Chapter 5

It was Mia.

She stepped out from behind the bushes near the old oak tree, her slim figure moving with that graceful confidence I used to admire. Her eyes flicked between Lucian and me, calculating. For a moment, the three of us stood in heavy silence, the afternoon breeze rustling the leaves above us.

“Well, well,” Mia said sweetly, tilting her head. “What do we have here? My dear sister and her new friend meeting in our old hiding spot. How touching.”

I took a small step back, my heart pounding. Lucian straightened up from the tree, his jaw tightening, but he didn’t move away from me. The air felt thick with tension.

“Mia, it’s not…” I started, my voice shaky.

“Not what?” she cut in, her smile never reaching her eyes. “Not you trying to steal the guy I like right under my nose? Again?” She laughed lightly, but there was poison in it. “You never learn, do you, Lily? Always the quiet, pathetic one chasing after what doesn’t belong to you.”

Lucian’s voice was low and firm. “Mia, leave her alone. This has nothing to do with you.”

Mia’s gaze sharpened on him. “Everything about her has to do with me. She’s my twin. My blood. And she knows exactly how I feel about you, Lucian. Yet here she is, throwing her fat body at you like a desperate little…”

“Enough,” Lucian interrupted, stepping slightly in front of me. His hand brushed mine for just a second a tiny touch that sent warmth through me despite everything. I missed it so much already. “You don’t get to talk to her like that.”

Mia’s expression flickered with real anger before she masked it with another smile. “Protecting her now? Interesting. Be careful, Lucian. My sister has a way of making people regret choosing her.” She looked straight at me. “Remember that, Lily. This little game of yours? It won’t end well.”

She turned and walked away without another word, her ponytail swinging like a warning flag. The calm from earlier was cracking, but not fully broken yet.

I let out a shaky breath, my knees feeling weak. Lucian turned to me, concern clear in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, even though I wasn’t. “I should go home. This… this is getting too complicated.”

He didn’t stop me, but his gaze lingered as I walked away. I could feel it on my back, on my curves, like a touch I desperately craved but was terrified to accept.

The days that followed fell into a strange, tense rhythm.

At home, dinners remained oddly peaceful. Mom and Dad had no idea about the storm brewing between us. Mia would chat about her day, ask me polite questions in front of our parents, and then retreat to her side of the room at night without a word. Too calm. It made my stomach twist every evening. I would lie in bed after she fell asleep, staring at the ceiling, wiping silent tears.

What did I do to deserve this? I wondered again and again. I just want you to love me, Mia. We’re supposed to be sisters.

In school, the bullying had gone quiet no new insults on my locker, no one knocking my tray. But Lucian kept his distance. He would nod at me in the hallways or give me small, secret smiles when no one was looking, but he didn’t approach. No more sitting next to me in class. No more pulling me into empty rooms. I missed his touch so badly it ached. At night, I remembered how his hand felt on my breast, how his voice sounded when he confessed he liked me. I craved him. But fear of Mia kept me from seeking him out.

One afternoon during free period, I sat under the oak tree alone, doodling in my notebook. Footsteps approached. I looked up, hoping it was him.

It was one of Mia’s friends, Sarah.

“Hey, Lily,” she said casually, sitting on the grass a few feet away. “Mia wanted me to give you a message. She says she’s willing to let things go if you stay away from Lucian. No more drama.”

I swallowed. “Tell her I’m not looking for drama.”

Sarah shrugged and left. The message was clear: behave, or else.

The calm continued for the rest of the week. No major incidents. Just small things that kept me on edge a “helpful” reminder from Mia at breakfast about how “certain boys prefer slim girls,” or finding my favorite pen mysteriously broken in my bag. Nothing big enough to complain about, but enough to remind me she was watching.

Lucian’s avoidance hurt the most. During lunch one day, I saw him across the cafeteria. Our eyes met. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to come over. Then Mia walked past his table with her friends, laughing loudly, and he stayed seated.

I went home that evening feeling hollow. After another strangely normal family dinner, I excused myself early and cried quietly in the bathroom, hoping Mia wouldn’t hear.

Why does wanting to be loved cost so much?

The weekend passed in the same uneasy peace. I helped Mom with chores, avoided being alone with Mia, and tried not to think about Lucian’s hands or his words. But I thought about them constantly.

Monday morning, I walked into school expecting the same fragile calm.

My locker was clean. My desk was fine. No one bothered me in the hallways.

But when I entered Literature class, Lucian was already there sitting in the back as usual. This time, though, there was a note on my desk. My heart skipped as I opened it.

Meet me after school at the tree. Please. I can’t keep staying away. – L

My fingers trembled holding the paper. I wanted to go so badly. But as I folded it, I felt eyes on me. Mia was watching me, always watching, her expression unreadable.