TEACH ME TO LOVE YOU (Loving My Stepbrother in Secret)

lan: double shifts at the eatery, save up for m

the last part

ak doesn't always cry quietly. S

ss in my hand. The club was packed. Neon light slid across the dance floor, over people laughing, kissing,

ery single

," I told th

empty glass. "Mis

I stu

both hands

ing. He didn't shout. He didn't cry. He said, "I'm sorry Bianca I think we should end it here," in

e, and he apologized fo

t man. Where we'd live after graduation. Whos

ath, and the bartender

hing f

ed the glass

ay down, and I welcomed it.

the counter. Mary

, had made me swear I wouldn't go out

rinking until the edges of the room wen

at the far end of the bar, perfectly still while the whole club moved around him. In front of him sat a glass of pla

ater in a pl

em. I slid o

nd I closed my eyes and moved, and for the first time all night I stopped thinking. One song. Then a

s what broken people did: pretended s

away. Tonight I let one of them smile at me, and I smiled

nd settled

it off.

el

in. I stepped back. "

s time. He

eing difficult for someone wh

id for someone who sti

didn't. His fingers c

sai

rom behind me, l

ught, and a silver watch with a cracked face glinted at his wrist. He

ell are you?"

elling you

ed. My own per

n at the fact that he hadn't moved an inch. They d

's shoulder. "Nobody

re dr

ations. Yo

ould go

uld mind you

ely. "They weren't goi

have hand

or a long momen

tion. Mostly beca

aw

I disappeared into the crowd without

't care. Tonight, I

e night came b

club was closing, and me laughing because I thou

ant caught my arm. "M

t the words came out in a

enough to sting. And there, leaning against a bl

e stil

a

hy

endant holding me uprigh

now where

N

're not m

d. It was brief, almost invi

ss. Nothing. I

my handbag. The strange

on," h

er, I would have. But I wasn't, so I l

the window. My own reflection looking back at me, tired and unfam

s grew

thought I heard

anc

my eyes

in the rearview

rything

came

ng through heavy curtains. My head throb

. The club. The drinks

G

retted it. I pressed my fingers to

ard that

fr

cked silver watch catching the light. Without the suit he looked younger, maybe

my spine hit the headboar

out weaker t

pped a

was still in my dress. My shoes sat lined up neatly at the foot of the bed. On the nigh

bed my che

re a

ed both hands.

not what

ho

rly stopped.

door. At him.

eak. "I didn't know where you lived, and I wasn

ow. It wasn't much of a we

he almost smiled. "That's

t tes

r en

how calm he was. He didn't step cl

re did y

the gap, I could see a couch downstai

l slightly bette

dn't to

N

hed his face for a lie

ka

silence between us stret

s your

er

t Te

t smile. "Is t

e while I was unconscious. I

ifted. "I didn

kno

oo

oba

urprised sound, as though h

away. "I'

kno

snapped

several times

y face. "What

You talked about s

ourse I had. Even unconsci

get

d have demanded an explanation. He

thought hit

he dr

nd tore through it. Wallet. Keys. Lip b

pho

the lining. Then I turned the whol

," I whispered. "I

ind it," Teri

ne buzzed in

acked. His jaw locked, and his hand curled into a fist around the p

a

said, and walked

my lap, listening to his fo

lve hours. I had watched him stare

ime since I'd met h