BE ALRIGHT

8

As I slowly opened my eyes, I heard a familiar voice calling out my name. It was Jennie's brother, and he was standing right in front of me with a broad smile on his face. I couldn't help but feel a little disoriented from being woken up so abruptly.

"Let's eat!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands together like an excited child.

I winced in pain as I lifted my head, my neck throbbing from sleeping in an uncomfortable position. I checked the wall clock and realized that it was already 8 in the evening. I must have dozed off for a while.

"How long have you been sleeping there?" he asked, concern etched on his face. "You should've slept on the couch," he added, as he quickly pulled up a chair and placed it next to me.

"I must have been sleeping for probably seven hours," I answered, causing Jennie's brother's eyes to widen in surprise. As he pulled up a chair next to me, I winced in discomfort due to the stiff neck that had resulted from my prolonged slumber.

"Oh God," he said, looking concerned. "I'll ask someone to get some ice for your neck," he added before promptly leaving the room, presumably to speak with Jennie's secretary.

Feeling a bit awkward and uncertain about what to do next, I reached for my phone and checked for any messages from Jennie. To my disappointment, I found none.

"Jennie's on a meeting," her brother informed me as he returned, noticing my phone in my hand. "She's always been a workaholic," he added with a shake of his head. "Did you bring that food for her?" he asked, pointing to the takeout containers.

"I brought the food for lunch," I explained, trying to keep my neck as still as possible as it continued to throb.

"Well, let's eat it now so it won't go to waste," he said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "You know I'm Chinese, so I love Chinese food," he added with a mischievous glint in his eye, making me chuckle despite the discomfort I was feeling.

"It's already cold, though," I warned him, but he paid no attention as he reached for the takeout containers and started opening them up one by one.

"It doesn't matter," he said, pushing one of the takeout containers towards me. "It's still food, and it's delicious."

I couldn't help but smile at his simple joy as he eagerly dug into the dishes, savouring every bite. Despite the fact that the food was cold, it still tasted amazing, and I could feel my taste buds come alive with each new flavour.

As we ate, we chatted about random things, from Jackson's favourite foods to Jennie's crazy work schedule. Even though I had only just met Jackson, I felt a sense of comfort in his easy-going nature and lighthearted humour.

After we had finished eating, we waited for a few minutes until the secretary walked in and handed Jackson the ice pack. He then passed it to me, and I gratefully accepted, placing it on my stiff neck. The cool sensation provided some relief, and I felt myself starting to relax.

As we sat there, we continued talking for a couple more hours, and I found myself getting lost in the conversation. Jackson was so different from his sister, Jennie. He was talkative, friendly and full of energy, unlike Jennie, who was reserved and more serious.

As we chatted, I couldn't help but wonder if they were really siblings. I remembered reading an article that said they shared the same dad, but they seemed like they came from different planets. However, as Jackson regaled me with stories from his childhood, including embarrassing moments and funny pranks he played on his friends, I could see the resemblance in their features and mannerisms. Despite their differences, they were unmistakably siblings.