My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 54: Is He... Worried?

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The next afternoon, boredom hit me hard. I mean, how many times could I stare at the same cabin walls before my brain just turned to mush? Adrien was probably up in his room, coming up with new ways to be annoying, so I grabbed my phone, slipped on a sweater, and decided to explore the grounds before I lost my mind completely.

The woods behind the cabin were breathtaking. The air felt fresh and cool, and sunlight broke through the trees in golden beams that danced on the mossy ground. The earth smelled amazing, like pine, wet leaves, and dirt. With each step, my boots crunched softly against the ground.

I snapped pictures along the way—mostly of little things, like wildflowers pushing up through the grass, mushrooms on fallen logs, and a squirrel perched on a branch, looking utterly offended by my presence.

Each click of my phone felt like a tiny effort to capture the peace around me, so I could share it with Gigi later. She’d probably think a place like this only existed on Pinterest.

When I finally reached the lake, I stopped dead in my tracks.

It was stunning.

If only I knew how to swim.

The water stretched out in front of me, calm and glassy, reflecting the sky so perfectly it looked like the clouds had just dropped right in. The sunlight shimmered on the surface, scattering diamonds of light with every little ripple. For a moment, everything in my head went quiet—no noise, no frustration, no Adrien—just me and my thoughts.

I settled down at the water’s edge, hugging my knees as a soft breeze brushed by, carrying the gentle scent of the lake. My reflection wavered on the surface, familiar yet strange, and I couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like if it were this peaceful all the time.

"Maybe I could live here," I whispered to myself, watching a duck paddle lazily by. "Just me, the trees, and no one to get on my nerves."

The thought made me smile a bit.

For once, I didn’t feel small or awkward or like I was the punchline of some cosmic joke. Out here, away from everyone’s expectations, it felt like I could actually breathe. No school drama, no weirdness at home, no boys with too much charm or ego... just quiet.

I picked up a small stone and tossed it into the lake, watching the ripples spread out until they disappeared.

If only life worked like that—throw something ugly into it, and it would eventually smooth itself out.

I leaned back on my hands, letting the sun warm my face as I murmured, "Yeah... I could spend forever here."

Maybe not alone, but with people who made the world feel lighter. People who didn’t judge or expect anything from me. People who made me laugh instead of second-guessing myself.

For the first time in a while, I felt calm.

And that was enough.

By the time I made my way back to the cabin, the sky had turned a gloomy gray. The wind smelled like rain, and the trees seemed to whisper, warning me to hurry before the storm hit. I climbed the porch steps, brushing leaves off my sweater and jeans, only to find Adrien sitting there, arms crossed, jaw clenched.

The moment he noticed me, his green eyes—strangely reminiscent of the forest I had just explored—were stormy, matching the sky outside. Those eyes narrowed. "Where the hell have you been?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the bite in his tone. "Uh... I went for a walk?"

He stood up from the porch railing, his face hard to read. "A walk?" he echoed, sounding almost incredulous. "You just vanish for hours in the middle of nowhere without saying a word to anyone?"

"Anyone?" I raised an eyebrow. "There’s literally just you here, Adrien."

"Exactly!" he shot back, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You should’ve said something before you took off. These woods go on for miles, and it’s easy to get lost out there, especially once it gets dark."

I stood there for a moment, trying to wrap my head around what he was saying. Then, slowly, I felt a smirk tugging at my lips. "Wait... are you actually... worried about me?"

He scoffed, crossing his arms again. "Don’t flatter yourself, loser. I just don’t want to explain to our parents that you went missing on my watch."

"On your watch?" I laughed, fighting the urge to grin. "Do you really think you’re my guardian or something?"

He shot me a flat look, one that clearly said he wasn’t in the mood for my sarcasm. But beneath his usual scowl, there was something different in his eyes—something tight, almost restless.

Could he really be worried...?

I tilted my head, half-teasing, half-curious. "You could’ve just said you were worried, you know. It would’ve saved both of us the attitude."

Adrien sighed sharply, muttering something under his breath as he brushed past me toward the door. "Next time, just let me know where you’re going," he called over his shoulder. "I’m not about to go searching through a damn forest for you."

I stood on the porch, dumbfounded, as the first raindrops began to fall.

Did Adrien Fell, the resident jerk, master of indifference... actually care where I’d gone?

That thought alone was enough to make my brain short-circuit.

I blinked after him, still trying to figure out if I’d just imagined the concern in his voice.

Because if Adrien was starting to care, even just a little... things were about to get complicated.

The storm rolled in faster than I expected. One minute, the sky was just dim and heavy; the next, it cracked open like glass. The wind howled through the trees, rattling the windows so hard I thought they’d shatter. And then, without a bit of warning, the lights went out.

"Great," I muttered, standing in the living room with my phone flashlight casting a weak glow. "Of course the power would die. Perfect timing."

Adrien appeared from the hallway a second later, holding a box of matches and a couple of candles he must’ve found in the kitchen. The warm light flickered over his face as he set them on the coffee table, and for a moment, I hated how that soft glow made him look less like my annoying stepbrother and more... human.

The cabin, which had felt warm and cozy, suddenly seemed bigger, darker, and a bit eerie. The creaks in the walls sounded like footsteps, and every gust of wind rattling the windows made my skin prickle.

Another flash of lightning lit up the room, followed by a loud crack of thunder. I jumped so hard, I nearly dropped my phone.

Behind me, Adrien chuckled quietly. "Seriously? At your age? You’re literally a guy."

I turned to glare at him, my heart still racing. "You can shut up anytime now."

He leaned against the window frame, smirking just enough to be infuriating. "Didn’t take you for the jumpy type. You scared of thunder?"

"So what if I am?" I retorted, hugging my arms around myself. "Are you gonna call me a pussy like your cool friends do?"

The words came out sharper than I intended, slicing through the air like a knife. His smirk disappeared almost instantly. For a second, he just stared at me, as if I’d stunned him. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

He looked away, his jaw tightening. "No," he finally said, lowering his voice. "I’m not."

He walked past me to close the windows, his movements quieter now. The rain splattered against the glass, and thunder rumbled again in the distance. "It’s just noise, I guess," he said, almost awkwardly. "It can’t hurt you; it’ll pass soon."

Something about the way he said it soft, uncertain, but still meant to comfort—made my chest ache a little.

I sank onto the couch, trying to steady my breathing. "...I’m not really scared of thunder," I admitted, my voice barely rising above the rain. "It just... reminds me of my—uh... my dad."

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted it. My throat tightened, and I looked down at my hands, unsure why I’d even said that.

Adrien paused mid-action, turning toward me. He didn’t say anything, but I could tell his expression shifted like he was trying to comprehend something he didn’t quite have the right words for.

I quickly shook my head, forcing a small, awkward laugh. "Never mind. It’s stupid."

But it wasn’t stupid. Not at all. And somehow, I could tell Adrien knew that too.