Blended Hearts #2 (An Interracial Stepbrother Romance Book) Read online

  I plopped down on my bed as soon as I had dropped my books and bag on the desk. I was tired. Going to sleep at 2:00 a.m. after a session like the one Daniel and I had the previous night was taking its toll on me.

  After an hour of reviewing my notes, I felt as if someone had opened the tap somewhere in my brain and had emptied it from its content. I needed to get some food in me before I passed out. Fortunately, it was nearly six o’clock and dinner would be on the table in a few minutes. Even when there was only mother and me; we always tried to have dinner at six. It was a time to talk, but no more. Not in this family, anyway. It was a time for me to shut up, grin and bear it. I didn’t really care if Daniel was downstairs already; I was not to care what he did, was I? Easier said than done, unfortunately.

  As I opened the door of my room, guess who was waiting for me standing by the banister?

  “Hungry?” Daniel asked. A smile was plastered on his lips.

  “Yes,” I answered, stepping in front of him and rushing down the stairs.

  As we reached the dining room, Richard was standing by the head of the table, looking at us both.

  “Come on, guys, let’s sit down,” he said, as Mom came in with a large dish of what looked like lasagna. I don’t believe it! Is she trying to sweeten the pot so I talk to her? She knows I love Italian. And lasagna is way up there on top of my list of favorites.

  “Wow honey, that’s smells like another winner,” Richard said taking a seat, same as we did.

  “Yes Janice, that looks like it will hit the spot,” Daniel rejoined, smiling at Mom.

  “Would you mind getting the salad, Madison?” Mom asked.

  I nodded and got up from my seat as Mom sat down and began cutting squares out of the dish for everyone.

  When I got back to the table, Mom had already put a sizeable portion on my plate. I had to smile. I knew she had cooked it for me.

  Once again, we ate in silence. There was nothing to say really. Mom and I had our little chat when I came back from school, and whatever Daniel or Richard had to say wouldn’t interest me in the least.

  When we finished eating, Mom asked me to get the coffee tray from the kitchen and to bring it to the living room. As for Daniel, Richard told him to help with clearing the table. It’s about time, I thought. I hadn’t seen him lift a finger since we moved in, except when he lent a hand to the movers.

  As he came into the kitchen with a stack of dishes, he looked at me inquiringly. I just shrugged.

  “Where do you want these?” he asked – as if you didn’t know?

  I shrugged again.

  He put them in the sink and walked out. I shook my head. I hated men who had no clue in the kitchen. Getting dishes in the dishwasher would not be too much to ask in my book, but I wouldn’t open my mouth to tell him what to do. If he wants to play dumb, so will I.

  I took the tray to the living room without a word, put it on the coffee table, smiled at my mother and excused myself. As I went up the stairs, I heard Richard ask Daniel if he intended to clear the rest of the plates and serving dish or if he wanted to see them in the morning.

  I laughed inwardly.

  I spent the rest of the evening working on my algebra and physics problems. After all, they weren’t as bad as all that. As a matter of fact, other than a couple of jabs from Elise at lunch time, all in all, it had been a rather good day. I was pleased when I thought of Daniel doing the kitchen chores. We’ll get you trained yet, Mr. Daniel Robson.

  However, my good humor didn’t last but the first 24 hours of that week. The rest was a nightmare. Avoiding Daniel proved to be a task all on its own. I had to calculate our comings and goings so that we would NOT meet in the corridors, upstairs – in the bathroom of course – and in most places at school. Since we were both in grade 12 now with only months before we were done with high school, I figured it would not be too difficult to adapt to the new “avoidance routine” and get on with life.

  But I had a recurring problem. I was feeling like a traitor. Worse than that, I felt as if I was betraying my own emotions. I could not admit it, but I wanted to be with Daniel. I soon started to observe him. Perhaps it was for that very same reason that he was hovering around me whenever I pretended not to be looking.

  “You two should really stop playing that silly game, you know,” Gaby said to me one morning as she was eating another one of her muffins. “It’s getting really obvious.”

  “What on earth are you talking about?” I asked as innocently as I could. “You’re the one who told me to ignore him or be indifferent, and that’s what I’m doing, isn’t it?”

  Gaby shook her head. “Not exactly,” she said, after she swallowed another spoonful of yogurt. “You’re watching him to see if he’s looking at you. And when you’re not doing it, he’s the one trying to see if you’re looking at him.” She wiped her mouth with her napkin. “Truly, Madison, you’re acting like a twelve-year old right now.”

  “What else do you want me to do? I can’t very well go up to him and slap his face for looking at me, now can I?”

  “There you go again; jumping into extreme action. You should really join one of these “Xtreme Sports” teams – I’m sure you’ll do very well.”

  “Okay, okay, so what do you suggest I do then?”

  “How about sitting down with the guy? At home. With no one around and have it out. Whatever is bugging you two needs to come out before it festers and kills you both.”

  I suppose it would have been sound advice if it hadn’t been for the fact that we already “had it out”, as Gaby proposed. We really had to mend what we had destroyed. We had destroyed a budding friendship in favor of sex and an uphill battle with an impossible relationship. If my mother had not married Richard and they had stayed in their separate houses or even tried to live as common-law, Daniel and I would not have been faced with this incredible guilt-trip. Correction: I was the one taking a guilt-trip. I had no idea what Daniel was really thinking about all of this.

  I believed he was even trying to break down the fences that I had erected between us since Sunday night. It was fast becoming an untenable situation. I mean, even living separate lives in the same house would have to come to an end. But how, was the question. How do you keep ignoring someone who lives under the same roof as you for months at a stretch? You don’t.

  CHAPTER 4

  Perhaps Daniel felt the same about our situation as I did. One day, the following week, I knew he did.

  Elise, Simone and Sylvia– came up to me as I was making my way to the school yard to have a quiet lunch by myself.

  “Hey, you,” Elise said, as she stepped up to me. “Where are your manners, missy? Since when don’t you say hello to your friends?” She was right in my face while Sylvia and Simone had a fit of the giggles.

  “Sorry, Elise,” I said, trying to push past her, “I don’t have time…”

  “No time for what, Madison?” Elise said, re-planting herself in front of me. “No time even to say hello to your best pals?”

  “Just drop it,” I said, trying to get out from under their menacing gazes. “I just want to be left alone, okay?” I managed to push past Elise by shoving her aside and going through the doors leading to the school yard.

  But they were not to be deterred.

  This time Sylvia took the lead. She was a tall girl with superb black hair. Her face reminded me of one of the Kardashians.

  “Elise is right,” she blurted, catching up to me, “you’ve got no manners, have you? We were talking to you; or didn’t you notice?”

  I looked up at her five-foot-seven mannequin frame and shook my head. “Well, let’s make this right,” I sneered, “Good morning, Sylvia dear!” I turned to Elise. “Splendid morning to you too, dear Elise…”

  “Stop that!” Sylvia yelled. “You’ve got no right to treat…”

  Before she had time to finish her sentence, Daniel appeared on the scene. He looked gently menacing.

  A pall of silence suddenly envelope
d the five of us.

  Daniel’s eyes traveled from one girl to the other until they landed on Elise.

  “Elise, I didn’t know you could be so petty. At your age? Teasing anyone should be beneath you. And if you’re trying to make an impression on me or my friends, you’re not!”

  “We just…” Sylvia tried to say.

  Daniel turned to her. “Don’t, Sylvia. Do you think being a bully is going to look good on your resume? I don’t think so.”

  “We’re only trying to teach your step-sister some manners, Sweetie, that’s all,” Simone said vampishly, hanging over Daniel’s shoulder like a temptress.

  Daniel chuckled and literally brushed Simone’s hand off his shoulder as if it were a bug. “Really?” he said. “Sounds to me as if you tried your best to make Madison uncomfortable.” His gaze ran around the circle again. “I don’t know why you’re doing it.” He turned toward the nearest table. “I’ve been sitting at that table every day for weeks now and all I hear from you three are derisive comments about Madison.” He returned his attention to Elise. “And I hear that it’s been going on for years, hasn’t it?” He smiled at her. “It’s truly amazing to me. You three are acting like middle-schoolers when you’re a few months from getting out there or even going to college, and you act like kids.”

  “Okay, since you’re her step-brother and you care about what happens to her, I guess we’ll think twice about talking to her.”

  “I suppose that’s your choice, Elise, but remember, none of the boys like a bully or even a tease. We like women who can handle themselves, not kids who pretend to be adults.”

  Whoa, I thought, I really couldn’t have said it better myself.

  “If that’s your opinion, you’re entitled to it, Daniel Robson,” Elise said in a huff, “but it’s a free world.”

  Daniel was not having it. He wouldn’t stand for a brush-off. I could sense his temper rising.

  “Listen Elise, you’re getting on my bad side right now. So get off your pedestal and get real, okay?”

  “As I said, it’s a free world, Mr. Robson.”

  If Elise had been a boy, I think they would have exchanged a few well-placed fists. He glowered and added, “Just leave Madison alone from now on, do you understand what I’m saying?”

  “Are you threatening her?” Simone intervened.

  “Not at all,” Daniel answered, “Just making it clear to the three of you: you tease my step-sister and you tease me, understood?”

  The girl fell silent and turned on their heels toward another corner of the schoolyard.

  How was I to cope with this incident? There was no way on earth for me to ignore what he had just done for me. With a few well-spoken words, he had chased my demons away. I hoped.

  “Are you okay?” he asked me, peering into my eyes.

  I lowered my gaze and nodded. “Thank you,” I said quietly.

  “Let’s sit down and have something to eat, okay?”

  “I only have an apple…,” I said sheepishly.

  He laughed quietly, as we went to sit at the table under the shade of a tree. I was glad to have worn my jacket. The autumn weather was getting a little cool to be eating outside.

  “Don’t worry; I’ve got a couple of sandwiches that I picked up at the cafeteria before coming out here.” He looked at me and smiled. “Do you want one?”

  “Yes; that would be nice, thanks.”

  “Which do you prefer? I’ve got roast beef and Swiss cheese or chicken salad.”

  “Chicken salad would be great,” I replied, taken the wrapped sandwich he handed to me.

  “And for drinks, I have apple or orange juice – which will it be?”

  “You came prepared, didn’t you?” I said, giggling. “I’ll have the orange juice, please.”

  “There you go then,” he said, handing me the orange juice carton. I was sure I wouldn’t be able to drink the whole thing. “How about we share?” I suggested. This is much too much for me.”

  “Good idea. I’ve got two straws anyway,” he added, pulling them out of his bag.

  “Were you counting on having lunch with me, by any chance?”

  He shook his head as he bit into his sandwich. Once he swallowed, he said, “Actually, no. I was going to have lunch with Gill, but I lucked out on that score. He’s having lunch with his sister. Something to do with college, I think.”

  I nodded and continued eating. The chicken sandwich tasted great. I didn’t know if it was the fact that Daniel had bought it or because we were finally having a normal conversation; it just felt good.

  When Daniel went back inside and I was left on my own, I had to reflect on what had taken place. He just walked over to them, told them off and they practically didn’t fight. Sure they put on a show of strength, especially for my benefit, but there was something else to this whole thing. It felt as if Daniel had some kind of hold on them. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it felt odd somehow. As for having lunch with me, I had to admit it was nice to behave normally for a change. But it almost seemed as if it had been pre-arranged somehow.

  I wouldn’t believe for a moment that Elise was in on Daniel’s plan, but the fact that he stepped up just at the right moment, seemed awfully timely. Maybe I was making a whole lot out of nothing, but a girl cannot hide from her “little voice” or her gut instinct, now can she?

  I knew he was popular; he was Mr. Right for many of the women in school, but was it just his popularity that gave him enough power to send the three of them back to their corner? Something was definitely off. But I couldn’t think of what it could be.

  I got up from the bench when I drank the last of our juice, threw the carton in the recycling bin and made my way back to the school cafeteria. There wasn’t much time until the next period, but I wanted to find Gaby and ask her if she really had lunch with her brother – or maybe it was another of Daniel’s little white lies to get me to have lunch with him.

  I ran up the stairs and pushed the door of the cafeteria only to bump into Gill.

  “Oh wow!” he burst out. “Sorry about that, Madison. My fault. Wasn’t looking where I was going.” He turned and pointed to the inside of the room. “Gaby is finishing her lunch, if she’s the one you’re looking for.”

  “Thanks, Gill. And I’m sorry, too. I was in such a hurry… Anyway thanks,” I blurted. “See you!”

  As I approached Gaby’s table, she smiled. “Hey girl, how’re you?”

  “Just fine,” I replied, sitting across from her. “I know we’ve got to get back to class, but I’ve got a question for you.” I inhaled a breath. “Did Daniel ask you or your brother to stay out of the school yard at lunch today?”

  Gaby frowned.

  “Well, did he?”

  “Really, Madison, do you imagine for one minute that Daniel or anyone could ask my brother to stay out of anywhere?”

  “I guess not.” I shook my head. “I was just curious. That’s all.”

  Gaby smiled. “Okay, what’s going on?”

  “It’s just that I had lunch with Daniel…”

  “You did? How come? I thought you two were not on speaking terms.”

  “Well, how can I refuse to have lunch with the guy who told Elise, Sylvia and Simone where to get off and to stay out of my life?”

  Gaby was staring.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Absolutely. They were trying to bar my way to the school yard – as usual – and all of a sudden here he was. He tore them down one-by-one, and then told them to behave like adults, and not like kids.”

  “Three cheers for Daniel!” Gaby said, rather louder than I had expected. I turned my head around to see if anyone had paid attention. No one had. The lunch room was practically empty by now.

  Gaby stood up. “I think we better get to class,” she suggested.

  I followed.

  “So what’s wrong now?” she asked as we were going down the stairs.

  “I don’t know. It’s just that it seemed so easy f
or him. It felt as if he had something over the girls.”

  Gaby stopped on the first landing and turned to face me. “I told you many times, Madison, you see things where there’s nothing to see. I wish you would accept good things for what they are – just good things.”

  “Alright, alright… I guess I’m overreacting. I’ve never had anyone stand up for me. It feels weird somehow.”

  “I bet it does, especially when you wouldn’t believe it could happen to such a nasty little paranoid girl like you.”

  Once again, Gaby had managed to put some laughter in my thoughts.

  I loved her for it.

  CHAPTER 5

  Not having to worry about Elise and her followers made a lot of difference. Going to school became a rather pleasant experience. I was still not taking the same bus as Daniel in the morning or in the evening though. I spent time with Gaby at the pool in the morning, continued with my calisthenics routine and swam with her three times a week. At lunch I tried avoiding Daniel, even though we would exchange a furtive smile here and there.

  When Friday evening came round, Mom and Richard decided to have dinner at the restaurant and go see a movie afterward. Mom had been cooking a storm most nights and Richard thought it was about time to “let her out”, as he put it, but she wasn’t about to let us starve. She had left a homemade pizza in the oven for Daniel and me. We just had to bake it for twenty minutes and we would have another fantastic meal – with a glass of wine this time. Neither Daniel nor I wanted to drink that much, but one of Mom’s pizzas deserved a nice wine with it.

  I was in the kitchen when Daniel came home. He burst in through the back door, took one look at me and ran up the stairs, saying, “I’ll have a shower first.”

  I had to laugh to myself. This was a little more than “wash your hands before dinner,” I said quietly, but was pleased that he did. He had thrown a few hoops at the park with his buddies, I was sure, and he was probably reeking of sweat and dirt. Meanwhile, I set up the table and turned the oven on.