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."

like everyone else here. I'm not trying to make you feel trapped or forced to make a decision." There it was again that warmth and kindness that made it so hard to stay mad at him. "I know, Thomas. I

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 quiet. "So, do you think you can

smile a little.

his shoulders eased. "Good. Because I plan to be around for a while, whether you like

supposed to be a threat?" I teased and bumped

He chuckled. "Maybe."

the air between us had finally cleared. But when I glanced back across the pool and saw Hendrix watching us, a

looked away quickly and focused back on Thomas, but the weight of Hendrix's stare lingered,

rest of the group event that day passed in a blur with laughter and splashes filling the air, but all I could think about was how close everything felt-too close, too raw, too

as well as Charlotte and Hande, before they too went in. Thomas too left to grab some

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

in closer, and for

my eyes still on Hendrix and Ava. "I'm just trying

and glanced in the same direction. "You know, if you ever

managed a genuine smile this time.

As the minutes passed, we watched Hendrix, who was doing an excellent job pretending

know he's just pretending, right?" Thomas finally said

I asked without looking

Acting like he doesn't care when

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

swallowed hard, not ready to face that question. "I don't

offered a sad smile.

at something Ava said, and my heart twisted painfully in my chest. But then his eyes flicked over to me for just a second, and I saw it-the way his

like that, I knew. He

....

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Bundah which left the room