Elke seconde telt // Every second counts (FanFiction)

Chapter 2

Saturday October 21, 9:29

As the morning sunlight brightens my room, I open my eyes dizzily. A strange feeling immediately tightens my stomach and the memory of last night's revelation rushes back. My latest crush turned out to be my stepsister? What are the chances?

I drag myself out of bed and stumble downstairs to the kitchen. I enter to find my mother busy preparing bacon and eggs for breakfast. "Good morning," she greets me, to which I tiredly reply before sitting down at the table. It's evident that my sleep was far from restful. "How was your evening?" my mother inquires curiously as she serves a portion of bacon and eggs. Hesitantly, I consider whether to share the news or not. "Well, I went for a drink at Bar Brul with some new friends," I begin, adding a hint of mystery. "There was someone special there too," I continue, trying to pique her interest. My mother looks at me with a questioning gaze. "Who?" she asks. Meeting her gaze, I respond, "Anaïs Davis." A hint of frustration lingers within me. Why does this kind of situations always have to happen to me? My mother, in the middle of taking a sip of coffee, chokes as she processes the information. "You met Anaïs?!" she asks for confirmation. I nod. "And do you like her?" she asks curiously. If only she knew... I nod again, keeping my response brief.

After breakfast, I go to my room to work on my new tracks. As I climb the stairs, I hear my mother calling Samuel to tell him the surprising news. They come up with the idea of all of us having lunch together tomorrow at the Davis' family home. I don't really know how to feel, in one way it gives me the opportunity to get to know Anaïs better, but on the other hand the whole situation is just so fucked up.

Sunday October 22, 12:35

It is a bright Sunday noon when my mother and I arrive at the home of Samuel and Anaïs. The sun casts a warm glow on the front of the house as my mother rings the doorbell. Moments later, Samuel swings open the door and greets us with a welcoming smile. "Hi, Anne-Marie and Bobbie. Come in and make yourselves at home," Samuel says as he leads us inside. While my mother openly admires the house, I decide to explore further and head into the living room. As I look around, I get a strange feeling of being watched. I look up and there she is... Anaïs is standing at the top of the stairs, looking at me. A spontaneous smile plays on my lips at the sight of her. She looks stunning, as always.

As my mother and Samuel team up in the kitchen, preparing lunch, I find myself in the living room with Anaïs. When she kindly hands me a glass of water, I thank her with a simple "Thanks". She settles beside me on the couch, but she is clearly not much in the mood for a conversation.

I decide to break the silence anyway, and raise my glass in a toast. "To unexpected meetings," I say with a hopeful grin. However, Anaïs remains resolute, refusing to join in. Her facial expression leaves no room for doubt, this is a clear no. All I can do is try, I think to myself. I take a sip of water to hide my disappointment, then pretend to be busy with my phone. But I'm really wondering what I can do to get in touch with Anaïs. She clearly doesn't like me, but 'giving up' is not in my vocabulary.

As if the situation wasn't bad enough, we suddenly hear our parents - who seem to be sharing a moment - giggling from the kitchen. Anaïs and I exchange glances, our expressions are a mixture of discomfort and disbelief. The realisation that my mother might find happiness in the company of someone other than my father is a bitter pill to swallow. I sense a similar struggle within Anaïs. Needing a moment of distraction, I divert my attention by exploring the room more intensely.

As I explore the room, a framed picture with a little girl holding a microphone catches my eye, a striking resemblance to Anaïs. Unable to control my curiosity, I start giggling and point to the picture, asking, "Is that you?". Anaïs confirms, "Yes, it is. What about it?" There's a defensive tone in her response, as if she's preparing for judgment. A spontaneous grin crosses my face. "So cute!" I remark, attempting to lighten the mood. Eager to engage her further, I inquire, "Do you sing?" Even though I already know from Hanne that she can sing very well, this is the perfect time to bring up the subject. "Not really anymore, but sometimes," she replies. Although I managed to get some words out of her, the enthusiasm I was hoping for remains absent, leaving me with the feeling that bonding with Anaïs will require much more time.