Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 31

(Angel's POV)

It was happening again.

Another treatment. Another day when I couldn't breathe.

I watched Hendrix from across the room. His face was pale and his eyes looked unfocused. He sat on the edge of the bed and his hands trembled slightly as if he was trying to hold it all together. But I could see through it.

I always saw through him.

"They're doing it again," I whispered and my voice shook. I couldn't help it. My stomach twisted into knots as I pictured him in that room with those needles and those machines.

The door swung open and Dr. Nixon stepped in. She was cold and clinical. She didn't even look at me.

Just Hendrix.

"Are you ready?" she asked him in a low tone.

Ready? For what?

Another round of who-knows-what. My fists clenched at my sides.

Hendrix nodded and his jaw tightened. He didn't say a word. He never said anything about these sessions.

And that scared me more than anything.

I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming and from grabbing him and pulling him away from here. From this nightmare.

"We need to talk," I blurted out and my voice was sharp in the heavy air.

Dr. Nixon finally looked at me and her eyebrow arched. "Now?"

I nodded and stepped forward. I felt the weight of Hendrix's eyes on me but I didn't care. Not right now. I needed answers. I needed to understand what was happening to him. What was happening to us. "Alone," I said with a firmer voice this time.

She sighed and glanced at Hendrix before nodding towards the hallway. "Fine. But make it quick."

I followed her out of the room as my heart raced and my pulse drummed in my ears. The door closed behind us with a quiet click and I was alone with her. With the woman who held all the cards. The woman who could tell me everything if she wanted to.

"What are you doing to him?" I asked as my voice barely rose above a whisper.

Dr. Nixon crossed her arms and her expression was unreadable. "I'm helping him."

"That's not what it looks like."

She didn't respond and just stared at me with that same detached, almost robotic calm that made my skin crawl.

I stepped closer and my voice trembled with anger. "You said... you hinted that his illness might not be real, that something else is going on here. I want to know what you meant."

She watched me for a moment as her eyes narrowed like she was deciding whether to say something. Then finally, she spoke.

said slowly and her tone was condescending. "You already know there's more

implication, but it wasn't enough. I needed

I snapped. "Tell me the truth. What are you

voice dropped to a near whisper. "I'm not

My blood turned cold.

what does that

gaze flickered toward the far end of the hall where I knew Dr. Joe's office was. A chill ran down

their own agendas. And

I choked out even though I already knew. I already suspected. I

She didn't.

careful, Angel. Sometimes when you dig

opened my mouth to argue and demand more answers, but she was already

I was left standing there, feeling like the ground had been pulled out from

...

go back into the room

closed door while my hands trembled at my

is interested

was wrong here. But now it felt so much bigger than

It had to be him. It always felt wrong the way he smiled and the way he moved through the center like he owned everything. Like he was playing a game

warn him. But how could I tell him that everything he was going through

...

of the bed again and staring at his hands. He looked up

she say?" he asked in a

my head and swallowed the lump in my throat. "Not much. Just...

Hendrix's brow furrowed. "Careful?"

and

help

have to look

was so far away from the annoying and reckless

yet... someone I

thoughts away, but they kept coming back. His skin looked pale and soft in the dim light. The way his jaw clenched when he was deep

Hendrix. He

said suddenly and snapped me out of my

His eyes were dark and

want him to look at

But I did.

said in a voice that

His hand brushed against mine and I felt a spark shoot up my arm like fire

whispered in a low, almost teasing voice. But there was something else there, something deeper. "What's going on? Why's Dr. Nixon suddenly

pulled my hand away and stood up quickly. My heart raced and I felt like I couldn't breathe. I couldn't be in that room, so close to

subject, to distance myself from

narrowed slightly. "Why are you always so worried

froze because I didn't know what to say. I didn't know

hurt," I murmured with my back still

than that, isn't it?" he asked and his voice

my eyes and my fists clenched at my sides.