UNWANTED DEVOTION

JEALOUSY ...

The next day quickly arrived, and both brothers got ready for college. The air outside was crisp and cool, a typical morning with the sun barely peeking out over the horizon.

Aron shoved a half-eaten sandwich into his mouth, grabbed his backpack, and rushed towards the door. His hair was messy from oversleeping, and his clothes were slightly wrinkled, but none of that seemed to bother him. As he stepped out, his eyes kept darting to his wristwatch.

"Shit, she's gonna kill me..." he muttered to himself, his mouth still full of bread. He ran out of the house in a blur, barely noticing Ryan, who was calmly finishing his breakfast at the table.

Ryan watched him with his usual blank expression, eyes half-lidded with disinterest. His breakfast remained untouched for a few seconds as he continued to chew slowly, unbothered by Aron's frantic energy. His gaze drifted to the clock on the wall, and he shook his head, the corner of his lips twitching in a silent smirk.

Once Aron was out the door, Ryan stood up casually, grabbing his bag from the chair. He followed his brother out but took his time. He wasn't in any rush—not yet. After all, he enjoyed watching Aron squirm.

Ryan stepped into his car, glancing up ahead to see Aron's bike pulling out of the driveway, disappearing around the corner. Without much urgency, Ryan started his engine and began driving, keeping a steady distance from his brother.

Aron, meanwhile, was speeding down the road. His heart pounded in his chest as he pushed the bike to its limit. His mind raced along with the wheels—Helan was going to murder him if he was late again. He could practically hear her nagging voice already.

As he reached Helan's house, Aron stopped abruptly, his tires screeching on the pavement. He quickly honked the horn, hoping she wouldn't make him wait.

Hearing the signal, Helan dashed out of her front door, her usual fiery energy evident in her quick steps. As she approached, her face was scrunched up in mock anger, and the moment she reached Aron, she punched him lightly in the chest.

"I'm sorry!" Aron pouted, looking at her with puppy-dog eyes, hoping it would work like it always did.

"Yes, you should be!" Helan huffed, but a small smile played on her lips as she climbed onto his bike. She wrapped her arms around his waist, locking herself in place, and Aron immediately started the engine again.

"Hold on tight," Aron said, though he already knew she had a death grip on him.

Meanwhile, Ryan's car came into view, his hands gripping the steering wheel tighter as he watched them from a distance. His expression darkened the moment he saw Helan with her arms around his brother. His jaw clenched, and his knuckles whitened as he pressed down harder on the gas pedal.

They reached the college, and Aron parked his bike near the entrance, still talking to Helan, who had yet to let go of his waist. She leaned in closer, whispering something that made Aron laugh out loud. But just as they were about to step off the bike, Ryan parked his car aggressively next to them. The screech of his tires grabbed their attention.

"Hey, losers," Ryan said louder than necessary, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he stepped out of his car, making sure he had both of their attention.

Helan and Aron turned their heads toward him at the same time, and without a word, they rolled their eyes in unison before walking away. The way they dismissed him so easily only fueled the fire raging inside Ryan.

Watching them walk away like that made Ryan's blood boil. His fists clenched tightly as he took long strides after them. Aron had no idea what was coming.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Ryan roared from behind. Aron was about to turn around when Ryan's fist collided with his face, sending him stumbling back.

The hit was so sudden that it took Aron a second to register the pain. But once he did, his instincts kicked in. His hand balled into a fist, ready to retaliate, but before he could, Helan grabbed his arm, stopping him.