Forbidden

"Maria, I think it's good now," I said to her as we finished cleaning up the room that was going to belong to Nate. Maria and I had spent the past hour and a half, cleaning up the room that Nate was going to stay in, so it could look fresh and new.

Mom had left the house with our van, in order to help them move some stuff that was necessary. I wanted to go but she wanted me to stay home and help Maria clean the house.

I stood by the doorway, crossing my arms, making sure that the room was nice and neat.

Like I've said before, my house is huge, so the total number of bedrooms we have is four. And they're all pretty big rooms. Normally, I stay in the room that are close to the flight of stairs, while Mom stays in her room, which is more hidden in the corner.

It's on the opposite ends with each other, and it takes us about a minute to actually walk to each other.

So Nate's room, which was originally one guest room, is going to be the room next to mine, while Michael, of course stays with Mom in the master bedroom. Then there's another available room next to theirs, which is the only guest room that we have left at the moment.

It's perfect.

"Are you sure Mr. Nathan should be in this room?" Maria began asking. She came up next to me, holding her mini vacuum, so I replied, "Why? Is it not big enough or something?"

"Oh no," She answered quickly in her funny French accent. "It is just... A beautiful female and such a handsome male, staying in the rooms next to each other, so closely... and..."

Oh, I knew where she was going with this.

She was afraid that Nate and I would get some sort of feelings of lust for each other. I began coughing at her, continuing, "Maria. He's my stepbrother."

"Hence, the prefix of step," She corrected. "The two of you are not related by blood. Therefore, feelings of lust can occur."

I grinned at her, patting her back, "Maria. I think you know me better than that."

She placed her arms in front of her, linking her hands together, and bending her head down in guilt, "I am sorry for being a smart butt, Miss Janie."

I rubbed her back again, smirking at her, going into the room one more time to make sure that it was perfect.

I noticed that the empty storage closet was still open, so I went over to it. I grabbed the door, looking in, seeing that it was completely empty and huge for a storage closet.

"I wondered why Mom always kept this room," I said, sighing. Maria came over to me, leaning over my shoulders, "Ah, the storage closet. Your Father always loved it. That is why we call it a storage closet, Miss Janie. To store belongings."

I puckered my lips, glaring at her, giving her a face to make her know that she was currently snubbing me.

"Oh, I know that face," She conceded. "That is the face where I need to be quiet now. My apologies, Miss Janie."

"It's a good thing you raised me since I was two. Otherwise, I'd have a lot to complain about to Mother."

She looked down again, as I shut the door of the storage closet.

I sighed, as I began exiting the room, "Anyway. I'm sure Nate will find someway to use it. He's a guy, his room has to messy somehow."

"Yes," Maria agreed.

I began walking back towards my room, when I glanced at the clock that was placed in the hallway.

11:12 AM.

Mom said she would arrive back at around 12:30 to 1:00, so I decided to go finish my project that was due for next week.

"Alright," I started. "I'm gonna go work on my end-of-the-year project. Buzz me on the intercom when they get here, k?"

She placed her index finger on her thumbs, making an "ok" sign, replying, "K, Miss Janie,"

I tapped her shoulders and entered my room. I locked the door, leaning my head against the wall, then went towards to sit at my computer desk. I turned on my macbook, waiting for it to load, as I stretched my head left to right.

When it loaded, I immediately entered my password, with the picture screen fading in of Jackson, Mom and I.

Clicking on the photo booth application, I checked myself, calling Maria's name to see if she was still there.

"Maria," I called, with a quiet sound.

No response.

Even louder, I repeated, "Maria!"

Still no response.

Sweet, she wasn't there.

Turning back to my camera, I pressed record.



Hello! Today is Saturday, June Eleventh, Two Thousand Eleven and mood status, would be... Plain.

I just spent the entire morning cleaning out Mom's bedroom, Mom's bathroom, the guest bedroom that's next to her room, the guest room that is currently belonging to my stepbrother Nate, and then the bathroom that's going to belong to Nate that's in the middle of the entire upstairs.

So I'm pretty beat.

But I have that end-of-the-year project to do, so I need to finish that before I present it next week.

I'm going to be a junior after two more weeks, and it's going to be great. I got volleyball captain, so I'm gonna celebrate that with Mom sooner or later.

Hopefully, I'll be able to celebrate it with my new fam.



I smiled widely at the camera, automatically feeling like I was in a better mood.



Anyways, I'm waiting for Mom to come back with Michael and Nate, so we can start unpacking their stuff.

Super excited that they're moving in.

Hopefully, Nate will be in a better mood or something. At the wedding, he seemed like he was off, or in a bad mood, or just rude. I couldn't really tell, but hopefully he's better today. Maybe it was just an off day.

I still can't over how good looking he is though. He's the type of guy everyone would dream for. Blonde, dark green eyes, tall, dark, handsome. I bet when we go back to school, all the girls will have to be all over him.

Anyhow, I will have to start that project soon. I can't procrastinate anymore because I need to get this done, and if they come back home anytime soon, I need to help them for probably hours.

Mom said she needed to do something at the hotel later tonight, but I don't know.

I will record again, obviously.

Talk to you later.



I waved at the camera, shutting it off, saving it to my desktop folder.

I sighed to myself, starting to start my project.

I was a little weirded out by myself, because I wanted the time to be one o'clock already. Why was time going so slow?



"Miss Janie," I heard Maria's voice over the intercom. I saved some parts of my powerpoint, going to answer my mini intercom, "Yeah?"

"They are in the driveway with the U-Haul truck, Miss Janie,"

I nodded, smiling, "Okay. I'll be down."

I went to my bathroom, checking if I looked okay. I was wearing my striped navy blue and white tank top, and regular boot jeans, with my white converses.

My hair was styled in two pigtails, then I was ready to go out.

I exited my room, extremely happy, running down the stairs, then towards the front door.

As I reached towards the front door, I stood still when I saw Michael dragging a suitcase into the house, then behind him...

Nathan.

I automatically smiled seeing him, as he dragged his suitcase into the house.

Today, he was wearing, dark blue jeans, a plaid black and white buttoned down sleeve shirt, with a white shirt on the inside, along with a pair of white skateboarding shoes.

I also noticed he had a huge canon camera hanging around his neck, as he finally came into the house.

He looked up, seeing me, which made us make eye contact, so I waved at him, smiling widely.

He stopped looking at me, frowning, then looked around the house.

Okay.

That was total rejection right there.

"Janie, hey!" Michael said, excitedly.

Well, I'm glad to see someone is excited.

"Hey," I said, coming closer to the both of them.

I got an extremely clear view of Nate at this point. The structure of his face was absolutely perfect. His cheeks were placed at a perfect point of his face. His mouth was the perfect shape. His hair was just a little messy, which made him really cute. His dark green eyes were the perfect color.

Just perfect.

I looked at Michael, giving him a look that I wanted him to introduce Nate and I, so he startled himself a little.

"Ah, right. Umm, Janie... This is my son, Nate. Nate, this is Janie. Your stepsister"

We met eyes again, so I smiled at him, but he continued to have a very motionless face. He looked away from me again, not saying anything.

I narrowed my eyes a little, not understanding why he didn't at least say hi...

Mom finally came in with another suitcase in her hands and sighed in relief, "Okay. We're gonna need to get a lot of work done. Because I think the two of you brought your entire house here."

Michael laughed, grabbing the suitcase from Mom, "Did I tell you to lift those? I'll do it myself. I'm the man of this house."

I cringed a little when he said that, because Dad used to say that all the time when he didn't want Mom to do a guy's job.

This was awkward.

I was standing right in front of my stepbrother, and yet, I didn't know how to bring up a conversation.

He was so...

Quiet.

I thought actually getting an introduction will actually help us talk, but it really didn't.

"Nice camera," I began, pointing at the Canon camera around his neck.

He lifted it up a little, managing to give me a very puny, little wittle, smirk, then it went back to a frown.

Mom began, "Janie. Maria. Did you guys clean the house?"

"Yes," I replied. "Nice, clean and neat. Like you're freshly moving into a new house."

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Nate look at me, so I reached my eyes over to him, but he looked away again.

I pulled Maria closer to us, telling her, "Introduce yourself, please. Someone here hasn't met you yet."

She placed her arms in front of her, linking her hands, then beginning, "Hello. I am Maria. I am 40 years old and I am the only maid of this house. Whatever you want, I am here for your service."

"She's very good, and trustworthy," I assured, patting her back. "She's raised me ever since I was two, so you guys can tell her what you need anytime."

Michael nodded because he's met her before, but Nate just stood very still, holding onto his camera. He even looked away.

Mom clapped her hands together, asking, "Well... Ready?"

Nate didn't reply, but Michael nodded his head excitedly, tugging on his suitcase.

"Where's our room?" He asked Mom, a little seductively.

She rolled her eyes, slapping him in the stomach a little to make him tumble backwards. I pulled a big smile out, admiring that they were such a cute couple, then I looked back at Nate.

We continued making eye contact, but he instantly looked away after doing so.

I scratched my nose a little, not knowing what to say anymore.

I went over to grab the suitcases, stating, "So... Michael, you're obviously staying with Mom, but Nate's staying in the room next to mine."

Michael shot a look at Mom a little, but she giggled a little, continuing, "I figured the two teenagers should stay together. I'm sure Nate wouldn't want to stay in the room next to two oldies."

He laughed a little, loosening up, nodding his head at Nate.

"Janie. Why don't you show Nate up to his room?" Mom asked.

Michael and I both looked at Mom, and I let out a little laugh, "Me?"

"Janie?" Michael asked her.

Mom shot a look back and forth between us, replying, "Yes?"

The atmosphere this current moment was completely in awkward silence, until Michael clapped his hands together, and agreed, "Yeah. That'd be a good idea. Go ahead, guys."

Michael looked at Nate for a while, but Nate said absolutely nothing.

Which was starting to get really annoying.

He shifted himself toward me a little, meeting eyes with me, so I shot him a smile. He immediately went to grab his suitcase, waiting for me to show him his room.

"Do... You have... Another suitcase?" I asked, slowly.

"He's got a lot," Michael replied, instead of him. "But he'll take care of it himself. A petite girl like you shouldn't be carrying anything heavy. He's secretly a gentleman, he wouldn't want you to."

I smirked at Michael, looking at Nate again.

Damn, this guy was too handsome.

But I shouldn't be looking at him. Stop looking at him.

"Is there something I can take upstairs when I show you the room?" I asked him. "I don't wanna go empty handed. I feel lazy."

He started walking towards the stairs, and Michael brought his bags over near the stairs, so I took the advantage to ask Mom, "When you said quiet... Did you happen to mean mute?"

She glared at me, making a gesture to be quiet, so I puckered my mouth at her.

Michael handed me a brown plaided duffel bag, so I grabbed it, holding it tightly. I laughed awkwardly, pointing towards Nate, "I guess I'll go show him to his room.

With his duffel bag in hand, I was wondering why it was so heavy, because I didn't figure a medium sized handbag would be this heavy, I walked in front of him going up the stairs.

I was tempted to ask what was in here, but I feared if I did, he wouldn't answer, and I would get more annoyed.

As we got to his room, I went in, placing the duffel bag on his bed, "So this is your room. Umm, Mom and Michael have their own huge bathroom in their bedroom, and I have my own in my room, so the bathroom in the middle of the hallway is all yours. Feel free to make it messy as you want because Maria comes in to clean the bathrooms all the time."

Please say something.

He gave me an extremely little grin, taking the camera off of his neck, placing it on the drawer nearby the door.

When something clicked in my head, I immediately said, "Oh!" I walked over to the storage closet, opening the door, "There's a huge storage closet in here, if you don't mind. I like to call it another mini room, but it has absolutely nothing in here. No lights either. Just letting you know, in case you think we're creeps with a huge empty room in the guest room. So feel free to use it for whatever you want. It's nice to just kick everything into this mini room."

Still...

No respond.

Okay, what the hell was wrong with this guy?

Was he actually mute?

Even if he was mute, he needs to have some response.

Nodding.

Smiling.

I'd rather have him say, "Get out", then just giving me a solemn, motionless face at the moment.

Something!

He grabbed his camera off the drawer, going towards the bed, so I went towards the door.

"If you ever need anything, my room's right next to yours," I said, pointing to my room on the side.

Silence.

Alright, I was getting annoyed by this point.

I sighed, "I'm gonna go help them now, see ya."

I turned around, but then stopped when I think I actually heard him say something.

In an extremely deep, sounding voice, I heard, "Wait."

I gulped once, turning around, to see that he was leaning against the doorway, crossing his arms.

"Yes?" I asked, politely.

He wandered his mouth just a bit, stretching his neck. He finally asked, "Is there a lock on this door?"

Wow.

Just wow.

Wower than wow.

Wow.

Is there a lock on this door?

That's the first question he asks once he gets to this house.

I swear, he must be depressed or something.

I narrowed my eyes at him, replying a little confused, "Yeah. Just turn it to the right. It'll lock."

With that, I quickly turned around, heading downstairs again.

I heard his door shut, so I rolled my eyes to myself.

"What a jerk," I said to myself.

What was I thinking when I thought he was going to be a great stepbrother?



A little after seven o'clock, everything was finally in place. Michael had moved all his stuff into Mom's room, rearranged their bathroom, and decorated everything into place.

Nate.

Nate was doing his own thing.

He came downstairs, to the count of four times, to put all of his bags with the two hands he's got and go upstairs to lock that door of his again.

I came downstairs again, after finishing with helping Mom rearrange her clothes in her closet, seeing Michael and Mom sitting the the dinner table.

I smiled, sitting across from Michael, asking, "You guys hungry already?"

Mom took a sip of her water, replying, "Nah. We're just taking a break because I'm so tired. I still have to go to back to the hotel to sign some documents." She turned to Michael, grabbing his hand, "We also gotta go talk to the lawyer about our bank accounts. That way you can become a part of the hotel as well."

He smiled, grabbing her hand tighter as I looked around for Maria. I faced Mom, asking, "Where's Maria? She go to sleep already?"

"I'm sure she's in her room," She answered. "She got a phone call from a cousin from France saying that her Father is extremely sick at the moment. I wouldn't ask for her service for the rest of the night; I'm sure she's not up for it."

I squinted my mouth, understanding.

I hope her Dad was okay.

That means I'd have to order food for tonight.

"Well, we are going to go," Mom announced, "Make sure not to use Maria for tonight. Order some chinese food or something."

Michael followed her, announcing, "I'll go start the car."

She smiled as he left the dining room, which gave me the advantage to talk to Mom.

"Mother!" I whispered, a little high tempered. I continued, "This is the Nate kid that's going to be my stepbrother? He's quieter than the rats walking around the roofs of the school!"

"Janie," Mom reckoned. "He's a little shy. Give him a little time."

"Shy?" I snickered. "Mom. Shy... Means embarrassed. Means afraid to talk. Means... When you get a stepsister, you have to get some courage to at least say... Oh I don't know... Thanks for showing me up to my room... Nice to meet you... A Hello would even be nice. But this guy... Has got nothing. Not even a a nod or a smile. He's absolutely motionless. Solemn. And I think he's a little rude. It's kind of making me mad."

She pinched my arms a little, making me cringe so I let out a little groan. I whined, "Fiiineeeeeeee. I'll try to understand his shyness and give him time."

"Good," She said. "We can't all be confident and outgoing like you."

I squinted my mouth as I let her leave the house. I sat on the dining chair, groaning to myself, trying to release the exhaustion from my body. I massaged my own temples, because my head felt like it was going to explode.

Then my stomach began to growl, making me realize that I was actually hungry.

I didn't have any breakfast, nor lunch, so maybe I should've eaten something before my intestines ripped.

I stood up, heading over to Maria's book of take out restaurants that she had whenever she couldn't work.

Pizza.

Chinese.

Italian Subs.

Subway delivery.

Hmm, which to choose.

I then heard footsteps behind me, making me turn around to see if it was Maria, but it wasn't.

It was Nate.

I completely forgot that we were in the same house at this particular moment, because Maria was all the way on the other side of her house.

I shot him a smile, but by now I should be getting used to that he doesn't respond to me smiling.

From the living room, I saw him at the bottom of the stairs, walking completely passed me. I pinched my lips together, trying to hold that part of myself in, sighing. Bringing the book of restaurants with me, I followed him towards the kitchen, because I didn't see him eat anything as well.

I walked in our large kitchen, seeing him drinking a bottle of water, leaning against the medium sized island placed in the middle of our kitchen.

He saw me, looking up, and frowned a little.

I smiled at him, walking towards him. "Are you hungry?"

Sip water.

"If you are, I can order something to get it delivered. There's a bunch of things close to this neighborhood. Pizza... Chinese... Italian... Subway?"

Close cap of bottled water.

"I can walk to McDonalds?"

He coughed a little, looking towards my direction, still shooting the most depressed looking face at me.

He then shook his head, indicating no, walking completely passed me, out of the kitchen. I stood there in awe, with the book of restaurants in my hand, feeling embarrassed that I wasted my energy to walk here to ask if he was hungry.

I was afraid that his intestines would tear apart like mine were doing at the moment.

I think mine were tearing apart from the embarrassment that I just caused myself with Nate.

I closed my eyes, bringing my hands to a fist...

Give him time, says Mom.

Give him some more freaking time.



"I take it the stepbro and you are doing really well?" Britney asked me on the phone, as I was eating some Chinese food at my computer desk.

"Psh," I snickered. "The complete opposite of well. The kid doesn't talk. He's another version of a rock. Only he's walking."

She slightly laughed, when something clicked to my head, "Or maybe... He's the definition of the walking dead."

She cracked up laughing, and then replied, "You're insane. I'm sure he's just shy or something. Maybe you're just too hot headed. Not everyone can pull out a conversation like you."

"Ugh, that's what Mom said. She said to... give him time."

"And I agree with the Mother."

"I was so excited to have a stepbrother. I felt like we were gonna kick up like 100 conversations by now, but nope... He's keeping himself all locked up in that room. The first words he's ever said to me during today was, Does this thing lock? The answer is in that stupid rhetorical question."

She laughed a little, replying, "I honestly think you're overreacting. I'm sure he'll get used to you eventually. He can't live under that house without ever talking to you."

"Ugh, it just makes me angry, that's all."

"I think," She went on. "If you talk to Jackson, all things will be better. You and him are in your own little pink world."

I rolled my eyes, opening up my computer to look at a picture of Jackson. The handsomeness between Jackson and Nate were exactly the same, but obviously my guy was much better.

"You're still thinking about the stepbrother, aren't you?" Britney asked, reading my mind through the telephone.

I took another bite of my general tsao chicken, sighing, "I'm trying not to. But I'll get over it eventually. He's gotta crack one day, right?"

"Right."

"Okay," I concluded. "I'm gonna go. I gotta eat this food with two hands. I'll talk to you later."

"See ya, girl."

I shifted my head to the right, dropping my phone into my left hand, pushing the "End Call" button.

I continued eating in anger, completely frustrated with my new stepbrother. I stopped eating, massaging my temples again, thinking...

Britney did have a point.

He can't go on living here forever not saying at least a sentence to me.

Otherwise, he'd be considered an alien, or something.

I suppose time will tell.



Okay.

I supposed time didn't tell.

It has entered the third week.

And he still hasn't said even one freaking word to me.

ONE...

I've looked like an idiot multiple times, asking this asking that, but I get no response.

I'm starting to think that this kid must not be happy with his Dad's marriage, otherwise he wouldn't be this depressed.

Otherwise, he's just a freak.

Mom and Michael took a honeymoon vacation to Cancun, Mexico so that left stepbrother and I at the house my ourselves.

But he spent that time just staying in his room.

I even heard him playing the guitar a couple of times, but couldn't make out what he was trying to play.

I would ask, but I don't wanna be any more embarrassed than I already am.

I walked out of my bedroom around six o'clock in the evening, seeing Nate walk out of the bathroom, which made us connect paths.

He was wearing a white t-shirt, dark blue jeans, and his normal white skateboarding sneakers and I was wearing my black t-shirt dress that went up passed my knees a little, with slippers.

After we met eyes for only two seconds, he walked passed me, walking down the stairs.

I crossed my arms, squinting my mouth, rolling my eyes because I was going to go downstairs. Why go at the same time as me?

I jogged down the stairs, going towards the kitchen because of the amazing garlic scent, and saw Maria at the stoves of the kitchen.

"Hey, you." I started.

I don't know where Nate went.

She looked up, smiling at me, answering, "Ah. Miss Janie. I am making your favorite. Pasta carbonara. I see that you have not made it for a while, so I wanted to make it for you."

"Oh yeah. I haven't eaten since..."

I remembered that Jackson had made it during Valentine's day and it was just terrible.

"Jackson's cooking on Valentine's day," I continued.

She let out a small giggle, so I asked, "Anything I can help with?"

"No, no, Miss Janie. Dinner will be served at seven."

Sadly, Maria has been making only my dinner ever since Mom and Michael went on their honeymoon. Nate doesn't come eat downstairs with me so she separates them into a small box for him, so he can eat later and night, or something.

I really don't know what he does.

I patted her shoulders, my eyes immediately going to the space between the kitchen room and the hallway, because Nate walked passed it.

I nudged Maria a little, asking, "Have you gotten a word out of him yet?"

She stopped to think a little, wandering her eyes, then sighing when she figured it out. "Around four days ago, I got a morning."

Morning?

He gives the maid a morning but he gives me nothing.

How great.

I sighed, "At least you got a word."

She smiled, sympathetically to me, then I followed where Nate would be going. I went out of the kitchen, seeing Nate taking pictures of the house with his camera.

"Hey," I began.

He slightly jumped, turning around to look at me, while I began to admire his good looks again.

He held his camera that was hanging around his neck tightly.

I started, "Umm. Maria's making pasta carbonara so I wanted to make sure you could eat it. It's a little more advanced than the other stuff she usually makes."

No respond.

I take it as a leave me alone.

But I didn't give up, I continued, "I can order something for you if you want. Italian, pizza... Or Subway's, or some... thing..."

He ignored me, without a nod, and walked straight passed me towards the living room.

Oh my god.

That's it.

No more time.

I've exploded.

I followed him, seeing him sit on the couch, turning on the television.

"Okay, I'm done," I finally said.

I stood up, looking down at him and blurted, "Ever since my mom and your dad have gotten married, I've found you as an extremely strange person walking out on the wedding like that. But you're even stranger when you guys moved in. Who the hell can go around for three weeks not saying more than five words a day? I mean, you're like a walking rock,"

I tried to calm down, so I sat next to him, and he looked at me a little shocked. I sighed, continuing, "Listen. We are step siblings. I am your stepsister and you are my stepbrother. In any way, we have to talk somehow. And I will be straightforward... If you're upset about this marriage or something, you can say something to me. I'm considered a friendly person, and I try to understand people as fully as I can. But you've gotta have a conversation with me at one point."

He leaned against the sofa, fidgeting around with his camera little.

"Are you depressed, or something?" I continued asking. "Honestly, you can tell me. I really don't wanna spend the rest of my life living with a person whose supposed to be a part of my family, and not talk to them. If you don't like my face, you can say it. If you don't like this marriage, just say something... Please."

After a minute of some awkward silence, and me looking at him with very eager eyes, he grabbed the remote, changing the channel.

Ignoring me.

I sighed in embarrassment again, standing up. I slapped my legs and announced, "Okay fine. I give up. I guess this is the last thing I'll say to you. I give up on trying to be friendly to you and I give up on thinking that this step sibling thing was going to work out but I was totally wrong. I'll see you around."

I began walking out of the living room, when I heard him say something that stopped me.

"Chinese," I heard.

I narrowed my eyes, totally confused, so I turned around to look at him.

"You said something?"

He pinched his lips together, standing up and coming up to me, holding his camera.

He came very close in front of me, looking down at me, "I like Chinese food too."

Not really answering the question, but he wasn't ignoring me.

He actually smiled at me, also adding, "I don't like Italian food."

Not a full smile, but it was a smirk, in which I consider a smile.

We made eye contact for another ten seconds, then he raised his eyebrows at me, giving me another smirk, walking out of the living room.

I stood there in awe, shaking my head.

"I guess that'll start something."