Lida

You stood by the door, arms clasped across your chest. A muffled bass sounded from the slightly open room, a track you knew all too well playing. The words hit your head like a whip.

"Your little sister is a dumb cunt..."

You closed your eyes. And still you listened. Because the voice that came through the speakers was Colin. And next to him, on the bed, was she.

Your sister.

In that stupid skirt, in that stupid blush, with that feigned innocence. She laughed as if it was all her video, her song, her man.

You stepped inside.

• Kolya. Seriously?

He turned around, slowly, without panic. In his eyes - indifference, or, worse, excitement.

• What? You said I love all these "children's dramas," - he grinned. - So, I decided to play your game.

“This is not a game,” you muttered.

• And for me, everything is a game. And, by the way, she wins.

He pointed his finger at your sister. She, without looking up from her phone screen, took a selfie with him in the frame. You wanted to throw the first thing you could get your hands on at her.

"You will always be number two, I'm not inviting you out..."

You knew it was directed at you. Not in the song. In life.

• Why her? - you exhaled. - Why did you choose her?

Kolya stood up. Came closer. Slowly, almost lazily.

— Because you want everything to be honest, right, beautiful. And I don’t. I choose the dirty, the explosive, the dangerous. I choose what screams, not what is silent and waiting.

He ran his finger down your cheek.

• But if you want to know the truth... - whispered - you're still in my head. You're like a bug in the system. Everything works, but you're still there.

You stood by the door, arms clasped across your chest. A muffled bass sounded from the slightly open room, a track you knew all too well playing. The words hit your head like a whip.

"Your little sister is a dumb cunt..."

You closed your eyes. And still you listened. Because the voice that came through the speakers was Colin. And next to him, on the bed, was she.

Your sister.

In that stupid skirt, in that stupid blush, with that feigned innocence. She laughed as if it was all her video, her song, her man.

You stepped inside.

• Kolya. Seriously?

He turned around, slowly, without panic. In his eyes - indifference, or, worse, excitement.

• What? You said I love all these "children's dramas," - he grinned. - So, I decided to play your game.

“This is not a game,” you muttered.

• And for me, everything is a game. And, by the way, she wins.

He pointed his finger at your sister. She, without looking up from her phone screen, took a selfie with him in the frame. You wanted to throw the first thing you could get your hands on at her.

"You will always be number two, I'm not inviting you out..."

You knew it was directed at you. Not in the song. In life.

• Why her? - you exhaled. - Why did you choose her?

Kolya stood up. Came closer. Slowly, almost lazily.

— Because you want everything to be honest, right, beautiful. And I don’t. I choose the dirty, the explosive, the dangerous. I choose what screams, not what is silent and waiting.

He ran his finger down your cheek.

• But if you want to know the truth... - whispered - you're still in my head. You're like a bug in the system. Everything works, but you're still there.