Step by Step Chapter 5

Sasha’s POV

Jaden Gates.

My stepbrother.

How come? I never saw him back at home! Nothing was adding up

The boy I'd just made a complete fool of myself over was my father's son. The thought was sour in my heart, both from calling James my father and Jaden my brother

It was barely a week, and my life was turning upside down. I did not understand why even though I just found out that Jaden was my brother, I was not ready to let go. It felt like my heart was damn ready committing an abomination

How could I be attracted to him? How could my body still be humming from barely thirty seconds of contact with someone who shared my DNA? Well, half my DNA. But still. It was abominable.

Maybe it was just shock. Maybe I wasn't really attracted to him - maybe I was just overwhelmed by everything that had happened in the past few days. Finding out about James, getting into university, having money for the first time in my life. Maybe my brain was just misfiring. Right!? It was misfiring! That was the only explanation that seemed logical

But even as I told myself that, Jaden's perfectly shaped face still lurked in my head.

"Stop it," I hissed at myself. "Just stop!"

“Stop what?”

The bathroom door swung open and five girls walked in. I couldn’t exactly figure out which one of them had said that, but judging by how stunning one particular girl in the group looked- Slim, curvy, beautiful, long dark hair, dark eyes lined so much with eye liner and heavy, hut perfect makeup. She stood out from the rest and I didn’t need a soothsayer me that she was the leader.

"If you were advising yourself to stop throwing your pathetic self at Jaden Gates, then you are doing the right thing,” the girl, the one who I guessed was the leader took a few steps towards me

The other girls giggled like it was the most clever thing they'd ever heard. It was my first day in school. I had barely even attended any classes yet, trouble from a queen bee was something I would give everything to avoid

"I didn't throw myself at him," I said quietly. "I tripped,” I defended myself like I was trying to convince myself

"You tripped?” she said, coming closer to me as if the one that was there before was not enough. "Were you blind?” she raised an eyebrow as she spoke. “We all saw what happened. The staring, the open mouth, the way you grabbed onto him like a cheap whore!” she spat and her minions giggles from behind. "I'm Nina, by the way. Nina Sparkles…”

"Sasha,” I said, hating myself for suddenly wanting to please this… Nina Sparkles of a girl. I mean, she didn’t even ask me for my name and then I was spewing like a leaking bucket

"Sasha," Nina repeated in mockery. "Well, Sasha, let me just be a nice person today. I did a little searching… Ohio? Really?” she twisted her face, clearly repulsed. “A country girl like you will never get Jaden Gates. He is way out of your league."

Her friends booed and nodded in agreement, and embarrassment all over again. What was it about today? I really just wanted to clock out and go.

"I mean," Nina continued, raising my head up middle finger on my chin. "Even in new clothes and all the wealth, you can't hide what you really are. We can all see it - the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you look at everything like you've never seen money before. You lack… uhmm… what is that word?” she turned to her followers behind like they were her personal tool box

“Decorum!” they echoed together in a sing-song way, snapping their fingers in the air in circle motion on each syllable. It was obvious that this was something practiced. Perhaps their usual finishing line when they bully people.

"Yes, that is the word” Nina turned back to me. “You lack decorum”

“Nina's right," one of her minions chimed in. From the way she sounded, it was just very obvious that she was trying to please Nina. "Jaden only dates girls like us. Rich girls. Beautiful girls. Girls with Decorum!” she snapped her fingers in the air in the same manner as earlier

"So do yourself a favor," Nina said, stopping directly in front of me. "Stay away from Jaden. He'll never like you back, and watching you make a fool of yourself is just sad. Plus, you have me to contend with me if you think you can continue"

I wanted to say something, but I didn’t have the courage to.It was appalling that I could not even defend myself. I knew I didn’t belong here and I definitely didn't belong anywhere near Jaden Gates.

"One more thing," Nina added with a cruel smile, "he's taken. He's mine. Stop deceiving yourself. We’re just on a little break right now."

Hers? Her claim on him hit me harder than every other thing she did. It was starting to make sense now. Of course someone like Jaden would be with someone like Nina. That was how it worked in the movies. They were perfect for each other- both beautiful, both cruel, both born into a world I was just visiting.

Suddenly another girl walked in. My eyes went wide because when I first looked at her, she looked exactly like Nina. Everything was the same between the two of them. But as she got closer, I could see the differences. A large scar ran down the left side of her face, and her eyes were different colors - one brown, one green.

"Nina," the girl who just came in said in irritation. “You are so predictable. I knew that you would come after her. Leave her alone."

"You never mind your business, Nini!” Nina snapped at her twin, irritation clearly written on her face

"You are being unnecessary! You broke up with Jaden already. That should not be the reason why you should bully another person!” Nini said, moving to stand beside me. "

"I am still together with Jaden, big mouth ," Nina snapped again, then she pointed at me. "And someone needs to tell her the truth before she keeps embarrassing herself ."

"We both know that you don’t care if she embarrasses herself or not. You just want to mark your territory with Jaden and you keep doing this with everybody! It is becoming annoying!” Nini's mismatched eyes flashed with anger.

“Oh my gosh. You are so annoying! I wish Mr Gates didn’t make us go to the same school!” Nina retorted

Mr Gates? My father or someone else. Now, somebody help me! What connection does the twin have with my father? Or am I mistaken?

"Whatever," Nina finally said, touching up her face in the mirror and preparing to leave

"Stick with losers all you want, that is what you do best,” she scoffed at Nini before turning to me. “And you, new girl. Stay away from Jaden or your stay in this university will be unbearable”

She left, her entourage trailing behind her. Soon it was me and Nini

"She is a pain in the ass sometimes," Nini said quietly. "That is how she is… you just have to ignore her sometimes”

"Thank you,” I muttered, shaken

"I'm Nini Sparkles." She smiled, and unlike Nina's cruel expression, this one was genuine and warm. "And you're Sasha, right? I heard Nina say your name."

“I see, Nina and Nini…” I nodded, still processing everything that had just happened while trying to hold a conversation

“Yes Nina and Nini,” she smiled again, then her face went a little bit serious. “Don't listen to her," she said. "Nina is just a busy body"

I nodded, not in agreement, just to show that I was listening

"She seems to think she owns Jaden." Something flashed in Nini's face - something I couldn’t place. "Nina and Jaden have history. Now she feels she owns him”

"I don’t care," I said quickly.

Nini raised an eyebrow. "Really? Because… ever going in school is interested in him…”

“I like your eyes,” I quickly switched the conversation. How could I start to introduce myself to her, saying that I am Jaden’s sister? “They are… different…” I completed, rather genuinely

“Heterochromia…” she smiled faintly. “ I got it from my mother. It is a family thing… but Nina doesn’t have it…”

“They are pretty…” I said, leaning in rather awkwardly to get a closer look

I could see her blush. “They are the only things pretty about me…”

Her words caught me off guard a little. How could she say that about herself? She was pretty, a splitting image of her sister… well except for the scar on her left face

Before I could debunk her claims, the bathroom door opened again and Austin poked his head in.

"Sasha? You okay in there? We need to get to class."

"Yes, yes," I called back, heading for the door

"I'll see you around," Nini said behind me. “Just don’t mind Nina, she shouts a lot but she is no threat”

I wanted to believe her, but something told me Nina Sparkles was exactly as dangerous as she had made me believe.

Austin was waiting for me when I came out.. "Everything alright? You spent years inside there"

“Just needed a minute," I said, not wanting to explain the whole encounter. When I wasn’t sure if Austin was truly a friend.

I opened up the bathroom door and a strong pair of hands pushed me to the wall. It was Nina. She had laid an ambush for me. “Nini is no different from me,” she smiled like a villain right out of a book. “You should be careful of her too, small advice”