Mated To My Obsessive Stepbrother

Maybe she went on vacation with her parents. Or maybe... maybe she just

doesn't come out much. Some kids weren't allowed to play outside a lot. I knew that. But I kept looking anyway, just in case

As usual, I was sad and alone again.

Mum and Dad just got into an argument, and I think Dad hit Mum again. I heard it. I don't know why he always did that. I wish he wouldn't."

But I closed my ears and drank some of the sour-smelling stuff I wasn't supposed to. It burned going down, but it made everything fuzzy. I liked the fuzzy. The fuzzy made things go away.

Before I woke up, the house was empty, and they were nowhere to be seen.

I sat by the window in my room with my cheek against the cold glass watching the yard. I wasn't interested in anything else. But this time, I wasn't thinking of jumping off. I was thinking of the little girl who had made me smile on my birthday.

And if saw her again, I'd run to her this time. I wouldn't just stare like I did before. I'd talk to her. Ask her what her favorite candy was. Tell her mine. Maybe show her my collection of squishy toy monsters. She might like the purple one that glows in the dark. Most people don't, but I think she would.

I told Caroline about her when I finally got the courage to. Caroline always listened to me whenever I needed someone to talk to.

She had seen the little girl when she wandered into our yard. She had told me the little girl's name.

Kasmine.

That was her name.

It was a beautiful name. And the fact that our names started with the same letter made me believe that we were meant to be

friends.

She was really young. So, I'd protect her. If someone ever tried to be mean to her, I'd stop them. I'm small for my age, but I can yell really loud. I'd protect her like a big friend is supposed to.

I thought maybe we could sit on the grass together and eat chewy gummies. I'd even give her the red ones, even though those are my favorite.

It sounded exciting, and suddenly, I felt the urge to look for her.

Maybe she might be as lonely as I was. Otherwise, why would she wander into our yard alone the other day?

Caroling had told me the house. White fence with the little sunflowers in the yard. She said it was near the corner where the mailman always gets stuck opening that squeaky gate. I remembered that part.

I dug through my box of toy monsters and picked the purple one that glowed. It was a gift Mum had given me when I turned seven, but I never really used it that much.

It was the soft kind, not the squishy kind, but still good.

Kasmine would probably like it. It was clean enough. I wiped its little eye on my sleeve, just in case.

I didn't tell anyone I was going out. I just went and slipped out the back door and

ran.

The atmosphere was really warm as it was still springtime, Maybe we have become good friends before the summer break, and then we'd have more than enough time to play together when Mum and Dad wouldn't be at home.

When I got to the corner, I saw the houses lined up like a guessing game. One had a bike on the porch. Another had clothes swinging on a line. I didn't know which one was hers. My stomach twisted a little.

So I started walking slowly at first, then a little faster. I peeked through yards, looking for sunflowers. I looked for anything that might look like her.

Maybe she was inside. Should I knock on each door, asking for a certain Kasmine?

But what if it wasn't the right house? What if someone yelled at me didn't want to get in trouble.

My fingers tightened around the purple monster. It made a soft squisil.

I was about to give up when I heard something... It was laughter. Tiny and sweet like bells, but warmer.

I froze.

That was her.

I ran toward the sound, around the side of a tall bushy fence, and peeked through

a crack in the wood slats. My heart pounded too fast like it wanted to run out of my chest.

There she was.

Her bright smile almost hurt to look at. Her brown hair looked so long and beautiful. Her green eyes were squinty from laughing too

hard.

She was on the grass, playing some kind of clapping game with another girl. There were three boys tossing a ball nearby and another girl with braids twirling in circles like she was a ballerina.

They were all laughing.

And she looked... happy.

I waited for her to look up and see me. Maybe she'd smile again like she did in our yard. Or maybe she'd wave or run over... But she didn't. She didn't even glance my way. She was too happy to notice a sad boy standing at her fence.

Then I realized she didn't need me.

She wasn't like me. I had thought wrong.

I thought maybe-maybe she was lonely too. That maybe we were the same. Andnoveldrama

that I could give her something. Like the purple monster. Or a friend.

But she already had them.

All of them.

I didn't know why my chest started hurting. It just did.

My eyes got hot, and I bit my lip so hard I could taste something weird and metal-

y. The toy felt stupid in my hand now, and I hated it. I shoved it in my pocket and turned around fast.

I didn't run this time. I just walked slowly, almost like the world had gotten heavier,

When I got home, I just went upstairs, pulled the blanket over my head, and whispered to myself, "It's fine. I don't need her

But I think I did.

And that made everything worse.