"Elise."
Elise stared at those chocolate brown eyes, almost hypnotized. She even forgot she was standing at the entrance blocking her brother's path.
It has been 6 years…
The air between them was thick with the weight of unspoken words. Elise's heart pounded in her chest as she took in the sight of her stepbrother.
The last time she saw Dietrich, he was still somewhat a teenager, but the man standing before her now was so much more. He had a commanding presence, his tall frame accentuated by the tailored suit he wore, every inch of him exuding confidence.
The chiseled features of his face were set in a neutral expression, but those eyes, those deep, intense eyes, held her captive, searching her own as if trying to read her thoughts.
"Dietrich…" Elise finally managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.
Dietrich's gaze softened, just a fraction, but not enough for Elise to notice before the softness disappeared. "You're blocking the way, Elise," he said, his tone smooth but distant, as if he were addressing a stranger.
Elise snapped out of her trance and quickly stepped aside, feeling a rush of embarrassment. "S-Sorry." Something pricked her heart as Dietrich brushed past her.
Christie, who had been silently observing the exchange, nudged Elise playfully. "Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" she teased, though her eyes were glued to Dietrich's face with a teasing smirk.
Elise cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Christie, this is Dietrich, my… stepbrother," she said, the word feeling foreign on her tongue. "Dietrich, this is Christie, my best friend."
Dietrich nodded politely at Christie, though his attention quickly returned to Elise. "Nice to meet you, Christie," he said with a slight smile, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere. "We should get going before the rain gets worse."
"Right," Elise mumbled, her nerves still on edge.
"Mom! I'll come back to catch up after dropping them. I missed your cookies so much." Dietrich ignored Elise's presence as he brushed past her to hug his stepmother.
Elise watched, feeling a pang of something she couldn't quite name as Dietrich embraced their mother. The casual way he ignored her, as if she was nothing more than a shadow in the room, stung more than she wanted to admit. She tried to push the feeling aside, but it clung to her, refusing to let go. Is this how elder siblings behaved? Everyone else had…
"Take your time, dear," their mother replied warmly, patting Dietrich's back affectionately while interrupting Elise's thoughts. "I'll have a fresh batch ready when you return."
Dietrich smiled—a genuine one this time—and it made something twist in Elise's chest. He hadn't smiled at her like that in years. In fact, she couldn't even remember the last time he had shown her any sort of warmth.
As he pulled away from their mother, his expression shifted back to its usual aloofness. "Let's go," he said, his tone brisk as he turned to the door, not waiting for Elise or Christie to follow.
Elise bit her lip, her heart sinking further. Why does he always have to be so cold to me? she wondered, her eyes following his retreating figure. Elise could have sworn she felt the same chills as one would feel on a hill station.
Christie gave her best friend a sympathetic look before nudging her forward. "Come on, Elise," Christie whispered, trying to keep the mood light. "We don't want the rain to get heavier, do we?"
Elise forced a small smile, but her heart wasn't in it. What has she ever done to him? She grabbed her purse, giving her mom one last hug before following Dietrich and Christie to the car.
The sleek black vehicle gleamed under the dim light of the porch, its presence only adding to the unease swirling inside Elise.
As they settled into the car, Elise found herself sitting in the front passenger seat beside Dietrich, while Christie took the back. The silence was heavy, only the sound of the rain tapping against the windows filling the space. Elise fiddled with her dress, unsure of what to say, or if she should say anything at all.
Dietrich, on the other hand, seemed perfectly at ease as he started the car, his movements fluid and controlled. But there was a tension in his jaw that Elise couldn't ignore, a subtle sign that perhaps he wasn't as unaffected as he appeared.
"So," Christie piped up from the backseat, trying to break the awkwardness, "Dietrich, what have you been up to all these years? Elise talks about you sometimes, but she never says much."
Elise shot a quick glare at Christie through the rearview mirror, but Christie just gave her a mischievous grin in return.
Dietrich's eyes flickered briefly toward Elise before focusing back on the road. "I've been busy with work and other things," he replied vaguely, his voice cool. "It's been a while since I've been back here, so I'm still getting used to everything again."
"Ooooh! So, you got a girlfriend yet?" Dietrich's grip on the steering wheel tightened ever so slightly, a subtle sign that Christie's question had hit a nerve.
He didn't answer right away, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, the tension in the car palpable.
Elise felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment, a knot of discomfort forming in her stomach. She knew Christie was only trying to lighten the mood, but it felt like a boundary had been crossed—one she wasn't sure Dietrich was ready to talk about. And, she didn't plan to die without finding her mate yet.
"Christie," Elise started, her voice strained with the effort to sound casual, "maybe we should—"
"No," Dietrich interrupted, his tone measured but firm. "It's fine." He glanced at Elise, his expression unreadable. "No girlfriend. I've been too focused on my career to worry about relationships."
Christie raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Really? That's surprising. I mean, look at you—tall, veiny, and brooding. You must have girls throwing themselves at you left and right."
Dietrich let out a short, humorless laugh. "It's not as glamorous as it sounds. Besides, I prefer to keep things… simple."
Elise couldn't help but feel a strange mix of relief and something else she couldn't quite name. *Simple.* That word echoed in her mind, filling her with a hollow sense of… what? Disappointment? No, that couldn't be it.
Why would she be affected if Dietrich was single or not? He was her brother after all.
"Well, that's a shame," Christie said with a playful pout. "But I guess that just means more time for us tonight, right, Elise?"
Elise forced a smile, trying to shake off the confusing emotions swirling inside her. "Right," she mumbled, her gaze shifting to the rain-splattered window. The city lights blurred as they passed, each streak of color reflecting her muddled thoughts.
Dietrich didn't say anything more, the conversation dying out as quickly as it had started. The rest of the drive was silent, the only sound was the soft hum of the engine and the steady rhythm of the rain.
When they finally arrived at the prom venue, Dietrich pulled up to the entrance, the golden lights illuminating the grand hall. He put the car in park and turned to Elise, his expression softening just a fraction.
"Enjoy your night," he said quietly, almost as if it was an afterthought.
Elise nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She opened the door and stepped out into the warm glow of the venue lights, Christie following closely behind.
As they made their way to the entrance, Elise couldn't help but glance back at Dietrich. He was watching her… his eyes shadowed with something she couldn't quite decipher.
"Let's go, Elise!" Christie tugged on her arm, pulling her toward the entrance with a bright smile. "We've got a night to remember ahead of us!"
But, a thought lingered in her head as Christie pulled her inside.
What was that?