The hickeys on my neck throb slightly as I adjust my collar in the mirror. Mom's been rushing around the house all day, cleaning obsessively and arranging flowers like the Queen of England is coming to visit instead of just her fiancé and his daughter. I've never seen her this nervous before.
"Do I look okay?" I ask, turning to face Kayla, who's leaning against my doorframe.
My breath catches in my throat. She's wearing a perfectly tailored black suit that accentuates her athletic frame, the sharp lines of the jacket highlighting her broad shoulders. The crisp white shirt underneath is unbuttoned just enough to hint at her collarbone, and a slim black tie hangs loosely around her neck. Her short dark hair is styled with just enough product to look effortlessly tousled.
"You look fine," she says, her eyes traveling slowly down my body. "But that sweater is a little too... innocent."
I glance down at my cream-colored sweater. "What's wrong with innocent?"
"Nothing," she shrugs, pushing off the doorframe and sauntering toward me. "I just don't want Megan getting any ideas about my sweet little brother."
She reaches out, adjusting my collar with possessive precision. Her fingers linger on my neck, brushing over the bruises she's left there.
"These are healing nicely," she murmurs, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
I swallow hard, my body instantly responding to her touch. "Mom said they'll be here in ten minutes."
"Plenty of time," Kayla whispers, leaning in to press a soft kiss against my lips.
I melt into the kiss, my hands finding her waist as she backs me against the wall. Her tongue teases mine, deepening the kiss just enough to leave me wanting more before she pulls away.
"We should get downstairs," she says, her voice husky. "Mom will freak if we're not waiting like perfect children when they arrive."
I nod, adjusting myself discreetly as we head downstairs. Mom is frantically fluffing pillows in the living room, her smart pantsuit immaculate despite her frenzied state.
"There you two are!" she exclaims, relief washing over her features. "Travis, honey, you look so cute. Kayla, that suit is perfect."
"Thanks, Mom," Kayla says, settling onto the couch with casual grace. She pats the spot next to her, and I sit down, feeling her thigh press against mine through our clothes.
Mom checks her watch for the fifth time in as many minutes. "They should be here any second. Now remember best behavior, both of you. This is important to me."
I glance at my mother's pantsuit, then at Kayla's sharp tailoring. "Shouldn't we be ourselves if they're going to be family? This feels a bit formal."
Mom pauses her pillow-fluffing, giving me a conflicted look. "Well, yeah, but first impressions and all. I want them to see us at our best."
The doorbell rings, and Mom nearly jumps out of her skin.
"They're here!" she whispers, smoothing her hair one last time before hurrying to the door.
Kayla's hand finds mine on the couch, squeezing it briefly before pulling away. "Remember," she murmurs under her breath, "You're mine."
The sound of the front door opening sends a wave of anxiety through me.
"Robert! Megan! Come in, come in," Mom's voice carries from the entryway, unnaturally high and breathless.
Heavy footsteps approach, and then they're there, standing in our living room. Robert is tall and broad-shouldered with salt-and-pepper hair and kind eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses. He's wearing a tweed blazer with leather elbow patches that screams "professor."
But it's Megan who captures my attention. She's stunning in a way that feels almost weaponized, tall and athletic with auburn hair in a tight ponytail. Her smile reveals perfect teeth as she surveys our living room with confident curiosity.
"So these are your kids!" Robert says warmly, extending his hand first to Kayla, who rises from the couch with predatory grace. "You must be Kayla. Diana's told me so much about you."
Kayla shakes his hand firmly, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "All good things, I hope."
"Of course," Robert laughs, turning to me. "And Travis. It's great to finally meet you, son."
The word "son" sends an uncomfortable shiver down my spine. I stand up, taking his offered hand, noticing how his grip is firm but not challenging. "Nice to meet you too."
"And this is my daughter, Megan," Robert says proudly, gesturing toward the Auburn goddess beside him.
Megan steps forward, her eyes lingering on the hickeys visible above my sweater collar. A knowing smile plays on her lips as she extends her hand to me first, not Kayla.
"Travis," she says, her voice honey-smooth. "Your mom has shown me so many pictures, but they really don't do you justice."
Her grip is firm, almost challenging, as she holds my hand a beat longer than necessary. I can feel Kayla tensing beside me, her posture shifting subtly into something more territorial.
"Megan," Kayla says, stepping forward to insert herself between us. "I've heard you're at MIT."
Megan finally releases my hand, turning her attention to Kayla with a calculating smile. "That's right. Mechanical engineering with a minor in biomechanics."
Mom claps her hands together, breaking the strange tension that's settled over the room. "Why don't we move to the dining room? Dinner's all ready."
As we file toward the dining room, I notice Megan's outfit for the first time. She's also wearing a perfectly tailored suit, charcoal gray with subtle pinstripes that accentuate her athletic frame.
We approach the rectangular dining table, and I hesitate, unsure where to sit. Kayla immediately slides into the chair next to me, her hand briefly squeezing my thigh under the table in a possessive gesture. Megan takes the seat directly across from me, her gray eyes meeting mine with an intensity that makes my stomach flip.
"So you two are in college, right?" Megan asks, smoothing her napkin across her lap with practiced elegance.
"Yeah, we both go to Salem State," I reply, feeling strangely nervous under her steady gaze.
"Salem State," she repeats, her voice carrying a hint of something I can't quite identify. "Interesting choice. What are you studying?"
Before I can answer, Kayla's hand returns to my thigh, her grip tightening slightly. "I'm in business with a focus on sports management," she says. "Travis is still figuring things out, but he's leaning toward psychology."
Megan's eyes never leave my face, even as Kayla speaks for me. "Psychology? That's fascinating. Are you interested in clinical work or research?"
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, feeling strangely cornered by the question. "I really don't know," I admit with a shrug. "I'm not even sure psychology is right for me. Might switch majors completely."
"Finding yourself," Megan nods, her eyes gleaming with interest. "That's what college is for, right? Exploration and... experimentation." Her gaze flicks back briefly to the hickeys on my neck before returning to my eyes.
Kayla's fingers dig into my thigh under the table, not quite painful but definitely possessive. "Travis has plenty of time to figure things out," she says, her voice carrying a subtle edge. "No need to rush into anything."
Mom bustles in with a steaming casserole dish, breaking the tension. "Hope everyone likes lasagna! It's my specialty."
"It smells wonderful, Diana," Robert says warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiles at my mother. The genuine affection in his expression catches me off guard.
As Mom serves the food, Robert clears his throat. "So, we were thinking about timing for the wedding. Nothing too rushed, maybe next summer?"
"Summer wedding?" Mom beams, passing plates around. "That sounds lovely."
"Oh, that reminds me," Mom says as she serves everyone a generous piece of lasagna, her spatula hovering momentarily over Megan's plate. "I haven't told my kids about the living arrangement yet."
My brow furrows as I look up from my plate. "Living arrangement? Are they moving in here?" Our house is decent-sized but hardly big enough for two more people.
Megan scoffs under her breath, the sound barely audible but unmistakably dismissive.
Robert sets down his water glass, dabbing at his mouth with a napkin before addressing me directly. "Actually, we have quite a large house in Wakefield. Your mother and I discussed it, and we think that would be a much better place for all of us to live."
"How large?" Kayla asks, her voice carefully neutral, though I can feel the tension radiating from her body beside me.
"Six bedrooms," Robert answers with obvious pride. "More than enough space for everyone to have their own privacy."
I nod slowly, a pang of sadness hitting me at the thought of leaving my childhood home. But as I glance at Kayla, I realize the only thing I truly care about is being able to live with her. As long as we're under the same roof, I can adapt to anything.
"It's a beautiful place," Mom adds, her eyes shining with excitement. "There's even a pool."
"A pool?" I echo, perking up despite myself. Swimming has always been one of my favorite activities, though I rarely get to indulge. Our community pool closed years ago, and I hate the sand at the beach.
"Olympic-sized," Megan interjects, her gaze fixed on me with unsettling intensity. "I train there every morning. Perhaps you'd like to join me sometime, Travis?"
Kayla's fingers dig deeper into my thigh, her nails creating crescent moons through the fabric of my pants. The sharp sting makes me jump slightly, causing Megan's eyebrow to arch with curiosity.
"Travis isn't much of a morning person," Kayla says smoothly, her smile not reaching her eyes. "And he's still adjusting to college life. His schedule is pretty full."
Megan tilts her head, her ponytail swinging like a pendulum. "Is that so? Well, perhaps evening swims then. The pool is lit beautifully at night."
Robert clears his throat, oblivious to the tension crackling between his daughter and my sister. "The house has been in my family for generations. Plenty of history in those walls." He chuckles, taking a bite of lasagna before continuing. "Diana tells me you two are quite close?"
"Very," Kayla says, her voice clipped.
Robert smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he looks between Kayla and me. "That's so wonderful. Megan has always wanted a younger brother." He pats his daughter's shoulder affectionately. "I'm sure you'll all get along so well."
Megan's lips curve into a wide smile, her eyes never leaving mine. "Do you watch anime, Travis?" she asks, her voice taking on a lilting quality.
"Yeah, sometimes," I reply, feeling Kayla's fingers tighten painfully around my thigh under the table.
Megan carefully sets her fork down beside her plate, the metal making a soft clink against the porcelain. She leans forward slightly, her eyes gleaming with something I can't quite identify.
"Do you want to try calling me onee-chan?" she asks, her tongue darting out to wet her lips in a gesture that's somehow both innocent and predatory.
The table falls silent. Mom looks confused, Robert seems oblivious, continuing to eat his lasagna. Kayla has gone completely rigid beside me, her breathing so controlled I can barely hear it.
"I, uh..." I stammer, feeling heat rush to my face. "I don't know what that means?" I lie.
Megan's smile doesn't falter. "It means 'big sister' in Japanese. Since we're going to be family soon, I thought it might be... appropriate."
"That's very thoughtful, Megan," Mom interjects, clearly trying to navigate this strange tension. "Travis has always been so close to Kayla. I'm sure he'll appreciate having another big sister figure in his life, right."
"I don't need another sister," I blurt out, my voice sharper than intended. I feel Kayla relax infinitesimally beside me.
Robert laughs, the sound booming and oblivious. "Family dynamics take time to develop. No need to rush anything." He takes a sip of his water. "Though I must say, I'm relieved Megan will have siblings now. She's been quite isolated, being an only child."
"I wouldn't say isolated," Megan counters, her eyes still fixed on me. "Just... selective about my attachments."
"How telling," Kayla says with a voice full of annoyance.