Teaching My Bookworm Stepsister

Maverick's P.O.V.

********

"What?" Was all I could manage.

Kapri.. is the result of her mother's r**e?

"Kapri was the biggest piece of evidence that put the man away. So, he knows about her. There was no way around that. I suspect your grandfather is hiding him, or helping him hide...."

I tuned Dad out as I tried to process everything. All of those things Kapri said.. The dead look in her eyes.. Her skipping class, and staying in her room..

This is why everyone has been so worried about her. I should never have left her. At the very least, I should have come home every couple of days.

Kapri is probably.. distraught to say the least. She's probably confused, and struggling to hold onto herself. I know my nerd. Kapri is blaming herself completely. She's probably having identity problems. That must be why she's been avoiding everyone. Kapri doesn't want to feel better. She doesn't want anyone to tell her it isn't her fault.

Well, that sucks for her because there is no way in hell I'm letting this continue. I've already fu.cked up enough with Kapri. I know that I can't let her go. I'll always be in love with her. It's time for me to start trying to be worthy of her.

I jumped to my feet in the middle of Dad's sentence.

"Where the hell are you going?" He called out as I walked out of his office.

I ignored him, and marched down to Kapri's room. I started pounding on the door, but Kapri wouldn't answer. So, I tried the doorknob, and the door was locked.

I was fully ready to kick the goddamn door down. Anything to get to Kapri. When Jas appeared next to me.

"Here." She said as she handed me a hairpin.

I raised a brow at her. Jas scoffed, and pushed me out of the way. She wiggled the hairpin in the door lock, and a moment later, the door opened.

I gaped at my little innocent sister.

"Hey, don't look at me like that. April started to lock up my favorite snacks." She said with a frown.

Whatever, I don't have time to dwell on this.

"Thanks Jas." I said as I walked into the room.

I locked the door behind me, and looked around. I don't see Kapri anywhere. Then I heard the sound of running water, and I turned my head to Kapri's bathroom. The door is shut, but I can see the light on. I walked to the door, and knocked on it. There was no answer.

"Kapri.. open this door or I'm going to barge in." I stated sternly.

Still no answer.

I sighed, and tried my luck with the door. Thankfully, it's open. I pushed the door all the way open, and wished I wouldn't have wasted so much time talking with Dad.

Kapri is stripped down to just a gray tank top, and her panties. Almost every inch of her skin is beat red like she's been burned. She's scrubbing at her already raw arms with a scrub brush meant to clean a floor or something. The sink and shower are both running. Judging by the steam in here, they must be on as hot as she could get it.

It took me a few seconds to take in the scene, and react. I took the two steps to Kapri, and snatched the brush out of her hand.

"Hey!" She shouted.

"Kapri, what the fu.ck!?" I shouted back at her.

I tossed the brush to the side, and grabbed Kapri's hands. She flinched, and tried to pull away, but I wouldn't let her. I inspected her arms. I'm not a doctor, but it doesn't look that bad. It looks like she's been using that scrub brush on herself for a while though. "Are you in pain?" I asked.

"Does it-"

"Are you in pain?!" I asked again, raising my voice.

"Who cares if I am!?" Kapri shouted back.

"I do! Your mom does! Jas! Jes! My dad!" I shouted back. "I didn't fu.cking ask you who cares Kapri, I asked if you were in any pain. Answer me now, or I'll take you to the hospital anyway. I don't care if I have to throw you over my damn shoulder and drag you kicking and screaming." I stated.

Kapri has a defiant look on her face, but she won't meet my eyes.

"I'm fine." She said.

I don't believe her. Not one fu.cking bit.

So, I picked Kapri up, and threw her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Maverick! I answered you!" She shouted as she started to kick and hit me.

I dropped Kapri on her.

"Do not fu.cking move." I ordered.

Then I ran down to the bathroom at the end of the hall. I grabbed the first aid kit that was under the sink, and rushed back to Kapri's room. She's right where I left her on her bed. I marched over to her, and opened the kit.

I'm not sure if I should use burn cream or ointment..

"Please tell me you were at least only using soap or something?" I asked her as I knelt to inspect her legs.

"What's-"

"I swear to god if you fu.cking say some bullsh,it about no caring, or what's it matter, I'll throtle you." I threatened her.

Kapri was silent for a moment.

"It was just soap." She mumbled.

I gave Kapri a single nod, and began to apply some ointment to her legs. I applied the ointment, and then wrapped up a leg. Then I moved on to the other leg.

"Why did you do this to yourself, Kapri?" I asked softly.

I finished wrapping up that leg, and pressed a soft kiss on her bandages. Then I moved to sit on her bed. Kapri still won't look at me. For a while, I didn't think she would actually answer me.

"I.. I just want to feel clean." She whispered.

If I thought seeing Kapri cry as I broke her heart, broke me... I had no idea what it truly felt like to be broken. See Kapri like this now.. Hearing her say that..

"Kapri, you scrubbed yourself raw. You can't get cleaner than this." I told her.

Kapri just stared straight ahead.

"Then why do I still feel so dirty?" She asked softly.

I wrapped up her arm, and moved to the other side of the bed.

"Because you were told something that was life-changing for you, baby. Something that you aren't handling well." I answered her. "But I assure you, you are not dirty. There isn't a dirty thing about you. Not inside or outside. No matter what you were told, or where you come from. None of that makes you dirty," I told her.

"So, you know," She stated.

I looked at her face, but she was still just staring straight ahead. There was no emotion on her face. Nothing at all.

"Yeah, Dad just told me." I answered honestly.

"And that's why you're here," she said.

"No." I said. "Well, yes, but I was coming for you anyway. Did you honestly think that I hadn't noticed that something was going on with you?" I asked.

"I didn't think you'd care," Kapri stated.

I had just finished wrapping up her last arm. I lifted her tank top to make sure her stomach or back didn't need to be wrapped up too. Thankfully, it doesn't seem like she made it that far.

I grabbed Kapri's chin, and forced her face to mine. She tried to pull away, but I wouldn't let her. Still, she refused to meet my eyes.

"Look at me." I ordered.

Kapri just squeezed her eyes shut.

"Kapri. Look. At. Me." I ordered again.

Kapri's bottom lip trembled. She opened her eyes slowly. Just in time for tears to start falling. Her light green eyes pleaded with me as she grabbed my wrist. I know that I gave her a pained expression. I couldn't help it. Not when I'm staring right into all of her pain. A small sob escaped her lips. I brought my other hand up so that I could cup her face between my hands. I used my thumbs to wipe away her tears.

"I will always care about you, Kapri. No matter how I might act, or what I might say. I know that you don't deserve my constant back and forth, Kapri. I'm so sorry I ever made you think I didn't care about you." I told her.

More tears streamed down her face.

"You can't do this to yourself anymore, Kapri. You can't." I meant it to sound like an order, but I knew it sounded more like I was begging.

"I.. I don't know.. h-how to.. anything.." She blubbered.

I pulled Kapri into my arms. I held her head to my chest as she sobbed. I rubbed her back trying to soothe her.

"It's okay, Kapri. You don't have to know everything. You just.. have to remember who you are. Remember that there are people who love you no matter what. Who care." I told her.

"I-I-I d-don't.. k-know who I-I a-am anymore." She said as she clung to me.

I pulled Kapri the rest of the way into my lap. I moved so that I could sit with my back against her headboard. Then I began to rock us slightly.

"Then I will remind you, because there is no one on this earth that knows you better than me." I told her.

I kissed the top of Kapri's head as tears filled my own eyes. I hate seeing her like this. I shouldn't have left her. At least I would have been here to prevent Kapri from getting this far.

"You are the smartest person I know. Any time that I need an answer, you're there. You push people to be better without even realizing it. And you are so kind and considerate. Even if you run your damn mouth every chance you get," I said. Kapri snuggled into the crook of my neck, her sobbing finally dying down.

"You have no idea the positive impact you have on people's lives. You cared for Molly when everyone shunned her as a child. You noticed that Brooke was damn near ready to end her life. You pushed Josh to actually take an interest in his education. Because you are so caring to everyone. No matter who they are," I continued.

Kapri's body started to slump. She's only sniffling now. I took a deep breath.

"I can't even list off all that you have done for me." I said. "You were always there for me. Bringing me books to read while I sat in the hospital with my mom. Meeting me at the playground every day even though you hated my guts." I said with a small laugh. "Your smile lit up my world. Your voice always soothed me. Everything about you made me feel like everything was going to be okay. You were the first person I wanted to see when my mom died. You make me feel important and comfortable and.. cared about. Because you are Kapri. The snarky, smart, beautiful, caring woman. You will always be.. the love of my life." I admitted.

By the time I was done, Kapri's breathing had calmed significantly. I looked down to see her head loll to the side. She's asleep.

I smiled down at her, and kissed her lips. I moved her head back onto my shoulder more.

I'm glad that she didn't hear that last part. Now is not the time to tell her all of that. But I will.. Eventually.

Once Kapri is doing better, I'll tell her everything.