Accidental brother

Your Misery Is My Amusement

I didn’t even bother confronting him. I had cried enough already, and facing him would only make it worse. From the back of the class, where he sat like a king, I glanced at him, tall, brooding, and at 15, one of the oldest in the class. I’m only 13. Most boys fear him, and he rarely speaks to anyone. There was a time I wanted to change that, to help him make friends. But after seeing the devil he truly is, I realized it’s better if he stays alone.

“Did your books dry yet?” Martha whispered, leaning in. I nodded. The afternoon sun had dried most of them.

“Look at the bright side, you’re paired with Oliver today!” she said with a grin, lifting my spirits.

The prefect had assigned Oliver and me to clear a portion of the school field together.

“Maybe today’s the day I’ll finally tell him,” I said, peeking over at Oliver. He stood in a group of friends, laughing, perfect as ever. I glanced at the devil sitting by the window, his face set in an irritated scowl, glaring at nothing. Typical. I rolled my eyes, but when I looked back, I found him staring right at me. His scowl had melted into a twisted smirk as he mouthed,

"Cupcake." I quickly turned away, knowing all too well what that look meant: another prank was brewing.

After school, I hurried to the field, mentally rehearsing what to say to Oliver. Maybe I’ll casually trip and fall into his arms...and then… I blushed at the thought. I could already see it, Oliver and I together, maybe even planning our wedding one day.

“So, shall we start?” Oliver’s voice snapped me back to reality. He was standing beside me, holding a cutlass, looking ready to work. My heart skipped a beat.

“Yes! Let’s do it,” I managed to reply, feeling my face flush. He looked so manly, holding that cutlass like a pro. I tried to focus on the task at hand, thinking of how to confess my feelings. The moment had to be perfect.

But a sudden chill ran down my spine, only one person could make me feel such a chill. I looked up to see the devil, Mavis, standing with Oliver, talking to him. This can’t be good.

“Thanks, man!” Oliver said before turning towards me. "Your brother is so cool." he said while flashing me a smile before turning to leave. My heart dropped. What just happened?

“What did you say to him?” I snapped at Mavis, marching up to him.

“I told him he could go home. I’ll handle his part,” Mavis said with a smug grin, as if he had done me a favor.

"You ruined it. Again," I growled, my voice trembling with frustration. “You’re the reason I was late today in the first place!”

“I thought you’d be happy I let your little crush off the hook,” he said, his smirk growing darker. “I have to say, you’ve been very obvious about it.”

I froze. My heart sank. Was it that obvious? I could barely breathe as I stared at his mocking face.

“Don’t worry,” he continued with a wicked grin, “I didn’t let you off. In fact, I’ve just made things worse for you, Cupcake.”

“What do you mean?” I whispered, the dread creeping in.

“I mean, I’m not helping you. You’ll finish the field on your own.” He crossed his arms, clearly enjoying my panic.

"Why make him leave then?" My voice was shaky now, fighting the tears threatening to spill.

“Because your misery is my amusement,” he said, his eyes gleaming with cruel delight.

"I’m just going to leave," I said, trying to hold it together.

"Go ahead," he shrugged. "But then you and your precious Oliver will both get punished." He smiled as if daring me to test him.

"I’ll tell them the truth! You made him leave!" I snapped, but my voice wavered. I already knew it wouldn’t work.

"And I’ll tell them I tried to help you, that I begged you to stay and finish the work, but you refused. I’ll tell them you said that Oliver was foolish to leave, and for that, you left too." His gaze locked onto mine, unwavering. He knew how to twist the story to make me look like the villain. And it would work.

I bit my lip hard, fighting back the tears. How much longer can I take this?

“I didn’t think it was possible to hate you more, but I was wrong,” I muttered, my voice cracking as tears welled up.

“Isn’t that splendid, Cupcake?” he sneered before walking away, leaving me alone to finish the field.

My hands ached, my heart heavier than ever. How much more will I take before I report him? I fear that if I report him, it might affect the happy marriage my mom has, because our parents might be forced to choose sides. Besides, I have no evidence of what he is doing to me.Earlier, I thought that by now I would be in the arms of Oliver. Now I'm alone, clearing the field. My hand is already aching. That devil will be at home by now, done with his chores. God, I hate him. I hate him even more whenever people say he is handsome. I wish they could see past his angelic face and see the devil he is.

Mavis continued to make my life a living nightmare. My third year of junior secondary school would be forever scarred because of him. His pranks came like clockwork. Sometimes, he’d leave me alone for a week, only to hit me with something worse when I least expected it.

Today, we had our last exam, and I was determined. I won’t let him ruin this day for me. After the paper, everyone was celebrating, throwing water sachets and laughing, except Mavis. He stood off to the side, watching like a predator eyeing its prey. He didn’t have any friends, and he didn’t seem to want any. I’d even heard about girls from senior classes trying to date him, only for him to turn them down coldly. Some even begged me for help. What do they see in him? I wondered. If they could see the devil he truly is, they wouldn’t be interested.

I scanned the crowd and found Oliver. He and his friends were laughing, carefree. He looked perfect as usual, the way his smile lit up his whole face. That’s the guy I want, kind, humble, and everything Mavis isn’t. Some girls call Mavis the most handsome boy in school, but they’re blind.

Oliver, with his smooth dark skin, those piercing eyes, and that heart-stopping smile. I wanted nothing more than to be close to him, to share my first kiss with him. He was my light, the light I used to fight off the darkness that Mavis constantly brought into my life. However, it seems that the light is losing its power. The Devil is starting to dominate my every thought, every cell, and it is scary how my heart jumps at the mere mention of his name or how I instantly know he is around even without seeing him. I am afraid the devil will get hold of my soul if I didn't get close to the light that only Oliver can give.

I took a deep breath and began walking toward Oliver, heart pounding in my chest. This is it. My last chance. Even if he didn’t like me, I knew Oliver would be kind in rejecting me; he is not like the cruel devil I live with. Also, I am very hopeful he wouldn't reject me.

But then, the devil appeared in front of me, blocking my path. That twisted smirk was back.

“Hello, Cupcake,” he said, his voice dripping with malice. Before I could react, he poured red oil all over me. I felt it soak into my hair, drip down my face, and stain my clothes, humiliation burning me alive.

"Why?" I choked out, feeling my chest tighten as tears threatened to spill over. My voice trembled, and I could see the crowd growing silent, all eyes on me now.

Mavis leaned down, his face so close that I could feel his breath on my skin. His eyes, cold and unfeeling, locked with mine. "Because," he whispered, his voice as cruel as ever, "your misery is my amusement."