Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother

Amelia Forbes

“You never told me you knew ASL,” I said to Dani as we sat side by side on my bed.

She only shrugged. “It never came up.”

She laughed when I pushed her sideways onto the bed. “Easy, Ammy. Why so serious?”

When I didn’t change my expression, she sighed. “Fine. I wanted to surprise you.”

My face dissolved. “Really?”

She nodded, smiling.

Something warm filled my chest. Having people do nice things for me still felt very weird. Plus, I was really beginning to like Dani, which was scary because it meant that I was left in permanent fear of wondering if she was going to leave me, let me down, hurt me. And I didn’t like that. I was meaning to talk to her about it but there was no time yet.

Inhaling deeply, I smiled at her and murmured a “thank you”.

“So. . .” She began. “You think Nana likes me?”

I froze. She had called my grandma ‘Nana’. Everyone else referred to her as ‘your Nana’ but Dani called her Nana. I figured and hoped it meant that she considered her family. Considered us family. I smiled so wide I thought my lips would break.

“Of course she likes you. She made chicken porridge. She only makes chicken porridge for special people ya know?”

Dani laughed loud. “Well, I’m honored then.”

“As you should be.”

As the laughter began to die off, Adrian and Ben walked in carrying a tray of Nana’s chocolate chip cookies and another tray of milk.

God, my grandma was great.

As Adrian put down the trays on the table, he signed ‘thank you’ to Nana.

Benson gaped openly. “You know ASL too?”

Adrian laughed. “Yeah. I’ve been taking lessons.”

Dani cackled at the expression on Ben’s face.

Ben ignored her.

“So. . . are any of you attending prom?” As he spoke, he signed to enable Nana be part of the conversation.

Nana threw me a look. You didn’t tell me about prom, she signed. Of course you’re going to attend.

I shook my head. I really didn’t feel like it. I just wanted to take my exams, graduate and never have to cross the walls of Wayne County High ever again. I don’t know why they chose to have the prom before graduation this year.

Dani laughed out loud, looking to Nana. “She’s just joking. Of course she’s going.”

Ben nodded. “Yeah, Mel. We don’t have much time to spend together. We should make the most of it.”

From Ben and Dani finally agreeing on something to the encouraging look in Adrian’s eyes, I just couldn’t say no.

They all cheered when I nodded.

“So, first things first. What are you wearing?” Ben giggled, opening my wardrobe and gasping at the “hideous outfits” inside.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“No, no, no. We have to go shopping.”

Dani cringed when she ran her fingers through a red dress in my closet. “I’m this close to tears,” She said, biting into a cookie.

It was probably the shock of them agreeing on something a second time that made me say yes.

“I’m going shopping with my mom this afternoon so maybe you can come along?” Ben offered.

I was about to say yes when I remembered something.

My stomach was a small bulge now. I couldn’t try out dresses in front of anyone. Even if Ben didn’t notice, his mother surely would.

I swallowed, beginning to panic. “Um, I. . .”

“She can go with my mom and I instead. My mom’s in fashion. So I think she’ll be able to pick out the right dress for Mel.”

I looked up at Adrian, grateful but surprised. How did he know?

“Wow. A fashion guru picking out Mel’s outfit,” Ben echoed, a hungry look in his eyes.

The rest of us burst into laughter and after a while Ben left with Dani-bickering as usual- as they were leaving in the same direction while Adrian and I left the house after saying goodbye to Nana.

Guess I’m going to prom then.

Yay me.