My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 35: A Kiss For Bad Luck

𝔞𝔲𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔯’𝔰 𝔯𝔞𝔪𝔟𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: hey gorgeous, just thought I should let you all know the Chapter ’Chill’ comes before this one. Anyways enjoy💕

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I felt the water closing in on me again. My lungs were burning, my arms flailed wildly, and the laughter from above sounded muffled, distant, and cruel. No matter how hard I tried to swim up, the weight on my chest kept pulling me down. My vision started to blur, and all I could hear was my own ragged breathing fading into silence.

"Noah!"

I jolted awake with a gasp, heart racing as I blinked rapidly, trying to get my bearings. My desk was a mess, covered in drool, and giggles filled the air around me. I turned to see Gigi next to me, hands on her hips and her perfectly glossed lips turned up in a grin.

This was what I got for staying up all night staring at my screen.

"Wow," she laughed softly. "You were totally drowning in your sleep again. What was it this time?"

I wiped my face, still in a daze. "Nothing," muttered, pushing my hair back. "Just... water."

Gigi’s teasing look softened a bit. "The pool dream again?"

I nodded, avoiding her gaze as I gathered my notebooks. "Yeah. It pops up now and then. I guess my brain thinks it’s fun to torture me."

"Well, your brain might need therapy," she said practically, linking her arm through mine as she pulled me out of the empty classroom. "Come on, the Wolves are about to play. Everyone’s heading to the gym. I heard Ethan looks extra sexy when he’s stressed."

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile crept onto my lips. "Seriously, Gigi? You’re such a pervert."

"And you love me," she chirped.

We strolled down the hallway, the sound of sneakers squeaking against the polished floors echoing ahead. Posters of the Wolves’ team plastered the walls in bold letters, sharp smiles, promises of victory. My stomach twisted as I spotted Adrien’s face among them, that confident smirk frozen mid-shot.

When we reached the gym, the sounds of bouncing basketballs, whistles, and squeaking sneakers filled the air. The smell of sweat and adrenaline clung to everything.

Ethan was at one end of the court, hands on his hips, glaring at Adrien, who was on the opposite side casually spinning a basketball on his finger like he didn’t have a care in the world.

The tension between them was thick enough to cut. From where I stood, I could see the tightness in Ethan’s jaw and the taunting smirk on Adrien’s lips every time they locked eyes.

Gigi leaned in close, whispering, "They look like they want to murder each other, not play basketball."

"Tell me about it," I murmured, crossing my arms as I watched the two of them throw sharp words at each other, while the coach pretended not to notice.

"Maybe it’s a dominance thing," Gigi said. "You know, like wolves fighting for alpha status."

"Gigi," I muttered, "you need to stop read reading those...uh, omegaverse fanfics."

Adrien flung the ball at Ethan, way too roughly, hitting him square in the chest. Ethan didn’t flinch, but the dark flash in his eyes made my pulse race.

And somehow, I felt like I was right in the middle of whatever these two had going on.

The gym buzzed with energy and excitement as the students were piling into the bleachers, cheerleaders were chanting, and the sound of sneakers hitting the polished wood drowned out the crowd’s chatter. I lingered near the edge of the court, gripping my backpack straps and scanning the sea of faces until I finally spotted him again.

Ethan was by the bench, tying his sneakers tighter than usual, his expression was tense, he looked miles away from the chaos around him.

I approached him hesitantly, then said softly, "Hey... everything okay?"

He looked up, forcing a small smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, just thinking."

"Thinking," I echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You look more like someone planning a bank heist."

That got a small chuckle out of him. "You always know what to say, don’t you?"

"I...try," I smiled back, but the tension in his posture didn’t ease. "Ethan, if this is about Adrien, just...don’t let him get to you. He’s... not worth it."

He sighed, glancing toward Adrien at the other end of the court, casually chatting with a teammate like he hadn’t spent the whole week provoking Ethan. "I know. But it feels like he’s trying to get inside my head."

"He probably is, trust me I’d know." I said. "But don’t give him that satisfaction. You’re better than that."

Something softened in his eyes at that moment, and before I could react, he took my hand and gently tugged me toward the hallway behind the bleachers, quieter, away from the noise.

"Ethan?" I asked, confused.

He turned to face me, a playful grin returning, though his voice was low and serious. "I need something before the game."

I blinked. "What? L–like...water? A pep talk?"

"No," he said, a smile curling on his lips. "A lucky kiss."

My heart stuttered. "A... what now?"

He leaned closer, his tone teasing. "For luck. The Wolves haven’t lost a playoff game in six years, and I’d hate to be the one to break that streak. So, come on—help me out here."

I stared at him, my face burning. "You’re crazy."

"Maybe," he grinned wider, "but that’s kinda your fault...I’m crazy for you."

I blushed so hard you’d think I was a fresh, ripe tomato.

I glanced around, feeling nervous even though no one was nearby. My pulse was racing. Finally, I rose on my toes and pressed a quick, featherlight kiss to his cheek. "There. Happy?"

Ethan’s grin faltered for a moment, replaced by a look of warmth that sent fluttering feelings through me. He touched the spot where I’d kissed him, pretending to be disappointed. "I was hoping something...less innocent," he murmured, his voice low enough to make my cheeks heat up even more.

"Yeah, well," I said quickly, stepping back, "maybe win the game first. Then we’ll see."

He laughed softly, shaking his head. "You drive a hard bargain, Valentine."

Before I could reply, the coach’s whistle blasted through the hall. Ethan squeezed my hand and winked. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck," I said, smiling despite the nervous twist in my stomach.

As I watched him jog back to the court, my chest tightened. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was bound to go wrong tonight.