Episode 7

I felt sloppy, and lethargic but climbed out of bed. I barely remembered what had occurred last night, but I did remember Mike sleeping next to me. It was no surprise that he was gone by the time I woke up. I left my room, and greeted William who was escaping his room at the same time as me. He rushed for a hug, and we both headed downstairs. However, I stopped him for a moment, hearing voices by the entrance door.

"You can come back any time you like, I have your number so I'll call you." It was Mike's voice.

"A kiss before I go?" A girl's voice said. I attempted to sneak a peak to see whom it was, and saw that it was the girl who had given him a lap dance yesterday. She had slept over? I hid myself when they backed up from their kiss.

Mike leaned in for an embrace, and opened the door. "Take care okay babe?" And the door closed. When he was out of her sight, he chuckled, "Number deleted."

He left towards the dining room, and that was when I made my way as well. I was surprised to see the entire crew for breakfast; Mr. Hawk dove in on scrambled eggs, his plate filled with sausages, home fries and toasts. My mother sat beside him, chatting with him, and Eric was also at the table. Mike had just joined them, and my brother and I were the last two left to join. I was shocked when I saw a waiter appear from the kitchen, and add more juice to Mr. Hawk's wine glass.

As I entered, they all stared up at me and I weakly smiled.

"Morning."

"Hey sweetheart," my mother replied, and Mr. Hawk smiled in my direction. Eric scoffed, but Mike ignored my entrance completely. William sat beside me, and the waiter soon came with our foods. I dove in, being extremely hungry, and William also began eating.

"How are you this morning?" Mr. Hawk asked in a fatherly manner.

I shrugged, "Sluggish but it will pass on."

"Yes, I've heard you guys had a get-together yesterday."

I turned towards Eric who shrugged, but Mike avoided my gaze. I was not certain how he knew, or if he was supposed to know. Slowly, I nodded my head, "Yea, we did."

"So by sluggish, you mean hungover?"

Mike snorted, and Eric sighed in annoyance, "He's trying to be a cool dad."

"Not working," Mike added under his breath.

I chuckled, "Yes, that's what I meant."

Mr. Hawk smirked, "I am pretty cool if you ask me."

"And me," my mother chimed in.

"Any who, as I already told Eric, and Mike can hear in on this as well," Mr. Hawk continued, "the boys are going to take you to visit the school today, since it starts next week. We've made your schedule around Eric's classes, and since Eric will be done earlier than you on some days, Mike will come pick you up."

Eric did not appear pleased with this decision, but he did not protest against it. It made me realize that I never really chatted with Eric, neither had I with Mike, I only had sex with him twice and insulted one another.

"I'm not in," Mike said, chewing his bacon.

Mr. Hawk raised an eyebrow, "I don't remember asking if you were or not, I'm telling you what's going to happen."

Mike shook his head, "I have to go see my girlfriend today. She's back in town." I was certain my heart stopped beating.

"Alyssa?" Mr. Hawk's eyes widened, and Mike nodded. "Then tell her to come over, I love that girl."

Mike nodded his head, "Will do."

Eric glanced in my direction, met my gaze and began laughing, shaking his head as he continued eating his food. He definitely knew. I suddenly felt like puking, and I stood from my seat. "Sorry, I feel sick." I rushed to the bathroom upstairs and puked my entire breakfast. I stayed beside the toilet for a few minutes before flushing, and exiting the bathroom. Without returning to breakfast, I went to my room, and sat on my bed. Why was I upset? It was not as if Mike had at any time expressed desires to be with me, and our sex was never in a bed or romantic. He insulted me of a whore and a slut, and had slept with another girl the same day he had sex with me. Then why was I upset?

We did not end up going to the University, since Mr. Hawk was so excited from Alyssa appearing that they decided to bring all of us out for dinner instead, rather then tour the University. Mike was completely avoiding that plan, but since Mr. Hawk and my mother was to join us, and we had called a babysitter for William, there was no going back. Therefore, I prettied myself, and wore a long black dress with sandals. It had pockets, and a gold belt for the waist. The others wore casual formal outfits, with shorts and a dress shirt, and my mother wore a dress as well.

The diner was named Mercano's, a fancy Italian restaurant, very expensive that was meant to be for the rich. I was unsure what Mr. Hawk did for work, but with his sons in an illegal business, I assumed it had some branch connected. The restaurant was packed, with an entire dance floor in which people dance to sophisticated piano music played by a live musician. I was not poor, but I had never been to such a paradise. We were instantly seated, the owner apparently knowing Mr. Hawk, and it was not long until Alyssa joined our table. She had long gorgeous blond hair that fell all the way to her butt, and a slim but perfectly curved body. Her nails were manicures, her makeup was done lightly and her chin remained raised. However, the instance her gaze locked with Mike, he stood to his seat with admiration into his eyes. He extended his hand, bowing forward as she placed hers on top of his.

He gently pressed his lips on the back of her hand, and stood upright. "My love," he cooed, cupping her jaw and placing his lips on hers. The manner he stared at her was genuine, and it was evident that he did have some love for her. It caused my heart to clench, but I forced a smile, forcing down my wine.

Eric stood as well, giving her a friendly hug and Mr. Hawk nodded his head with a wink. She grabbed a seat beside me, and she met my gaze, sending me a very weak smile.

"Alyssa, welcome back, how was the trip abroad?"

"Fantastic," her voice was very angelic and tender, even made goosebumps form on my skin, "I am returning in a few weeks."

"Bummer, we are not having you for long," Mr. Hawk added with a chuckle.

Mike turned to face her, placing an arm around the back of her chair. "I missed you," he whispered, leaning forward and placing a peck on her cheek. He whispered something in her ear, and we all saw the flirtatious bite on her ear, that she chuckled sheepishly too. I sighed, looking away and chugging my wine again.

Mr. Hawk said, "Apologize for my rude behaviour, I forgot to introduce you guys. Alyssa, this is Mrs. Devinez, my fiancé, and her daughter, August."

"August? What a name?" She giggled, and both Eric and Mike began laughing with her. My fingers clamped around my glass, but I forced a chuckle underneath my breath. Mike avoided my gaze entirely.

I raised my glass in her direction, "Nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, September." The table began laughing again, except my mother who sent me a worried look. I shook my head, letting her know that I was fine, a few comments in this manner are not to get underneath my skin.

The waiter arrived, and we ordered our food, but throughout our small conversations, Alyssa continued to send jabs in my direction. They were subtle, maybe a few did not make sense of them, but I did. And her grey eyes did not have any friendly emotions in my direction. However, she pulled a nerve when she said, "Good thing Devinez will be soon changed to Hawk."

I cleared my throat, "No, I'll be keeping my last name."

"Well at least change your first name, because the second doesn't fix it up either—"

"Alyssa, stop," Mike hissed. He turned to face her, and the intimidating glare on his face caused Alyssa to shut her mouth immediately. The table drove into an awkward silence, but it was perfect timing for the waiter to deliver our food at that time. However, when my plate arrived in front of me, my appetite was not there. I wanted go home, not home to the thirty minute drive back to their mansion, but home to the East. I shook my head, letting my napkin drop on the table.

I stood from my seat, "I'm going to the bathroom for a moment."

They nodded, and I rushed away from the table. When I entered the bathroom, I placed my palms against the sink, staring at myself in the mirror. This expensive lifestyle that had gone on for about four days had already been disastrous, and the entitlement from those men were disgusting. Mostly Mike, and it angered me that I did not know he had a girlfriend, and I was another one of his sluts used to his amusement. The love in his eyes to Alyssa appeared genuine, and we were to become step-sibling anyways.

The door to the bathroom opened, and I heard a click, as they locked the door. "Are you uncomfortable or something?" His voice caused my stomach to twirl in nausea. Mike stepped towards me, his palms in his front pockets as he tilted his head, observing me with disgust and bitterness in his eyes. "Are you?"

I felt cold fingers slide along my back as I met his gaze, and turned away with a slight shiver. "Mike, leave me alone," I breathed.

He scoffed, "What, you're mad at me because I have a girlfriend?"

I shook my head, "I'm still hungover."

"Hungover, my ass."

"Look," I turned to face him, but had not realized how close he had stepped to me that his chest was against my nose. I took a step backwards, "It has nothing to do with you."

"There's nothing I hate more than liars," he hissed, and from the manner his eyes darkened and his jaw tightened, one could see that he was serious.

I paused, shrugging my shoulders. "I don't know what's going on."

"What's going on with what?" he leaned forward.

"With you!" I exclaimed, my eyes widening. "I mean," my voice lowered into a whisper, "We had sex."

"I know."

"Twice," I insisted.

He simply shrugged his shoulders, "So what?"

I blinked, surprised by his condescending answer. "So what?" I repeated, stunned. "Are you serious, all you could answer is so what?"

"Yea, so what if we had sex. I've had sex with many people, there's no reason for you to get attached. Besides, your my step-sister, using you for a little while was my one and only intention."

"If you were using me then why did you squeeze me so tightly yesterday and fell asleep in my bed. You bathed me, dressed me, and took care of me—"

"I promise you August," he mocked condescendingly, as if what I uttered was so unbelievably dumb, "that doesn't make you any different than any other girl." He spat with no remorse, "That doesn't make you special. I cleaned you because you're my step-sister and that's it. So don't get over yourself, alright?"

I bit my tongue, holding back my sensitive side attempting to reveal itself. Mike stepped forward, hovering above as he looked down on me. "I told you, you're easy. You opened your legs the minute I stared at your lips, and if I wanted to, I could have sex with you right now. So don't flatter yourself, because you're nothing more than a joke."

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