Chapter Seven

Adler POV:

Dad and Mrs. Shana forced a family game night on everyone each Wednesday. Dad made a conscience effort to come home early from work, and Mrs. Shana made her famous breakfast sliders, while we played a board game or watched a movie.

This Wednesday I was not in the mood.

After Huxley’s attempt to bully me into submission with Liam, my tolerance for his presence hit zero.

Mrs. Shana picked Candy Land, which shouldn’t have taken long since it’s meant for children. I sat in Dad’s usual seat, which was across the table from Huxley. Dad didn’t comment but tossed me a weird look as he sat down.

“I saw this on sale at the store and I had to get it. Remember when we used to play it Huxley?” Mrs. Shana asked.

Huxley’s eyes dragged up slowly to hers and he nodded. “Yup.”

She frowned at his attitude while putting out the board. “Have you ever played Adler? It’s a childhood game I think everyone needs to play.”

“Yes.”

“Wow, what a talkative crowd tonight,” Dad said. “I’ll go first. I had a crappy day at work. One of my guys quit but I’m still in a better mood than these two.”

Mrs. Shana started sitting the cards out. “Is something wrong? Did something happen at school today?”

“Nope,” Huxley said, shoving a slider into his mouth.

His green gaze met mine, so I did the same, I shoved a slider into my mouth and matched his glare.

We looked like two idiots, shoving food into our mouths, while we had a childish stare down.

There would be no more bullying Adler.

Mrs. Shana and Dad gave each other worried stares. “Okay,” she said. She handed out the different colored men and gave a short explanation over the game.

“The youngest goes first,” she said. “So Adler it’s your turn.”

I pulled a double yellow card.

I slid my man to the second yellow.

“Your turn Huxley.”

Huxley pulled the lollipop and smiled, scooting my character out of the way on his way up the path.

“How mature of you,” I said.

“Knock it off, Huxley,” Mrs. Shana said, drawing her card.

We went for several minutes when my phone buzzed against the table. I checked my text.

Him: I never heard back about my question.

Me: Just curious to know how you treat a girl.

I closed my phone to take my turn. Huxley’s demeanor turned stiff, but I ignored the heated stare he gave me.

Him: Depends on how we are together. You know, I don’t even know what you look like. You think I could get a picture? I’ll send you one.

My heart fell to my buttcrack. I couldn’t send him a picture without catfishing him. Obviously, he knew what I looked like. I could send him a picture from my chin down. Do one of those cute long shirt pictures while holding the hem down your legs?

Who was I kidding? All my shirts were already long enough to cover my ankles, plus, I wasn’t Ledela, and camera angels weren’t a skilled talent of mine.

My phone buzzed again, this time a picture of Liam filled my screen. God, he looks good. He smiled in the picture, a row of perfectly white teeth peeking out from his full mouth. I’m not a thirsty girl, but I wanted to put it as my background so bad.

“Something interesting on your phone tonight, Adler?” Huxley asked.

Mrs. Shana watched my reaction, while she took her turn toward the finish line. “Leave her alone, Huxley. Is something wrong with you both?”

“Nothing at all,” I said. “I think Huxley needs to mind his own business.”

He laughed. “Funny, I think it is my business.”

Dad leaned back after his turn, staring at us as he ate, an almost amused smile on his lips. Huxley and I weren’t the ones to fight, so it most likely looked amusing from afar.

However, it wasn’t to me, I felt like taking my plate and smashing it over his head.

“It’s absolutely none of your business, and frankly, I’m sick of you being a titbag about it.”

“Adler!” Mrs. Shana gasped.

Dad hid his smile behind his drink.

Huxley slammed his fist onto the table. “You should listen to my advice; I’m telling you this because I know what’s best.”

Here we go again.

“You’re not my dad, and I didn’t ask for advice. Drop it before I drop you!”

Huxley put his hands over his arms and pretended to shiver. “I’m shaking in my boots. Big bad Adler is going to beat me up.”

“Now y’all need to sit down—”

I felt a rush of adrenaline race me. I grabbed a slider and tossed it at his head.

“No!” Mrs. Shana said, standing up to stop us, but it was too late.

Huxley grabbed his tea and tossed it at my face.

Dad stood up slowly, moving the game before it took the blunt of our immature food fight.

I tossed a bag of M&M’s at him, hitting him in the eye with a red one. “You’re so stupid!” I screamed. I flew across the kitchen table, grabbing his shoulders and sending him onto his back. I landed straddled over his waist, gripping his t-shirt in my palms.

Huxley kicked his leg and pushed himself on top of me, sending me to the floor. Huxley was my stepbrother, and had been for years, but I couldn’t recall one time we’d ever ended up in this position.

Huxley must have realized it, because his eyes looked dilated, his breath heavy. All my emotions bottled up inside, ready to burst.

His palms held me down and his hips pinned me in place.

Huxley’s breath softened after a moment, and something traveled over his features that I couldn’t pinpoint. Abruptly, he stood up and raced toward his room.

I laid against the tile floor of the kitchen for a few minutes, imagining the silent argument Dad and Mrs. Shana were having above me. “You okay over there?” Dad finally asked.

I sat up onto my elbows. “I’m fine. I’m—I’m sorry.”

I climbed to my feet and straightened my t-shirt, suddenly embarrassed.

Mrs. Shana and Dad looked like they’d encountered a ghost. “What was that?” Dad asked. “I’ve never seen you two fight.”

“I don’t know,” I said.

Dad read my face and left it alone. “I guess it’s probably good you both go to your rooms.”

“I can help clean this up—”

“No,” Mrs. Shana said. “Just go to your room. I think it’s best for both of you.” Was that their way of punishing us? Because I couldn’t think of anything better than to crawl into my bed and die.

“Okay.”

I took the stairs slowly, seeing movement beneath Huxley’s door. What happened back there? I shut my door and pulled out my phone.

Liam’s text went unanswered at the table because I didn’t know how to answer it. I wasn’t going to catfish him. I had enough pride to rise above the temptation. It'd be so easy to find a beautiful girl online and send it to him.

I stared at his smile, and the top of his bared shoulders in the picture he sent. I didn’t look like the female equivalent to him, and I didn’t know how to handle this situation. Part of me felt it would spiral out of control if I didn’t grab a hold of it quickly.

Me: We’ll meet soon.

I shut my phone and grabbed my clothes for the shower. I replayed the moment over in my head. Huxley stopped when he rolled on top of me, his eyes heavy and I felt his weighty breaths against me.

With my lack of relationships in the past, I didn’t know too much about guys, but a thought danced along in the back of my mind. What if Huxley didn’t want me to be with Liam because he was jealous?

Had him touching my hip made him feel different than it had before?

I bit my lip.

On the other hand, he called me Poops on a daily basis.

Get a grip, Adler. Huxley wouldn’t like a girl like me even if I weren’t his stepsister.

***

The poster stuck to my locker stopped me in my tracks. I felt my backpack fall off my shoulder, and hit the tile, but I didn’t budge, my eyes scanned the words repeatedly.

Reward for Miss Play Your Man?

Was this a joke? Had Ledela printed this off?

I glanced around, noticing others posted to everyone else’s locker and felt my heart stop.

Ledela smashed into me from the side, knocking me off balance, but I caught myself in time. Her eyes grew huge. “Sorry, did you see this?”

She pushed the flier into my face.

“Two-hundred-dollar reward for Miss Play Your Man. Please call or text the number below with any information.”

I glanced again. Two hundred dollars was pricey for a student. Who was that desperate to find the culprit? “Whose number is this?”

Ledela put the number into her phone, but nothing came up. “I don’t know.”

I crumbled up the poster and shoved it into the depths of my backpack. “It has to be someone that has been broken up with. Why else would they be this determined?”

Ledela frowned. “Liam?”

“Don’t think so. The only other play my man request so far is Señor Seth. Everyone else has asked me every sex or relationship question I think exists on the planet.”

Principal Burkhart’s heavy walk caught our attention. Ledela pulled at the end of her blue jean skirt and lifted her chin as if she dared him to say anything.

His attention wasn’t on Ledela’s legs, but the fliers scattered around the hallway. He bent to pick one up and read over it. His caterpillar brows folded heavy over his eyes.

“Oh no,” I whispered.

He tossed the flier into the trashcan and searched the hallway for a random kid. Principal Burkhart grabbed a sophomore girl by the backpack and pointed toward the walls. I wished I were closer so I could hear but I couldn’t.

After a few minutes, he let her go and walked passed us.

“That’s not good,” I said.

Ledela sighed heavily. “I mean, what could he do about it?”

“Demand it’s taken down or try to find the culprit.”

“Ledela!” Principal Burkhart yelled from down the hallway. We both turned to look at him. “Put on some leggings or change your skirt.”

“Ugh,” she said underneath her breath. “He is a demon spawn.”

I laughed despite the fear in my stomach. I was a good girl, what would it look like if I were the culprit of this website? Could they suspend me for it? I didn’t think so, but who knew with everyone being offended nowadays and all the new rules.

I bit my thumbnail. “Have you checked the website tonight?” Ledela asked. I watched her take out a pair of leggings from her bag, as if she expected it, and slipped them on underneath her skirt.

Pulling out my phone, I scrolled through a few advice questions, and to the last one from this morning. It was submitted underneath the Play My Man tab with a message.

Please play this guy. He thinks he is God’s gift to women but then he’s too good to date us. Huxley Jacks.

I nearly dropped my phone.

“What is it?” Ledela asked, looking over my shoulder.

“I have another request.”

“Who is it?” she shook my shoulder.

“Hux.”

Ledela sank back against her locker with a frown and a dramatic palm to her chest. “Ewe, that doesn’t sound fun for you. Who would want you to play him? He’s single, isn’t he?”

“To be honest, I don’t know. I wonder if it’s Genevieve. She’s been trying to get to the house so bad—”

“It’s not her,” Ledela said. “I saw her getting frisky with Michael again yesterday after school. They were all but doing it in the alcove by the science lab.”

“Then I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. I shoved my phone into my jeans. “I can’t ask Huxley either because he isn’t talking to me.”

“Again?” Ledela asked with a sigh.

“We had a fist fight last night—or a food fight—but I lunged at him, Led.”

“You got into a fight?” she asked. “Let me get my phone, we need to document this.”

“Stop it,” I said, pushing her phone back down.

“You look sad. What was the fight about? Y’all never fight like this.”

“He knows I have a crush on Liam and doesn’t want me to text him. He threatened to tell him that I was Miss Play Your Man. Then he had an attitude during family game night, so we started fighting in front of Mrs. Shana and Dad. I don’t—he just pisses me off trying to control my life.”

Ledela chewed on the end of her pen. “Interesting. He doesn’t want you to go with Liam, why exactly?”

“Says he isn’t what I deserve, that he’ll play me.”

“Liam is his best-friend.”

I picked up my bag and shut my locker door. “I know, but it rubs me the wrong way. Something is going on with him.”

“Drugs?”

“No,” I spat. I wanted to tell her my theory, but it was too embarrassing, I needed more evidence than my gut feeling. “Nothing like that, it’s—never mind. What do I do about this request? I can’t play Huxley.”

“Why not? He’s trying to boss your around, give him a dose of his own medicine.”

“He’ll know if he gets an anonymous text from some girl?”

The warning bell rang.

“Wait,” she said. “What if you don’t text him—leave him a note somewhere. Disguise your writing and leave him love notes so he’ll fall in love with you.”

I tossed her a look. “Can you imagine Huxley falling in love with anyone? I doubt he’ll even reply.”

“It’s worth a try?”

Was it? The nice part of me didn’t want to do it. I wanted to leave Huxley alone until his attitude came around. The angry part of me wanted to teach him a lesson. If I liked Liam, I just did, my stepbrother wasn’t going to keep me from anything.

Biting my lip, I pulled my falling strap up my shoulder. After tea in the face and angry words, I felt Huxley would benefit from being brought down a notch.

“I’ll leave him a note on his truck, and we’ll see what happens.”

Ledela laughed. “You’re turning into a sneaky best-friend, and I think I like it.”

I chuckled. “Don’t get used to it, it’s all going in the trash as soon as I finish his story. I should have never taken his dare, but it’s funny how things work their way around. Now the website is going to bite him in the ass.”

“Or heart,” Ledela said with a wink.

Yeah, if he had one.

I made it to third period Biology before I got the nerve to pull out a sheet of paper and write a note to Huxley. I really wanted to distract myself from the talk of homecoming from the two juniors in front of me.

Homecoming in Texas compared to the super bowl in the south. All the girls went all out with mums, which were handmade corsages made out of your favorite things or school colors, that you pinned to your t-shirt.

Your boyfriend could get you one or the single girls made their own. I didn’t bother, because they were heavy, and I tripped over the one Mrs. Shana forced me to wear in ninth grade.

Huxley had a field day laughing at me for it. The entire stadium saw me fall onto the bleachers, while Ledela tried desperately to help me up.

Dickhole.

I tore out a sheet of notebook paper and I almost laughed at the thought of him reading it. I took pride in writing in cursive and Huxley knew it, so I printed my note with small letters and hearts over the I’s.

Huxley Jacks,

I’m writing you because I’m too shy to tell you this to your face. I’ve had a lifelong crush on you. I come to the football games to watch you play. I even know your secret of loving codes and web design. You’re talented, and I think you should share it with the world. I’ve noticed you doing codes on the library’s computers before. Why do you hide it? I’d love to know what other things you hide.

I heard about you sticking up for your stepsister the other day, and I appreciate that about you. A protector is everything a woman wants in a man.

Anyway, I know this letter is so 90s, but I couldn’t help but write you this way. A little mystery is nice sometimes, don’t you think?

I hope you write me back, if not, it feels good to let this out.

Sincerely,

Your Admirer.

I stared at the neat, printed writing with little hearts and laughed. Huxley most likely wouldn’t give it a second glance.

Our Biology teacher walked in a few minutes late, mumbling to himself about traffic and lunch.

He started the projector, his attention drawing to the corner of the room. I followed his gaze, noticing Señor Seth sitting at his desk, his arm covering whatever he wrote on, head hunkered down.

“Seth,” Mr. Jensen said.

Seth ignored him and continued his rambling.

“Seth!”

He jerked up, his wide eyes red streaked and face sunken in.

Mr. Jensen placed his clicker on his podium and cocked his head. “Your ramblings are a little loud, is everything okay?”

Seth glanced around the room, his gaze jerked from one person to the next. “Does anyone know who Miss Play Your Man is?”

“What are you talking about, Seth? This is Biology, put your stuff up and pay attention.”

“Someone knows!” he said, his voice growing louder.

I sank lower into my seat. This kid was freaking out.

It wasn't my fault he asked for nude pictures, or that he interacted with another girl while dating his girlfriend.

Take some responsibility, Seth!

Part of me felt bad for doing it even though he deserved it. I swallowed the hardened lump in my throat.

“Seth, sit down or go to the principal’s office!”

Seth’s crazed look stilled before he sat down and opened his Biology book. Biting my pen, I stared at him from across the room. His gaze shifted toward mine, but I looked back down at my note. I shoved it underneath my Biology book and got myself ready for class. This was insane.

I needed to write Huxley’s story—make up an ending—and be done with this. There could be another person in school smart enough to track down the web designer and then everything would go to Hell.

***

I felt stupid walking toward Huxley’s pickup and slipping the note underneath his windshield wiper, but Huxley walking toward his pickup while I did it, really topped the cake.

The one time he got to his pickup, without numerous people stopping him, was the day I tried to sneak around. It was probably a sign.

I ducked behind a nearby trash barrel in an attempt to hide. Huxley tossed his backpack into the bed of his truck, opened the door, and noticed the note.

He grabbed it and unfolded the paper, scanning over it quickly. “Hmm,” he said, crumbling it up and tossing it onto the gravel.

I cringed at him littering. There went that idea out the window, literally.

Animal.

“Hey, Hux!” Liam shouted.

Oh no. I tried to shrink further into the ground, but it didn’t work.

“What’s up?”

“We hadn’t talked since the other night, and I wanted to make sure we’re cool? You were on one the other night. Is everything okay?"

Huxley wiped his palm down his face. “Yeah, yeah, we’re good, bro. I was having a bad night.”

I’d say.

“What’s going on with you? You went off on Adler, and you’re different.”

“I don’t know man; I’m just stressed out.”

The silence made me glance around the side of the barrel. Liam had his phone out while Huxley started his truck. Why was it so easy for boys to get over their fights?

If this were girls, they’d talk smack well into adulthood, and tell their husbands about it ten years later.

My phone vibrated and I hurried to push the button to silence it.

“You still texting that girl?” Huxley asked.

“Yeah, but she won’t send me a picture. I sent her one. Maybe she doesn’t think I’m cute.”

“You sent her a dick picture?’ Huxley asked, his voice full of irritation.

“No. It was my face. She says she wants to meet but still hasn’t accepted any video calls.”

Ugh.

“Oh yeah? Don’t you think it’s weird she won’t send you a picture? Have you ever watched Catfish?”

“I know man, but she’s so smart, and quirky, I almost don’t care, but it is weird.”

Huxley cleared his throat. “Why won’t you give her an ultimatum? Tell her you’re bouncing if she doesn’t meet you or send you a picture. It could be a dude.” I'm totally not a dude.

I thought about tossing a rock at his head. Knowing he knew it was me, pissed me off. I almost felt bad for the note, but he made it so hard to feel guilty. I went to grab a rock when I noticed a spider crawling over my jeans.

My mouth opened in a silent scream, and I tried desperately to swat it away with no luck.

“I might, but I wanted to make sure we’re cool. The game is tomorrow, and we don’t need any animosity between us.”

“Right, we’re good.”

“You coming to the party?”

“Probably, if Mom lets me. Adler and I had a fight yesterday night, and Mom's been acting weird with me about it.”

The spider jumped. I didn’t know why God made those—maybe for punishment for people like me that wrote stupid notes for their stepbrothers demise—and landed on my forearm.

I flicked it right back onto my jeans.

“A fight? Little Adler? What about?”

“Ah, nothing. She’s being a brat lately.”

Feeling the urge to stick up for myself, I tried to control my temper, and grab the spider on my jeans. I caught it, holding it inside my closed palm when I heard Liam say, “Well, she deserves to be a brat every now and again. She’s a good girl, Huxley, and you know it.”

“Yeah, well, I better get home.”

“See you tomorrow.”

I listened to Liam’s feet crunch against the gravel and the sound of Huxley’s truck roar to life. All my insecurities about playing Huxley flew out the window.

I let the spider flee from my hand and shivered when I stood up.

I was going to play Huxley Jacks and get the nerve to tell Liam the truth. I just hoped I wasn’t a disappointment.