Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 83 (Hendrix's POV) The common room buzzed with low chatter and the clinking of cups on tables. I leaned against the doorframe, watching her. She was laughing. Angel. Sitting there with Thomas, her head tilted back, her smile was wide and easy. I knew that laugh. It was the kind of laugh that cfrom somewhere deep, the kind she only gave when she felt free.

I should be happy for her. I told myself that over and over. She's happy now. With him. Isn't that enough? But it wasn't. It was like this gaping hole insiderefused to close, no matter how much I tried to fill it with reason. I thought maybe-no, I was stupid to think that. I thought that, after everything we'd been through, there'd be space for us. But there wasn't. Because she's with Thomas now. And they're happy. So why am I not? I couldn't even look at them for too long without feeling like my chest might cave in. The way he touched her, the way her hand lingered on his arm, the soft looks they shared-it felt like they were speaking a language I didn't know. And every tI saw them, it remindedof everything I'd lost, everything I couldn't have.

I turned away before they could seeand walked back to my dorm. The air felt heavier with every step, like I was sinking into quicksand. Maybe it was better this way. Distance. Space. Whatever you wanted to call it. Maybe if I pulled back far enough, I'd stop feeling like this. Like I was on the edge of a cliff, and Angel was the only thing keepingfrom falling, even though she was one of the reasons I desperately wanted to throw myself over.

But I wasn't sure anymore if I wanted to stop.

(Angel's POV) The common room was warm and alive with the hum of voices, but all I could feel was his absence. Hendrix. I hadn't seen him all day, and it was starting to weigh on me. He was avoiding me. I knew it. And I didn't know how to fix it.

Thomas brushed a lock of hair behind my ear, pulling my attention back to him. "You okay?" he gently asked. I nodded quickly. "Yeah, just tired." He didn't look convinced, but he didn't press. Instead, he leaned closer and brushed his lips against my temple. "You know you can talk to me, right?" I smiled softly. "I know." Thomas was... everything I should want. He was kind, attentive, patient. He madelaugh when everything else felt too much to handle. And when he kissed me, like he was doing now, I felt lighter, like I could forget all the cracks under the surface.

His warm hand found mine and instantly steadied me. He pulledcloser, and I melted into him. The room faded away as his lips moved against mine, slowly and wholesomely. My hands slid up to his shoulders, and I felt him smile against my mouth.

"You're addictive," he murmured.

I laughed softly with my forehead resting against his. "That makes two of us." The moment felt perfect. Until it wasn't.

The air shifted. A tension I couldn't quite detect. I pulled back slightly, and my heart sank. Hendrix was standing in the doorway, his eyes locked on us. He wasn't saying anything, but he didn't have to. The look on his face said it all. Hurt. Anger. Resignation.

"Hey," Thomas said. His voice was light but strained. "You need something?" Hendrix's gaze didn't move. For a moment, I thought he might say something-anything-but he just walked to the corner of the room, grabbed a magazine from the shelf, and left without a word.

The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence that followed was deafening.

I let out a shaky breath as my hands fell to my lap. "That was... awkward." Thomas sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "He's gotta get over it. It's not healthy." I didn't respond. I couldn't. Because deep down, I wasn't sure if I wanted him to.

The next morning, the tension was still there. It hung over the breakfast table like a storm cloud about to break. I sat between Thomas and Hande, picking at my food while everyone else tried to pretend like nothing was wrong. Cylan was the first to speak. Her tone was as light but pointed as ever. "So... anyone wanna talk about the elephant in the room?" Hande shot her a look. "Subtle, Cylan. Real subtle." "I'm just saying," Cylan said, shrugging. "It's getting a little... uncomfortable, you know?" Bundah snorted. "Understatement of the year."

I glanced at Hendrix, who was sitting at the far end of the table, his eyes fixed on his plate. He hadn't said e. Hel word since he sat down, and the space between us felt bigger than ever. Hande nudgedwith her elbow. "You okay?" she whispered. I nodded and forced a smile. "Yeah. Just tired." She didn't look convinced, but she let it go.

Across the table, Bundah leaned back in his chair as his eyes darted between Hendrix and Thomas "So, are we just gonna ignore the fact that you two look like you're about to throw down every tyou're in the sroom?" Thomas scoffed. "I'm not the one with the problem." Hendrix's fork clattered against his plate as he stood abruptly. "I'm done." He grabbed his tray and left without another word. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to me.

I swallowed hard and my chest tightened. "I'll talk to him," I saidm whim quietly, though wasn't sure if I believed it myself.