Darn Stupid Brother You Are

(Angel's POV)

The morning sun filtered through the hazy clouds and warmed up the center's wide field. The staff gathered us for another grueling drill session and said it was to "promote physical endurance." I couldn't focus on the instructor's barking orders because my mind was elsewhere. Anxiety had been glued to me since I stepped on the field.

I could feel their eyes on me.

As I jogged along the dirt track with the rest of the group, snippets of gossips reached me like venomous arrows.

"Have you seen them together?" one girl said in a curious tone.

"They're inseparable," another said eagerly. "Thomas and Angel. Can you believe it?"

My chest tightened, and I stole a glance at the two girls ahead of me. Their heads were bent close, and their voices were just loud enough for me to hear every word.

"They've been sneaking around. I saw them last night near the porch," one girl whispered as if it were a secret. "Do you think they're, like, together-together?"

The other girl giggled. "Obviously. Why else would they be so cozy all the time?"

The other one chipped in, "That Angel is a real thing, isn't she? It's like she's something out of a fucking horror movie. I mean, she hooks up with her own brother, and then his friend? That's just wrong. She's a total slut."

I quickened my pace as my cheeks burned. I wanted to run away from their words and their judgment. I knew the rumors were spreading, but hearing them out loud felt like being stripped naked.

A group of guys loitering near the pull-up bars caught my attention. They weren't doing drills but were lounging around and laughing. My heart sank when I noticed Eddie pointing in my direction.

"Thomas is a lucky guy," Eddie said loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear. Why was he always loud? "Angel's a catch. Smart and pretty... I'd trade places with him any day." what's he even saying? Isn't he into Hande? He's so unserious. I almost want to chuckle.

The others laughed, and one of them clapped Eddie on the back. "Better watch out, though. Hendrix might have something to say about that."

At the mention of Hendrix's name, my stomach twisted painfully. I didn't even realize I'd stopped jogging until someone bumped into me from behind and muttered a curse as they stumbled past.

My breath came in shallow gasps as I tried to stay composed. Hendrix's name lingered in my mind as a ringing reminder of the fractured bond between us. I couldn't shake the guilt or stop thinking about how the rumors would affect him—or how much worse it would be if he heard them himself.

"Angel, focus!" the instructor yelled, startling me. I started jogging again, but my movements were stiff and my thoughts were scattered.

The drill ended an hour later and left me drenched in sweat and utterly drained. As I walked back to the dorms, I kept my head down and avoided eye contact with anyone. The rumours still echoed in my ears like a chorus that refused to stop.

...

A few days later, I decided I couldn't let myself spiral into paranoia over the journal's disappearance. If I was going to figure out what had happened, I needed to take matters into my own hands.

My suspicions about Ava didn't go anywhere, but confronting her outright wasn't an option. Ava was too cunning and calculated. I had to be careful and watch her from the shadows.

I started by keeping a closer eye on Ava during mealtimes and observed her interactions with others. Ava seemed distracted lately and not as sharp as she usually was. She spent less time with her clique and more time wandering the cafeteria alone and lost in thought.

I couldn't shake the feeling that Ava was hiding something.

One afternoon, as I sat at a corner table in the cafeteria and picked at a bowl of soup, I noticed Ava sitting a few tables away. She was staring at her phone and tapping her fingers nervously against the table. I studied her quietly and tried to figure out the emotions flickering across her face. Was it guilt? Anxiety? I couldn't tell.

My thoughts were interrupted by Ellen's cheerful voice. "You okay, sweetheart? You've barely touched your food."

I looked up, startled. Ellen was a kind woman in her late forties with warm brown eyes and a motherly demeanor. She'd taken a liking to me early on and often slipped me extra portions or offered comforting words when I seemed down. Cylan also told me she was nice to her when she first came.

"I'm fine," I said with a faint smile. "Just not very hungry."

Ellen frowned and wiped her hands on her apron. "You need to eat, dear. Can't have you wasting away."

My smile widened slightly, and it was the first real smile I'd managed all day. "Thanks, Ellen."

Ellen leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "You know, I heard Dr. Joe's been asking about you."

My heart skipped a beat. "What? Why?"

Ellen shrugged, her face unreadable. "Don't know, but I'd be careful if I were you. That man's got eyes everywhere."

A chill ran down my spine as Ellen walked away. Her cheerful demeanor returned as she greeted another resident. I stared at my soup and realized I wasn't hungry anymore.

What did Ellen mean? Why would Dr. Joe be asking about me? And what did he want?

The questions remained in my mind as I left the cafeteria, and my thoughts grew darker than ever.

•

That night, as I lay in bed, my mind refused to rest. The rumors, the journal, and Dr. Joe... it was all too much. I stared at the ceiling, and my chest felt heavy under the weight of it all.

I couldn't help but feel that I was being watched and that every step I took was being monitored. And with each passing day, the walls of the center seemed to close in tighter around me and suffocate me with their secrets.