Chapter 3
First-year students had one less night study session than the seniors.
After school, Selina hung back in the classroom, hitting the books while waiting for me.
When I finished my classes, I met her at the second-floor stairwell as planned.
When I got there, she was already waiting at the stairwell. As soon as she saw me, she came over quietly.
"James," she called out softly.
I couldn't help but smile just thinking about the female lead taking me as her older brother.
"Let's go. Time to head home," I said.
"Okay," she replied.
The comments: [James really treats Selina like a little sister. That's so wholesome.]
[I'm kinda tempted to switch ships.]
[James and Selina are cute, but I'm Team Male Lead all the way.]
Whatever ship you guys were into, I was sticking with my big shot.
Like always, we swung by the restaurant, had dinner there, and didn't close up until after we'd eaten. Then we headed home together.
Our apartment was right upstairs from the restaurant, so getting home was a breeze.
When we got home, Mom brought out the clothes and shoes she'd picked up for Selina today and told her to try them on.
Everything was a bit big, since Mom figured Selina would be shooting up in the next few months.
On top of that, Mom also got Selina a student-friendly phone.
Selina was at a loss again.
Mom took her hand and said, "Selina, Brant and I have talked it over. We want to make you our goddaughter. Would you like that?"
Selina nodded, her voice thick with emotion. "I'd love to."
I teased her, "You gotta call them by their names now."
Selina nodded seriously, and then said sincerely, "Mavis, Brant, and James, thank you."
I replied with excitement, "No big deal."
Dad was just as happy. "Alright. From now on, we're family. Looks like I've got both a son and a daughter now."
Mom suggested, "Let's take a day off this Saturday and go have some fun."
I liked that. "Awesome! I wanna go to the amusement park."
Mom said, "Deal!"
*****
Mom and Dad were genuinely fond of Selina, and I was honestly thrilled to have a little sister around. None of us ever saw her as anything but family.
Selina settled into our home super fast and became part of the family in no time.
Once she started eating well, she grew like a weed in spring, getting taller every single day.
No doubt about it, she was going to be tall and beautiful.
That was our female lead.
That was my little sister.
Besides, she was so much more outgoing and confident than before.
She carried herself with confidence, always beaming with happiness.
The comments were mostly friendly.
The only thing they worried about was that I might mess up Selina's romance with the male lead, and some even said it felt like Selina had a crush on me.
But honestly, I never noticed anything like that. Besides, I already had my own crush, and I was planning to confess my feelings after the SATs.
To calm down the comments, I deliberately brought it up in front of Selina and told her to keep it a secret.
After that, nobody in the comments really mentioned it again.
Mom and Dad really went out of their way for Selina.
To be honest, sometimes they spoiled her so much that I actually got a little jealous.
But whenever I was about to start whining, Selina would come right up to me, flash that sweet smile, and act cute.
And just like that, any grumbling I had just melted away.
Honestly, I didn't mind at all. I actually loved having such a smart and caring little sis.
Plus, she was the main character, after all.
Time flew by and it was already winter break.
With the SATs coming up, Mom wouldn't let me help out at the restaurant anymore.
Mom wanted Selina to stay home and hit the books as well, but Selina was determined to help out at the restaurant.
She promised it wouldn't mess with her studies, so in the end, Mom and Dad had no choice but to let her help out.
Just before the New Year, it was Selina's sixteenth birthday.
Mom and Dad closed up the restaurant at three, picked up some meat and veggies, and headed home to make dinner.
Before dinner, Mom sent Selina and me to grab the birthday cake from the bakery across the street.
As we walked out of the bakery, we ran right into a middle-aged woman with two kids in tow.
She was pretty big, built like a tank with broad shoulders and a thick waist.
Both her kids, a boy and a girl, looked just as sturdy as she did.
Selina's face went ghostly white. She clung to my sleeve, whispering for us to get out of there fast.
But the woman came barreling after us, snatched the cake right out of my hand, and started screaming at Selina.
She yelled, "You worthless brat! Always whining about wanting to go to school, sneaking out without a word, just chasing after boys and throwing yourself at them. Have you no shame?"
Then she turned her glare on me. "Listen up, my daughter's only sixteen. Pay me thirty grand, or I'll call the cops and say you're taking advantage of a minor!"
The comments: [Did she seriously just call her own daughter shameless? Is that really her mom?]
[Looks like once you get a stepdad or stepmom, even your real parents start acting like step-parents.]
Selina's eyes were brimming with tears, her voice trembling. "Mom, I'm still in school. James never did anything to me. Don't slander him."
But her mom, Megan, wasn't having any of it. She totally lost it, her anger boiling over.
She snapped, "You think you can fool me that easily? Hand over the money, or I'll report him to the police!"
Seeing she was dead set on holding onto the cake box, I just gave up and handed it to her.
She handed the cake off to the little girl next to her, and then seized my wrist in a flash, clearly not planning to let me go anywhere.
I tried to stay patient and said, "Ma'am, I haven't done anything to anyone. If you really think there's an issue, just call the police. But can you stop yanking me around already?"
"Pay up! Before that, you're not leaving," she barked.
Selina was crying her eyes out, giving her mom a desperate look, silently begging for mercy.
She said, "Mom, I swear, once I start making money, I'll do everything to support you. Please, can you not do this? I'm begging you!"
"Already chasing after guys at your age. How am I supposed to count on you for anything in the future?" Megan spat.
Then she glared at me. "Hand over 30 grand and I won't meddle in your relationship. If you want to marry her, the betrothal gift better be at least 100 grand."