My Brother My Mate

1. Spark

(Media picture of Estelle)

Original Published Date: 27 October 2015

-edited-

Estelle POV

Every morning I have the same boring routine with the same meal plan for breakfast with a very eventful day of some sort. Today like every other I sit with my blue bowl and a fork as I scroll through social media waiting for the time to come when I leave for school.

"Morning sis."

My pubescent older step brother walks in more jittery than normal considering he's no morning person, but takes it upon himself to stick his hand in my everyday bowl of fruits. I've been forcibly living with the guy for two years and the only thing that's changed was my looks. I got prettier than before. I think I used to look like a naked mole rat, now I'm kind of a beautiful bunny.

I know why it's changed so drastically, my seventeenth birthday is coming up, and believe it or not I don't care. I know what follows my birthday is responsibility I'm not ready for yet.

"Have I told you, you look great this morning?" I don't respond yet, I'm waiting for his "sike" or something to point out the fat that he's joking or doesn't mean it... but it doesn't come.

"Only a million times." I say sarcastically while rolling my eyes before impaling my strawberry with my work.

Ever since James and Tom moved in, I hated it. James and Tom act more like brothers than father and son, but I had no choice but to get over it. I was a kid with no say. James would always give a slight attempt to appeal to my better nature but lately he's been trying harder than usual and it's kind of suffocating. At first he'd pick on me at school, then when he graduated he was different. I was hoping it was maturity, but that sadly was not it, at all.

"You need a ride to school?" He offers.

"No, but thank you." I waited until I turned my back to him to shake my head lightly, still trying to grasp why he'd offer. I mean I used to ask and even when we went to the same school he wouldn't give me a ride.. like I said he was a jerk.

I arrived at my bus stop, and saw Taylor heading in my direction. "Estelle, you're early." She smiles.

"Yeah, I just wanted out of the house." I mutter.

"Why? If I lived with a face like James I wouldn't leave his side."

"He's my brother, Tay, it's weird when you say something like that."

"Your step brother."

"He's three years older than me."

"And Jessica's our age, dating a sophomore in college."

"I'm also not disgusting." I point out.

"Neither is she."

"Taylor. She met the guy on a dating site, faked her name and age, and just met him in person last week."

"Everyone makes mistakes. What's up with you? Usually I'm the Debby Downer and you're the Perky Princess? Are we in a parallel universe?" She put her hands up as her palm faced the sky and she looked around as if she was ducking airplanes.

"No. But here comes out ride to hell." I point down the street and to the black and yellow bus coming our way.

I felt two arms sweep around my waist and sharp ridges of teeth graze my ear. "Ewww." Taylor groaned. He moved his lips from my cheek to my lips.