Teaching My Bookworm Stepsister

Kapri's P.O.V.

************

"Don't you even think about telling me you aren't hungry," Maverick warned.

I stared at the tray of food in my lap in disgust. The moment I woke up, Maverick practically jumped out of bed to get me food. Thankfully, it's the weekend. I tried to stop him, but he ignored me. I'm not hungry. Probably because I haven't been eating properly lately. Still, I looked down at the waffles and bacon with a scowl on my face. Not even the fruit or orange juice looks good to me. "But-"

"Guess I'm force feeding you." Maverick stated before I could even get a word out.

I crossed my arms as Maverick sat on my bed. He pulled the tray into his lap, and started to cut up my food. I looked him over as he did so.

I wonder if he cared about any other girls the way he does with me. Definitely not Savannah. Maybe Sally? Or the girl he's in love with? Maverick held a fork full of waffles in my face. I just stared at him as syrup dripped onto his hand. He raised a brow at me.

"Jas will help me hold you down." He threatened.

I almost cracked a smile at that. Still, I didn't open my mouth. I think that part of me just wants to see how far Maverick is willing to go.

Maverick sighed. He reached out to grab my chin with his hand. Then he yanked my face closer to him.

"Please eat Kapri." He begged as he brushed his thumb across my bottom lip.

Maverick brought the fork to my mouth, and this time I took a bite.

Holy shit.. That was really good.

"Don't even try to deny you like it. April put extra vanilla in them, and she homemade the strawberry topping. She said it's your favorite." Maverick said. "And I made sure to drown your bacon in syrup just how you like it." "How do you know I like that?" I asked.

Maverick was always like this. I never questioned it before because I was honestly afraid to hear his answer. I'm tired of being afraid.

"I pay attention to you." Was all Maverick said.

Maverick poked a piece of pineapple, and brought it to my lips. I happily took it. One good night's sleep with Maverick and I'm already feeling better.

"You don't look that tired this morning. But I guess that's expected after you sleep for almost 14 hours straight," Maverick commented.

"I feel better," I admitted.

"Good," Maverick said. "The first step is to take care of your body. You'll start to feel better mentally. Then we attack one thing at a time."

I raised a brow at him as he brought another bite to my mouth.

"How do you even know all of that?" I asked.

"I did a lot of research after you fell asleep in my arms last night," he told me.

"Research?" I asked.

Maverick nodded.

"I wanted to know how to help you. You think I had any idea what I was doing when I barged in here yesterday?" He asked.

I shrugged.

"Not like you did a bad job," I said.

"Well, thanks, but me forcing you to do things can only get you so far, Kap," he replied.

Maverick handed me my juice, and I chugged half of the glass. We made small talk while Maverick fed me. I tried to pry into things I'd been curious about, but Maverick didn't really give me the answers I was looking for. After I was done eating, Maverick took my tray down stairs. He tried to get me to come down with him to see Mom, but I didn't want to. I just can't face her right now.

However, I did ask if I could see Jas and Jes. The twins came to my room, and we spent the rest of the day watching movies together. They even fell asleep in my bed with me.

"They were really worried about you too." Maverick told me as he looked down at his brother and sister.

I looked down at them too. Jas has her arm wrapped around my middle with her face shoved up against my arm. Jes is sprawled out at the end of my bed across my legs. I giggled at the two of them. "Look at Jas's nose." I said, giggling.

I looked up at Maverick to see him smiling at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "It's just.. It's been a while since I've heard your giggle. And seen your smile. I missed it." He said.

My cheeks heated at his compliment. Maverick continued to stare at me for a moment before he cleared his throat.

"I'll take them to bed." He told me.

Maverick scooped Jesse up in his arms, and carried him to his room. A few minutes later, he came back to get Jasmyn.

"Kapri.. Would you be willing to talk to one more person tonight?" Maverick asked gently.

"I'm not ready to see my mom yet, Maverick." I told him.

Maverick's been trying to get me to talk to Mom all day, but I just.. I'm not ready to face her. I'm finally feeling better today. I don't know if I could look Mom in her eyes, and.. ask her what I really want to know. "I know Kap. I didn't mean April," he said.

I frowned at him.

"Who?" I asked.

Maverick gave me a hard look.

"Brooke has been sitting in the hallway outside of your room all day, Kapri. She hasn't asked to talk to you, but I know she wants to." He told me. "I'm not saying that you should tell her everything if you aren't ready, but.. Brooke has been worried sick about you, and I think that it would make you feel better to talk with her."

"It's kind of soon, isn't it? I just started to feel better." I said uncomfortably.

"What are you so afraid of, Kapri?" Maverick asked.

I looked away from him.

"Kapri.." Maverick said my name like a warning.

"What if.. What if she thinks I'm.. bad?" I asked.

I looked up at Maverick as tears filled my eyes.

"I.. come from.. something so evil.. What does that say about me? How will my friends feel when they find out?" I asked him.

Maverick reached out to cup my cheek.

"I know that what happened to your mom was terrible. I understand how you could struggle to see yourself as the miracle that April sees you as. But everything that happened.. your conception.. It does not define who you are as a person Kapri. You make your own choices, and live your own life. Your friends will understand that. They won't look at you any differently, Kapri." He told me. I leaned into his palm, and nodded.

"And don't forget what I said. You know who you are. I've never met someone so sure of themselves before. Don't let that bas.tard take something from you now Kapri. You're the same person you were two months ago. Nothing about you has changed. You are in control of your life," he stated sternly.

A single tear fell from my eye.

"Thank you Maverick," I whispered.

Maverick smiled at me.

"Always baby." He said.

Maverick slowly removed his hand from me. He scooped Jas up in his arms. Then he walked out of my room. All for Brooke to walk in.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," I replied.

"C-can I come sit with you?" She asked.

I nodded.

Brooke rushed through my room, and plopped on my bed. She bit down on her bottom lip as she fiddled with her fingers. I put my hand over hers. "I'm really sorry about the way I've been acting." I told her.

"It's okay Kap." She replied.

Brooke chewed on her bottom lip more. I can tell that she has questions.

"I'm... doing better." I said. "I guess we can thank Maverick for that."

I rolled my eyes, making Brooke laugh.

"He has you getting back to your old self." She said. "And you can look me in the eyes."

"Yeah, well.." I muttered.

I looked up at Brooke, and took a deep breath.

"My mom.. told me something about.. my father and myself. Something that.. I almost wish she would have kept to herself," I said.

"I figured out that much." Brooke said with a small laugh. "Kap, you don't have to tell-"

"My father was a rapist. He raped my mom. That was how she got pregnant with me." I blurted out.

I held my breath as Brooke just blinked at me.

"I was too afraid to tell any of you. I didn't.. want any of you to.. look at me differently. I.. didn't feel like I deserved a life, let alone this one." I said, gesturing around us. "I was scared, and.. having an identity crisis.. I still.. am not sure how to be okay."" Brooke blinked at me for a moment. She's probably trying to process everything I just said. I don't blame her.

"Kapri.. I'm so sorry. That's... awful." She said.

I nodded.

"No wonder why you were so upset.." She continued.

I nodded again.

"Are you.. okay now? I mean, that was a dumb question," Brooke said awkwardly.

I patted her hands.

"It's okay." I told her. "I.. think I'm okay. I feel better now that I actually slept and ate. I still.. feel really weird. Like.. I don't feel comfortable in my own skin."

"That's understandable," she said.

"Maybe if I can bring myself to talk to Mom, I can... feel okay again." I said.

Brooke smirked at me.

"Seems Maverick was doing fine helping you." She commented.

I groaned.

"I don't even know what to think about him right now," I admitted.

Brooke and Megan were friends with Maverick before me. They know stuff about him. Stuff that he won't tell me right now. And Maverick is right in that seeing my friends and family has helped me. Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone. "Hey Brooke," I said. "How about you call the girls over tomorrow? I think I should tell them too."