The mont my eyes landed on him, the na dropped into my mind before he even spoke.
Nicole Morris.
I’d heard of him before.
Not much, just fragnts that floated around whenever Dave’s family ca up in hushed, awkward conversations. The eldest son of Morris, who walked away with his sister.
The one who chose distance over drama. The one who never ca back... until now.
And now here he was.
At first glance, he could have passed for Dave’s twin, just the blonde version.
Sa tall fra, sa broad shoulders, sa set of the jaw that made people think twice before crossing them. But the differences... they were impossible to miss.
Where Dave’s hair was a jet black that drank in the light, Nicole’s was golden, catching it and throwing it back like it was spun from sothing rare.
His eyes were softer in shape but not in weight, seed to carry sothing serious which I could not pin point.
Even the way he stood was different. Dave was always braced, like life might throw a punch any second. Nicole... he looked like he’d already taken the hit and learned how to keep standing.
It was unsettling, how familiar and unfamiliar he felt all at once. Like eting a version of Dave who’d lived a different life.
"It’s nice to et you. I am Nicole Morris." He walked in as he was familiar with everything, though we t for the first ti.
"Dave’s step-brother?" It got out more like a statent than a question. His one eyebrow raised, surprise evident in his eyes.
"And you must be...," he stopped, making realize that he did not know who I was.
Mainly, who am I to Dave?
So, I completed for him and introduced myself with a polite smile plastered on my lips.
"I am Elena. Dave’s..." My words faltered, not knowing how to introduce myself.
Wife? No. Friend? Not really. Acquaintance? That sounded ridiculous.
I hesitated, lips pressing together as if that pause alone might magically finish the sentence for .
Nicole didn’t push. Instead, he tilted his head, waiting, his golden hair catching the light again like he had all the ti in the world.
The silence stretched long enough to make my palms clammy.
Finally, I settled on the safest option. "...I work with him."
It wasn’t the whole truth, but it wasn’t a lie either.
His lips curved, half amusent, half curiosity.
"Work with him, huh?" His voice was calm as he studied for a second longer, as if he could see through the cracks in my words. But then, just as quickly, he let it go.
Relief washed over , though I wasn’t sure why.
That’s when Dave entered the van.
Sweat covering his forehead as the other spot boy wipes it off. The director’s voice echoed in the background, "The next scene will be in ten minutes. So, rest up, everybody."
Holding a script in his hand, he kept his eyes glued to the papers as he entered.
Nicole turned and greeted him, "You have gone bigger than the last ti I saw you, Dave."
Dave finally looked away from the script as his eyes landed on the person standing between us. The mont his eyes landed on Nicole, his whole stature froze.
The air shifted, thick and tense, like an invisible thread had been pulled tight between them.
Dave’s face went blank, too blank, the kind of expression that wasn’t neutral but controlled, the kind soone wore when emotions threatened to spill, but they refused to let them.
He didn’t move. Didn’t speak.
Just stood there, staring at the man who looked so much like him, yet not at all.
And suddenly, I understood that whatever history lay between them, it was heavier than anything I’d imagined.
"When did you arrive?" It felt like an eternity had passed with awkward tension in the environnt when he spoke out, cutting it in half.
Nicole shook his head with a mysterious smile curved up on his lips, "God, it feels like you never changed."
This ti, the corner of Dave’s lips curved slightly, a smug look appearing on his face, "So habits die hard."
I noticed what he was trying to do. Though in all these years I never focused on myself, instead I hovered over Dave for my entire life.
For most of the part, it was an idiotic and creepy behaviour of mine which did not go well but now, I was seeing through his facade.
This smile was not a normal smile but a cover to hide whatever he was feeling in that mont.
The thing seed usual, but the part to notice was that he always used a cold expression and never smiled.
Moreover, the smile did not reach his eyes. It seed more like a coping chanism.
His eyes were a shade darker as if sothing took over him.
The tension in the air seed suffocating enough to choke if I dared to breathe too loudly, but it did not bother Nicole.
He stood there all tall with a smile plastered over his face.
"Anyway, Grandpa asked to co here to invite you to the upcoming ball. It’s next month.
The official invitations will be sent next week. I hope you can attend it," he said casually, like he wasn’t aware of the storm brewing in the tiny space.
His words rolled out smoothly, almost teasing.
A ball for what? I thought to myself, and as soon as the thought ca into my mind, Nicole answered it.
"It’s for the company’s anniversary," he continued, "And Grandpa wants to et you, so try to make so ti this week for our Sunday brunch. There are so things that need to be discussed."
Okay, awkward... Why in the world his every word sound double-aning?
I scrutinize him from head to toe, trying to find any crack to see through his smiling facade, but I fail miserably.
Dave just nodded in response as he put the full stop on the conversation, "Sure." I internally shook my head, seeing clearly how Dave was holding himself.
And the drama of the week begins.
I cannot even imagine what will happen in the future, and I don’t even want to.
But can I escape it?
Hardly.
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