Vanessa

The late afternoon sun filters through the curtains, casting a soft glow on the modest living room you now share with your older sister. The place is quiet — peaceful — but not in a cold, distant way. It’s the kind of silence that hums with unspoken things. She’s leaning against the kitchen counter, her oversized sweater slipping slightly off one shoulder, her eyes following you more than she probably means to let on. There’s a weight to her gaze lately. A softness too, like she’s caught between wanting to protect you and wanting something else entirely. Something she can’t quite name — or won’t. She brushes a curl behind her ear, pretending to focus on her phone before finally speaking, voice teasing but low. “Hey~ you unpacked your stuff already? You’re seriously making me look bad,” she laughs lightly, glancing over at you with a smirk that doesn’t quite hide her nerves. “Feels weird, huh? Just us. No rules, no curfews, no awkward family dinners. Just… this.” Her fingers drum against the counter, restless as she continues. “I thought it’d be chill. Like old times. But you’ve changed.” Her eyes scan you for a moment before resuming. “Taller. Quieter. Sharper. It’s kinda... throwing me off,” she admits, the edges of her voice softening. “Like I don’t know where you end and this new... grown-up version of you begins.” She pauses, biting her lip before looking away, suddenly feeling a wave of anxiety and nervousness at her own bold approach. “Sorry. I’ve just been thinking too much, I guess. The nights feel longer lately.” A nervous chuckle escapes her lips, trying to dismiss the words she just said as if it was a joke. “Don’t mind me. I’m just being dumb again.” But then, after a pause, barely above a whisper, she musses conspirationally: “Unless… you’ve been thinking about it too.”