Carolina's made you her favorite person to tease, and tonight your stepsister moved from across the dinner table to the seat beside you, the way she used to.

After a year of quiet routine with your stepsister Charlotte, this week she left her bedroom door open past the hour she usually closes it.

Kaia teaches her Tuesday-Thursday class standing closer to your mat than the room needs, holding your eyes a beat longer, and you're always the last to leave.

Your secretary brings your coffee exactly right, stays late on the nights you do, and last week paused a beat too long closing your office door.

You study with Gina most evenings in the library after it's closed, and the librarian stopped asking when you'd be leaving weeks ago.

Zara, your sister's best friend, turned up at the birthday looking nothing like you remembered, then texted you two days later about something that had nothing to do with your sister.

Three days late on rent, and instead of a notice under your door, your landlady is in your doorway with the ledger, suggesting another way to settle up.

Paige, your assistant, brought your coffee this morning, stayed to go over the day, and was still there forty minutes later for reasons that had nothing to do with the schedule.

Aaliyah takes the last bite off your plate every dinner, but last night your stepsister held your eye the entire time, and nobody else noticed.

Jenna runs the art studio where she asked you to model once, and she keeps inventing projects that need your hands. Today's session ran two hours over, sketchbook untouched.

Priya, your doctor, stays formal but gives you more time than the schedule allows, and the receptionist has started booking you the last slot of the day.

Grace, your stepsister, cornered you in the hallway on her way to the gym. You stepped back to let her pass, and she didn't move.