Between The Lies

Chapter :Just a Sister

STELLA

Thursdays are my favorite.

Dance in the morning, lunch with Mia, and if I time it right, I can catch Luca's music rehearsal through the practice room windows. It's nice seeing him in his element, you know? He's my brother. Of course I want to support him.

"Stella! Wait up!"

Mia crashes into me at my locker, breathless and grinning like she just won the lottery.

"I just saw Luca and he smiled at me. Like, really smiled. Not the polite thing he does with everyone else." She clutches my arm. "Do you think that means something?"

I laugh. "Mi, he probably just had a good morning. Don't read into it."

"But what if I'm not? What if he's finally noticing me?" She does this dreamy sigh that makes me roll my eyes. "That new song he's been working on? It's so beautiful. Do you know what it's about?"

"Nope. He doesn't really share his music stuff with me anymore."

"Really? Why not?"

I shrug, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. "I don't know. He's been weird lately. Stressed about school and the showcase, probably."

"Well, you have to help me," Mia says, completely moving past my concern. "I'm thinking of asking him to coffee after the showcase. You know, casual. Just to talk. What do you think?"

"Yeah, sure. That sounds nice."

And it does sound nice. Mia's my best friend. She's sweet and funny and she'd be good for Luca. He needs someone to pull him out of whatever funk he's been in. So why do I feel weird about it?

Probably just protective big sister instinct. That's normal, right?

"You're the best!" Mia squeals. "Okay, so should I wear the blue dress or—"

"Stella Harrison."

Derek Mitchell appears beside us, that confident smile already in place. He's been doing this for weeks now—showing up at my locker, walking me to class, texting me constantly.

"Derek."

"Looking good today." His eyes linger a bit too long. "You coming to Jake's party Friday?"

"Maybe."

"Come on, you have to come. I'll save you a dance." He leans against my locker, clearly not taking the hint that I need to get my books. "What do you say?"

Mia is practically bouncing beside me, shooting me these wide-eyed looks like I should be more excited.

"I'll think about it."

"That's a yes in my book." He winks and walks off.

"Oh my god," Mia breathes. "Derek Mitchell is so into you! Do you know how lucky you are?"

"I guess." I grab my books and close my locker. "I don't know. He's nice, but—"

"But what? He's gorgeous, he's sweet, he's popular. What's the problem?"

I don't know how to explain that there isn't a problem exactly. Derek's great on paper. But when he looks at me, I don't feel anything. No butterflies, no excitement. Just... nothing.

"No problem," I say. "I'm just not thinking about dating right now."

"Well, you should be! You're seventeen, not seventy." She links her arm through mine as we head to class. "Besides, if you and Derek get together, and Luca and I get together, we could all hang out. Like double dates!"

The thought makes my stomach flip uncomfortably, but I push it down. That's ridiculous. I should want my best friend and my brother to be happy together. That's what sisters do.

Dance class is my escape.

Ms. Rodriguez calls me up to demonstrate the contemporary piece, and the second the music starts, everything else fades away. No confusing feelings about Luca being distant. No guilt about not being more excited for Mia. No pressure from Derek.

Just movement. Just music.

I let my body tell the story—something about longing and distance and trying to reach something you can't quite touch. When it's over, everyone applauds.

"Beautiful work, Stella," Ms. Rodriguez says. "What were you channeling during that piece?"

"Just... missing someone, I guess." My brother. I'm just missing my brother. That's all.

"Well, whatever it was, it was powerful. Keep that emotion for the recital."

Lunch is the usual chaos.

Mia drags me straight to the table where Luca sits with Derek and the other guys. My heart does this stupid little jump when I see him, but that's normal. He's my brother. I haven't really talked to him in days. Of course I'm happy to see him.

"Saved you a seat," Derek says, patting the space next to him.

I sit, and immediately across from me, Luca's eyes flick up to meet mine.

For just a second, everything goes quiet. It's like the whole cafeteria disappears and it's just us, just that look, just—

Then he looks away and the moment's gone.

"Hey, Luca!" Mia says brightly. "Ready for the showcase?"

"Yeah. It'll be fine." His voice is flat, disinterested.

This isn't the Luca I know. My brother is funny and warm and animated when he talks about music. This version of him is like a stranger.

"Stella was amazing in dance today," Mia continues. "You should come watch her sometime."

Luca's eyes meet mine again, and there's something in them I can't read. Pain? Regret?

"I'm sure she doesn't need me there," he says.

The words sting more than they should. I'm his sister. Why wouldn't he want to watch me dance? He used to come to all my recitals.

"I bet Derek would love to watch," one of the guys says with a grin.

"Absolutely," Derek agrees, and under the table his knee presses against mine. "I'd watch you dance anytime, Stella."

I shift away slightly, uncomfortable. Across from me, Luca's jaw clenches tight.

Then he stands abruptly. "I gotta go. Library."

"Want company?" Mia asks hopefully.

"No. I need to focus." He doesn't look at any of us. "Sorry."

And just like that, he's gone.

I watch him leave, that familiar ache settling in my chest. The one I've had for months now. The one that feels like missing someone who's standing right next to you.

"Is he okay?" Mia asks, looking worried. "He seems really stressed."

"Yeah, he's fine," I say automatically, even though I don't know if that's true. "Just the showcase and school and stuff."

Derek's hand lands on the back of my chair. "Well, more time for us to get to know each other, right?"

I manage a smile, but my eyes are still on the cafeteria doors where Luca disappeared.

Something's wrong with him. Something's been wrong for months. And I don't know how to fix it.

Because he won't talk to me. He won't even look at me most days.

And I miss him. God, I miss my brother so much it physically hurts sometimes.

That's normal though, right? Missing your brother when he pulls away? Wanting things to go back to how they used to be?

Of course it is. I'm just worried about him. That's what sisters do.

After school, I text him.

Me: Want to grab food on the way home? We could hit that taco place you like.

Three dots appear. Then disappear. Then appear again.

Finally: Luca: Can't. Studio session. I'll be home late.

Me: Okay. Want me to save you dinner?

No response.

I stare at my phone, that uncomfortable feeling growing in my chest again.

When did we become like this? When did my brother become someone who couldn't even have dinner with me?

At home, the house is too quiet. Too big. Too empty without him here.

I do my homework in the kitchen instead of my room, hoping maybe he'll come home early and we can talk. Really talk, like we used to.

But hours pass and he doesn't come home.

I'm curled up on the couch watching TV when I hear his car in the driveway around ten. My heart jumps—finally, maybe we can hang out—but then I hear his footsteps go straight upstairs.

His bedroom door closes.

I wait for him to come back down. To grab food, or water, or just to say hi.

He doesn't.

My phone buzzes.

Mia: Soooo I'm definitely asking Luca to coffee after the showcase. Blue dress or black?

My stomach twists, but I ignore it.

Me: Blue. You'll look great.

Mia: You're the best sister ever! 😊

Am I though? Because right now I feel like the worst sister in the world.

I feel like I should be happier for Mia. I should be encouraging this. Luca needs someone good in his life, and Mia is perfect for him.

So why do I feel like crying?

Derek: Hey. Thinking about you. Can't wait for Friday 😏

I don't respond to that one.

Instead, I pull Luca's hoodie tighter around me—the one I borrowed from his room last week—and try to understand why everything feels so wrong lately.

My brother is pulling away from me, my best friend wants to date him, Derek wants to date me, and I just feel... lost.

But that's just normal family stuff, right? Brothers and sisters grow apart sometimes. It doesn't mean anything.

It doesn't mean there's something wrong with me for feeling this way.

For missing him this much.

For wishing he'd just talk to me again.

For feeling weird about Mia liking him even though I should be happy about it.

That's all just normal sister feelings.

Right?

I fall asleep on the couch, still wearing his hoodie, still waiting for him to come downstairs.

He never does.