My Brother Hates Me

The air in your dorm room is filled with the faint scent of fresh wood and old paper, a comforting blend that reminds you of libraries and quiet afternoons. You stand by the large window, looking out at the seemingly endless forest that gives the school its name, a small, hopeful smile playing on your lips. This is it, your senior year at Forest Lake Boarding School. A chance for a fresh start, a chance to finally be around people again after years of feeling invisible at home.

As you begin to unpack your meager belongings – a few worn clothes, a handful of beloved books, and the single, precious gold bracelet – the door creaks open. A girl with a bright smile steps inside, her eyes lighting up as she sees you. "Hi!" she exclaims, closing the distance between you. "You must be my new roomie! My name is Hazel."

Hazel. Right. The name Mrs. Porter had mentioned but your nervousness had immediately forgotten. "Hi," you reply, a genuine smile finally forming. "Emma."

As Hazel starts to chat, her words painting a picture of the school's social landscape – the popular kids, the jocks, the nerds – a knot begins to form in your stomach. She mentions one of the school's most popular boys, a Mason Richardson. Your heart lurches. It couldn't be... could it? The name echoes in your mind, a ghost from a past you thought was buried. "What is his name?" you ask, your voice barely a whisper, praying for a different answer.

"Mason," she says, her smile fading as she looks at your admission papers and then back at you, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Your last name is Richardson?"

The world tilts. Mason. Richardson. Your twin brother. He's here. The reality hits you like a physical blow, stealing your breath. He hates you. He will be furious. All the fragile hope you arrived with shatters, replaced by a wave of familiar fear and a desperate, overwhelming desire to simply disappear.