My Bully's Brother

Chapter 5. Lingering Memories

Brianne packed her lab coat into her bag, grateful to be done with her Chemistry practicals for the day. The acrid smell of acids and the sound of clinking test tubes still lingered in her mind. She adjusted her bag strap, waved at Ava across the room, and made her way to the library, eager for some quiet.

The Moon’s Town High library was larger than the one at Riverdale High, its shelves towering and intimidating. As she stepped inside, the soft hum of whispers and the faint scent of old books greeted her. She glanced around and spotted a group of girls huddled at one of the tables, giggling and whispering.

Her stomach churned.

The library faded into the background as Brianne’s mind replayed a painful memory she’d tried to bury. It was during lunch at Riverdale High, on a warm Friday. The cafeteria had been bustling with students, and Brianne had been sitting alone at a table, sketching quietly in her notebook.

“Hey, Brianne.”

She froze. That voice could only belong to Mackenzie Rodriguez, dripping with mockery even when saying something as simple as her name. Brianne looked up to see Mackenzie, flanked by two of her closest friends, Savannah and Lauren.

“Mind if we sit here?” Mackenzie asked sweetly, though the venom in her tone made Brianne’s chest tighten. Without waiting for a response, Mackenzie plopped down across from her, and her friends followed suit.

Brianne clutched her pencil tighter, her knuckles whitening. “I—I’m busy,” she mumbled, hoping they’d leave.

Mackenzie’s gaze dropped to Brianne’s notebook, where a half-finished sketch of a flower bloomed on the page. She snatched it before Brianne could react.

“Wow, look at this!” Mackenzie held the notebook up for her friends to see. “Little Miss Wilson thinks she’s an artist.”

Savannah giggled. “What even is that? A weed?”

“It’s a flower,” Brianne said quietly, her voice trembling. She reached for her notebook, but Mackenzie pulled it back.

“Of course it is,” Mackenzie said with mock admiration. Then, with a smirk, she grabbed a pen from her bag and drew a crude smiley face over Brianne’s sketch.

“Stop!” Brianne’s voice rose, panic lacing her words as she lunged for the notebook.

But Mackenzie wasn’t done. “Oops.” She dropped the notebook onto the ground, the pages crumpling against the dirt.

Brianne’s face burned with humiliation as she bent to pick it up, but Mackenzie stuck out her foot, tripping her. Brianne hit the ground hard, her knees scraping against the concrete. Pain shot through her palms as she tried to break her fall.

“Careful!” Mackenzie said, feigning concern. “You might hurt yourself.”

The laughter that erupted from her and her friends was like a knife twisting in Brianne’s chest.

She tried to stand, but Savannah bumped into her shoulder, sending her off balance again. “Whoops. Guess you’re just clumsy,” Savannah said, laughing.

Brianne’s throat tightened as tears welled in her eyes. She bit her lip, refusing to let them see her cry.

“Come on, let’s go,” Lauren said after a moment, tugging on Mackenzie’s arm. “Mrs. Carter’s going to catch us.”

Mackenzie rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She crouched down next to Brianne, her voice low enough that only she could hear.

“Next time, don’t sit at my table, loser.”

With that, the trio sauntered off, their laughter echoing across the cafeteria.

Brianne remembered staring at her bloody palms, the sting of her scraped knees barely registering over the weight of humiliation pressing down on her chest. A teacher had eventually found her and taken her to the nurse’s office.

When her parents had asked what happened, she couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth.

“I tripped and fell,” she’d said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her father had frowned, his gaze lingering on her bandaged knees. “Are you sure, Brianne? Did someone—”

“I’m fine,” she’d cut him off, her voice firmer this time. “It’s nothing.”

The truth came out later, of course, after some witnesses came forward. Mackenzie and her friends were suspended for bullying. But by then, the damage had been done. The bruises on her body healed, but the ones in her mind lingered.

She blinked rapidly, shaking off the memory.

Brianne moved to a corner of the library, trying to settle into a secluded spot near the back. She pulled out her notebook trying to settle into her chair. The scrape of a chair startled her, pulling her back to reality. She looked up to see Ryder Cole, his expression unreadable as he noiselessly dragged a chair and sat down across from her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

“You’re just standing around in a library?” His voice was low, almost a whisper, but cold enough to send a shiver down her spine. “That’s not proper.”

Brianne blinked, unsure if he was joking or scolding her.

“Uh, I wasn’t—” she began, but he cut her off.

“You’re blocking the shelves,” he said, his tone still icy, though his gaze flickered with something she couldn’t quite place. “Find a seat next time.”

Before she could respond, he leaned back in his chair and turned his attention to a book he’d brought with him, as if she weren’t there.

The final class of the day was Biology, and Brianne’s nerves were frayed by the time she settled into her seat. She sat far from Ryder, but for some reason, she could feel his presence. Or maybe just his eyes.

The teacher handed back their recent test papers, pausing briefly at Brianne’s desk.

“Well done, Brianne,” the teacher said, a smile softening her usually stern face. “An A+. Excellent work.”

Murmurs rippled through the classroom, and Brianne felt her cheeks heat. She mumbled a quick thank-you and tucked the paper into her folder. She didn’t dare glance back at Ryder, but her skin prickled, as if his gaze were fixed on her.

At dinner, Michelle was already at the table when Brianne sat down, the aroma of stir-fry filling the air.

“So,” her mom started, serving herself a portion. “How’s school going?”

Brianne shrugged, picking at her food. “It’s fine. I got my Biology test back. A+.”

Michelle beamed. “That’s my girl. I knew you’d adjust quickly.” She paused, her smile dimming slightly. “You know, I ran into an old… acquaintance today.” Brianne raised an eyebrow. “Acquaintance?”

Michelle let out a dry laugh. “Well, nemesis is more accurate. Veronica Steele. We were in law school together.”

“Nemesis?” Brianne repeated, now fully engaged.

“She was competitive, arrogant, and—” Michelle waved her fork in the air as she searched for the right word. “—annoyingly perfect. She’s working at the same law firm now.”

“How did it go?” Brianne asked, smirking.

Michelle hesitated. “She asked about your dad.”

Brianne’s smile faded. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Michelle said, sighing. “It’s hard to keep up appearances sometimes. But don’t worry—I handled it.”

Brianne nodded, though she wasn’t entirely sure she believed her mom.

As the conversation shifted to lighter topics, Brianne couldn’t help but think about Ryder, the library, and the way she could feel his gaze had linger in Biology. She thought of Mackenzie, too, wondering what her life was like back in Riverdale.