Love Bug

one

I didn't have time to let my sister's engagement sink in. Not for the lack of trying but simply because not even a couple of days had passed, Wesley was once again over with a bouquet of fresh roses for his bride to be.

I remembered wanting to strangle him with his gifts and leaving him to die. But of course, I also remembered that to kill him would be counterproductive.

It's just the fact that I have yet to familiarise myself with the knowledge that Wesley—the boy of my wet dreams and the thing of my daydreams—would become my brother-in-law in no more than twelve months to this day. I haven't even accustomed myself with the knowledge that living under the same roof was the very girl who stole my chance, or any chance at all—however slim—of becoming Wesley's more-than-friend, if there was even such a thing.

I couldn't even be in the same room as Arielle without wishing her demise, and yet I'm going to be forced to endure the whole hoorah while they smooch in my face.

"Ana," Arielle's insistent knocking went on, pounding on my door like King Kong. "I swear to God, you better get your arse out of here or I'm breaking down the door!"

Hm, God doesn't exist.

I rolled around my bed, grasping the edge of my blanket with one angry hand and pulling it over myself to block out the unnecessary noise. Truth be told, Arielle had shown no inclination, whatsoever, of taking Wesley as her Union partner, if the wilting roses he had originally sent her were any indication. Today was just another day where she forces me to sit through the whole ordeal trying to lessen collateral damage when I'm the goddamned collateral damage.

And it's not like I had much of a choice to begin with considering my mother implements the worst house rules ever.

"Ana!" Arielle yelled, once more, shaking my doorknob as if her life depended on it.

I groaned. "What do you want?" I asked, pushing the blanket away from me so that I could sit up and growl insanely at my door, as if that was the most normal thing ever.

"Wesley's gonna be here soon," she said, her voice betraying her anxiety, "and mom wants you to help set up the table."

I rolled my eyes. "You want me to help set up the table, Arielle. At least be honest with yourself."

There was silence in which I was pretty sure Arielle could only either be fuming or blushing. And as she very rarely blushes, it could've only been the former, and I knew that the best way to stave off another round of screaming would be to take my trust-worthy earplugs out of their secret hiding place and put them on.

"Ana!"

I closed my eyes. While it felt good to hear Arielle plead and beg for me to do damage control, I knew that I was also treading dangerous waters. Because love wasn't a feeling they had banned for no reason. It destroyed people, tore apart families, turned oceans into bloodbaths and greeneries into wastelands.

Feeling it was dangerous. And I knew for sure that fuelling my hatred for Arielle would only lead to more regrets. Since my vaccine wasn't due for a couple more weeks, I knew I had to stop myself from trying to hate her more than I already do.

And maybe, if things go well, I'd be able to stand living with her and knowing she gets the one person I can never have.

Boy, was I so wrong.