Darn Stupid Brother You Are by Mairee

Chapter 44 (Angel's POV) I couldn't get the image out of my mind. Hendrix, lying on the bathroom floor and looking up atwith those eyes filled with something I couldn't place. Hurt and disappointment and longing. I didn't even know anymore.

I shoved a hand through my hair and let out a frustrated sigh. God, I shouldn't have pushed him like that and I shouldn't have let it go this far. But what else could I have done? This thing between us was spiraling into something I didn't understand and something I wasn't sure I even wanted to understand.

I hadn't seen Hendrix all morning and maybe it was for the best, I told myself. Maybe we needed sspace and stto figure out whatever this was without making it worse. But deep down, I knew I was just avoiding the inevitable. I wasn't sure what I'd say when I saw him again. I wasn't even sure there were words for what was happening between us.

I leaned back in my chair and got lost in thought when suddenly there was a bang.

I jumped and my heart skipped a beat as I looked up. Ava stood there and glared atwith the kind of intensity that could melt steel. Her fingers were spread across my table and her nails dug into the wood. "What's your problem?" she spat out venomously.

I blinked and felt thrown off by the hostility radiating from her. "What are you talking about?" "What am I talking about?" she mocked and let out a bitter laugh. "You've got snerve, acting all innocent." I frowned. "Ava, seriously, I have no idea what-" "Shut up!" she snapped and cutoff. "You're disgusting. You know that? Absolutely disgusting." I opened my mouth to respond but she was already on a roll and her words cout faster than I could process them.

"You strut around here like you own the place and you think you're so much better than everyone else. But guess what, Angel? You're not. You're just a selfish, manipulative little " "Whoa, hold on," I interrupted as my confusion turned into anger. "I have no idea what you're "Of course you don't," she sneered and leaned in closer. "Because you're so used to getting everything handed to you, aren't you? Miss Perfect Angel with her perfect little life." I felt my temper rising but I forced myself to stay calm. "Ava, you need to back off. I'm not in the mood for " "Of course, you're not," she hissed. "You're never in the mood for anything that doesn't revolve around you, are you?" "I don't have tfor this," I muttered and started to rise from my seat.

"Sit down," she snapped and pushedback down with surprising force. "You're not going anywhere until I'm done." "What's your problem?" I demanded and felt my patience wearing thin. "Why are you acting like this?" "My problem," she seethed and lowered her voice to a dangerous whisper, "is you. Acting like you care about Hendrix when all you're doing is leading him on." I froze and my heart skipped a beat. "What... what are you talking about?" "You think I haven't noticed?" she sneered. "The way you look at him and the way you talk to him? You're supposed to be his sister but here you are, playing ssick game." "I'm not " "Save it," she interrupted and her eyes blazed with fury. "You're disgusting. And I won't let you keep messing with his head." "That's not what's happening," I insisted and felt my pulse quicken. "You don't understand_ "Oh, I understand perfectly," she snapped and her voice trembled with anger. "You're just another girl who thinks she can have whatever she wants no matter who she hurts in the process." "That's not true!" I protested but even I heard the doubt in my voice.

"Oh, isn't it?" Ava leaned in and her face was inches from mine. "You know what, Angel? Maybe I should just go to the staff and tell them what you're doing. Let them know how you're messing around with your own brother." Her words hitlike a punch to the gut and I couldn't breathe for a moment. "You wouldn't," I managed to say. "Wouldn't I?" She smirked and her eyes flashed with nastiness. "You have no idea what I'm capable of." I swallowed hard and tried to keep my composure. "How is this even your business?" "Because I care about him," she spat back like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And I won't let you ruin him." "I'm not trying to ruin him," I said but my voice sounded weak even to my own ears.

"Then what are you doing?" Ava challenged and her eyes never left mine. "What exactly do you want from him?" "I don't..." I started but I didn't even know how to finish that sentence.

"You're pathetic," she sneered. "You can't even admit it to yourself." "Enough," I snapped and found my voice. "You don't know anything about me."

"And I don't want to," she retorted and stood up straight while brushing off imaginary dust from her clothes. "But just know this, Angel-if you don't back off, I will make sure everyone knows what kind of twisted, disgusting and sick person you really are."

"Is there a problem here?" a voice suddenly cut through the tension and I looked up to see one of the doctors standing over us, his eyes darting between Ava and me. "No," I said quickly and stood up as I grabbed my things. "There's no problem." Ava glared atone last tbefore turning on her heel and walking off with her shoulders tense with barely contained anger.

The doctor raised an eyebrow atbut I just shook my head and forced a smile. "Like I said, no problem." He watcheda moment longer before nodding slowly. "Alright, then. But if there's any more trouble..." "There won't be," I promised and my heart still raced.

With that, he walked away and leftstanding there, feeling like the ground had been ripped out from from under me. I watched as Ava disappeared down the hall and my mind spun. She knew. And now, I had one more enemy in this place.