Teaching My Bookworm Stepsister

Kapri's P.O.V.

***********

Play games my left a.ss cheek. Sally knew exactly what we were doing in there. She interrupted us on purpose. I know she did.

Not that Maverick believes that. I didn't voice my suspicions, but I can tell that Maverick didn't think too much of Sally interrupting us. Unless you count how annoyed he was.

I have to admit, Maverick yelling at Sally through the door was pretty funny. I know that he didn't mean for his words to come out so harsh, and Sally probably knew that too. Maverick was just frustrated. We were in the middle of ripping each others clothes off after having a fight.

It was the worst time to interrupt us.

Stupid Sally. She knew what she was doing. Now look at her.

Sally set up a board game in the living room on the coffee table. She had everything set up already when we got down here. Two players on one side, and one on the other. Guess who the loner was. That's right. Me.

Maverick has his legs extended, with me between them. I've tried to pull away, but the man is so damn long that no matter how I sit, he surrounds me. And guess what Sally has been doing the whole time. You guessed it! She's been draped over Maverick.

If Sally isn't touching his shoulders, she's leaning on him. If she isn't leaning on him, she's wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Like who hugs someone over a board game?

The girl is desperate, and apparently shameless as well. Sally knows that she interrupted our weekend. She knows that something is going on between Maverick and I. That's why she came here. It has to be.

What confuses me, is why she feels the need to be all over Maverick. In front of me or not. Maverick and I are brother and sister. No matter what we do. We're step-siblings. It's not like we could ever be in a relationship.

Plus, I thought Maverick told her that there was nothing between them. That he was in love with someone else. If that's the case, why is Sally so desperate acting?

Maybe Maverick really didn't tell her that. Maybe Sally just doesn't care. Maybe I'm just overthinking things.

Sally squealed over something in the game, and threw herself into Maverick's arms. I rolled my eyes at her over reaction. How does Maverick not realize what's going on?

Honestly, I should just be the one to leave. I don't want to see this. Sally clearly wanted time alone with Maverick. And Maverick clearly doesn't mind anything that's going on. So..

"I'm bored of this. I'm not playing anymore." I said as I stood up.

"We can get a different game out." Maverick said.

"I have a better idea," I announced. "Let's play hide and seek. I'll count first."

Then I turned to walk away. Good. Maybe they'll hide forever, and I won't have to find them. I'll just go upstairs, and lock myself in the room until our friends get here.

"Hide and seek?" Maverick asked skeptically.

"That sounds so fun!" Sally said.

Of course she thinks that. They can hide in a cramped space together. For as long as it takes me to find them. Which will be never.

"Glad you think so." I muttered.

I walked out of the room to the kitchen. I could feel Maverick hot on my heels, but I didn't care. I grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge. Then I scavenged the cupboards for snacks. This place doesn't have a whole lot. Honestly, I'm surprised it has anything at all. I wonder if someone lives here when the family isn't using it. Or maybe they have someone that cleans and grocery shops before the family comes up.

I decided to take the whole jar of baby pickles with me as a snack. I gathered everything up in my arms, and turned around to see Maverick watching me. Sally has herself wrapped around his arm, making me roll my eyes. Seriously? Maverick really doesn't see how awkward this is?

There must be something about Sally that Maverick knows that the rest of us don't. Something that makes him be soft with her. He didn't even treat Savannah this nice when they were 'dating'.

I tried to push past them, but Maverick stepped in my way. I scowled up at him, but he just stared down at me.

"Where are you going?" He asked.

"To count." I replied.

"Where?" He asked.

"Somewhere far away from the two of you," I said.

Maverick frowned at me.

"I didn't know you weren't having fun, Kap. I'm sorry.." Sally said softly. "This is all my fault. I invited myself, and ruined your guys' time." What bullsh.it.

"Well, I'm glad you're self-aware," I said sarcastically.

Sally pouted at me. Which I could care less about. She annoys me on a daily basis with her fakeness. I don't care if I hurt her feelings.

Maverick, however, looks pi.ssed. He's staring down at me with hard eyes and a clenched jaw. I narrowed my eyes at him, daring him to say something to me.

"You don't have to talk to her like that," he said.

"I'm aware," I replied flatly.

Maverick scoffed at me. He opened his mouth to say something else that would surely pi.ss me off. Before he could, Sally clung to him hard, gripping his shirt. My eyes zeroed in on the action. "Mav, let it go. It's okay. Kap is right. I should have thought more before coming up here." She said.

Ain't that the truth.

"Did you even think at all?" I asked.

Oops.. It just slipped out.

"Huh?" Sally asked me.

Too late to go back now.

"Before coming up here," I said. "Did you even think at all?" I asked. "I mean, honestly. You thought Maverick was up here alone, right? What did you think was going to happen?" I asked with a hollow laugh. Sally narrowed her eyes at me.

"Is that really something his stepsister should care about?" She asked snarkily.

I chuckled hollowly.

"Be careful Sally. Your true colors are showing." I said.

I tried to push past them again, but Maverick still wouldn't let me.

"I'm sorry Kap, I shouldn't have said that." Sally apologized.

If only that was a real apology.

"Whatever." I grumbled. "And stop calling me Kap, we're not friends." I said.

Sally feigned hurt. Her bottom lip trembled. Fake tears filled her eyes.

I raised a brow at her act.

"That was a bit much, Kapri." Maverick scolded me.

My eyes snapped to his.

"How so? Because I'm being honest? I can see how that would trip Sally up," I said.

Sally let out a fake sobbing noise. She threw herself into Maverick's chest. Who instantly wrapped his arms around her as she clung to him.

My heart sunk, and I suddenly felt like throwing up.

Maverick was so quick to do that. To comfort her. I wonder if he does that a lot. It was so reflexive for him.

This is exactly why I wanted to run away. To lock myself upstairs until someone comes to rescue me. I didn't want to see more of this.

I already have to see Sally all over Maverick all day, every day. I try so hard not to let it bother me. I try to look away, but I just can't help it.

Being stuck in a car alone with them makes it harder too.

That was partly why I was looking forward to this trip. I was finally going to get Maverick all alone. Just the two of us. No Sally. No Josh. No one to interrupt us.

I even had a little bit of hope after talking with Brooke on the phone. Hope that only grew when Maverick came to the room for me. And kept growing the more he kissed me.

Once again, I'm the dumb one. Maverick doesn't actually care about me. Honestly, I don't even know what I'm doing here.

Why did Maverick even invite me up here?

"Kapri, apologize." Maverick ordered.

My eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"To who?" I asked.

Maverick's jaw ticked.

"What's your problem?" He asked me.

"What's my problem?!" I asked incredulously. "My problem is Sally. Her and her fakeness! My problem is that I'm sick of watching the two of you be all over each other! My problem is, that I can never seem to escape the nightmare that is Sally and Maverick!" I shouted.

Sally sobbed harder. She slung her arms around Maverick's neck, squeezing the life out of him. All Maverick did was hold her closer, and start rubbing her back soothingly.

"Oh you've got to be fu.cking kidding me." I said.

"Kapri-"

"Maybe I should just leave when our friends get here." Sally blubbered.

Our friends?

"Ya know what, you're right. You should. No one asked you to come here anyway," I replied.

Maverick glared at me as he pushed Sally's head back into the crook of his neck. I'm so damn angry that I feel like I could explode.

"Why are you being such a bi.tch?" Maverick asked me.

Honestly, Maverick's words shocked me. And apparently hurt me. I stared at him with my mouth agape.

I'm not even sure what to say to that. Maverick has never talked to me so harshly, despite our usual bickering. He's never called me names like that either.

It... hurt. My stomach twisted in knots. My brain started to become fuzzy. I suddenly just want to crawl into a hole and disappear.

A single tear fell from my eye, fueling my anger again.

Suddenly, the front door opened.

"We're here!"