Jade's POV
I swallowed hard as I heard that Andrew would be the one to guide me to my room.
If it were to be before I found out we were supposed to be step siblings, I would have been so ecstatic and totally over the moon, to be going with Andrew alone, to my room.
That young, handsome guy was my crush. I had started crushing on him, unrepentantly, since I got admitted into the college and laid my eyes on him.
"He is a God's gift to women! I want him, for myself." I had said to my best friend, Juanita, on the first day of school.
So, when my mother had used the same line, I had chuckled to myself.
Like mother, like daughter indeed! We sure had the same opinion about him.
Andrew was indeed a God's gift to women. He was 6ft 1inch tall. His v shaped face was adorned with the perfect pair of brown eyes, pointed nose, and full lips that seemed really succulent and inviting.
Even though I had never seen completely shirtless, mere look at him fully clothed made me believe that he had an athletic body that would make any woman swoon. He was well built, and he carried himself with much charisma.
He was in the basketball team and very social, unlike me who would only go to watch him play, discreetly. Apart from watching him play, I had rather sit in the library, reading werewolves and other supernatural stories.
He was always at every party and girls threw themselves at him, shamelessly. Everybody wanted to be associated with Andrew, the popular guy. And that still didn't stop him from being the overall best student.
To crown it all, he was from a wealthy home. He would always drive around the college in his fancy, sports car.
To me, he seemed completely out of my league and unreachable. Yet, I believed he would notice me one day and I would be able to tell him how I felt about him.
So, meeting him at my supposed new house should be a great joy to me, but not in the situation whereby we would be step siblings. That made me feel upset and my spirit dampened.
I knew I had to make a quick decision. And that was to stop crushing on him, even though I knew fully well that it would be hard for me. Almost impossible!
I decided I would just live with the pain, forever.
He was my first love. I started nursing my love for him, since the day we met at the school cafeteria, even though it was briefly and we hadn't spoken at all.
"Andrew just spoke to me, right?" I had asked my friend, unbelievably, the first time he spoke to me.
I was at the front of the class with my friend and he had walked up straight to me.
"Yes. But he only asked whether he was at the right venue for the English class, girl!" Juanita chuckled at my display, believing it was exaggerated.
But it wasn't. I was truly happy that I could fly, just by hearing him talk to me.
I was always looking forward to the day we would be alone together in a house and even fantasized on doing things with him. Both dirty and clean ones!
My hope of being together with the love of my life shattered immediately I found out he was supposed to be my step brother, so I did what I believed was best for my mother.
I denied knowing him.
I denied knowing someone that was always in my sweet dreams.
For my mother's happiness!
I could see how disappointed he looked when I said I didn't know him before our parents and I felt bad. I was supposed to be running into his perfect muscular arms!
"Here is your room!" I heard him say to me as we got to the entrance of a room.
"Thank you." I had replied him meekly than I had intended and I felt weak before him.
That wasn't how I had envisaged our real conversation to be.
It hurt me badly that I couldn't tell him what I had been dying to let him know.
"I need you to know that I hate people invading my space. I would appreciate it if you can stay on your lane and completely avoid trespassing on my space. I am sure you understand exactly my drift." I heard Andrew say to me, sounding harshly.
I was supposed to feel bad at his harsh tone but I understood that he was probably upset that his father brought in another woman into their house.
Scratch that, there was nothing Andrew could do that would be bad in my eyes. I loved him that much.
I didn't reply him because I didn't know what to reply him with. So, I kept quiet and looked at him with guilt.
He must have not wanted another woman to come replace his mother. And I completely understood that. I also didn't want another man to come replace my father.
"I believe you can find your way downstairs, for anything else, which I definitely won't be the one to guide you through." He spoke up again before walking away.
I released a breath I didn't know I was holding, after he left me alone and went downstairs.
"I am sorry, Andrew!" I muttered and walked into my new room, begrudgingly.
I marveled at the interior decor of the room, when I entered it.
It was huge and beautifully furnished. Everything modern to make a room more than comfortable to live in, was in there.
From the giant bed, to the huge wardrobe, down to the huge dressing mirror, everything was screaming luxury.
"My mom truly got herself a wealthy fish, this time around." I mused to myself as I looked around, touching everything.
I remembered how her previous boyfriends would even munch off the little we had and laughed.
It wasn't supposed to be funny, but it was.
"At least, I would be able to live my life comfortably in here, till I graduate and be allowed to move out, and not have to be begging neighbors around for a sleepover because her boyfriend was around." I reasoned and nodded my head.
I had faced and dealt with many terrible situations in my 18 years of living!
I kept thinking of how I would no longer pretend to be asleep whenever I was at our neighbor's house and they would be badmouthing my mom and I, as I walked into the bathroom. They would express how sorry they felt for me yet would still talk about how I was going to turn out like my wayward mother.
Most times, I would prefer to sleep on the streets rather than going to those people but my mom would not allow it. She would start reminding me of how I had caused her beloved husband's death and led her into everything she was doing and going through at the moment.
So, I had to obey her!
"Mhmm!" I moaned in satisfaction as I soaked myself inside the bathtub filled with warm water.
I finished with my shower and changed into comfy clothes that I found in the wardrobe since our boxes were unpacked yet. It was a pair of plain comfy joggers that seemed too big for my slender legs and a plain round neck top that also was big for my upper part. It hid my bosoms completely and it reached my knees.
Whoever that owned must be taller and bigger than I am. It was unisex so I couldn't guess who owned it.
Afterwards, I opened the door to head downstairs. My mom had messaged me to come down for dinner.
At that moment, I saw Andrew walking out of the room opposite mine. He was completely shirtless and had on a plain joggers that looked like the one I had on.
Instead of connecting the dots, I got lost in staring at his delectable six packs.
It was obvious he had just finished taking his bath as his chest was wet. That looked inviting and had me drooling.
"Oh God! Is this what I will wake up to, everyday? How do I resist his charms?" I groaned.