Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 50

(Angel's POV)

Dilrah wasn't someone I paid much attention to. She was always in Ava's background and quiet and almost invisible. But there was something about today, something about the way she stood by the window and stared out at the rain, that made me stop and really look at her.

She was tall and almost towering over me, with caramel skin that glowed even in the dim light of our dorm. Her hair fell in soft waves, a mix of dark brown and auburn, and she had this striking face with sharp cheekbones and a small nose and full lips that always seemed to be set in a frown. There was an air of sadness about her, like she carried the weight of a thousand worlds on her shoulders.

But it was her eyes that caught my attention. They were deep brown and almost black, with long lashes that framed them perfectly. But they looked hollow and empty, and it sent a chill down my spine.

I was about to walk away when she suddenly turned to me. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something there, something raw and desperate. "You ever feel like you're trapped, Angel?" she asked in a low and trembling voice. "Like no matter what you do, you're always stuck in the same place?"

I blinked and felt taken aback by her sudden openness. Why was she suddenly talking to me? "Yeah," I admitted. "I think everyone here feels that way."

She let out a bitter laugh and shook her head. "No, you don't understand. It's different for me." She paused like she was debating whether to continue. Then, she took a deep breath. "You have time?" "Yeah, sure," I replied, feeling curious now. "What's going on?"

Dilrah glanced around the room like she was checking to make sure no one else was listening before she motioned for me to sit with her on the small couch by the window. "I need to tell someone," she muttered to herself. "I can't keep it in anymore."

I nodded and sat down, waiting. She stared at her hands for a moment, then started to speak.

"Before I came here, I was living in a small apartment in the city," she started, and her voice sounded bitter. "I thought I had everything figured out, you know? I was studying art at a community college and working part-time at this crappy diner to pay the bills. It wasn't glamorous, but it was mine."

She paused and swallowed hard. "Then I met Ava. She walked into the diner one day, all confidence and charm, and she noticed me. Said I had potential, said she could help me make something of myself."

I frowned and already sensed where this was going. "And you believed her?"

without any heat in her words. "I was young and desperate for someone to see me, to see something in me that was worth saving. She started taking me out and showing

said quietly. "She asked for

was bitter as her eyes narrowed. "You're quick. Yeah, she did. At first, it was just little things like running errands and keeping her

nodded and encouraged her to continue.

first, I didn't think anything of it. But then I realized those packages weren't innocent. They were drugs.

on Dilrah's

dreams. And she used it all against me. I ended up doing things I never thought I'd do just to keep her happy, to keep her from

her. "And that's how

up to her. Told her I wasn't going to be her puppet anymore. She... she snapped. I don't even remember how I ended up in the center. One minute

a long silence as I absorbed her story. "Why

"I see the way Ava looks at you. The way she watches you. She's trying to control you too, Angel. And I can't... I can't let her do to you what she

hand over hers. "You're not alone, Dilrah," I said softly. "We're not alone. I need you

me, and for the first time, I saw a flicker

don't have to face this alone anymore.

out a shaky breath and nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. "I... I didn't

"Well, you've got me now. And trust me,

me about how she grew up in a small town and how she always felt like

she said, and her eyes shined. "All the beauty and the pain and the chaos.

expression was vulnerable. "How can you be

"I'll be here to remind you every step of the

the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard. For the first time, I saw her smile

I've been told," I

and the bond between us grew stronger with each passing minute. I learned more about her in that