The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the Thompson household as Sarah's friends, Mia and Jess, arrived. They were frequent visitors, and today was no exception. Laughter filled the air as the girls settled in the living room, chatting and giggling about their latest school gossip.
Sarah glanced nervously towards the hallway, where Alex was busy in his room. She couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions—pride in her brother's transformation, but also a strange twinge of jealousy. Alex had always been her quiet, awkward brother, but now he was drawing attention from everyone, including her friends.
Mia nudged Sarah playfully. "So, Sarah, is your brother around? We haven't seen him in ages!"
Sarah hesitated, her heart racing. "Yeah, he's here. Why?"
Jess grinned. "Come on, Sarah! You can't keep him hidden forever. We just want to say hi."
With a resigned sigh, Sarah called out, "Alex, can you come here for a minute?"
A moment later, Alex appeared in the doorway, his presence instantly commanding attention. His transformation was striking—tall, with a lean build and defined abs that were impossible to ignore. He wore a casual t-shirt and jeans, but they did little to conceal the changes in his physique.
Mia's eyes widened. "Wow, Alex! You look… different."
Alex rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face. "Yeah, I guess I've changed a bit."
Jess' gaze lingered on his abs, and she couldn't help but comment, "A bit? You look amazing!"
Sarah watched as her friends fawned over Alex, a pang of jealousy twisting in her chest. She had always been close to her brother, but now it felt like she was sharing him with everyone else. She couldn't deny the pride she felt in his transformation, but seeing the way Mia and Jess looked at him stirred a protective instinct within her.
"Alright, alright," Sarah said, forcing a smile. "You've seen him. Can we get back to our hangout now?"
Mia and Jess laughed, but they reluctantly agreed. As they returned to their conversation, Sarah couldn't shake the feeling of unease. She loved her brother dearly, but this new dynamic was something she hadn't anticipated.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and Sarah's face brightened. "Oh, look who's here!"
Sarah opened the door to find Emily standing there. Emily was another girl from their school who had once been a significant crush of Alex's. Sarah hadn't realized that Emily would be joining their hangout today.
"Hi, Emily! Come on in," Sarah said, stepping aside to let her in.
Emily entered the house with a friendly smile. "Hey, Sarah! I thought I'd drop by. It's been a while."
Sarah introduced Emily to Mia and Jess. "This is Emily. She's a friend from school."
Emily greeted them warmly, and they all settled into the living room for their usual hangout. The conversation flowed easily, and Emily seemed to fit right in. She was catching up with everyone, but her attention kept drifting towards Alex, who was sitting quietly in the corner, occasionally glancing their way.
As the afternoon wore on, Sarah suggested they play a game of truth or dare, a tradition during their hangouts. The game was lively, with each round bringing laughter and playful teasing.
"Okay, truth or dare?" Jess asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she looked at Emily.
Emily thought for a moment. "Dare."
Jess grinned. "I dare you to get Alex to join us for a round."
Emily got up and walked over to where Alex was sitting. "Hey, Alex! We're playing truth or dare. Want to join us?"
Alex looked up, surprised but amused. "Sure, why not?"
Emily led him to the group, and everyone made space for him. The game continued, and the energy in the room was high. When it was Alex's turn, he chose dare, and Mia, with a playful grin, dared him to take off his shirt and flex his abs.
Sarah felt a familiar pang of jealousy as she watched Emily's reaction. Emily's eyes widened in surprise and admiration as Alex removed his shirt, revealing his sculpted abs.
The girls stared, their eyes filled with awe. Alex flexed his abs, and Mia and Jess couldn't help but reach out and touch his defined muscles, giggling and blushing.
Emily's gaze lingered on Alex, her admiration evident. "Wow, Alex. You've really changed. You look incredible."
Alex chuckled and put his shirt back on. "Yeah, it's been a weird adjustment for me, too."
Later, as the game wound down, the conversation turned to more personal topics. Mia, in her playful curiosity, asked Emily, "So, Emily, who's your current crush? Any special someone we should know about?"
Emily blushed slightly, her gaze drifting towards Alex, who was talking with Jess. She hesitated for a moment before replying, "Well, it's not exactly someone new… but let's just say there might be someone who's caught my eye recently."
Her vague response, combined with the way her gaze kept returning to Alex, didn't go unnoticed. Mia and Jess exchanged glances, a knowing smile spreading across their faces.
Sarah, overhearing the conversation, felt a new wave of jealousy wash over her, but she tried to push it aside. The hint was clear enough, even if Emily hadn't explicitly named Alex.
As Emily said her goodbyes and left, Sarah's mixed emotions simmered beneath the surface. She watched Alex with a mixture of pride and concern, knowing that their evolving relationship dynamics were both exciting and challenging.
Later that evening, as Sarah and Alex were cleaning up, Sarah decided to confront him about her feelings.
"Alex, can I ask you something?" she began hesitantly.
"Sure, what's up?" Alex replied.
"I noticed the way Emily was looking at you today. It seemed like she was pretty impressed," Sarah said, trying to keep her tone casual.
Alex looked thoughtful. "Yeah, I noticed that too. I used to have a crush on Emily a while back. But honestly, I don't feel that way anymore. I've moved on because I realized we didn't have much in common, and my feelings changed over time."
Sarah's eyes widened slightly. "I didn't know that. It must be strange to see her again after all that."
Alex shrugged. "Nah, I mean she didn't even know I used to feel that way about her and it didn't even matter anymore, I'm more focused on dealing with everything else that's changing in my life."
Sarah nodded, feeling a bit relieved. "I'm glad to hear that. I just want things to go smoothly for you."
Alex smiled. "Thanks, Sarah. I appreciate your support."
As the day came to a close, Sarah felt a mixture of pride and protectiveness. Her brother's transformation had brought new dynamics into their lives, but their bond remained strong. She knew that while things might be changing, some things, like their relationship, would always stay the same.
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Author's Note
With Alex revealing that he once had a crush on Emily but no longer feels that way, how do you think this will affect their interactions going forward? Will Emily's renewed interest lead to new complications, or will Alex's past feelings remain just that—past?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories about where things might head next! Share your predictions and ideas in the comments.
Guys I have mentioned this many times that the upload rate will be based on the response I get from this book and with the current response I have decided to post just one chapter a day
Sayonara