Darn Stupid Brother You Are

(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."

"Is it, though?" He moved a bit closer and lowered 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 again that warmth and kindness that made it so hard to stay mad at him. "I know, Thomas. I know you're not like that."

We both went 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 quiet. "So, do you think you can forgive me?"

I couldn't help but smile a little. "I already have, you idiot."

His face lit up, and the tension in his shoulders eased. "Good. Because I plan to be around for a while, whether you like it or not."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" I teased and bumped my shoulder against his.

He chuckled. "Maybe."

The moment felt lighter, easier, like the air between us had finally cleared. But when I glanced back across the pool and saw Hendrix watching us, a strange pang shot through my chest.

I looked away quickly and focused back on Thomas, but the weight of Hendrix's stare lingered, reminding me that nothing here was ever simple.

The 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 real.

As some patients started going back in and ditching 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 or at whatever was in the sun or on his phone.

My gaze drifted over to the pool area where Hendrix still stood, surrounded by a few girls who hung on his 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 through me, and I clenched my jaw to ignore the feeling.

"You sure you're okay?" Thomas asked again and leaned in closer, and for a moment, his warmth was comforting.

"Yeah, I'm just..." I trailed off, my eyes still on Hendrix and Ava. "I'm just trying to figure it all out."

"You and me both," Thomas murmured and glanced in the same direction. "You know, if you ever need to talk... I'm here."

I managed a genuine smile this time. "Thank you."

He 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 knew he was.

"You know he's just pretending, right?" Thomas finally said with a hint of frustration.

"Pretending?" I asked without looking away.

"Yeah. Acting like he doesn't care when he clearly does."

I blinked, not knowing how to respond. Thomas turned to me, his eyes searching mine. "And you? Are you pretending too?"

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

Thomas offered a sad smile. "That's what I thought."

We remained in silence again, the tension between us strong. I 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, and I saw it-the way his smile dulled, the way his gaze softened.

And just like that, I knew. He was pretending too.

....

<<

The dorm room was quieter than usual. Cylan laid on her bed with 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 all I could think about was Thomas, Hendrix, and how much longer I had to stay in this place.

Dilara sat cross-legged on her bed for a while then suddenly shifted and caught my attention. Her eyes looked puffy and her fingers fidgeted nervously with the hem of her sleeve.

"Angel," she whispered and broke the silence.

I looked up. "What's up, Dilara?"

She hesitated for a moment then spoke again. "Do you... do you ever feel like this place is trying to get inside your head?"

I frowned and leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

Dilara swallowed hard and her gaze darted to the door as if making sure no one was listening. "I've been having these dreams... no, nightmares actually."

"About what?"

She took a shaky breath. "There's this surgery room. I'm lying there and everything is dark. I can't move. The lights flicker on and off and there are these shadows-doctors or nurses, I'm not sure. They have masks on and they're talking about me like I'm not even there. I feel them cutting and digging into me and I can't scream or move, Angel. It feels so real."

My heart skipped a beat. I reached out and placed a hand on her trembling fingers. "Dilara, have you seen this place before? I mean, in real life?"

She shook her head and her eyes were wide with fear. "No, but I feel like it's somewhere in this center. I swear, Angel, it feels like a warning."

A chill ran down my spine and I squeezed her hand tighter. "We're going to find a way out of here, Dilara. You're not alone, okay? I promise. We'll get out together, all of us. And soon."

Dilara's eyes watered and she nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. "It means a lot."

I gave her a reassuring smile but deep down I couldn't shake the feeling that her nightmares weren't just dreams. They were warnings.