My Jealous Stepbrother
SHOWER OF NOTIFICATIONS

"The last thing I remember is taking the usual medication. I have a feeling I missed something important," I confessed to Ryan as I watched his reaction.

I watched as he ran a hand through his hair, sighing softly. He looked uneasy, like he was hiding something. "Well, you just talked to your dad for a while and then fell asleep. No big deal," he replied, trying to appear calm. The atmosphere suddenly became strange and tense. Wait, did I forget something else, then?

The forest fire! Oh, of course, I had completely forgotten the main reason why I wouldn't see my family for several days. Among all the things that have happened to me these past few days, it had somehow faded from my mind. But now, it was pounding hard on my conscience. The welfare of my family was crucial, far more important than a simple flu that had left me laid up. Still, I may have said something to Ryan as I drifted off to sleep.

Almost as if Ryan had read my thoughts, he responded immediately. "Everyone is fine, you don't have to worry about them. Your father was very specific about that, besides..."

"Besides?"

"No, it's nothing," Ryan replied with apparent nonchalance as he picked up the dishes from the table. His words sounded unconvincing, as if he was hiding something. I couldn't help but feel that there was more behind his words, something he wasn't telling me.

I wished I could talk directly to my father to get firsthand information. For some reason, I didn't feel entirely confident in Ryan's comforting words. There was a little voice inside me that told me there was more to it.

"Oh, I see," I replied in a nonchalant tone, trying to disguise my curiosity. I decided to change the subject and casually mentioned that I would check my phone.

"Ah yes, it was ringing a lot. You seemed to have several new messages. I guess you're pretty popular," Ryan said in a dry tone.

A fleeting thought crossed my mind. I froze for a moment at the possibility that Ryan had checked my phone. The thought of him knowing about the stalker and the messages I hadn't deleted filled me with anxiety. I wanted to break the tension with a bit of sarcasm and nervousness. "Oh yeah?" I asked wryly, trying to disguise my concern with a nervous laugh. "What can I say, I'm in demand."

It had been a grave mistake not to eliminate them, but when I saw that Ryan made no comment about it, I felt a slight sense of relief. Maybe I had been worrying for no reason.

"Well, I guess I'll retire to my room. Those notifications won't read themselves," I said, trying to sound relaxed.

"It's okay, Sam. Take your time," he said with an enigmatic smile.

I decided to go to my room, even though it wasn't really to check the notifications. It was just an excuse so I could have a moment alone and process everything that was going on. I closed the door behind me softly, then plopped down on the bed and picked up my phone with shaking hands. I turned it on and notifications flooded the screen, a barrage of messages and missed calls. My heart raced as I put in the passcode to unlock my phone, wondering what could have happened while I was plunged into my deep sleep.

As I read through the messages, my pulse raced even faster. There were some from Emily.

- Are you okay? I'm sending you homework, the teacher said this will be on the test! It's so unfair, I don't even understand it!

There were also missed calls and a voicemail from my dad, "We are still being held here. As much as I would like to get home as soon as possible to be by your side, we can't make it. They say the fire is being brought under control, but that's all they tell us about it, so I'm not too sure about that. I called your school to inform you that you will miss another week due to the flu. Just try to rest and take care of yourself."

I also had a message from my stepmom assuring me that everyone was fine and that they wouldn't be able to communicate with me for a few days, but not to worry about them. I assumed Ryan had not lied to me moments before despite his suspicious attitude. I also found several notifications from Zack from the day before, asking me if I had arrived home safely and hoping I hadn't gotten wet in the rain. I felt the need to respond to him immediately.

-Hi, I arrived safe and sound. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, my phone was out of battery, it was literally dead!" I wrote, thinking of a plausible excuse before sending it.

Almost instantly, I received a reply from Zack.

-Glad to hear it! I'm sorry I couldn't walk you home, but I had promised Emily I would help her with her homework. I'm really sorry about that. I also thought your brother would be home, and after what happened last time, I didn't want him to get mad again and blame you."

-My stepbrother, actually. but don't worry about it! It was just a momentary worry. He's probably already forgotten about it... I replied, trying to downplay the matter.

It was possible that Ryan had already put his anger behind him, or maybe not, but I couldn't just go and ask him directly. I didn't want to seem nosy or meddle in matters that weren't my business. Although I was intrigued to know for sure the reason behind his anger, I didn't think it was solely due to the fact that we had been up late in my room that night.

I wondered if there might be some rivalry between Ryan and Zack. After all, they both attended the same college and shared similar social circles. Maybe there was something else I didn't know about, something that created a clash between them.