Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 94

(Angel's POV)

I noticed it more and more with each passing day. Hendrix wasn't just distant; he was absent; he'd become a shadow of the person I knew. He avoided eye contact, his sharp remarks were clipped, and the warmth that used to simmer in his voice when he spoke to me was gone. Completely.

I remembered my conversation with Hande, the way she'd assured me Hendrix didn't hate me. That maybe he loved me too much, in his own messy way, to bear seeing me with someone else. But as I watched him walk past me in the hallway like I didn't exist, the doubt ate at me. What if he did hate me now? What if I'd broken something between us that could never be fixed?

I had to talk to him. Even if he brushed me off again. Even if it made things worse.

I caught up to him in the rec room, where he was leaning against a wall, headphones in and staring at nothing in particular. "Hendrix," I called softly and stepped closer. He didn't look at me.

"I need to talk to you," I said, louder this time. His jaw tensed, but he didn't respond.

"Please, don't do this," I pleaded. "Don't shut me out."

He finally looked at me with cold eyes. "There's nothing to talk about, Angel."

"Yes, there is," I pressed. "We can't keep pretending this distance between us doesn't exist."

He yanked his headphones off and glared at me. "What do you want me to say? That I'm fine? Because I'm not."

"Then talk to me!" My voice cracked. "Please, Hendrix, I'm trying-"

His words were sharp,

word. My chest felt heavy, and my breath began coming in uneven gasps. I barely made it to the nearest bathroom before

years. The sound of my sobs echoed off the tiles, but I didn't care. I felt like I was crumbling from the inside out. When my phone buzzed in my pocket, I wiped my face and glanced at the

...

(Ava's POV)

for calculated destruction. Sitting across from him, I felt like a bug under a magnifying glass. His piercing blue eyes never missed a

Instead, I nodded and slid the box into my bag. My heart

and leaned forward with that wolfish smirk of his. "Your mother's future depends on your

twisted in my gut like a knife. The constant reminder of her debt, of her shame, crushed me every time I thought

in. She gave me a long look.

said bluntly and sat on the

tried to brush it off.

she countered. "Whatever it is you're doing... it's eating

I wanted to admit. I felt exposed, like she could see the cracks in the shield I'd built around myself. I forced a laugh, but it sounded hollow even to me. "You don't know what you're

.

(Thomas's POV)

crying made my chest ache. I tapped lightly

leaned against the door, speaking softly. "I'm

whispered. The sound of her voice breaking was

it and hold her. "You don't have to do this alone, Angel. Whatever you're feeling, whatever's hurting you... let me in." There was silence on the other side, then the soft