guess. "Well, you're not in the game tonight, so I can't say..." Lilith stops in the middle of her sentence and looks over at me as if her soul just left her body and returned.

"What?" I ask the girl staring at me as if I'm some expensive rare stone.

"Check Leigh's profile. He scored three touchdowns. He must be trending," she suggests and snatches my phone before I fully process what she's saying.

"Oh my fucking grave, he fucking has over seventy thousand followers. Shoot," Lilith exclaims.

Okay, now that explains how I gained mine. Or not. Because I wasn't there on the field cheering, nor was I among the teammates playing. "I followed Leigh back. Why aren't you following him anyway?" She asks nonchalantly as I hurriedly grab my phone back from her and unfollow him without her noticing. I'm not ready to follow him.

Not knowing how to answer Lilith, since I can't be transparent about the real reason, I opt for the easiest lie. "I didn't pay attention," I say.

"Whatever, I think you gained followers because his fans decided to follow his life, and to do so, they have to follow everything related to him, his family, and friends," Lilith tries to convince both herself and me as she pulls out her phone to check her profile. "Fuck, my phone is literally dead," she huffs.

"Check my profile. I'm sure I have twenty thousand fans by now," she steps beside me and leans her head over, waiting for her account to load.

"What the fuck?" Lilith mutters in my ear just as her pictures and followers appear.

I don't understand this confusion. What the hell is going on?

"How the fuck did you manage to accumulate nine thousand followers in less than four hours, while I only gained fifty... I mean fifty followers? It's like going from one to forty-nine and then finally fifty. That's all I got." Lilith's mouth hangs open in disbelief as she stares at my phone screen.

"How is this even possible?" I ask, genuinely perplexed about the sudden popularity that seems to have no logical explanation.

Why would Leigh choose to follow only me and leave Lilith behind, who is likely his actual sister?

"I told you, you must have some embarrassing video circulating worldwide," Lilith repeats before leaving the room, leaving me in a state of confusion.

By the time the food order arrives, I have a salad together with mom, while Christian opts for tea—a habit he must have picked up from living with English people. Lilith, on the other hand, devours two plates of macaroni and cheese before grabbing a slice of pizza and accompanying it with pineapple juice. As we discuss our day, the parade, the game, and how we've been at school since eight in the morning.

"Lilith just informed us that Leigh gained an additional fifty thousand followers after the game. And the count is still rising," I announce to our parents.

My mom and Christian glance at Lilith for a moment, then smile, brushing it off, until I clarify, "It's like going from one to forty-nine thousand, and then hitting fifty thousand actual human beings who are breathing the same air and have an Instagram account, all following him."

"He'll probably reach a hundred thousand before morning," Lilith leans back in her seat and takes a bite of her pizza slice.

"Are you two joking?" Christian asks, trying to grasp the magnitude of his son's newfound fame overnight.

We shake our heads and remain silent.

"Oh my God. I always knew he would make it to the NFL," my mom exclaims, her hands flying to her mouth as she tries to contain her excitement.

"That would mean everything to me. I'm so proud of him. He's incredibly talented. Three touchdowns from my boy? He was unbelievable this evening," Christian says, while I sip my tea.

Indeed, Leigh was unbelievable. I'm glad the bet pushed him to do something significant that could brighten his future. Leigh deserves all the attention and love from everyone. He's a nice and talented person. He's also kind and respectful to elders, even though sometimes I feel like it's all an act.

"Yes, sure," Lilith rolls her eyes at her dad for praising only his son.

Christian immediately looks alarmed as he begins to explain himself. "No, darling... I'm extremely proud of you too. You're intelligent and smart. You have no idea how many people are afraid of science and math, but look at you. You're like a scientific calculator."

"Okay, enough, Dad. It's getting awkward," Lilith giggles, and I intentionally cough, as Christian just portrayed me as the dullest student.

"Oh, Ava, I didn't mean it that way. You are incredibly intelligent. You're the most polite teenager in the world. You're focused on studies and not interested in all these unnecessary and futile things that kids are obsessed with these days. You're so mature for your age that you could be recognized and called upon to represent humility, trust, and honesty."

"Seriously, Dad? So, what am I? Irresponsible?" Lilith throws another disapproving comment at her dad, who promptly starts giving details, until mom unravels our little game and informs her fiancé that both Lilith and I were playing him.

Laughing, Lilith and I bid goodnight to my mom and Christian before heading to our bedrooms.

I take a relaxing bath, dry my hair, change into my nightwear, and collapse into bed.

I'm more exhausted than I appear, as I don't remember falling asleep until I hear a voice in my head calling my name. No, no, it can't be morning already. I need more sleep. My name keeps echoing distantly, gradually fading away as I open my eyes halfway, only to find the room still dark. It's not yet morning.

It was just a dream. I'm about to drift back to sleep when I feel something weighty on my stomach—a hand.

I'm about to react with a scream and physical defense when a familiar voice calls my name softly. Leigh's voice.

I manage to turn my body around, finding him lying on my bed, holding me close. Instantly, I lose control of myself. I thought I had overcome the unusual reaction my body has to Leigh, but I was mistaken. It's even worse now; I can't breathe at all, and I start pushing Leigh away, gasping for air with my mouth wide open, panting heavily as if I'm about to die. Is this what dying feels like?

My audible struggle for oxygen shatters the silence when Leigh abruptly leaves my bedroom. I'm not sure why he suddenly disappeared, but it allows me to regain some air and calm myself down.

Did I push him away? Like, away for good?

What's wrong with me? Why do I feel this way only for Leigh?

Why does Arlen Garret's touch not evoke any sparks or electricity? Why do I feel completely at ease around him, without a single goosebump? Every connection I have with Arlen is just natural. What's so different about Leigh's touch that it makes me lose control?

Lost in thought, the one who stole my breath returns, this time holding a glass of water. I observe him silently as he sits at the edge of the bed and hands me the glass, ensuring our fingers don't touch.

"Thank you," I mumble, taking a moderate sip.

I place the glass on the nightstand and lower my eyes to my hands. "You scored three touchdowns," I begin, realizing that he probably won't say anything as his gaze remains fixed on me.

The faint light from the windows illuminates the room enough for me to see Leigh's furrowed brow. "Yeah, I did," he mumbles.

"Aren't you happy?" I ask, feeling slightly nervous myself.

"Will you say yes?" he asks, ignoring my question.

"That's the deal, isn't it?" I bite my lip, trying to hold back my smile.

"I don't want to put you through something you don't want," Leigh says with a sad expression, his frown deepening as he lets out a sigh.

I shake my head as I try to find the right words. "I... umm... it's just..." I struggle to express myself to him. I realize that I have a certain level of pride that I never considered before.

He scoffs and sighs heavily. "I understand," he whispers, starting to move away. "I know that my touch and closeness have caused you pain. I've been forcing myself to believe that it was all in a positive way, but the truth is, it was pain, not affection." He sounds defeated and stands up.

Closing my eyes, I grab his wrist to stop him from walking away. "So you're just going to walk away and give up so easily? Is that how tough you really are?" I ask him.

"No, I'm not. I only walk away when my presence brings pain to people. That's how tough I am," he mutters.

I stare at him for a moment, a small smile playing on my lips, and I pull him closer. "Sleep with me," I plead.

"What?" The question catches him by surprise, and he practically freezes, bewildered by my words.

I almost laugh at my own audacity, but instead, I feel myself blushing. "Not like that. I mean, just cuddle with me until I fall asleep," I mumble, sounding desperate and embarrassed at the same time.

Leigh's mood shifts, and he asks with a touch of longing, "Does that mean it's a yes?" If I thought I sounded desperate, Leigh looks and sounds even more desperate as he waits for my answer.

I bite my bottom lip and nod at my handsome soon-to-be stepbrother. "Yes," I affirm. I acknowledge that I am his.

I can't help but feel like a sinner if our parents were to get married. But for now, I don't care because the present is what matters. Just as Lilith said, I need to enjoy my teenage days. And in the present moment, I'm enjoying it with my mother's fiancé's son, and I don't give a damn how wrong it might be because all I can feel is happiness. It feels good.

Leigh's smile widens, and I can see almost all of his teeth as he joins me under my comforter, wrapping his arms around me again. "I can't believe you're mine," he says in a low, deep voice, filled with strong emotions.

When those words come from Leigh, I realize how real they are. I have just given myself to someone for the first time, and that person is Leigh Boyce, the person everyone knows I should never be with. The person I know I can't go on a date with, the guy I know I can't hold hands with or kiss in public because that kind of display is prohibited between siblings.

But with all those restrictions comes a profound connection. Leigh's rare scent, his warmest embrace, his soothing voice, and captivating smile. He's mine and mine alone. Even if our relationship is a secret, having Leigh to myself is worth going through anything.

"Really? Because you seemed so possessive of that ball," I remind him, and he lets out a small laugh. The kind of laugh that sounds heavenly.

"Oh, I was. I couldn't lose. I can't lose you," he assures me, his eyes pouring into mine as we share a single pillow.

"I'm glad you won," I honestly confess.

His eyebrows lift, and he nods with a smile. "Really?"

"Yes," I return the smile, enjoying his teasing reaction.

"Homecoming is a success this year then," he whispers.

"Yes, especially since it made you famous. You had seventy thousand followers earlier. I don't know how much more it increased by now," I inform him.

Narrowing his gaze at me, he says, "So now you're stalking me, huh?" playfully.

"You wish," I roll my eyes, trying to hold back my smile.

"Why did you unfollow me after following back?" he asks something I never thought he would. Shoot. Of course, he noticed that. Why does technology have to reveal everything?

"And now it sounds like you're the one stalking me," I playfully narrow my eyes, imitating his earlier expression.

"It showed up on my screen. I think everyone I follow follows me back except for you, so I would have definitely received a notification if you had followed back at any time," he explains.

Feeling embarrassed, I know I have to explain, or I'll come across as a stalker who accidentally followed and unfollowed the guy I have a massive crush on. "I was just curious. Honestly, Lilith and I were trying to figure out why my followers were increasing, and we found out it was because of you. So Lilith followed you back, and I unfollowed later," I honestly tell the boy whose delicious lips are just inches away from mine.

"So you're stealing my followers but don't want me, huh, Ava Lancelot?" he teases, though it feels real to me.

Real enough that I find myself explaining again. "I never said I didn't want you."

Leigh's playful demeanor relaxes into seriousness. "Then what are you saying?" he asks, sliding a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"I'm saying... I knew what I wanted all along," I reveal the scariest truth.

I've always known what I wanted since the day I first kissed him in his car.

It takes Leigh a few moments to be satisfied with the intense gaze he's giving me. He captures my lips with his own. They are warm and soft, just as flavorful as I remember. He kisses me slowly, but deeply, and I can feel the emotions behind it. His hand comes to my cheeks, cupping my face.

It feels safe, secure, and promising. I find myself melting in his warmth. This is all I need; it's all I've ever needed. Whether it's right or wrong, I know this is where I should be. On my bed, beneath my comforter, kissing the only person my heart has ever beaten for.

Step-siblings or not, we are the perfect fit for each other.