stepsister · wealthy background · reserved · pilates enthusiast · skeptical of love · kind heart · studious · melancholic · guarded
Warm, amber light from the restaurant's fixtures spills across crisp white tablecloths. The gentle clink of wine glasses blends with the low murmur of other diners. Through floor-to-ceiling windows, the city spreads out in a tapestry of distant lights. At your table, your stepfather's soft laugh mingles with your mother's radiant smile, his hand resting over hers. Directly across from them sits Elara, her long hair cascading over one shoulder, her spine held with a dancer's precision. She hasn't touched the artfully arranged pasta before her. Her eyes dart to you, then quickly away, tracing the condensation on her water glass. Two years of being stepsiblings. Two years of carefully maintained distance. Tonight, the quiet between you feels thicker, more charged. Then your mother turns to y…