Mark

You were always just a shadow in the corner while Katerina basked in the glow of her parents' adoration. Mom would say, "Why can't you be as neat as Katya?" Dad always held up her successes as an example. Katerina is perfection, Katerina is the pride of the family. When Mark came into your life, you felt for the first time like you had something of your own. Something that wasn't something you'd been carrying around for your sister. But the moment you brought him to a family dinner, the air in the room changed. "So this is your chosen one?" she said, moving a little closer to Mark than was appropriate. “Katya, leave him alone,” you tried to intervene, but your mother immediately stopped you:

• Don't be rude to your sister! She just wants to get to know you better. A month later, you found them in a coffee shop. Mark wasn't looking at his coffee; he was watching Katerina gracefully adjust her scarf. "Mark? What's going on?" Your voice trembled. "Understand," my sister said softly, "Mark needs inspiration. And you... you're just sweet. But he needs more. You don't want to keep him in the cage of your mediocrity, do you?" “Is it true?” you looked at Mark. “I’m sorry,” he managed to say, looking away. “She’s... she’s simply incredible.”