Good Riddance, Stepbrother

The morning sunlight was cruel. It spilled in through the dark car window of the Camaro. My naked body was wrapped in his shirt, reminding me of everything that happened last night.

My whole body was in pain, and my heart hurt the most.

Ethan was gone and had left me all alone.

His phone pinged with a prompt tone, and a message appeared on the screen.

I did not mean to peek at it.

Zach: [I can’t believe you had your way with that vixen in the swimming pool. You're incredible!]

My heart felt like it was frozen, and I could not resist picking up his phone. It was not password-locked, and my eyes were glued to the screen from the moment I clicked on the message.

It was his chat with Zach Whitmore.

Zach: [Interesting. You almost fought with me back then over her. I thought you were really in love with her.]

Ethan: [Are you kidding me? The sight of her and her mother makes me sick!]

Zach: [You almost fought with the football team in March. Was that also for her?]

Ethan: [That's part of the plan too. Girls with daddy issues like her are the easiest to handle. Treat them well, and they'll cling to you like stray dogs.]

Zach: [Remember to let me have a go when you're tired of her. I want to see if she's as soft as you said.]

Ethan: [Deal.]

My hands began to tremble as I continued to scroll up.

Ethan: [Her mom clings to my dad like a leech. She's just a gold-digging loser.]

Zach: [Summer's the same. She looks innocent, but she was willing to sleep with you after some coaxing. How pitiful.]

My heart felt like it was being torn apart as I froze.

Ethan returned to the car with a smile, holding the breakfast he had just bought. He gently stroked my hair with his hand and said with a smile, "Lazy bug, are you finally awake? I bought you your favorite sandwich."

I could not move. It was even getting difficult to breathe. I handed the phone to him, almost unable to speak. My throat felt like a knife was lodged in it. "Why...?" My voice was hoarse and almost inaudible.

He put down the breakfast in his hand and took the phone as if nothing had happened. "You saw everything." He raised his hand and gently pushed a strand of hair on my face behind my ear. I felt sick.

He smiled icily as he muttered, "You were always just a game, Summer. If you hadn't peeked at my phone, we could’ve played for a while longer. But you broke the rules..."

He leaned in closer and whispered in my ear, "Game over."