Raven's Brother

Elena.

I was a liar. But not a very good one. My parents always said I had crocodile tears because I could cry on command, all dramatic and teary-eyed. It came in handy when I wanted to stir up trouble with Zayn.

This time, though, most of my tears were real.

I couldn’t switch classes— not at the end of the year. That was an empty threat. There was no way I wouldn’t see him again, especially since we were neighbors. All I could do now was lay in bed and stare at the ceiling for hours on end.

By Monday, I was feeling off. My parents had just gotten back from some meeting, and the sweet smell of pancakes pulled me out of my deep sleep.

I got ready slowly, my mind still swirling with everything that had happened over the weekend. It felt like a never-ending Tom and Jerry chase, running in circles.

Dragging myself out of bed, I scanned my bedroom floor for something halfway decent to wear. I found some wrinkled jeans and a slightly crumpled shirt, throwing them on with a groan. Every movement ached, and my bones felt sore like I’d been hit by a truck.

When I stepped into the kitchen, Mom greeted me with a warm smile and pulled me into a hug. I had been asleep when they got home last night, so we hadn’t seen each other for days.

I let her hug me, even awkwardly patting her back before shuffling over to my seat at the dining table.

“Elena, you okay? You look kinda rough.” Mom's eyes ran up and down my outfit, cringing at my messy hair. I just shrugged my shoulders, stuffing a big bite of pancake into my mouth. Drenching it in maple syrup, I focused on eating rather than answering.

I finished late, but Mom didn’t say anything about it. She looked restless in the corner, but still gave me that warm, reassuring smile as I waved goodbye.

Grabbing my bag, I headed out and slid into the car. I pressed random buttons on the console with a sigh. Yeah, today was gonna be something.

I drove fast, but not recklessly. I already knew I wouldn’t make it through the gates before the bell rang, so why bother rushing?

At least the parking lot wasn’t a warzone when I got there. A few cars were parked like absolute garbage, but overall, it was almost empty.

Even the walk to the school building felt slow and... peaceful? I wasn’t sure if I was just feeling relaxed or if I’d fully given up. Or maybe I was calm because I had given up.

Before heading to class, I grabbed my favorite books from my locker and walked in. No one paid me any attention, and I barely glanced around. Everyone was caught up in their own loud conversations. Reid was doing some kind of ridiculous presentation in the back corner.

Killian was looking at me when I sat down. Normally, he’d be focused on something else— grading papers, avoiding eye contact with me. Today, he was doing what I usually did. Staring.

I met his gaze, my tired eyes locking onto his. His face was unreadable. Something was flickering in his eyes, his brows furrowing for a split second before smoothing out.

I just sat there, staring at him blankly, too tired to do anything else. As I breathed out, peeking down at my empty desk, he shifted in his seat, looking uneasy.

Tapping his fingers on the desk like he was debating something, he motioned for me to come over. I glanced around before pointing at myself. He rolled his eyes and gestured again.

Like a well-trained dog, I got up and walked over, absentmindedly running my fingers along the desks as I passed.

When I reached him, he stood up, closing the space between us.

“Elena, you look exhausted,” he muttered.

I frowned, blinking at him.

“Really?”

My snappy response made him swallow awkwardly before lifting those sharp eyes back to mine.

“Go home,” he said.

That caught me off guard. I tilted my head, taking a step back.

“What?” I asked, confused. Killian was... confusing. That was for sure.

He looked like he didn’t even want to be talking to me like it annoyed him. But still, he repeated himself. There was something... genuine in his voice. Concern?

The silence stretched between us as he turned away, grabbing some papers off his desk. My lips parted as I searched for something to say, but nothing came out.

Giving up, I walked back to my seat, grabbed my bag, and spared a glance at Jane and Sasha. Both were passed out, dead asleep. Typical Monday mood. They probably hadn’t even noticed me.

Without another word, I turned and left the classroom, sneaking one last look at Killian before slipping out the door.

I knew I couldn’t actually go home, though. Mom was there, and she’d have a million questions if I showed up before lunchtime. She’d probably just assume I was having a bad day if I came home after lunch.

Besides, I was too tired to leave school, so I decided to stay. Dragging my feet to the lounge, I tucked myself away in a corner. There were seats with soft cushions, perfect for sleeping. I was surprised the door was even unlocked.

I ended up sleeping for hours. I had never felt so comfortable at school before. The peaceful silence, the distant chatter from other rooms, and the soft blankets— it was weirdly perfect. Even the pesky school bell didn't wake me up, which was awesome. If anything, it just proved one thing— I had a real talent for sleeping.

When I finally woke up, I only had an hour left before school ended. Meaning I’d slept for a long time. Figured I might as well stick around until the last bell, so I killed time on my phone. When school finally let out, I blended in with the rest of the students leaving the building.

Deciding to avoid the parking lot, I wandered toward the benches near the entrance, watching as students walked out, some taking shade under the trees.

Just as I was about to head out, a sharp, grating laugh sliced through the air, making me stop in my tracks. The sound scraped against my memory like a blade, something I had buried deep but never forgotten.

I knew exactly who it belonged to.

The Raven brothers.

A name that sounds hideous, though to be fair, they were just two stupid boys who thought they were better than they really were. Since childhood, they have been my bullies, always teasing me with ridiculous things. They ran toward me, laughing, shouting lies about how other kids liked me, even though I knew the truth was far from that. Most of the time, I ignored them, but their antics only truly stopped when Maxine stepped in. She made them afraid to linger around our area. But Maxine is gone now.

I let out a deep sigh, wishing the earth would swallow me whole— or better yet, swallow them.

"Well, well, well, isn't that Brownie?" a mocking voice greeted me.

The tall one, Dalton, lounged on the bench, his arms draped over the wooden backrest, his expression twisted into a smirk as if my presence alone ruined his day. I wanted to turn around and walk away, but before I could, another voice stopped me.

"You look a mess, Brownie."

Clayton, his younger brother, with messy dark hair covering his forehead, chuckled. I turned my face away, not bothering to play along, but Dalton carried on in a taunting tone.

"Look at that, Clayton. I think she's nervous," he said, his grin widening.

Clayton stepped closer, patting my shoulder in a way that made my skin crawl. "Well, nothing to worry about, Brownie. I mean... no one really cares anyway, right? Besides, we don’t like you either."

His voice was fake, pretending to be sympathetic before turning sharp and cutting. I nearly rolled my eyes. What was this? A 90s teen drama?

I clenched my jaw, blinking, trying not to give them the reaction they wanted. Maybe if I stayed quiet, they’d get bored and leave.

"She's quiet today," Dalton nudged me with the tip of his shoe. I bit the inside of my cheek, resisting the urge to react.

"What's wrong, Brownie? Cat got your tongue?" Clayton snickered, suddenly slinging an arm over my shoulder, too close for comfort.

I just stared at him, holding back the overwhelming urge to rip his head off. I could feel my blood boiling, anger seeping from every pore of my skin.

"You should wash your hair, Brownie. It’s disgusting," Dalton added quickly, his fingers daring to grab a strand of my hair, twirling it as if I were some toy. My nerves got the better of me.

I stood up so fast my feet planted firmly on the ground. Their eyes widened for a split second, startled by my sudden reaction, but their smirks returned just as quickly.

I glared at them, my eyes burning, my vision slightly blurred by anger and something deeper... something beyond the pain of their insults.

"Shut up, both of you! I pray for whoever ends up being your mate... I hope they’re dumb enough to accept you!" I shouted, grabbing my bag off the ground. Ignoring their laughter, I ran, trying to breathe as my tear-filled eyes locked onto the path to my car.