Sins Of Her Venom
Chapter 49: Friendship

Chapter 49: Friendship

-Kathrine Andrews: ( Song of the Chapter: Idfc by Blackbear)

I watched her through the mirror as she sat on the edge of my bed, looking half-asleep and completely caught off guard by my comment.

Her expression betrayed her panic, her lips parting slightly as though she was about to deny it, to come up with an excuse. I didn’t give her the chance.

I smirked, keeping my eyes locked on hers for a moment longer before turning back to my reflection.

I adjusted my hair, grabbed my purse from the desk, and walked to the door without another glance her way.

She didn’t say a word, didn’t try to stop me. The silence hung heavy in the room as I left, shutting the door firmly behind me.

The cool air in the hallway felt refreshing after the heat that always seemed to build between us, the tension that neither of us could seem to break. I shook my head, trying to push her out of my thoughts.

I made my way to Michael and Brandon’s room.

They were lucky to have managed a room switch so they could stay together. When I reached their door, I knocked softly, but the sound echoed in the quiet hallway.

A moment later, Michael opened the door. His face was pale, his eyes heavy with exhaustion and something else—frustration, sadness, maybe even fear. My heart sank at the sight of him.

"Hey," I said softly, stepping closer. "Are you okay? What happened? Where’s Brandon?"

Michael nodded slightly, stepping aside to let me in. "Come in."

I entered the room, the door clicking shut behind me. We stood near the door, and I watched as Michael ran a hand through his hair, his shoulders sagging.

"He’s not okay," Michael said quietly, his voice trembling. "My Bran’s not okay."

I frowned, worry blooming in my chest. "What do you mean? What’s going on?"

Michael let out a shaky breath, leaning against the doorframe. "It’s... it’s one of his episodes. You know how when you use drugs for a long time, it’s not easy to stop? Even though it’s been two years since the last time he used it, sometimes it still... it still gets to him. It’s like withdrawal all over again. The cravings, the pain. Last night was bad, and I couldn’t leave his side. He was... he was in so much pain."

I felt my heart break for both of them. Michael looked like he was about to cry, his voice cracking under the weight of his words.

Without thinking, I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug.

He hugged me back tightly, clinging to me as if he needed the support.

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked gently. "Do you want to be alone with him?"

Michael pulled back slightly, shaking his head. "No. I think... I think he could use as many friends around him as possible. He loves you. He’d want you here, too."

Without waiting for my response, Michael grabbed my forearm and led me further into the room.

The layout was identical to mine—two queen beds, though it was obvious they were only using one.

The unused bed was covered in their suitcases and belongings, while the other bed was occupied.

Brandon sat on the edge, his knees pulled tightly to his chest, his arms wrapped around them.

His head was buried in his knees, and his entire body trembled. The sight was jarring, his usual confident demeanor replaced by vulnerability and pain.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then I stepped closer, my heart aching for him.

I stepped closer, careful not to startle him. "Brandon," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

His head shifted slightly, but he didn’t look up. His body was tense, his shoulders hunched as if he were trying to make himself smaller.

Michael sat on the bed beside him, reaching out to place a hand on Brandon’s back. "Hey, baby" Michael murmured gently, his voice full of warmth and concern. "Kat is here. She wanted to check on you."

Brandon let out a shaky breath, his fingers gripping his legs tightly.

Slowly, he raised his head, and I caught a glimpse of his face—his eyes were red, his cheeks damp with tears. He looked so broken, so unlike the Brendon I knew, that it made my chest ache.

"Hey," I said softly, crouching down so I was at eye level with him. I didn’t want to loom over him, not when he already looked so fragile. "How are you feeling?"

He sniffed, wiping at his face with the back of his hand. "Like shit," he muttered, his voice hoarse.

Michael rubbed his back in slow circles, his movements soothing. "It’s okay, baby," he said softly. "You’re going to get through this. You’ve done it before."

Brandon’s eyes flicked to mine, and for a moment, he looked ashamed, like he hated the fact that I was seeing him like this.

"You don’t have to say anything," I said quickly, trying to ease his discomfort. "I’m just here to help, okay? Whatever you need."

He swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he tried to steady his breathing. "I don’t know what I need," he admitted, his voice cracking. "I just... I just want it to stop. I hate this."

Michael leaned closer, pressing a kiss to Brandon’s temple. "I know," he whispered. "I know you do. But you’re not alone, okay? I’m here, and Kathrine is here. You’re not going through this by yourself."

Brandon closed his eyes, leaning into Michael’s touch. His hands relaxed slightly, loosening their grip on his legs.

I reached out hesitantly, placing a hand on his knee. "We’re here for you," I said firmly. "Whatever you need, whenever you need it."

He opened his eyes, looking at me with a mixture of gratitude and vulnerability. "Thanks," he said quietly.

For a moment, the room was silent except for the sound of his breathing, which was slowly evening out.

I stayed where I was, letting him take the lead, letting him decide what he needed.

Michael continued to rub his back, his touch steady and comforting. "Why don’t we get you some water?" he suggested gently. "And maybe something to eat? You didn’t eat anything last night."

Brandon hesitated but then nodded slightly. "Okay."

Michael looked at me, his eyes silently asking for help. I stood and grabbed the water bottle from the nightstand, twisting off the cap and handing it to Brandon.

He took it with shaking hands, taking small sips.

Michael left the bed to grab some snacks from the mini fridge, and I stayed close, watching as Brandon slowly began to relax.

"You’re stronger than you think," I told him softly. "You’ve made it this far, and you’re going to keep going. We believe in you."

Brandon didn’t say anything, but the smallest smile flickered on his lips before he took another sip of water. It wasn’t much, but it was a start. And for now, that was enough.

-

The room was warm with the comforting buzz of conversation and the smell of snacks scattered across the bed.

Brandon leaned back against the pillows, his blanket pulled up to his chest, visibly more relaxed than he’d been earlier. It was nice to see him smiling softly, even if it was just a flicker here and there.

Emma leaned against the headboard next to him, her legs crossed, holding a soda can in her hand. She took a sip before saying, "Okay, I’ve got a story for you guys. This one’s embarrassing, so buckle up."

Lily smirked, tossing a kernel of popcorn in the air and catching it in her mouth. "This better be good, Emma."

"Oh, it’s good," Emma said, setting her can down. "So, picture this: I’m 16, and I’m on a road trip with my parents. We stop at this gas station in the middle of nowhere, and there he is." She paused dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "The most gorgeous guy I have ever seen."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, grinning. "Define ’gorgeous.’ Like, Brad Pitt gorgeous or...?"

"Better," Emma said, waving him off. "He had these deep brown eyes, this messy dark hair, and—get this—a tattoo peeking out from under his sleeve. He looked like he just stepped out of a music video."

"Oh my god," Lily said, already laughing. "What did you do? Did you talk to him?"

Emma groaned, burying her face in her hands for a moment before looking up. "I wanted to! But my brain short-circuited. I walked into the gas station, grabbed a bag of chips I didn’t even want, and then stood in line right behind him."

"You didn’t say anything?" I asked, leaning forward.

"I couldn’t!" Emma exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "He smiled at the cashier, and I swear to god, I almost passed out. And then—this is the worst part—I tripped over the little ’Caution: Wet Floor’ sign on my way out."

The entire room burst into laughter. Even Brandon let out a chuckle, covering his face with his hand as his shoulders shook.

"And then what happened?" Ethan asked, still laughing. "Did he help you up or something?"

Emma shook her head, her cheeks turning red at the memory. "Nope. He just looked at me, smiled, and said, ’Careful there.’ And then he drove off on his motorcycle like some movie hero. I didn’t even get his name!"

Ryan clapped his hands together, leaning back against the wall. "Classic. You fell for a random gas station hottie and didn’t even get a number. Iconic, Emma."

"Shut up," Emma muttered, though she was laughing along with us.

Brandon, his voice still soft but teasing, said, "Next time, maybe focus on walking before falling for someone."

Emma gasped, pointing at him. "Oh, don’t even. This is coming from the guy who swoons every time Michael plays the guitar."

The group erupted in laughter again, and Brandon blushed, burying his face in the blanket. "Not the same!" he protested, but his voice was muffled.

Lily jumped in, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "Okay, okay, speaking of embarrassing crushes, can we talk about Jordan for a second? My situationship or whatever this nonsense is."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Oh, here we go. Is he still being vague about what you guys are?"

Lily groaned, flopping onto her side dramatically. "Yes! One minute, we’re holding hands and watching sunsets together, and the next, he’s like, ’I don’t like labels.’ What does that even mean?"

Ryan snorted. "It means he’s a coward. Ditch him."

"Agreed," Emma said, nodding. "Life’s too short for ’I don’t like labels.’"

Brandon, his voice steady and thoughtful now, added, "If he’s not willing to commit, then he’s not worth your time. You deserve someone who knows what they want."

Lily blinked, clearly touched by his words. "Thanks, Brandon. That... helps."

The conversation continued, each of us sharing silly stories or venting about life.

Brandon didn’t say much more, but he listened, a small, content smile on his face as we all surrounded him with laughter and love. By the time the sun started to set, the tension that had weighed on me because of Glyndon all day seemed to have melted away completely.