Hailey's POV.

The weekend was quick to roll fast by, I walked out of the house, planning on walking to the nearest bus stop and board on a bus to take me to school when Ryan parked his car in front of me and horned.

I froze at my spot seeing him as he flashed me a charming smile.

'No! No!!' I tried to compose myself as my hands tightened on my bag strap.

I've tried to shut him out of my head after our encounter in the kitchen, and there he was in my front.

Furthermore, I breathed out, squinting my eyes past him, and decided to ignore him as I walked quickly and got on the street.

“Hailey!” He called after me as I nervously bit my lower lips, I kept on walking, not answering him when I realized his car trailing behind me.

Suddenly, the blaring sound of the horn nearly burst my eardrums, I turned around and faced him with a glare.

“What?” I fired annoyingly at him, a nasty smirk curled up his lips while I stared awkwardly at him.

“Get in the car, Hailey,” He ordered, making me roll my eyes at him as I scoffed.

“And if I don't?” I snapped at him while he leaned on the windowpane of his car, smiling teasingly at me.

“One, you've passed time when the bus arrives at the bus stop… Two, you'll be late for school, if you wait for the next bus unless you will trek… Three, I'm taking you to school whether you like it or not, so, get in,” He stated firmly while I gaped amusingly at him, he wriggled his brow at me with a proud smirk.

“Fine!” I grumbled knowing he won't let this slide, after stomping on my feet I began walking to the other side of his car and sighed feeling defeated.

I hopped into the passenger's seat and closed the door.

“Good girl!” He muttered while I scoffed.

Ryan's finger suddenly brushed on my thigh, making me jolt away from him.

It was as if I got electrocuted.

“What are you doing?” I fired at him as he leaned closer to me and grabbed my thigh.

“Chill!” He chuckled, showing me a cereal flake in between his two fingers while I flapped my eyelashes at him.

“Thanks!” I mumbled quietly and turned my gaze away from his face.

'How did he even see that?' I thought to myself when Ryan started the car and pulled away from the front of the house.

'Oh, God! Coming back to live with mum is like digging my grave, especially with Ryan acting weird towards me,' I sank deep in my thoughts.

Finally, we got to the school's park and I scooted out of Ryan's car and ran toward the school building before he could manage to say a word to me.

I was walking through the hallway when I heard my name.

“Hailey, wait!” I heard Ryan's deep voice call out as I nervously stop in my tracks.

'What the hell is going on with him?' I thought annoyingly, turning around to see him jogging towards me.

“You left this!” He showed me my pink peacock tail hairpin as I narrowed my eyes at him.

'How did that fall from my hair?' I thought, gazing suspiciously at Ryan, who smiled at me and gestured for me to take it.

I moved closer to him and was about to snatch my hairpin from him when he grabbed my upper arm with his other hand and pulled me closer to him while my cheeks pressed flat on his chest.

“Ryan!” I gasped out shockingly, realizing we were in the hallway where students were passing and probably watching us.

I tried to free myself away from him. “Calm down! Let me help you put it in your hair,” Ryan offered as I felt his hands on my air.

“No! Thank you, I can do it myself,” I told him, he ignored me continuing with what he was doing while I gave up.

Standing so close to him was giving me mixed feelings, especially when I was inhaling his alluring scent. I felt like burying my face in his chest.

'Snap out of it, Hailey!' My mind cheesed out as I tried to move away from him, but he tightened his grip around my arm… making me stand rooted to my spot.

“How long will it take for you to fix a hairpin on my hair?” I grumbled, feeling anxious.

“Done!” He alerted, letting go of me finally, as I looked up to stare at his face, his hazel eyes were light and warm, and a slight smile appeared on his face when he brought his hands up to my face and tugged my hair behind my ear while I shuddered to his slight touch.

'What's wrong with me? Why do I react to his every touch?' I nervously asked myself.

“Ryan!” Someone chirped behind us as Ryan gazed behind me, and I was certain that voice was for Brielle.

I turned around and right to my guess, she was the one.

Her eyes met mine as she gave me a sneering look, but directed her gaze back to Ryan with an alluring smile as she began walking toward us.

I excused myself when she threw herself on Ryan while I made my way to my locker, a great opportunity to run from him.

Students hanging by muttered among themselves and stared at me, I unlocked my locker, picking out books I'll need this morning.

I closed the door after taking my books and began to head towards the class, suddenly, I stepped on something slippery, and before I knew it, I was on the floor resting my weight on my left ankle.

I groaned when I felt piercing pain around my ankle as I grimaced.

'Who the hell drops a banana peel on the floor?' I shrieked, staring at the banana peel not far away from me.

Sighing, I stretched my hands to pack my books on the floor, people passed by me laughing among themselves as they glanced at me.

'Jerks! They can't even help!' I thought with scorn and tried to get on my feet.

I succeeded in standing up and immediately after I placed my left foot on the ground a sharp pain tore through me.

“Ouch!” I groaned, closing my eyes as I bend immediately and wanted to touch my sprained ankle.

“Hey, what's wrong with you?” Someone asked me and I knew it was Ryan's voice, I hopped on my right foot and turned around to face me while I squeezed my face at him, Brielle was beside me staring annoyingly at me.

“I think I just sprained my ankle,” I told him, he flashed me a worried look as he got closer to me, and without saying anything he scooped me off my feet.

“Hey! What are you doing?” I bawled at him, even though one of my arms was around my ankle.

“You got a sprained ankle, Hailey,” He answered softly and began walking.

“So? I can walk by myself, you don't have to carry me, just drop me down, Ryan,” I argued against him and everyone passing by us made sure to give us an awkward stare.

'Oh Gosh, He's such a pain in the ass,'

Ryan entered the class and those available became quiet as they stared suspiciously at us.

“Ryan!” I groaned quietly, trying to lower my face to avoid people's stare.

A light gasp escaped my lips when I felt Ryan's arm below my butt and lowered me when I realized he had gotten to my seat.

“Hailey! What happened to you?” Shirley asked curiously, while Ryan squatted in front of me.

“Oh! Sorry dear,” Shirley sympathized, and I gazed at her while she smiled at me and then at Ryan.

“Thanks,” I muttered.

“Which foot?” Ryan asked, while I snapped my gaze back to him.

“Left!” I answered, his hands grabbed my left leg as I tensed up.

“Relax!” He told me as he shot his gaze at me while I nodded sheepishly.

“Okay!” I replied under my breath, Brielle got into the class and walked towards me as she frowned at me then lowered her gaze to Ryan who was beginning to remove my shoe.

I sighed, staring at Brielle when I remembered Ryan denying her as his girlfriend, something I can't believe, that's why I didn't press further asking him why he said that.

I just felt pity for Brielle, she likes Ryan so much… A sharp pain pierced through as I hissed out.

“Sorry!” Ryan muttered looking at me, we held our gazes for a while, and I found myself nodding slowly as my stomach churned.

“Do you have ointment?” He asked while I shook my head at him.

“I have!” Shirley chirped beside me and grabbed her bag, searching through it.

A second later, she handed me a small tube, while I smiled appreciatively at her and passed the ointment tube to Ryan.

He opened the top and applied the substance to my ankle area and slowly massaged.

I don't know whether it was his hands that were making me feel hot or the ointment he was applying around my ankle.

One thing for sure, I was flattered by his attitude, while I pinned my gaze on him as he focused on massaging my ankle.

'If only he wasn't my stepbrother, I want to avoid falling for him again like I did at first, but he's making it difficult for me not to do so with his approach, these days,' I thought wearily.

4 hours later,

I was making my way to a seat in the canteen when I bumped into someone.

I looked at the person in my way and realized it was Brielle staring bitterly at me.

'What's with that look?' I thought, staring at how cold her face was towards me.

“Hey, Brielle,” I tried to greet while she just snorted at me and moved closer, folding her arms over her breast.

“This morning,” She started, while I arched a brow at her questioningly.

“Did you purposely fall to get Ryan's attention?” She asked while I blinked at her, shockingly.

“Excuse me?” I asked her quite astonished, wondering why she asked if my fall was to get Ryan's attention.

'Hell no!'