Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 68

(Angel's POV)

Thomas stayed by my side, true to his word, and I felt thankful for the distraction. He joked around and I tried my best to let loose for once. But the last encounter we'd had kept replaying in my mind and made me jittery. Noticing this, he leaned in closer, his shoulder brushed against mine, and my heart skipped a beat.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked gently.

"I am," I lied. "Just... thinking."

He took my hand, his fingers brushing against my palm, and I shivered. "You can talk to me, you know. About anything."

I looked up at him and met his gaze, and for a moment, I almost forgot about everything else. Almost. "Thank you," I whispered.

He smiled. "Anytime."

A burst of laughter pulled my attention back to the pool, and my eyes narrowed at the sight of Hendrix and Ava, closer now than they had been before. My chest tightened with a mix of frustration and longing. Why wasn't he pushing her away? Why was he letting her cling to him like that?

"Do you want to go for a swim?" Thomas asked and pulled me from my thoughts.

I shook my head. "No. I'm fine here."

Thomas took a deep breath and finally spoke, his tone softer and almost vulnerable. "Look, about yesterday..."

I glanced at him as my heart thudded louder than the laughter around the pool. "You don't have to explain yourself."

"No, I do," he insisted as his eyes met mine with a sincerity that made my chest tighten. "I shouldn't have pushed you like that. I was frustrated or something, but that doesn't excuse it."

I let out a shaky breath. "It's fine. Really."

his voice. "I don't want you to think I'm like everyone else here. I'm not trying to make you feel trapped or forced to make a decision." There it was

silent, and I let myself relax as I watched the water shimmer under the afternoon sun. It was easy to pretend, just for a moment, that we were somewhere else, somewhere normal. Thomas cleared his throat and broke the

a little. "I already have,

lit up, and the tension in his shoulders eased. "Good. Because I plan to be around for a while, whether

that supposed to be a threat?" I teased and bumped my

He chuckled. "Maybe."

air between us had finally cleared. But when I glanced back across

back on Thomas, but the weight of

with laughter and splashes filling the air, but all I could think about was how close

the pool, Cylan had already come to hang with me for a while as well as Charlotte and Hande, before they too went in. Thomas too left to grab some drinks and talk to Eddie for a while before returning to my side. He was mostly silent, gazing at the others in the pool

every word and laughed at something he said. And then there was Ava, her hand brushing his arm, her smile far too wide. A pang shot

leaned in

trailed off, my eyes still on Hendrix and

in the same direction. "You know, if you ever need to talk...

smile this

nodded and stayed by my side as the sun slowly set, and I was grateful. There was something grounding about his presence. As the minutes passed, we watched Hendrix, who was doing an excellent job pretending not to notice us, even though I

just pretending, right?" Thomas finally said with

I asked

Acting like he doesn't

knowing how to respond. Thomas turned to me, his eyes searching mine. "And you? Are you pretending

to face that

smile. "That's what

watched as Hendrix laughed at something Ava said, and my heart twisted painfully in my chest. But then his eyes flicked over to me for just a second,

that, I

....

<<

earbuds plugged in and mouthed the lyrics to some song only she knew. Hande and Charlotte were probably outside joking around with Eddie and Bundah which left the room feeling strangely empty. I should've felt relieved to have some time to myself but