"Honey! Your friend Alan is here!"

I barely had time to gather myself before I heard Mom’s voice from downstairs.

I rushed down to the front door, where Alan stood in a green t-shirt and shorts, grinning.

"Bro!" he exclaimed. "I wasn’t expecting you to actually invite me over!"

"Come in! Don’t be shy—our house is your house!" Mom said cheerfully.

Alan stepped inside, looking around. "So… where’s your room?"

I chuckled. "Follow me."

As we climbed the stairs, I couldn’t shake the lingering sensation of being watched. The game wasn’t done with me yet.

But for now, I had to play my role.

We entered my room, and Alan flopped onto the floor, glancing around.

"Wait… did you take down your dirty posters?"

"Yeah," I said simply. "Didn’t feel right having them up anymore."

Alan smirked. “Oh, I see. It’s because of Rebecca, isn’t it? You wanna impress her."

I groaned. "No, dude. I just don’t wanna look at girls like that anymore."

"Yeah, yeah, sure," he teased. "So what were you guys talking about earlier? Wait, don’t tell me—she confessed to you!"

"No! She just doesn’t trust this new me," I said with a sigh.

Alan tilted his head in thought. "Hm… maybe you just need to take things slow and be nice to her. I actually overheard Rebecca and her friends talking about what they like in a guy."

He grinned. "I know you don’t care about the other girls, so I’ll spill about Rebecca."

I leaned in. "Go on."

"She likes someone who’s independent, strong, and, y’know… not a jerk. Or gross. Like you."

I rolled my eyes, but his words stuck with me. Independent? Strong? That was the opposite of who I was before. And even now… I wasn’t sure I could be that person.

But I could try.

"Okay," I said, "I can do that. I’ll try."

Now I had a plan.

Step one: Build at least a friendship with her.

I wasn’t strong or independent, but I could at least be nice and not gross.

I could treat a girl right.

Maybe, for once, I had to stop thinking like a player.

And start thinking like a person.

Alan smirked. "So you do like her."

"No! For the last time, no!" I groaned.

He burst out laughing.

And for the first time in a long time…

I felt a little bit happy.

"Okay, Mrs. Holloway, I’m heading out!" Alan said with a grin.

Kael’s mother gave a small smile in return, though there was hesitation in her eyes. "Alright, honey. I hope you had a good time. I know Kael can be... well, difficult sometimes."

Alan shook his head. "Actually, he wasn’t. He was the friend I always wanted him to be today." His voice held something close to relief—maybe even hope. "I think you should really take a moment to see how much he’s changed."

Mrs. Holloway blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity.

"Anyway, I’m out! See ya!" Alan waved and pulled the door shut behind him.

I leaned back into the couch, exhaling slowly. Playing the role of "Pride Kael" was exhausting.

But I knew what I needed right now.

I pushed myself up and stretched. "Hey, Mom. I’m gonna step outside for a bit. That okay?"

She glanced over, brows slightly raised. "Wow. I thought you were just gonna hide in your room forever." Her tone was teasing, but there was something else beneath it—surprise.

I guess "old me" really never left his room much.

"But sure," she continued. "Just don’t stay out too long—I still need to make dinner."

I nodded and stepped outside, sinking into the rocking chair on the porch. The cold air nipped at my skin, but I barely noticed.

Above me, the stars stretched across the night sky—silent, unwavering, eternal. Their quiet flickering made something in me settle.

I needed a plan.

My sister didn’t trust me. And why should she? She’s been protecting our mom from the version of me that hurt her. Mom said it takes time. She’s right. I should’ve thought of that sooner.

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I’d been too caught up in fixing everything at once instead of taking things slow.

Alan… he trusted me. Or at least, he wanted to. But did he really? Or was I just seeing what I wanted to see?

Doubt gnawed at the edges of my thoughts.

What if Alan didn’t trust me as much as I thought?

What if—

No.

I forced myself to stop.

Thinking about what ifs won’t fix anything. This game isn’t about obsessing over the past—it’s about making things right.

But then, what Pride said earlier nagged at me. I’m paying his debts.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. What the hell does that even mean?

What’s the real purpose behind these games?

Because it’s not just about getting a second chance. That’s just the price I’m paying.

I sighed and rubbed my temples. Rebecca seemed upset with me, too.

Why?

Why is everyone upset with me?

Why is this so complicated?

Why does fixing things feel… impossible?

I glanced at my watch. 7:30 PM.

The date caught my eye. February 12th.

Two days before Valentine’s Day.

…That’s it.

A plan started forming in my mind. If I could at least become acquaintances with her by then—I’d have a real chance.

For the first time all night, I felt something shift inside me.

Determination.

I leaned back, letting my gaze drift toward the stars again.

Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

I stepped back inside just in time for dinner. The table was set neatly—almost too neatly. Like mom was trying to make everything feel perfect, even though it wasn’t.

As I pulled out my chair, footsteps echoed from the staircase. My sister strolled down, phone pressed to her ear.

She giggled. "Stop, babe, we can do all that when I get to your house, okay?” Her voice was sugary sweet—until it wasn’t. “It’s Valentine’s Day soon. I hope you got me something. If not…” Her tone sharpened, edged with something darker. “I’ll make you regret it.”

Even I felt a chill. And I wasn’t even her boyfriend.

She plopped into the chair across from me, her gaze settling on me like I was something she scraped off her shoe.

"Hey, Kael. If you’re really trying to change, then prove it.” Her voice was flat, unimpressed. “Don’t say you want to be better and then pull the same shit you always do.”

That was progress.

A couple of hours ago, she wouldn’t have even given me a chance.

I smiled slightly. “If you want, we can talk later tonight. I’ll tell you everything—why I changed.”

She narrowed her eyes, scanning my face for any sign of a lie.

"Fine." She leaned back. "But make it quick. I’m supposed to be on the phone with my boyfriend after dinner."

"No problem."

Then, the front door slammed open. A rush of cold air swept through the room.

And there he was.

My father.

Tall. Imposing. His frame filled the doorway like a shadow stretching too far. Black hair, mean eyes—like a storm waiting to break.

"Hey... I’m home." His voice was low. Too low. A slow, rumbling threat.

Mom’s voice brightened instantly. “Oh! Honey, welcome home! I just made dinner—chicken alfredo with veggies!”

My sister smirked, resting her chin on her palm. “Hey, Dad. How was babysitting the brat?” She giggled, but it wasn’t a friendly kind.

Dad’s eyes flicked toward her. Then toward me.

"It… was fine."

Even when he said something simple, his voice crawled under my skin.

Why was he like this? How was he my father?

If I acted like that, no girl at school would even look at me. What did Mom see in him?

He dropped into his seat with a heavy thud, eyes settling on me like a weight.

"Don’t cause any trouble, Kael." His tone was serious. A warning.

I swallowed hard. "I-I won’t, Dad. Don’t worry.” My voice cracked.

My sister scoffed. “Yeah, supposedly he ‘changed his ways.’ I dunno if I believe it.”

Dad studied me. Long. Silent. Unreadable.

He didn’t see anything.

"We’ll… see."

Mom set the food on the table, clapping her hands together. “Dig in!”

I reached for my fork, but something felt off.

I glanced down the table. There was an empty chair.

No… not empty. There were tiny shoes tucked beneath it.

"Hey… where’s the brat?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

My sister gave me a look. “You mean your little sister Ann?” She smirked. “She’s right here.”

She reached down, lifting a tiny girl into view.

Ann giggled as my sister tickled her. “Let me go! You’re squishing me!”

My sister laughed before setting her down.

I blinked. I didn’t even see her.

So, I was the only brother in the family. Great.

Dinner was silent. No one spoke.

Then—

"I’m done."

Dad pushed his plate forward, standing up. His eyes cut into me, still dark, still unreadable.

"Son… don’t cause any more problems, okay?"

His voice wasn’t sharp this time. It wasn’t a threat. It was something worse.

Exhaustion.

Regret.

Maybe even… sadness.

I sat up a little straighter. “Yeah. No problem, Dad.”

One by one, everyone finished and went their separate ways.

Except my sister.

I turned to her. "You ready to talk?"

She exhaled, crossing her arms. "Yeah… let’s do it."

My sister and I headed upstairs to her room. The moment I stepped inside, I was hit with the scent of expensive perfume. The room was bright and filled with purses, jewelry, and a neatly organized makeup stand—everything you’d expect from a teenage girl. She plopped onto her pink bed while I took a seat at the vanity.

“Alright, spill. What’s been up with you?” she asked, wasting no time.

I took a deep breath. I couldn’t tell her the truth—that I was meant to be this way, that my pride was more than just a personal flaw but something woven into the fabric of my existence. Instead, I crafted a story—one that was close enough to reality.

“I thought I was better than everyone,” I started. “I believed if I could be superior, I could gain control, power… that it would protect me. But really, it all came from trauma, self-doubt, and disappointment in myself. I hurt people because I didn’t want to feel weak. But then I realized something—if I kept going down that path, I’d lose everything. I needed to change. I needed to be better… before it was too late.”

I hesitated.

In my world, it was too late. Everyone had already left. No—I had driven them away. I was relieved to be here, but at the same time, I wasn’t. Because this wasn’t my life. I was just playing a game.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, fighting the urge to cry.

When I looked up, my sister’s eyes were glassy with tears. “I… I didn’t know,” she whispered.

She took a deep breath, then gave me a small, sad smile. “Look, Kael, I believe you. Just… don’t do it again, okay? No matter what happens, if no one else is here for you… I will be.”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak.

“Yeah,” I finally said. “I won’t.”

The heavy mood lifted after that. We spent the rest of the night talking about her boyfriend, school drama, and random gossip—what a normal brother and sister should talk about.

Then, at one point, I asked, “So… what should I do about Rebecca?”

She tapped her chin, thinking. “Hmm… girl, you need to be friends with her first.”

I gave her a look. “Yeah, I know.”

She smirked. “Look, little brother, what you did was hysterical—but if you really wanna make it up to her, you need to prove you’re not the same guy anymore.”

I sighed. “And how do I do that?”

She grinned. “Talk to her. And listen this time. I’m telling you, girls love it when a guy is nice, sweet, and actually cares about them. That’s what my boyfriend does.” She winked.

Her eyes flicked down to my clothes, and she immediately wrinkled her nose. “Okay, first of all—we need to change that.”

I blinked. “What?”

She suddenly perked up. “Oh my God! Let’s go shopping! I always wanted to do that with a little brother!”

I laughed. “Alright, I’m down. Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but we gotta go early. I have plans with my friends later.”

I nodded, feeling a strange sense of relief. This was another step forward. And for the first time in a long time, it felt good to have a sister who actually cared.

Then a thought crept into my mind.

Did I… have a sister in my world?

I shook it off. I’d deal with that later.

“Alright, now get out,” she suddenly said, standing up. “I need to call my boyfriend.”

Before I could react, she shoved me out of her room and slammed the door. Almost immediately, I heard muffled giggles and sugary sweet talking through the walls.

I sighed and walked back to my room. It was bare—empty compared to hers. Looking around, I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.

But whatever.

At least I had plans for tomorrow.