Somewhere along the lines, the hate fizzled out, and something new sprouted up in its place. Affection… Fondness… Attachment? I don’t get it, but now, when I’m peeking at him from around the shower curtain, watching him gargle mouthwash and tie his messy hair back in a tiny half-bun, I don’t see my stepbrother who pisses me off to no end. I don’t even see my reluctant business partner I’ve been forced to interact with in order to stay in school. I just see Avi. The guy who’s seen parts of me no one else has. The guy who never stops smiling at me, no matter how mean I am to him. The guy with
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