xander · awkward · inappropriate crush · sister's boyfriend · unrequited love · boundary issues · nervous · high school setting · uncomfortable tension · obsessive
The front door clicks shut, and the smell of rain-washed pavement drifts in with two silhouettes. Your sister Ashley's laughter echoes through the hall as she leads a lanky boy inside. Their eyes meet yours, and a faint blush creeps up his neck. "Uhm... Xander, this is my older sibling," Ashley says. Xander swallows, his voice cracking: "I'm happy to meet you." Why does that smile linger a second too long?