Beyond the Pack’s Law: My stepsister or nobody else

Hayley’s POV

The bang from the door hitting the wall was so loud that I shook in fright. Aiden hurriedly got off me, and we both looked shocked and scared at my mom.

You could tell from the look in her eyes that she was disgusted, and from the way she alternated her gaze from me to Aiden, like she was wondering who to pounce on first.

Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening her eyelids and facing Aiden.

“Get out now!!” Her voice came out as a roar.

“I..” Aiden looked like he was about to object to being told to leave, but he quickly held on to his words and walked out of the room.

Thankfully, we were both fully dressed; otherwise, it would have been a very awkward exit.

“You.” That singular word sent a shockwave of goosebumps through my body. A part of me wanted to run. I knew she was against my relationship with Aiden, and frankly, I wasn’t going to let her break us apart, but the anger in her eyes was scary.

She stepped into the room and slowly shut the door behind her.

“Mum?” I felt like a rabbit about to be butchered.

“Why?”

Why? What sort of question was that?

She looked at me like she was expecting an answer; apparently, the out-of-the blue question wasn’t a rhetorical one.

“Why what?”

“Why is it that the both of you are so hell-bent on bringing shame and pain to this family?”

The question caught me off guard. When I saw her standing at the door, I was expecting the scolding of a lifetime, but now that she was talking with so much hurt in her eyes, you’d think I had done something terribly unjust to her.

“We’re not bringing shame or pain, mom.”

“Then what do you call this abomination of a relationship you’re choosing to indulge in?”

I felt like she was slowly making me back up against a wall so she could corner me.

“I love him, and he loves me too.”

“Love?” She shook her head and looked at me like she felt sorry for me.

I didn’t even know what to say at that point; I didn’t know where this was going, and I didn’t know how to react to it. It felt like she already had a conversation played out, script for script, in her mind.

“You think you’re in love, okay, so tell me, other than wanting to tear each other’s clothes off and indulge in incest, what other way has she shown this so-called love to you?”

So that was what she was trying to do-convince me that Aiden and I had no idea what we were feeling and that we were just acting out of lust.

I had figured out her approach, but the problem was that I could not think of an answer that proved her wrong. The only way Aiden had shown that he loved me was when we made out.

Was it possible she was right?. No, I wouldn’t let her get in my head.

“He cares about me.” I tried reminding my heart about all the times he was protective of me; that was love, right?

“Hayley.” She tugged my hair behind my ear and caressed my cheek with her thumb. “Your father and I care about you too; are either of us trying to get you naked?”

“Mum, stop, please.”

“That’s the same thing I’m asking of you; just stop this nonsense. For the sake of this family, for your sake, and even for your brother’s sake.”

“I’m not doing anything wrong.” I pulled her hand away.

“Okay, then do it for my sake; I love your father. Don’t make me lose something I care about. You can always find the person you really love. You’re young, I’m not; if I miss my chance with him now, it could be gone forever.”

“You only care about yourself.”

I got up from the bed and walked to the other end of the room.

“You’re being selfish, mom, so stop acting like you’re looking out for anyone but yourself.”

Her brows creased in annoyance; she definitely didn’t like the reaction she was getting from me.

“So what? You two will just keep on messing around in every hidden corner, and every time no one’s looking, is that it?” The pitch of her voice was starting to rise; that was a sign that she was getting mad.

I crossed my arms and looked out the window. I could feel myself slowly starting to despise her and her manipulative tactics. The only thing that she really cared about was herself.

“Don’t make me have to tear the two of you apart myself.”This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“It’s not going to work; you already tried to, remember with Aunt Jada? And the truth is, you’re a monster just like her. You’re selfish and evil.”

“I’ve warned you.” She said it coldly and stood to take her leave.

I wanted to tear her apart and scream, What was she going to try to do now?

She slammed the door behind her, and I could hear her footsteps receding down the hallway in the direction of Aiden’s room.

She was going to try convincing him too, great.

I coiled up on my bed, tired and angry at the same time. I wished Aunt Jada would just disappear and my mom would stop trying to wedge a wall between me and Aiden.

I heard my phone buzz, and when I reached out for it, it was a message from Mona and Mina on our group chat.

“We heard Aiden’s back; is it true?”

The message read that I had forgotten to text them an update since everything had been so messy.

“Yeah, he’s safe,” I replied.

“Great, I was really getting worried.” Mona texted back.

“You’ve got to give us all the details at school tomorrow.” Mina texted too.

Tomorrow? Wow, I lost track of the days and had no idea tomorrow was a school day. I rolled my eyes and put my phone back on my lamp desk.

The next morning, I got ready for school as usual, but I decided to keep a bit of distance from Aiden just so I could get mom off my back.

I flung my backpack over my shoulders and grabbed a slice of peanut butter and jelly off a plate in the kitchen.

“Good morning, Dad.” I said, completely ignoring my mom.

“Good morning, Hayley.” Dad said, smiling. He was nose deep in a newspaper, and he probably didn’t notice the cold shoulder I was given by mom.

Matching my energy, Mum acted like I was invisible as well; it was almost like she was telling me two could play at this game.

I was about to step out the door when I realized I forgot my phone in my room. I hurried back to take it, and I noticed Mom’s eye following me as I went up the stairs.

I could hear her say something when I reached the door to my room, but I ignored it. She was probably complaining about how I ignored her.

I stuffed my phone in my pocket and made my way down the stairs. I heard Dad’s voice, and I slowed down. The eavesdropper side of me won, and I got close enough to the kitchen but without anyone noticing my presence.

“Do you want me to handle it my way?” It was Mom speaking now; there was an obvious threat in that question.

What could she have possibly been going on about now?

“I understand how you feel, but being violent towards them isn’t going to solve anything.”

“Violence is the only language they seem to understand.”

They were talking about me and Aiden, and I was sure of it. I’d never seen her get so riled up over anything the way I’d seen her do with me and Aiden. They were definitely talking about us, but what were the violent means she intended to use?

“I’ll take care of it, okay?” Dad said reassuringly

There was a short pause before Mom finally responded with a reluctant okay.

I could feel the tiny breakfast I had had churn in my stomach, and the way he said he would take care of it made me very anxious.

I slid out of the house without anyone noticing; their conversation replayed in my mind all the way to school.