Silence.
My eyes widened. My brain short circuited. "HUH?!?!"
"Oh, you didn't know?" Nayel tilted his head, sipping again. "Guess I never mentioned it. Our family has this inheritance thing. Mind-reading. It kicks in when we turn eighteen. My grandfather had it, my mom has it, and now my brother too. Since he just turned eighteen last month, he's got it now. And I'll get it soon too. No big deal." He shrugged like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Meanwhile, I stood there, frozen, replaying every single embarrassing thought I'd ever had about Brother Nadrien. And realizing he knew.
He knew everything. Please, universe. Vanish me. Open a black hole right here in the hallway and let me disappear into it.
"The hell, I had no clue! No idea! The hell—" I groaned, pulling at my hair. "Wait. Your mother too? Aunty? No, hold on—"
My brain short-circuited as memories attacked me. "Is that why she always knew whenever I wanted extra cookies? I just thought she was kind—oh my god." I slapped both hands over my face.
Nayel just nodded calmly, sipping both juices like he was watching a soap opera. I rubbed my face harder, as if I could scrub the embarrassment off.
My mind raced back to two months ago. Brother Nadrien's eighteenth birthday. We'd celebrated together, like always.
Was that why he was so awkward with me that night? Not because I was being annoying? Because he could already hear my brain screaming nonsense?
From then until now, Every day. Every thought. Every stupid, embarrassing fantasy...?
I wanted to die. Because oh, the things I'd been thinking on his birthday alone. I remembered it so vividly, I could puke.
I remember thinking... Oh, Brother Nadrien is finally an adult. He's already mature but now he's hotter—so much hotter. God, if only I were an adult too, I'd ask him to bend me down and take me as his birthday gift. Fine, I'll just wait.
Yep. I thought that. All day. All night. At his birthday party. While he was blowing out candles.
And he'd heard it. The classroom lie I just told? He heard that too. The shameless daydreams I had during math class? Yep. The 3 a.m. fantasies when I hugged my pillow and whispered his name like an idiot? All of it. Every single humiliating detail.
I groaned, burying my face into my palms. "This...This is a universal joke. I swear. Someone up there is laughing at me."
I turned to face into the wall and—bang!—hit my forehead right on it.
"What are you doing?" Nayel asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Thinking of ways to leave this damn universe I don't belong in," I whispered, rubbing my throbbing head.
"Dramatic king," Nayel rolled his eyes. Dramatic? Him? The same guy who dances around like a maniac whenever he sees a hot guy?
Oh, yes, let me just regret my entire existence right here.
I couldn't focus on our cleaning duty, or anything at all, really. My brain was stuck in one loop: Nadrien knows. He knows everything.
Finally, the cleaning was done. We went downstairs and there he was.
Brother Nadrien, leaning against the wall, one hand in his pocket, scrolling on his phone like the world belonged to him. So perfect it hurt my eyes. No. Stop. I'm never thinking of him again. I clamped my hand over my mouth, forcing my brain to focus. Rainbows. Anime. Sheep. Cappibara. Cow, dinosaur, just anything but him.
Of course, Nadrien noticed. He glanced at Nayel. "You told him?"
Nayel shrugged. "Yeah, I thought he already knew. But I guess he didn't, now I don't think he's ever thinking about anything around us—especially you."
I glared daggers at Nayel, then ducked my head under Nadrien's gaze. He didn't say a word, but that faint, teasing smile, oh, God. It was like a wrecking ball to my soul. He turned and started walking ahead, calm as ever. And we followed, me pretending to be normal while my brain screamed: he knows. He knows everything. I'm doomed.
As I walked, I still kept my hand clamped over my mouth, trying to stop my brain from exploding. It all made sense now.
Every time Nadrien had seemed red or awkward around me since his birthday every amused smile, he had been hearing all my nonsense thoughts this whole time. Every embarrassing, ridiculous fantasy, every over-the-top crush moment.
Sure, he probably thinks I'm a clown. I've literally ruined every single chance I've ever had with him. Please, just take me already.
but wait. Even before his eighteenth birthday, he had these soft, gentle smiles whenever I was around.
Was it possible? No. Stop thinking. Don't get your hopes up. Stop being so delulu, Alvin. Gosh. Lost in my chaotic thoughts, I almost walked straight into a stranger. But a firm hand steadied me, pulling me aside. I looked up—and froze.
Brother Nadrien said calmly, "Look where you're going," Then, almost shyly, he added, "Give your mind a break." His gaze flicked away, ears tinged red like he was embarrassed.
Enough. Just kill me already.
I tried to focus on walking, counting my steps like a sane human. Clearly, that plan failed spectacularly.
"Alvin."
My stomach sank. That calm, low voice… too calm. I looked up and froze. Nadrien was walking beside me now, close enough that I could smell that faint, crisp scent he always wore. My brain short-circuited.
"Mm?" I mumbled, mouth still half-covered with my hand, cheeks flaming.
He glanced at me, lips twitching into a faint, teasing smile. "You know… I had no idea you wanted me to… take you against the lockers during math class."
…WHAT?!
I think my soul actually left my body. My entire face turned molten red. My brain stopped. My legs wanted to run, but my feet were nailed to the ground.
"I—I… what?!" I stammered, trying to cover my face, my hands flailing like I was some kind of frantic cartoon. "I—uh—I didn't say that! I mean—I didn't… I was… thinking!"
His smile widened just a little, like he was savoring the chaos he'd just unleashed. "Uh-huh. I heard every thought that led up to it. Fascinating, really."
I groaned and practically fell into myself. Oh god. He heard everything. Every embarrassing, ridiculous fantasy. Every 'oh my god he's so hot, marry me' thought. He's been reading my mind this whole time.
"And here I thought I could sneak glances without consequence…" I muttered under my breath, wanting the floor to swallow me whole.
Nadrien chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You really are dramatic."
…and that sentence alone nearly killed me.
I didn't move, didn't breathe, didn't even think, because he knows. He knows everything about me. And somehow… that smile made me want him even more.
Nayel was thriving in my misery. Standing there like he'd just been handed front-row tickets to my public emotional breakdown, he leaned against the wall, sipping from his juice box like it was popcorn.
His smirk said everything. Finally, the universe had decided to entertain him.
Meanwhile, I was losing my mind. My most private thoughts—every delulu scenario, every unholy daydream—weren't just mine anymore. They were public record in Nadrien's head. My dignity? Gone. Reputation? Deceased. Future? Uncertain.
I covered my face, muffled screaming into my palms. "I'm never showing my face again."
Nayel just hummed. "Relax, it's not like my brother minds being your fantasy."
"SHUT UP!" I practically yelled, turning into a literal fireball. "You don't get it, Nayel! I basically committed mental crimes!"
He shrugged, smirking wider. "If that's a crime, then your punishment should probably be marrying him. Balance the universe or something."
I froze. My brain immediately betrayed me with another intrusive thought of that—a wedding. Nadrien in a black suit, leaning down to whisper 'mine'—
I slapped my forehead. "No! No more thinking! Sheep! Rainbows! Math equations!"
But when I glanced up, Nadrien was already looking my way again, that same faint smile pulling at his lips—like he'd heard every single word.
And that's when I decided the only logical move left was to dig a hole and never come out.
That entire day passed with me going completely insane in my room—jumping, kicking pillows, screaming at the air—before I finally managed to calm down and remind myself to act "normal."
Plan: keep my mind blank around Brother Nadrien. Yes. That's the plan. Totally foolproof.