Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 44

(Angel's POV)

I couldn't get the image out of my mind. Hendrix, lying on the bathroom floor and looking up at me with those eyes filled with something I couldn't place. Hurt and disappointment and longing. I didn't even know anymore.

I shoved a hand through my hair and let out a frustrated sigh. God, I shouldn't have pushed him like that and I shouldn't have let it go this far. But what else could I have done? This thing between us was spiraling into something I didn't understand and something I wasn't sure I even wanted to understand.

I hadn't seen Hendrix all morning and maybe it was for the best, I told myself. Maybe we needed some space and some time to figure out whatever this was without making it worse. But deep down, I knew I was just avoiding the inevitable. I wasn't sure what I'd say when I saw him again. I wasn't even sure there were words for what was happening between us.

I leaned back in my chair and got lost in thought when suddenly there was a bang.

I jumped and my heart skipped a beat as I looked up. Ava stood there and glared at me with the kind of intensity that could melt steel. Her fingers were spread across my table and her nails dug into the wood. "What's your problem?" she spat out venomously.

I blinked and felt thrown off by the hostility radiating from her. "What are you talking about?"

"What am I talking about?" she mocked and let out a bitter laugh. "You've got some nerve, acting all innocent."

I frowned. "Ava, seriously, I have no idea what-"

"Shut up!" she snapped and cut me off. "You're disgusting. You know that? Absolutely disgusting."

I opened my mouth to respond but she was already on a roll and her words came out faster than I could process them.

"You strut around here like you own the place and you think you're so much better than everyone else. But guess what, Angel? You're not. You're just a selfish, manipulative little "

my confusion turned into anger. "I

sneered and leaned in closer. "Because you're so used to getting everything

myself to stay calm. "Ava, you

in the mood for anything

time for this," I muttered and started to rise

she snapped and pushed me back down with surprising force. "You're not

my patience wearing thin. "Why are you acting

and lowered her voice to a dangerous whisper, "is you. Acting like

a beat. "What... what are you

at him and the way you talk to him? You're supposed

with fury. "You're disgusting. And I won't let you keep messing

happening," I insisted and felt my pulse quicken. "You

anger. "You're just another girl who thinks she can have whatever she wants no

doing. Let them know how you're messing around with your own brother." Her words hit me like a punch to the

eyes flashed with nastiness. "You

hard and tried to keep my composure. "How is this

I care about him," she spat back like it was the most

ruin him," I said but my

eyes never

I didn't even

pathetic," she sneered. "You can't even admit it to