His new stepsister His biggest threat (Claire and Elijah) novel Chapter 187

Chapter 187

Chapter 187

Claire’s POV

The week slid by in a haze of almosts and stolen breaths.

Every morning started the same: Elijah downstairs before me, pouring coffee like he hadn’t been in my room half the night with his hands under my hoodle and his mouth on my neck. We’d nod at each other across the kitchen, casual as anything, while Mom flipped pancakes and asked about our days.

“Big game this weekend?” she asked him Thursday morning.

“Yeah,” Elijah said, eyes flicking to me for half a second. “Should be intense.”

“And your arts showcase is coming up fast,” she turned to me, sliding a plate my way. “You girls ready yet?”

“Getting there,” I answered, sipping orange juice to hide the way my pulse jumped when his knee brushed mine under the table. “We’re almost done with the projections.”

“That sounds exciting,” Mom said. “Will there be wolves again? You’ve been drawing so many lately.”

I nearly choked. “Uh, yeah. Maybe a couple.”

Elijah hid his smirk behind his mug.

Jessica and I were basically living in the studio now. Charcoal dust on our fingers, laptops glowing with test animations of shadows moving across drawn wolves. She kept shooting me knowing looks,

“You’re distracted today,” she said Wednesday afternoon, wiping smudge from her cheek as she adjusted the projector.

“Am not.”

“Are too,” she insisted, grinning. “Your wolves have bedroom eyes now.”

I threw an eraser at her. “Shut up.”

She dodged, laughing. “Seriously, Claire. Whoever he is, he’s good for your art. These pieces are intense.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, shading darker. “Just… stressed about timing.”

“Relay finals are next week too, right?” she asked, clicking through slides. “You’ve been killing practice.”

“Yeah. We’re solid.”

Academic relay practice was brutal. Our team captain drilled us like lives depended on it.

“Literature!” he barked during Thursday’s session. “Claire, go.”

I hit the buzzer. “The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald.”

“Correct. Science-Elijah isn’t here, so Claire, double duty.”

I rolled my eyes but answered the next three anyway.

By Friday, the halls buzzed with pre-weekend energy. The academic relay finals were the following Friday, same week as the showcase. Double pressure.

Morning classes blurred: calculus, lit, history. Elijah and I passed each other twice.

First time: “Hey,” he murmured, slowing just enough that our shoulders almost touched.

“Hey, I whispered back, fingers grazing the back of his hand.

Second time: “Project notes?” he asked, his voice innocent.

“Library later?” I replied.

He nodded, eyes warm.

In chemistry, we were supposed to be finalizing data.

“These numbers look good,” he said, leaning over my notebook, pretending to check calculations.

“Do they?” I asked, feeling his thumb trace slow circles on my wrist under the table.

“Perfect,” he murmured. “You’re perfect.”

“Focus,” I whispered, kicking him lightly.

“You first,” he shot back, lips barely moving.

I bit back a smile.

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Chapter 187

Lunch was louder than usual, the hockey team hyped about playoffs, cheer squad planning spirit stunts.

“You coming to the diner after practice tonight?” Felix called across the table to Elijah.

“Maybe, Elijah said, eyes drifting to me.

Audrey slid into the seat beside him with a bright smile. “You should! Everyone’s going. It’ll be fun.”

Elijah nodded politely. “We’ll see.”

His gaze found mine across the cafeteria and held.

“You okay?” Jessica asked me quietly.

“Yeah,” I said. “I guess.”

“Liar,” she teased. “But I’ll let it slide.”

After school, relay practice ran late. Library stuffy, fluorescent lights humming as we drilled.

“Fine arts!” captain shouted. “Claire!”

I buzzed. “Picasso, Guernica.”

“Correct. Keep it up-we’re favorites for finals.”

By the time we wrapped, halls were mostly empty. I packed slowly, texting Jessica I’d meet her tomorrow for final mapping.

I was at my locker when Felix appeared.

“Hey, superstar,” he said, leaning against the door beside mine with that easy grin. “Heard you destroyed practice again. Team’s lucky to have you.”

“Thanks,” I smiled, shoving books into my bag. “Don’t jinx me before finals.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He tilted his head. “You’ve been killing it lately. Art stuff, relay, looking unfairly good while doing both.”

I laughed softly. “Flattery noted.”

“Not flattery,” he said, stepping closer. “Truth. And I was thinking-after showcase and relay are done, maybe we could celebrate. You and me. Dinner. No team, no crowd. Just us.”

My fingers paused on my zipper.

“Felix,” I started gently, “that’s really-”

“Hey.” Elijah’s voice cut through the quiet like a blade.

We both turned.

He was ten feet away, hockey bag over one shoulder, hair damp from shower. Expression calm-too calm-but eyes pure gold.

Felix straightened. “Hey, man. Just talking to Claire about-”

“I heard,” Elijah said. Tone even, but dangerous underneath. “We’ve got project stuff. Library’s closing soon.”

Felix glanced at me. “You good?”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “We’re behind on the write-up.”

Felix exhaled. “Got it. Offer stands, Claire. No rush.” He clapped Elijah’s shoulder carefully and headed off.

Elijah didn’t move until Felix turned the corner.

Then he closed the distance in three strides.

Hallway empty. Lockers silent.

“Dinner?” he asked quietly. “Just you and him?”

“Elijah-”

“Tell me you were going to say no.”

“I was,” I said. “I started to.”

“You didn’t say it fast enough.”

I bristled. “I don’t owe you an immediate rejection just because you’re jealous.”

His laugh was short. “Jealous doesn’t cover it.”

“Then what does?”

He stepped closer, crowding me against the lockers. Voice dropped to a growl.

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