She lay splayed out on the bed, surrounded by electronics and jiggling her toes to the beat. Around her, several pillows, a laptop, a tablet, and two phones either buzzed or displayed a light-up screen.
“Cressi!” I jumped on the bed and straight in her arms, holding onto her for dear life. She did not react for a second, probably surprised by my rush, but then her arms curled around me and pulled me in tight, making our chests connect for a few seconds.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as I released her, wiping my watery eyes.
“I have a few days off and your mom said you were coming back tonight, so I decided to pop in for a sleepover,” she smiled and as soon as I saw her lips form the gesture, I felt a rush of relief flood through me. I could do this, with Cressi by my side. She could guide me through it all, offer me support and help me find a way to get Rhylan away from here untilthe time came.
“I brought a man home,” I said quickly, aware of the time and the fact that I had to give her a year’s worth of explanations in twenty minutes.
Cressi’s face dropped and her eyes grew so wide, that for a second she looked like the big bad wolf. I saw her struggling to take the information in, to understand what I had just said as a river of expressions flowed onto her face within a split second.
“Who is he?” she settled for an easy question, or she must have thought so.
“It’s complicated, and I need you to help me get rid of him without being too obvious because I need him back in exactly forty-three days and a half.”
Cressi laughed and laid back on the bed, arranging two big pillows under her neck, then grabbed her laptop again and pressed play on the music, making the room turn into a disco.
“I’m serious!” I said but her muttered “aha” did not sound very impressed with what must have sounded like a terrible joke.
“As you wish, just remember my words when we go down for dinner,” I raised my shoulders in defeat and headed to the bathroom. I still had time for a quick shower and the attire and high heels I wore on the plane did not feel comfy at all, so I couldn't wait to change into some jeans and trainers.
Ten minutes later, with my wet hair pulled up in a messy bun, I returned to the room in a white t-shirt and a pair of jeggings, along with green Converse and of course, clean underwear.
“Ready for dinner?” I asked my friend, who had started editing one of her videos about a fashion parade she attended.
“Let’s go,” Cressi replied and stood from bed.
That was the only thing my gorgeous sister had to do to get ready, stand up, and go. Unlike the rest of us mortals, who actually had to put in some effort to look presentable enough for the people we had to break bread with.
She did not wait for me to lead and opened the door, knowing her way to the dining hall perfectly well, since she practically grew up in this house too.
As we reached the doors, we heard dad talking to another man and I recognised Rhylan’s voice immediately. He had already come down without telling me. That bastard.
I sighed again — it seemed to be my favourite pastime lately— and opened the door to the dining hall, where indeed, my dad and Rhylan stood by the bar, each holding a glass of something amber.
Dad looked relaxed and Rhylan was smiling, but by my side, Cressida froze. Her muscles flexed and her entire body stopped in place, unable to move or help me hold the door that we had pushed in together.
“You brought a man home,” she spoke slowly, only for me to hear.
“No kidding,” I huffed and made my way into the room.
As soon as we entered, dad turned to us and stepped closer to me, then opened his arms to let me slide inside his embrace for a long hug. All the while Cressida remained paralysed by the door and Rhylan casually sipped his liquor, enjoying the stunned look on my face. “I like him,” dad whispered into the shell of my ear, an approval I did not understand at first.
“And who is this beautiful lady?” Rhylan interrupted and stepped closer to a stunned Cressi, who did not move or react to what developed before her eyes. I understood her amazement. She had beenby my side in the past year, seeing me cry for Ansgar day after day, so it must have truly shocked her to see me bring home someone else so suddenly and unexpectedly, without her having any prior warning.
“Cressida Thompson,” I announced and escaped my father’s arms to approach the two. Rhylan had that look on his face and I had to take my friend away before she became his new prey. “You might have seen her on magazine covers and on TV, she is very famous around these parts,” I tried to paint a picture that clearly stated Cressi was out of his reach and she had so much coverage that his presence alongside her would not pass as anonymous. Especially since he needed to keep his identity hidden, without having proof of his existence all over the printed press and socials.
“I have no doubt that she is, her beauty is beyond anything I’ve seen in recent history,” Rhylan pursed his lips after he finished speaking and grabbed Cressi’s right hand to lift it to his lips. A soft, very long kiss remained planted on my friend’s skin, who, to my surprise, smiled so widely, as though she just won a beauty award.
“I don’t believe we have been introduced,” Cressi spoke without breaking eye contact or removing her hand from his.
Oh no, no, no, no!I knew that look. God damn it, I knew that look and did not like it one bit. Cressi showed interest. Hell, she looked like she might just plan an escape with Rhylan and travel across the globe for a honeymoon. No, this could not be happening, I would not let it happen. I had to snap her out of it and I had to make it clear to Rhylan that touching my friend would break the contract we had. I did not trust the man with a butter knife, let alone with the heart of my sister.
“Rhylan Gordon, but you can call me Rhy, all my friends do,” he purred and continued caressing her hand.
“There is no need for that, Cressi has too many friends as it is. Men friends.” I clarified, which caused Cressi to frown and finally remove her eyes from his, breaking the trance she had been caught in.
She showed her discontent with a grimace and I widened my eyes to her, trying to communicate that whatever her plans with Rhylan, they were out of bounds.
