Teaching My Bookworm Stepsister
Chapter 42

Maverick's P.O.V.

**********

Kapri has been gone for hours. I still can't believe she ran out on me like that after I made her breakfast. Never in my life have I tried this hard to make that girl smile. Or any girl.

I knew I shouldn't have gone off with Sally last night. I just.. thought that it would be fine. That Kapri didn't care. Apparently, I should have known better.

Still, after what we said last night.. I wanted to clarify some things. Kapri was 100% right about me being in love with someone. That I've spent all these years burying my needs in other girls. That was all true. What wasn't true was that that girl was Sally.

I told Kapri that. But I think that only made things worse. It's not like I could tell Kapri that she's the girl I'm in love with.

I really wanted to. Especially when she told me to leave her bedroom. I wanted to tell her so badly, and beg her to be with me.

But I love Kapri too much to do that. I don't want to add more to her plate. Not with everything she's trying to juggle school wise.

Besides, what would I even expect to happen after I tell her? That she'll give up all of her hopes and dreams for me? That I would run off to Harvard with her?

I won't put Kapri in a position that makes her feel like she has to choose between me and school. I can't do that to her after all the hard work she's put in for years.

Still, I wanted to apologize. To set her straight. I was even going to promise that I'd never be alone with Sally, or any other girl. Ever.

I sighed as I looked at the time on my phone. It's fu.ckig past 11 o'clock. Where the hell is Kapri?

I pulled up my contacts, and called Kapri. The line rang and rang before going to voicemail. I tried three more times with no answer. So, I moved on to Brooke's number. "Hello," She answered.

"Where the fu.ck is she?" I asked.

"Who? Kapri? Or Sally?" She asked.

"She told you," I muttered.

"She sure did," Brooke replied.

"Why isn't Kapri answering her phone?" I gritted out.

"Oh, that's because I took it. Along with Molly's, Megan's, Trevor's, and... a few other guests. It's part of the drinking game." She told me.

I sat up.

"Drinking game?" I asked dangerously.

"You wanna know so badly.. Then come replace out." Brooke said.

Then she hung up the phone.

I told that nerd I would come for her if she didn't fu.cking come home.

**********

I marched into Brooke's house without a care in the world. I had to search the house before I finally found them in the backyard. Kapri, Molly, and Megan are in the pool splashing each other. Trevor and Brooke are lounging on a couple of chairs. There are a few solo cups around the pool, and a couple of half full fifths of alcohol.

I walked up to the pool, and Trevor finally noticed me.

"Mav, you made it!" he said.

Kapri's body went rigid. She turned around in the water, and looked up at me. Great, she's wasted.

"Where is everyone else?" I asked.

"Everyone else?" Megan asked. "You were the only one we were waiting for."

I looked at Brooke, who just smirked at me. So now my friends are lying to me. What was Brooke's goal here? To get Kapri and I alone?

"What are you doing here?" Kapri asked me angrily.

"Apparently, you were waiting for me," I replied.

"I wasn't." She said snottily.

I chuckled.

"I told you I'd come get you, Kapri. So no complaining." I told her.

Kapri pouted up at me.

"Does that mean you're here to take me home?" She asked.

I shook my head.

"Nope. In fact, I brought you a change of clothes, and your backpack," I told her.

"Oh," Kapri said. "Does that mean you're leaving?"

I smirked at the sadness in her voice. At least she wants me to stay. If there weren't so many people around, I'd make her say it out loud.

"Nope." I said.

Without another word, I walked to the empty chair next to Brooke. I sat down, and lounged back. When I looked back at Kapri, she was still staring at me. I winked at her, and her face went red.

The girls in the pool started to splash each other again. Trevor ended up joining them in the pool. Leaving just Booke and I.

"I can't believe you left Kapri to go hang out with Sally. That girl is a looney." Brooke grumbled.

"Sally is not crazy. You just don't like her," I said.

"I'm a great judge of character," she argued.

I rolled my eyes.

"All I'm saying is that if you're going to keep fooling around with Kapri, watch yourself around Sally." Brooke said.

I snapped my head at her.

"How do you-"

"Kapri accidently spilled." She interrupted me to answer. "She told me not to tell anyone."

Breaking her own rules, I see.

"Maverick, I don't know what you were thinking about this whole fooling around stuff. Granted.. Megan and I kind of pushed Kapri to experience more in the hopes that you would take over from there. But now that Sally is here.." Brooke trailed off. "Sally isn't going to be a problem," I said.

Brooke shook her head.

"You are such an idiot." She muttered. "How can you not see that Sally is already a problem?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

Brooke sighed.

"You and Kapri are the same. Both a couple of idiots." She muttered.

Then Brooke narrowed her eyes at me.

"If you keep this up, I'm taking Kapri's side," She declared.

"Kapri's side?" I asked with a raised brow.

"That's right you di.ckface." She said.

"Why are you even so mad at me? I didn't do anything." I complained.

"Maybe that's why Maverick," Brooke replied.

I looked back at Kapri in the pool. Now that nerd is taking over my friends. At this rate, all I'll have left is Sally.

Or maybe I'll just have all of them too. My friends. Kapri. Everything I dreamed of.

I shook my head.

That will never happen. I shouldn't get my hopes up. Kapri has plans. Plans that don't involve me.

"Kapri." I called.

Kapri snapped her head at me.

"Out of the pool. Now." I ordered.

"Why?" Kapri whined.

"Because Trevor just pulled you above the water for the third time. You're too drunk. Besides, it's late. Bedtime." I told her.

Kapri grumbled under her breath as she walked to the steps.

"Wow, I didn't know Kapri's dad was here." Molly snorted.

"Yeah, what a bossypants." Megan snickered with her.

I ignored the two of them as I met Kapri at the stairs. I held open a towel for her, and Kapri walked into it. I helped dry her off a bit.

"I don't mind you bossing me around daddy." She whispered to me.

Kapri giggled at my stunned expression.

"Don't start with me. I'm mad at you." I told her.

Kapri pouted.

I grabbed her hand, and pulled her inside. I snatched up our bags, and made my way upstairs. I picked the same room we were in last time, the one I always have when I'm here. "Why are you mad at me?" Kapri asked.

"Because I told you that I wanted to talk to you, and you left." I told her as I sat her on the bed.

"You knew I needed space." Kapri whined.

"Yeah, I thought the day would be fine. You decided to get drunk, and not come home," I said.

Kapri giggled.

"You told me you'd come get me though," She said.

"Are you saying that you only did this because you knew I'd come to you?" I asked her.

This girl. She knows she has me wrapped around her finger. And I don't even care either.

This is why Kapri shouldn't worry about anyone else. Why I could never actually be with Sally. Because I will always bend over backwards for Kapri. I will always follow her. Until she tells me to never talk to her again, or leaves me. I belong to her completely. Kapri gave me a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Honestly.. I didn't think you would." She admitted.

So, this was just to test me then?

"I thought you would just go replace Sally. Or that other girl you're in love with. I'm just the nerdy girl that you can't stand unless we're doing something s.exual." Kapri said sadly.

She has no idea that she's the one I'm in love with.

I gripped Kapri's grin, and brought her eyes to mine. Her bottom lip is jutted out slightly. She looks.. so damn pretty.

"I never tell you anything that I don't mean Kapri. What is it you want me to say though? That I promise to not be alone with another girl until you drop what we have going on? I was already going to suggest that," I said.

"You were?" She asked with wide eyes.

"I never want to make you feel bad, Kapri. I only want to see you smile." Then I bent down to get in her face. "And you will never just be the nerdy girl to me. Everything between us is special to me," I told her.

Kapri only stared back at me. I stood back up, and started pulling clothes out of my bag. Then someone decided to undo my jeans.

"What are you doing?" I asked her.

"I want you." Kapri said as she reached into my pants.

I grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"Whoa," I said. "Not tonight."

"Why not?" Kapri whined with a frown.

I chuckled at her.

"Because you are too drunk," I said. "Now, let's get you changed so we can go to bed. You exhuast me."