Darn Stupid Brother You Are

(Hendrix's POV)

My dorm room stinked.

So bad.

It stinked of uneaten pizza and male testosterone.

My roommates were lounging on the couch, surrounded by empty pizza boxes and video game controllers.

It had been a while since I'd hung out with my roommates. But after everything that had happened, I'd withdrawn from them, unsure of how to face them again.

Now, I was trying to make an effort to reconnect. I didn't want anyone to become suspicious of me, to notice that I'd changed. So, I joined in on their conversations, relating to their stories about sexual escapades and wild parties. It felt forced, but I knew it was necessary.

Eddie was his usual self, cracking crude jokes and making us all laugh. Thomas was quieter than usual, his eyes fixed on his phone, only looking up once in a while to comment. Bundah was his usual careless self, speaking over everyone.

I listened, nodding and laughing along with them. But my mind was not there. It was exhausting to pretend to be the same old Hendrix while secretly struggling with my own demons. But, I needed to keep up the ruse to avoid suspicions since I was going in head on in my investigation of the center.

Eddie, the self-proclaimed comic king, was telling us with a story of his latest sexual conquest. It was disgusting at best, but I was trying my hardest to blend in with the guys as before.

"I'm telling you, guys, she was a total wildcat," Eddie said, a sly grin was on his face. "She wanted me so bad. I had to wrestle her to the ground just to get her to calm down."

Thomas wrinkled his nose in disgust and shook his head. "You're such a dog, Eddie." He seemed not to believe that any girl would want someone like Eddie but I believe his blue balls was what got him here in the first place...well same as me. I forced a laugh but said nothing.

Bundah, who had been laughing so hard, spoke up, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Nothing says 'stud' like a guy who has to wrestle a girl to the ground."

Then they high fived each other.

Thomas and I exchanged a look and shook our heads, smiling. Weirdos!

I felt like I was back to hanging out with my friends, carefree and wild.

But I found myself struggling to keep up the act. It felt like I was living a double life... like I was undercover. As the night approached, I found that I felt more and more disconnected from my roommates. They were still the same, but I had changed. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was just going through the motions, pretending to be someone I no longer was.

But I knew I had to keep up the act. I couldn't let anyone become suspicious of me, not now. So, I continued to laugh and joke, to pretend like everything was fine. Even though it wasn't.

But some reason and how he knew I couldn't tell, Thomas, picked up on my false act, and approached me later in the common room.

"Hey, Hendrix, what's up, man?" he asked, his voice low and concerned. "You've seemed a little off lately."

I shrugged, and scoffed. "Whaat?" I stressed, "I'm fine, I'm cool with you guys."

Thomas nodded, but I could tell he didn't believe me. "If you ever need to talk, I'm here for you, man."

I appreciated the offer, but I knew I wouldn't confide in him. So, I just smiled and nodded, trying to reassure him that everything was okay.

....

(Angel's POV)

I sat in the sex ed class, trying to focus on Dr. Nixon's lecture. Suddenly, Dr. Nixon looked at the door and her expression changed, and she smiled like she had been forced to. The smile in itself was a rare sight. Although it looked more like a grimace. The first and last time I had seem her smile was that might in the hallway when she had challenged to find evidence of my suspicious claims on the center.

"Class, I'd like to introduce our new superintendent, Dr. Joe," she said, her voice dripping with an unsettling sweetness.

Dr. Joe walked in, his bright smile lighting up the room. He looked young, almost too young to be in charge of a place like this. He began to make his way around the room, shaking hands as he asked for our names. When he got to me, I only said my first name, and he lingered giving me an odd smile and said, "Nice to finally meet you, Angel."

I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as his baby blue eyes looked like he was staring deep into my soul. What was with tone? I was pretty sure someone had told him stuff about me... but I wondered what.

I withdrew my hand from his and he walked on to the next person, not without giving me one last look. Despite his smile, there was something creepy about him.

Dr. Nixon seemed to cower at the sight of him, her eyes cast downward as she nodded and smiled. It was a strange sight, seeing the usually stern Dr. Nixon acting so submissive.

As Dr. Joe continued his introduction, I couldn't help but notice the way he seemed to be everywhere at once, checking every corner of the room, his smile never wavering. There was something about him that made me feel uncomfortable, something that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

His smile seemed fixed, almost plastered on his face, and the way it briefly rested on me a few times, made me feel like he could see right through me. I had a gut feeling that he knew more about the strange things happening in the center. It was hard to believe that he wouldn't know about the weird occurrences, given his position as superintendent. But maybe he was just turning a blind eye, or maybe he was even orchestrating it all. The thought sent a chill down my spine. Compared to the other doctors, Dr. Joe seemed much younger. His smile was too perfect, too polished, and it didn't quite reach his eyes. It was like he was wearing a mask, hiding his true intentions.

I wondered if Dr. Nixon was under his control, or if she was just intimidated by him. She was behaving really strangely, which was unusual for her. Maybe Dr. Joe had some kind of power over her, or maybe she was just afraid of what he might do if she crossed him.

As the class continued, Dr. Joe's presence seemed to be over us, as he took a seat at the back. Before he arrived, Dr. Nixon had been the one in charge, her stern face and sharp tongue commanding respect from everyone. Dr Nixon stuttered and shook a little, which made me wonder who this guy really was. It made my unease around him justified. Anyone that could make Dr Nixon look scared, was definitely worse.

He was watching us like a hawk. I really couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about him.

After the class, Dr. Joe made his way around the center, checking every room, and talking to every patient, all with a smile on his face.

"Angel!" Hande yelled running towards me like a kid. She smiled as she came close. "Did you see the superintendent? Isn't he so hot?" She gushed.

I didn't respond enthusiastically as she would have expected.

"Uh oh... Something happened, right?"