Forbidden Desire

I walked outside looking for Paul because as mad as I am, none of this has anything to do with him. Lora was just leading him on to get back at me, but he wouldn’t know that, and me taking that shit out on him would be a colossal dick move, especially since we’ve been buddies since Pre-K.

I found him hiding out on the other side of the building, where we usually hang when we want to get away from everyone and everything else. “Hey!” He looked over at me with a weird look on his face.

“You’ve really fucked yourself, haven’t you?”

“What’re you talking about?”

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it; you’re in love with that girl.” My heart and soul dropped. I’d forgotten in the heat of the moment how close we were and that he’s one of the only people who can see beyond whatever façade I have in place.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I’m not ready to share my feelings with anyone least of all him because as close as we are, Paul tends to have bitch teeth in his mouth. He’s one of those people who say shit without thinking only to have to apologize profusely later.

“Come on; it’s me, remember. I thought you were just playing the older brother, but just now, the way you looked at her, damn.” He shook his head, and I moved to sit next to him, feeling more miserable than I had when I walked out here.

“What’re you gonna do?” He was serious; there was no hint of teasing in his voice.

“What can I do? Dad wants to adopt her.” He whistled low with understanding.

“You should tell him, bro, before it gets that far.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me that it’s sick?”

“Why? She’s not your sister, not by blood. There’s no law against you two dating. I’d only say you should only do it if you two are serious, though; otherwise, that shit might get messy down the line.”

“What do you know about it? You don’t have a stepsister.” He shrugged his shoulders and gazed off in the distance.

“I don’t have to. It’s what makes sense. Your dad might be wanting to make her his kid so she doesn’t feel left out, you know, this way she wouldn’t be, not if she’s your girl.”

“You make it sound so simple, but I think he really wants this, and I’d be robbing him of something important.”

“Dude, your dad loves you; everybody knows that shit. How do you think he’d feel if he knew that he was taking this away from you? You don’t look at her like you just want to jump her bones, and now that I think about it, I was wondering why she called me up out of the blue. We’ve never even said more than two words to each other in the past, not without you there anyway, which tells me that she likes you too. Aww, Tyler and Lora, sitting in a tree…”

I punched his shoulder, and he laughed. “All kidding aside, bro, you should go for it, life is too short.” Shit, I’d forgotten about his own ordeal. It had been more than two years now, but the girl he liked had died from a rare blood disease when we were sixteen.

The two of them had been crazy about each other since middle school. It was after she’d passed away that he became the person he is now, the guy who went through as many girls as me. I put my hand on his shoulder in commiseration and as sort of an apology for being a douche earlier.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Well, you better hurry up before someone else beats you to it. I know for a fact that Steve has his eyes on her. He’s been going on and on for weeks about how hot it would be to knock one off in her.”

“What?” What the fuck is up with these fucknuts wanting my woman? Steve is another one of our friends and not nearly as acceptable as Paul.

“Where are you going?” He chuckled as he followed me.

“To break his fucking face.”

LORA

I didn’t have time to think about Tyler’s reaction after he stormed out of the cafeteria because that Sherry chick found herself at my table. I’d spent the night crying myself to sleep partly because of her existence and was in no mood to talk to her.

“Hey, do you mind if I sit here?” The others at the table with me acted like they’d been blessed or something the way they acted, scooting over to make room for her. Meanwhile, across the room, Tyler’s harem was giving her the stink eye.

I was saved from having to say anything to her when one of Tyler’s other friends came over and dragged a chair next to mine. Steve is your average high school jock down to his pearly whites. I know him to be harmless though he has a reputation as bad as Tyler’s. He’s good for a laugh when he’s not trying to get into my pants.