FORBIDDEN TIES {My Brother's Best friend}

ELE

him, searching for any hint of jest. Please, let this not be

I could find the right wor

smirk, plopping down between us as if

could feel the seeds of resen

detached, his eyes wandering elsewhere as i

I remarked, trying to inject a semblanc

orted, his casual demeanor contrasting sharply with Cyrus

d, eyeing my now-empty cup, eager to dive

e sauntering away, leaving me wi

me earlier not to accep

his penchant for reckless behavior has e

h he remained stoically focused on

response tinged with a hint of wa

self seated next to Cyrus for the duration, his presen

doesn't even drink or smok

nodded with a tired smile bef

e a playful yet exaggeratedly disgusted

ion accompanied by a playful shove

lue, whose playful banter ne

before darting off to his room, leaving m

h

ry detail of what transpired today, savoring every m

-

g me to fend for myself alongside my brothers. Anya had been fortunate enough t

e, let alone engaging in conversation. Gone were the days when his words would light up my world with complim

ng her my plate hurriedly. Time was tickin

out to Grey as I

you, do not hesitate to call me or any of the boys, okay?" His protective instincts kicked in,

started it up, wasting no time in driving off into the bustl

to take my seat, the echo of my footsteps reverberating in the empty space. Settling down

k up and realize that he was the one addressing the class. It seemed there was a presentati

ding alongside my brother. Two other students were also

hat I had arrived late to class, but wh

g knowing smiles, their excitement palpable. It was evident that

a girl commented, her smi

g my eyes in exasperation. Couldn't they see

shifting away, his attention now focused on Eva,

prompting a round of applause from the class, their ad

as unlikely that he would notice me, a freshman, when he was already sought after by older, more mature girls

eers, making it improbable for him to look my way. The odds were stacked against me, and I knew it. Still, a small part

ident gaze. "Today, we're going to dive into the world of quan

quations and diagrams flowing effortlessly from his pen. His words were clear

o life. His passion for physics was infectious, and I found myself getting swept up in t

to my ears, captivating and enchanting. This was the longest I had ever h

feel a sense of disappointment that it was over. And when

e quipped, causing me to

w cruel," I retorted, swiftly gathering m

xed on me with an intensity tha

y," he announced suddenl

puzzled as to why he w

ied, prompting me to rais

mind racing as I proces

mischievous glint in his eyes t

to throw any parties," I reminded him, my ann

all I ask," he insisted, his to

ither??" I pressed, my frustration

enly shifting as his gaze landed on something-or rather, someone-else. Following hi

der my breath, unable

nymore?" Ezra inquired, his voic

edulously before turning on my heel and walking aw

eart sank when I realized that Cyr

relentlessly in my ears, preventing any hope of sleep. Every attempt to drift off was thwarted

, I managed to slip into a fitful slumber, only to

red through gritted teeth, checking the tim

noise pierced through, mocking my feeble attempts at escape. Tears of frustrat

t Eva's house for a sleepover. But now that we weren't f

, ready to fend off any intruder. To my astonishment, it w

his eyes meeting

" he explained, his voic

dered by his unexpected presence i

ould be at your friend's place," he continued,

ace to sleep?" I realized al

sponse, his exp

over there," I offered, po

e asked, his s

reassured him, a faint smile tugging at my

making his way to the couch

rus lying just a few feet away on my couch. It was both

rn and steal a glance at Cyrus. What I saw made my heart skip a beat-he was pu

I couldn't help but sneak another peek, my breath catching in my throat as

I felt his gaze lock onto mine, se

moment, I felt a jolt of electricity pass between us, but I quickly

d, sav

B