My Stepbrother, My Enemy {BL}-Chapter 93: Gym Shenanigans

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Gym class was always a special kind of hell for me. The smell of sweat mixed with deodorant spray filled the air, and the squeak of sneakers on the polished floor was a painful reminder of just how uncoordinated I felt. A week we discovered the existence of L.S, I was sitting cross-legged on the mat, holding Gigi’s feet as she dramatically tried to do her fifth sit-up, her face scrunched up in struggle.

"Oh my god," she groaned, gasping for breath, her arms flopping over her chest like a bird that was about to pass out. "Why do people even choose to exercise? This is torture. Straight-up, government-approved torture!"

I couldn’t help but laugh. "You said you wanted to work on your core."

"I wanted abs," she huffed, glaring at the ceiling, "not trauma." Then she flopped back down again, wheezing while pointing at me. "This is exactly why I can’t stand those skinny bitches who just—" she waved her arms dramatically, "—exist, all perfect and toned, like they were carved by Greek gods while I’m here molded out of cookie dough."

I tried not to laugh too loud. "You’re being ridiculous," I said, but I didn’t sound very convincing. I wasn’t chubby like Gigi, but trust me, I couldn’t manage even ten sit-ups without sounding like I’d just run a marathon. "You look great, Skylar thinks so too."

Before Gigi could fire back, a voice cut through the air, sharp and familiar, like nails on a chalkboard.

"Well, isn’t this adorable," Vanessa purred, her gaggle of giggling friends trailing behind her like obedient shadows. She stood over us, arms crossed, her lip gloss sparkling in the light as she looked down her nose at Gigi. "Didn’t know they allowed dessert tables in gym class now...since that’s why you’re here, Regina."

Vanessa’s friends and a few other students giggled behind her as Gigi froze, her face twisting in a mix of anger and embarrassment. I could feel her heart racing right through the floor.

"Back off, Vanessa," I said before I even thought about it. My voice came out stronger than I felt.

Vanessa’s eyes shot to me, sharp and full of venom. "Relax, Valentine. Just a joke. Don’t take everything so seriously. Oh wait—" she tilted her head with a cruel smile, "you’re used to being sensitive, aren’t you? No wonder no one wants to hang out with you guys."

A couple of her friends snickered again in response, and my blood boiled.

Gigi was halfway up, probably ready to snap back, but I jumped in first. I stood up, brushing off my legs, my voice tight. "You know, Vanessa, if you spent half as much time being a decent person as you do running your mouth, maybe Adrien would actually want to be around you."

The laughter around us faded immediately.

Vanessa blinked, her perfect smile slipping. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I replied, crossing my arms. "You pick on everyone because you can’t stand to look at your own flaws. It’s pretty pathetic."

Her face darkened, disbelief swirling in her expression. "You really think you can talk to me like that, you little—"

But she didn’t get to finish, because another voice interrupted, low and cutting enough to slice through the tension.

"That’s enough."

Adrien.

He stood a few feet away, arms crossed, still in his black workout shirt and joggers. His tone wasn’t loud, but it carried across the whole gym effortlessly.

Vanessa froze as if caught in a lie. "Adrien, I was just—"

"I don’t care what you were doing," he cut her off, stepping closer until he towered over her. His expression was hard to read, but there was an edge of quiet anger in his voice. "You’re making a fool of yourself."

The silence was deafening.

Vanessa blinked rapidly, her bravado unraveling before everyone. "I—I didn’t mean—"

He didn’t even look at her anymore. Instead, his attention shifted to me for just a moment, and although his expression didn’t change, there was something fierce and protective in his eyes that made my heart skip a beat.

I wasn’t sure what surprised me more, his defense or that he did it in front of the entire gym.

Before I could respond, a calm but firm voice joined in.

"Is there a problem here?"

Ethan.

He walked toward us, exuding a quiet confidence that seemed to part the crowd without a word. His blue eyes landed on me, softening the second he noticed the tension on my face. Without missing a beat, he took my hand.

"No problem here," he said pointedly, though his tone hinted otherwise. "We were just about to head out."

He shot Vanessa a polite smile, the kind that felt more like a sneer and gently pulled me away from the crowd.

Behind us, the whispers started immediately.

Vanessa stood there, frozen and humiliated, while her friends were too stunned to say anything. Gigi followed, grinning victoriously, muttering under her breath, "That’s what you get, you size-zero demon."

As Ethan led me toward the exit, still holding my hand, I glanced back just long enough to catch Adrien watching us. His face was unreadable again, but his gaze lingered longer than necessary.

For some reason, that look unsettled me more than anything Vanessa could’ve said. Ethan guided me toward the quieter part of the gym, past the weight racks and out the double doors into the empty corridor. All I could hear was the distant sound of bouncing basketballs fading away and the soft echo of our footsteps.

He didn’t say anything right away, just leaned against the wall next to me, arms casually crossed, waiting for me to break the silence.

As the adrenaline from the confrontation started to wear off, all the frustration I’d been holding in came pouring out like a shaken soda. "I swear, that girl is determined to ruin my life," I ranted, pacing a bit as I spoke. "It’s like she can’t stand to see me breathe the same air. All week long, she’s found a reason to start something, comments about my clothes, my hair style, my grades, me being a virgin...she even mocked my handwriting yesterday. Who does that?"

Ethan tried to hide his smile but failed. "Someone with way too much free time?"

I shot him a look, though it made a small laugh escape me. "I’m being serious, Ethan. She’s worse than usual. Every time she sees me, it’s like she just can’t help herself. And honestly—" I ran my hand through my hair, letting out a tired sigh, "—I’m doing my best not to let it bother me, but it’s draining."

Ethan stepped closer, his tone softening, the humor fading into that warm, steady voice I always found grounding. "Hey," he said quietly, "don’t let her get to you. That’s exactly what she wants. You’re already better than her in every way that counts. You’ve got friends who care about you, people who respect you for who you are. Vanessa? She just knows how to drag people down because she doesn’t have anything real to cling to."

His words sank in slowly, easing some of the tension I didn’t even realize I was holding. I looked up at him, a smile starting to tug at my lips despite the chaos. "You know what’s funny?" I said, crossing my arms and tilting my head. "I think I told you something similar once."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "When?"

"Before your big fight with Adrien," I reminded him, smirking a little. "When you were sulking and didn’t even want to go to school or basketball practice because you didn’t want to see him."

A sheepish grin spread on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Right. I guess I deserved that."

I nudged his shoulder playfully. "You definitely did. I remember you saying before we started dating that you weren’t the kind of guy to hold grudges, then you went and held the biggest grudge ever."

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. "In my defense, he kind of earned it."

"Oh, for sure," I said, rolling my eyes at the memory. "But still, you could’ve handled it better."

He flashed me that easy smile again, the kind that made it impossible to stay annoyed with him for too long. "You’re right. I should have. You’ve always been better at keeping your cool."

I huffed out a small laugh. "Please. I just hide my breakdowns better."

He laughed too, and for a moment, the tension from the week seemed to lift. The way he looked at me, gentle and proud—made my heart feel warm.

"Hey," he said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. "You really handled yourself well back there. I’m proud of you, you know?"

I could feel my cheeks flushing under his gaze, and I looked away, trying to downplay it with a grin. "You’re just saying that because I didn’t actually let Gigi bitch-slap her."

Ethan laughed again, his voice rich and genuine. "Maybe. But seriously, Noah, you’ve come a long way. Don’t let her make you doubt that."

And for a moment, standing there in the quiet hallway, with sunlight filtering through the high windows and Ethan’s smile brightening everything around us—I believed him.