My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 112: Mystic Woods

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"Good," he said, settling back in his seat as he took a turn toward the quieter side of town. "Because I’ve got a reputation to keep up, and I play better when my boyfriend’s around."

I couldn’t help but snort, trying my best not to blush. He shot me that boyish grin of his, the one that always made my stomach do a little flip.

"You’re such a sap." I said.

He chuckled in response and I glanced out the window again, but a smile started to creep across my face despite myself.

I had no clue what he had planned for the evening, but the warmth in his voice...steady, familiar, and comforting. It eased the tightness in my chest, if only for a moment.

Even though my life felt like a tangled mess getting worse by the day, Ethan still felt like my one safe haven where I could actually breathe. It took us about thirty minutes to drive until the familiar rows of houses began to thin out, and the scenery transitioned into something much quieter, greener, and far more dramatic.

By the time Ethan turned onto the narrow road that led into Mystic Woods, I was sitting up straighter, watching as the trees arched overhead like they were creating a living tunnel.

There’s always this strange, hushed vibe about Mystic Woods. The late afternoon light filtered through the branches, casting soft ribbons of gold and shadow on the ground. It felt enchanting, stirring up a mix of curiosity and nerves in my chest.

Ethan parked the car in a small clearing and switched off the engine.

I turned to him, eyebrow raised. "Okay... what’s the surprise?"

He just grinned, leaning his arm over the steering wheel like he was posing for a magazine without even realizing it.

"Telling you would ruin it," he said. "Not risking that."

I narrowed my eyes. "You’re not even going to give me a hint?"

"Nope." He popped the ’p’ with an infuriating sense of pride. "Where’s the fun in that?"

I folded my arms, pretending to be annoyed, though I could already feel excitement bubbling up inside me. "Fine. But if you lead me into the woods and try anything serial killer-ish, I’ll be reporting you to whoever is in charge of the after life."

Ethan burst out laughing, a full, head-tilting, shoulders-shaking laugh that warmed me more than the sun streaming through the windshield.

"Oh come on. You think I could ever hurt you? I get nervous just borrowing a pencil from you without asking."

"Well, that just makes you sound more suspicious," I teased. "Serial killers are always polite in my mom’s true crime documentaries."

He shook his head with a grin and unbuckled his seatbelt. "I promise, I’m not a serial killer. You’re safe with me. You know that."

He said it lightly, but something in his tone, steady and warm settled beneath my skin, making my chest tighten.

And the ridiculous thing was... he was right.

I really did feel safe with him.

Even with all the dark secrets swirling around my life lately and the weird guilt I couldn’t explain, being next to Ethan felt like stepping under a warm blanket after being caught in the rain.

"I do trust you," I admitted quietly, more to myself than to him.

But of course, he heard it.

His smile softened, losing that playful edge for just a moment.

"Good," he whispered, nudging my shoulder gently. "Come on. The surprise is this way."

When I stepped out of the car, the cool forest air brushed against my cheeks as I followed him into the trees, still curious about what on earth he was planning and why my heart felt like it was beating in two different rhythms all at once.

The deeper we ventured, the quieter it got. The cicadas faded away, the breeze softened, and even our footsteps felt muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves beneath us. Ethan walked ahead, almost bouncing with excitement, glancing back every now and then to make sure I was still with him.

I, on the other hand, wasn’t exactly the most graceful in the forest.

At one point, my boot caught on a twisted tree root that was hidden beneath the leaves. I stumbled forward, and before I could face-plant into nature, Ethan’s arm shot out, catching me around the waist.

His grip was firm and warm, pulling me upright with surprising ease.

"Whoa—hey, hey. You alright?" he asked, his eyes wide with concern, his voice softening in that way it always did when he worried.

All of a sudden, I was getting flashbacks of Clearwater. When I nearly tripped because I wanted to take a picture of an an animal, only for me to trip and get caught by Adrien.

My cheeks turned red, partly from embarrassment and partly because his hand was still at my waist, steadying me like I was something delicate.

"I’m fine," I said quickly, brushing off imaginary dirt from my jeans. "I’m starting to think forests don’t like me."

He snorted. "You always say things like that so casually."

"Because it’s true."

He shook his head, smiling, but even after I moved forward again, his hand hovered close to my back as if he was ready to catch me again.

Eventually, the trail opened up into a wide stretch of pale grass sprinkled with fallen amber leaves. Ahead of us was a clearing I’d never seen before, not even in pictures. It looked untouched, like the sunlight had decided to claim this little piece of the forest just for itself.

I was too busy staring to notice Ethan had shifted positions behind me.

Suddenly, he gently covered my eyes with his palms.

I flinched slightly. "Ethan—what are you doing?"

"It’s part of the surprise," he said, laughter creeping into his words. His breath tickled my ear as he leaned in close, guiding me forward. "No peeking. You cheat at everything."

"I do not cheat," I protested, trying to grab his forearm to steady myself. "And this surprise better be good, I can’t believe I let you drag me all the way out here."

He chuckled softly, so close, warm, and playful.

"Trust me," he murmured. "It’ll be worth it."

With my eyes covered, the world felt strangely intense. The crunch of grass beneath my shoes, the gentle rhythm of Ethan’s steady breathing behind me, the warmth of his chest brushing against my shoulder blades whenever I wobbled a little too far off course.

"Ethan, if I fall into a ditch, I will drag you down with me," I warned. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Relax, pretty boy," he replied.

My stomach did a weird little flip at that, but just as I was about to think too hard about it, he stopped walking.

His hands slowly lifted away from my eyes.

"Okay," he whispered, "you can look now."