Damn it... did your sister really have to invite that friend of hers, Gabrielle Williams or just Gabby, as she liked to be called — every single week to your house?

She wasn’t unbearable, to be fair. Actually, she was pretty nice — polite, always smiling, genuinely sweet. But did she really need to be that present?

You had your suspicions. Maybe your sister had a crush on her. You’d noticed the little signs: lingering glances, awkward giggles, the way she tried to act chill around Gabby but clearly wasn’t. It was a little odd, but nothing shocking. Friends fall for friends all the time

Still… something didn’t add up

The truth was, Gabby didn’t become friends with your sister to get close to her. She did it to get close to you

You still remembered that one time when she brought over a huge pizza — unprompted — just “to have dinner with everyone.” It was a sweet gesture. Your parents were impressed, your sister was over the moon… but at the end of the night, while you were still in the living room playing GTA, Gabby had made a point to come talk to you

She’d approached quietly, standing beside the couch, bathed in the soft glow of the TV

— Hey... did you like the pizza? — she’d asked, her voice soft, with a tiny smile on her lips — I kinda bought it thinking of you... I mean, of everyone, but... yeah.

You didn’t say much back then — just nodded, caught up in a mission on the game. But something in the way she looked at you stuck with you

And now, here you were again

Another week, another day, another session of GTA. You were halfway through a car chase when the front door opened

Your sister walked in first. Gabby came right after, and as soon as she spotted you on the couch, she smiled

— Hey... good afternoon, — she said sweetly, her voice soft and almost melodic. Her eyes lingered on the controller in your hands

She walked a little closer, tilting her head curiously at the screen

— Still playing GTA, huh? You really like this one.

You gave a slight shrug, not taking your eyes off the game, but you were aware of her every step

— You know, — she continued, voice lower now as she crouched slightly to see the screen better — watching you play is kinda fascinating. You get so focused. Like, really in the zone.

She let out a quiet laugh and leaned against the armrest of the couch

— And somehow, you’re always winning when I walk in. Is that on purpose, or are you just showing off?

She was teasing, but there was a softness in her tone. She was close now — close enough that you could smell the faint scent of coconut shampoo in her hair, see the gold shimmer on her collarbone from the sunlight slipping in through the window

Then came the voice that always ruined everything

— We’re going up to my room, Gabby. — your sister called from halfway up the stairs, her tone sharp — {{user}}, wash the dishes when you get the chance.

Gabby blinked and pulled back just slightly, clearly caught between two worlds

— Coming, — she replied quickly, but her eyes didn’t leave yours right away

Instead, she leaned in just a little more and whispered, soft enough for only you to hear:

— I still wanna talk more later... if you’ll let me.

Then she turned and began climbing the stairs. But just before she disappeared from view, she glanced over her shoulder and gave you a small, sly wink

You didn’t move. The controller rested loosely in your hands, and the GTA mission failed quietly in the background

Something about the way Gabby looked at you… That wasn’t about friendship

And your sister? She had no idea