You follow me, right?" she accused.
Brian's face was calm, but his eyes flickered with annoyance. Vicky's words hung in the air, but he said nothing, his gaze locked straight ahead.
Without a word, Brian grabbed the drink and started walking off. Vicky rushed after him. "Wait, wait!" she called out, her sneakers slapping the pavement.
He didn't flinch or even glance back. His silence screamed louder than words, and Vicky's frustration only grew.
Finally, she caught up and grabbed the hem of his t-shirt, yanking him to a stop. "Wait," she panted, breathless.
Brian's jaw tightened, but still, he said nothing.
"Were you always this much of a snob?" Vicky asked, her voice a mix of hurt and disbelief.
His silence remained unyielding.
"Won't you talk to me?" she asked, her eyes welling with tears.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her expression full of regret. "Please… just talk to me."
But Brian gently removed her hand from his shirt, his touch cold and distant.
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Vicky standing there, heartbroken and alone.
"Please, wait," Vicky murmured, her voice barely audible as she watched him disappear into the distance.
She'd never seen him like this—so cold, so unreachable. Her chest ached, and she clutched at her heart, trying to hold herself together.
"Stop," she whispered, balling her hand into a fist and lightly pounding her chest, overwhelmed by the pain.
---
Brian stepped into the house, where his mom sat on the couch, watching one of her old favorite movies. She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Where were you, dressed like that?" she asked, eyeing his outfit.
He dropped into a chair beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mom," he said softly.
"What?" she replied without looking away from the TV.
Brian started unloading drinks and snacks from a bag.
His mom looked over, surprised. "What's all this? Since when do you drink soju and snack like this?"
He shrugged. "It's for you," he lied smoothly.
She chuckled. "Please. I don't even like this stuff."
Brian stood and grinned. "Alright then, I'll give it to Alva. She likes it."
His mom's eyes narrowed. "Hold on. You only buy things like this when you like a girl. Is there someone at school?"
Brian's cheeks turned red. "No. There's not."
She smirked. "Really? When you liked Becky, you pulled this same stunt."
Brian sighed. "I told you, I don't like anyone. And Becky dumped me, remember?"
His mom raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay. But good luck with Vicky."
Brian froze. "Her name's not Vicky... I mean... I don't actually know her name."
His mom burst into laughter. "So you're crushing on a girl and don't even know her name? That's adorable."
Just then, Harper appeared in the doorway, her expression one of disbelief. "Who's Vicky? Brian, are you into a girl at school?"
She walked in, eyes locked on him. Brian shot her a glare. "I'm not. And why do you even care? Don't you have Theodore to think about?"
Harper's eyes widened. "Wait—did you go through my phone?!"
Before he could answer, Alva came bursting in, wearing short denim shorts and an oversized t-shirt that clearly wasn't hers. Her chest moved freely under the fabric, and it was clear she wasn't wearing a bra. Harper's eyes narrowed immediately.
"Whose shirt is that?" she asked coldly.
Alva shrugged with a playful smile. "I just got back from a business trip with my boss."
The room went quiet.
Their mom squinted at her. "Your boss? Are you in love with him?"
Alva's face flushed. "Mom!" she snapped, storming off toward her room.
Harper turned to Brian with a grin. "Did Alva seriously yell like that?"
Brian shrugged, a grin tugging at his lips. "I think she's got a thing for her boss."
Harper smirked. "And I really think you've got a thing for Vicky."
Brian's cheeks reddened, and he quickly retreated to his room. Harper followed close behind, leaving their mom sitting there with a sigh.
"Okay," she muttered, throwing her hands up. "Alva likes her boss, Brian's into Vicky, and Harper's into Theodore. This whole house is one big soap opera."