Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 52

(Angel's POV)

I scrubbed my laundry and my mind was a million miles away. The sharp scent of detergent stung my nose but it was the least of my worries. Hande was beside me and she was chatting about something, but I wasn't really listening. My mind was lost in the chaos of everything that had been happening lately.

I felt eyes on me like tiny needles pricking my skin. I glanced around and caught a few of the girls quickly looking away. Their murmurs were getting louder and harder to ignore. They weren't even trying to be discreet anymore. "Did you hear? She's been sneaking around with her stepbrother. Can you imagine?" one girl muttered, and her voice was just loud enough for me to catch. My stomach twisted.

"Hey, Angel," Hande nudged me. "Ignore them, okay?"

I nodded, but it wasn't that easy. The whispers grew sharper and crueler.

"Seriously? And she acts all innocent!"

"I heard they're really close. It's disgusting."

"Enough!" Hande's voice cut through the noise, clear and sharp. "Mind your business! You don't know anything about her."

A girl with frizzy hair scoffed and stepped forward. "Why are you defending her? Maybe you're in on it too."

Hande took a step closer and squared her shoulders. "Say that again. I dare you."

The tension in the room thickened and I felt like I was going to be sick. "Let's just go," I whispered and pulled Hande back. "Please, let's just leave." "But Angel-"

"Please," I begged and my voice cracked. Hande finally gave in and let me drag her away.

We barely made it into the hallway when we ran straight into Ava. Her smirk told me everything I needed to know.

who it is," she sneered. "And she brought her little

Hande snapped. "We don't have

I always thought you were pathetic, Angel. But this? Messing around with your

and stepped closer. "Everyone does. And

hands shook.

challenged with a nasty grin spreading across her face. "You gonna run to your brother for protection?" "I'm

"You're in no position to warn anyone, Angel. You're just a joke. And guess what? Everyone's

my face, the humiliation

little Angel, always hiding behind someone else." Her expression turned malicious. "You should've seen the way Hendrix looked at me last night. Maybe if you weren't so pathetic, he'd be looking at you

through the hallway. "You don't know anything about us!" I yelled and my chest heaved with anger. "You're

looked stunned. Then her expression twisted with rage and her eyes

tears blurred my

it, Ava lunged at me and grabbed my hair with a force that made my eyes water.

didn't hesitate. She threw herself at Ava and pulled her away from me. "Get

shouts and cries but all I could see was Ava's face twisted with anger. She was saying something, something vile and ugly, but I couldn't hear it over the pounding

and suddenly, the chaos paused. I glanced up, heart racing, as Miss

going on

myself free and shoved Ava away. I didn't wait to hear her

the lounge. I stumbled inside and needed a moment to breathe and think. But instead, I crashed into

His face softened when

me. "Hey, it's okay," he murmured softly. "You're safe. I've got

didn't say anything. He just held me tighter and ran a hand through my hair. "Shh," he whispered.

came in shaky gasps. Thomas pulled back slightly and used his thumb to wipe away

looked up at him and for the first time in a long while, I felt

so close that I could feel his breath on my skin. "You deserve someone who sees you," he murmured as