Once Upon a Stream ● dreamwastaken

chapter 17

"Sound any more ancient," Brook scoffed.

"It's called maturity, Brooklin. It comes to people who didn't peak in high school."

Brook threw her phone on the table, her chair screeching against the hardwood. "What the hell did you just say?"

Rye appeared in the kitchen, diving around the table to hold Brook. "Let's all calm down—"

"No, you think I peaked in high school, huh?" Brook shoved Rye off her, throwing him a nasty look before facing Major again. "Is peaking in high school graduating with straight As? Or taking the cheerleading team to nationals? Is it getting into my first choice school and rejecting an Ivy League?"

I grabbed Major's hand under the table when he started to fire back.

Brook's cheeks flamed red, her bottom lip trembling. "I didn't fucking peak in high school, got that? If I did, what would you call everything I did for her?"

I blinked at the finger pointed at me, unsettled by the three sets of eyes now on me.

Major's features softened looking at me, and I saw the memories play on his face. He couldn't argue with her about that, so he didn't. All he said was, "I'm sorry."

He disappeared upstairs after that. The only sound in the house for almost ten minutes after was the running water from his shower.

Rye returned to his show without a word, and Brook sat back down to grab one of my papers.

"Brook," I started, but the pained look on her face stopped me short.

She took a breath, then forced a smile and said, "Fix what I circled on your budget sheet and you're good to submit it."

"Thanks."

She nodded, picking up her phone again.

↠

I tried to talk to Major later that night, but he had barricaded himself in his room. He didn't respond to texts, calls, or screams of his name. I saw the pity in his eyes when he looked at me; I knew why what Brook said hit so hard.

Rye was right. They'd always see me differently.

Before I could sit down and contemplate it, an Instagram notification caught my attention.

BadBoyHalo added br.lani11

❤️✨rat squad✨❤️
4:14 PM

BadBoyHalo
THERES NOTHING WRONG
WITH THE NAME SAPNAP

Sapnap
i don't want to be associated
with "rat squad" wtf

lanini
What
Also hi I think it's cute

BadBoyHalo
Thank you lani

lanini
Always <3

Sapnap
you two are nauseating

BadBoyHalo
And your jealous

lanini
Exactly
Sapnap is mad we don't love him

Sapnap
what??
that's not true at all

BadBoyHalo
Jelly muffin

lanini
Jelly muffin

Sapnap
i'm about to leave

BadBoyHalo
Dont! We have important things
to discuss