Page 121 of Break Me (Brayshaw High 5)

I shrug and answer simply. “Royce came to town, like you said he would, and then he came back and took me home with him.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you left this place?” I counter in a whisper. “I came here thinking you’d be here with me.”

“And when you realized I wasn’t, you should have come to me.”

“Once I realized you were gone, I didn’t need to run to you, Bass.”

Worry tightens his eyes. “You sure? Look at you. Are you even okay?”

I swallow. “Yeah, I’m fine. It was an accident. I ... blacked out.”

He jerks and I tense. “What do you mean, it’s happening again?”

I look away, guilt I shouldn’t feel tearing at me.

“Fuck, it never stopped,” he rasps. “But it got worse here, didn’t it?” he guesses.

“I’m fine, Bass.”

“You don’t look fine, Brielle. I know what the destruction a Bray’s path left behind looks like,” Bass snaps. “Something happens and suddenly you mean shit, if you ever meant a damn fucking thing in the first place.”

“Tonight was just... a bad night.”

“There are always going to be bad nights. They don’t stop. They only get worse. Is that what you want?”

“This isn’t who he is. He’s upset with himself.”

He stops at a light, looking to me. “And that’s an excuse?!”

“What’s yours?!” I find myself shouting, growing defensive of the life I’m building here and the people in it.

My brothers face falls. “Brielle—”

“What’s your excuse, Bass?!”

“You were never supposed to come here,” he says instead. “I told you to lie. To be you and stay away and you’d be fine!”

“Why be me?!” I scream, shifting in my seat to face him full on. “Because he could never love a girl like me?! Because I’m not worth it?! Well, guess what, Bass, it wasn’t him I lied to. It was you!”

His head pulls back.

I keep my frown in place. “You asked me if he fell for your plan, and I said yes. I said yes because it was true. You told me to be me, to make sure Ciara was around when I was, so he’d see us both, and fall for the lie, and he did. He took one look at her, and just like you said he would, decided she was me. Bass Bishop’s tall, gorgeous, look-alike.”

“Brielle.” He shakes his head, but I don’t let him say more.

“What I didn’t tell you, was how she outed me not fifteen minutes later, so I stuck to your little plan. I did exactly what you said, like I always do.” I throw my hands out, letting them fall to my lap with a slap. “I was me, fully and completely, and what do you know, he didn’t hate me for it. He didn’t throw me away for being me, like you did.”

He blanches.

“Yeah, Bass, I know.” I glare. “I know now that you’re the one who made the decision for me. You had me sent away, split us apart. Not them. You.”

His eyes harden, flying over my shoulder. “He tell you that?”

“You know what, no he didn’t, but he should have. I gave him a lot of crap for it and not once did he throw that in my face when he could have so many times, and you know why?” I ask but don’t allow him to answer. “Because he knew how much you meant to me and that it would break my damn heart to find out the truth before I was ready for it.”

“He has you manipulated.”

“No,” I snap. “He doesn’t. But thanks for letting me know how unstable you think I am.”

“I don’t think you’re unstable.” He shakes his head. “But you’re young. You—”

“I’m not young,” I cut in with a low laugh. “Bass, I’ve lived the life of a grown-ass adult since I was in grammar school, just like you. I’ve never been a kid and you know it. Neither of us had that honor.”

“You’re still my sister.” His knee bounces and he looks away. “And you’re not staying here, Brielle. I’m sorry, but you’re not.”

I push against the seat. “Well, I’m sorry, because it’s not your choice. You don’t get to do this, remember me when it’s convenient, and then show up when I finally no longer feel like I’m waiting for you.”

“We’ll talk about this at the hotel.”

“No.”

His head snaps toward me and he glares.

“Take me home.”

“Brielle—”

“I said take me home.” I stare straight ahead, an unexpected numbness crawling over me.

He wants to argue, but with a low curse, he heads that way.

Only when I’m climbing from the car, preparing to slam the door does he whisper, “This isn’t your home.”

I slam the thing as hard as I can.

I can’t believe I’ve been waiting for so long to see my brother face-to-face. To hug him and laugh with him and this is how our reunion goes.