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I froze, realizing my hand had brushed Victoria's chest—soft, full, and elastic. My fingers lingered a moment too long.
"Where do you think you're touching?" she snapped, swatting my arm away.
"Sorry, sorry!" I stammered, heat rushing to my face. "It was an accident!"
"An accident?" she said, her voice sharp. "If that was on purpose, you'd lose that hand." After a tense pause, she added, "Well? Why're you standing there? Get my phone."
I fumbled my way to the living room, heart pounding. Victoria followed close behind. In the dark, I brought my palm to my nose, catching a faint, milky scent that made my head spin. I'd never wash this hand again. As I grabbed her phone, Bella emerged from her room, her phone's flashlight cutting through the gloom. She handed it to Victoria, who switched on the flashlight app.
Just as we started speculating about the power outage, the front door clicked open. David stepped in, kicking off his shoes. "Power go out?" he asked casually.
"Where've you been all day?" Victoria shot back, her tone edged with irritation. "It's your day off, and you're only back now?"
David hesitated. "A colleague's kid needed help, so I went to sort it out."
Bella and I exchanged a glance.
Victoria pressed, "Help with what? You're gone all day." As he passed her, she leaned in, sniffing. "Have you been drinking?"
"Just a couple drinks," David said, his voice uneven. "My colleague's daughter is a senior, like Alex. He wanted to talk about college entrance exams, so we had a few."
Victoria scoffed. "You're more worried about someone else's kid than your own? Alex is struggling, and you're nowhere to be found."
David turned to me, frowning. "What's this? You upset your mom again?"
"I've been good," I said, feigning innocence. "Studying all day." Victoria's glare burned into me as she and David disappeared into their room.
I leaned toward Bella, whispering, "Think it was a misunderstanding? Good thing we didn't tell Mom."
She smirked. "This is on you for freaking out."
"You're the one who got me paranoid," I shot back, then grinned. "That girl was cute, though. Maybe Dad can introduce me."
"You're such a creep," Bella said, rolling her eyes and heading to her room. I chased after her, protesting, "Hey, call me a creep if you want, but not a *little* creep. I'm not small!" She slammed her door in my face.
Monday at school, I tried to apologize to Lily, but she dodged me, saying her mom had chewed her out and banned her from seeing me until after exams. I knew it was a plot between our moms, but I was powerless. After some sweet-talking, I salvaged our relationship, though it was strictly undercover now. Anything physical was off the table.
But I was a restless teenager, buzzing with energy and craving what I'd tasted with Lily. A day or two of restraint was fine, but after a week, I was climbing the walls. My mind was a haze of desire, to the point where even my stern Chinese teacher, Ms. Hawthorne, sparked wild fantasies.
Worse, my attention kept drifting to Victoria. Her outfits, her makeup, the way her stockings hugged her legs—they ignited something in me. When I couldn't hold back, I'd sneak a pair of her stockings, using them to fuel my private moments of weakness, guilt gnawing at me after.
One night, I had a dream so vivid it shook me. Victoria's lips, soft and teasing, moved over me, her tongue tracing delicate circles. The pleasure was overwhelming, and I woke to find my pajamas sticky from a nocturnal emission. Mortified, I hid the evidence, terrified of Victoria finding out.
I knew it was wrong, but I was starting to see her not just as my stepmom, but as a woman—radiant, mature, alluring. My fantasies grew wilder, imagining us tangled together in every corner of the house. The more I tried to suppress it, the stronger the urge became. I'd steal small touches—brushing against her, playing it off as accidental—chasing the thrill while drowning in remorse. She was, after all, the stepmom I loved.
As for David's possible affair, I reconsidered. He was too straight-laced, too afraid of Victoria, to cheat—especially with a high school girl. It seemed absurd.
Caught between exam pressure and my own desires, the next month passed in a blur.
One afternoon, leaving school with friends, I spotted a girl near the gate. She was petite, with a small, delicate face, big eyes, and twin braids. Her red-and-white baseball shirt, loose cropped pants, and canvas shoes gave her a vibrant, street-chic vibe. She stared right at us.
My friend Ethan whispered, "She's cute. New around here?"
"Not from our school," another friend said.
"Why's she staring? Anyone know her?"
Her gaze followed us, but no one recognized her. We shrugged it off.
The next day, she was back, same spot, same stare. Ethan grinned. "Secret admirer for one of us?"
"Who's she into?" another friend teased.
"Not you," Ethan shot back.
I felt a nagging familiarity but couldn't place her. By the fourth day, she was still there, expressionless. Ethan nudged me. "Go talk to her, Alex. You're the smooth one."
Pushed forward, I approached, curiosity outweighing my nerves. But as I got close, she turned and walked away. Her silhouette clicked—she was the girl I'd seen with David, arm-in-arm. If she was his colleague's daughter, why was she here, watching me silently? It was unsettling.
That evening, while Victoria cleaned up after dinner, I sat next to David on the couch, lowering my voice. "Dad, last month, you mentioned helping a colleague's daughter with her exams?"
He tensed, eyes narrowing. "Why're you asking?"
"Just curious," I said casually. "What's her name? Do I know her?"
"Why would you know my colleague's kid?" he said, dodging.
I leaned closer. "That afternoon, I saw you with a girl on the street, holding hands. Was that her?"
He froze, then nodded quickly. "Yeah, that's her. I was helping her pick out textbooks."
I frowned. David was too laid-back to fuss over my exams, so why was he playing tutor for someone else's kid? "Does Mom know?" I asked.
"No," he said, voice low. "And let's keep it that way. Your stepmom's suspicious enough. I don't need the hassle."
"Got it," I said, smirking. "But, uh, my allowance this month's a bit… tight."
He sighed. "Always scheming, huh? How much?"
I held up two fingers. "Behind the TV tomorrow," he said. "And don't blow it all. Money doesn't grow on trees."
"More like dug from the ground," I quipped. "I'm thrifty, promise."
Victoria emerged from the kitchen, and we snapped to attention, pretending to watch TV. She flicked my head, beckoning me to follow. David shot me a look, and I gave him a reassuring thumbs-up.
In her bedroom, she leaned against the door, staring me down. My stomach knotted. "Mom, I just remembered—I've got a practice test to finish," I said, forcing a grin.
Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed, unyielding. After a long, tense silence, she said, "Did you steal my stockings again?"
My mind blanked. "What? Steal? No way," I stammered.
"Try again," she said, her voice cold.
"I didn't take anything!" I said, feigning confusion. "Why would I want your stockings?"
She sneered. "Not crying until the coffin's nailed, huh?"
My heart raced. "Coffin? What're we talking about?"
"I bought three pairs of stockings last week," she said. "One's gone. Bella's been away, so tell me—who's the thief? Not your dad, I'm guessing."
"Maybe a burglar?" I said, grasping. "Or some creep stealing women's stuff?"
"I'm looking at the creep," she said, her gaze piercing.
I laughed nervously. "Me? Your star stepson, a creep?"
"How does a good kid turn into this?" she said, exasperated. She sighed, softening. "Tell me the truth, Alex. Did you take them? I won't hit you if you're honest."
Victoria was fiery but fair—she kept her promises. I knew she'd already pieced it together. Denying it was pointless. "Fine," I mumbled. "I… took a pair."
"One?" Her eyes narrowed.
"Maybe… two or three," I admitted, wincing.
"What'd you do with them?"
"Gave them to Lily," I lied, avoiding her gaze.
"You think I'm an idiot?" she said, her tone sharp.
She knew exactly what I'd done, but admitting it was too mortifying. Thankfully, she didn't push. She sat at her vanity, waving me closer. "Be honest," she said, her voice serious. "Have you ever stolen from anyone else? Or done anything… weird outside the house?"
I raised my hand, swearing, "Never. I'd never do that. I promise."