Psychological Evaluation Room.
The walls were white, the lighting soft. In the center, a simple table separated Lisa from Sophie, who watched her with a calm yet attentive gaze — typical of someone used to seeing beyond words.
Lisa had her arms crossed, legs swinging in the air. The chair was a bit too tall for her, and that irritated her. Sophie, on the other hand, kept a neutral face, silently noting every gesture, every expression from the girl.
"So, Lisa," Sophie began, her voice gentle. "Can we talk a bit?"
"If it's quick. I hate this place. It smells like a hospital," Lisa muttered.
Sophie gave a slight smile.
"Alright. Let's start with something simple. Have you been sleeping well?"
"It depends. When Lucas snores, no."
"You two still share the upper floor, right?"
"Yes. But he locks the door now. He didn't used to," Lisa said, looking away. "He must be hiding something."
Sophie jotted something down.
"And how does that make you feel?"
Lisa frowned. The question seemed simple, but something in Sophie's tone bothered her — as if there were a trap hidden behind the simplicity.
"I feel… normal," Lisa said. "I mean, he's my brother. He can do whatever he wants."
"Sure. But it seems like you care a lot about what he does."
"I don't care. I'm just keeping an eye on him so he doesn't do anything stupid."
"I see. And what about Michael? How are things with him?"
Lisa immediately made a face. She stretched her arms over the table as if trying to push that name away.
"We broke up."
"I'm sorry. Can I ask why?"
Lisa hesitated. For a second, she seemed to consider lying. But then she huffed, defeated.
"I never really liked him. I just wanted… I don't know. To be noticed. To make someone jealous."
"To make who jealous?"
Silence.
Lisa bit her lower lip. Her blue eyes avoided Sophie's, focusing on a nonexistent spot on the table.
"It doesn't matter."
"You're smart, Lisa. You know these sessions aren't about right or wrong. They're about understanding how you truly feel."
Lisa stayed silent for a long moment.
"I broke up with him because it wasn't fair. He was nice, you know? Treated me well. But I…" her voice faltered. "I never even let him hold my hand."
"Because your heart was already with someone else?"
Lisa nodded slowly. Her eyes shimmered for a moment — not from tears, but from shame. Anger. Frustration.
Sophie leaned forward slightly.
"Lisa… can I ask you a harder question?"
"Hmph. You can try."
"What do you feel for Lucas?"
The question fell like a blade.
Lisa froze. Her feet stopped swinging. Her once-restless hands clenched in her lap.
"He's my brother," she said mechanically.
"That's not what I asked."
Silence returned, heavier this time. Lisa trembled slightly, her cheeks turning red. Her voice came out as a whisper.
"I love him."
Sophie kept her face neutral, just waiting.
"Not like a sister," Lisa continued. "I… I really love him. So much it… it hurts. Because I can't. We grew up together. Slept in the same room. He was everything. Is everything."
Her eyes filled with tears, but she held them back.
"And even so, he never sees me. Never looks at me the way I look at him. I could dress like a slut or walk around naked in the house and he'd still call me 'little sister.'"
Her voice faltered again.
"I hate it. I hate being just that. I tried everything. I even lowered myself to date someone just to see if he'd notice. But nothing. I'm invisible to him."
Sophie didn't reply. She just let the silence fill the room. It was a space of pain, but also of release.
Lisa wiped her eyes angrily.
"I know it's wrong. But I don't care. If loving him is wrong, then I'm wrong. Because I… I don't know how to be without him anymore."
Finally, Sophie let out a soft sigh.
"Thank you for being honest, Lisa."
Lisa didn't answer. She just sat there, looking down. Small. Fragile. But at the same time, more honest than she'd ever been.
The silence in the room remained, but it was no longer the same. Before, it was uncomfortable. Now, it was heavy. Full of unspoken meaning.
Lisa remained seated, motionless. Her small hands clenched in her lap, eyes fixed on her legs. The blush on her face still present — not from shame of the confession, but of herself.
"I'm disgusting, aren't I?" she murmured, breaking the silence with a fragile, almost childlike voice.
Sophie raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden confession. But she didn't seem shocked. Just… sad.
"Why do you think that?"
"Because I shouldn't feel this for him. He's my brother. And still, I can't stop thinking about him. Loving him. It's wrong. I'm wrong."
Lisa's eyes began to shine again, this time with real tears. She didn't try to stop them. She was tired of pretending. Tired of keeping it all inside like a dirty secret.
"Sometimes I wish… I could disappear. Because it's horrible to love someone and know you can never have them. And even worse when that person calls you 'little sister' with that stupid smile… like that's all you are in his world."
Sophie slowly got up and walked to her, kneeling beside her. She gently placed a hand on Lisa's shoulder, who trembled slightly.
"You're not disgusting, Lisa. You're human. And humans… are complicated."
Lisa sniffled.
"Then why does it hurt so much?"
"Because you truly love him. And true love almost always hurts. Especially when you feel you can't live it."
Lisa didn't respond. She just let the words sink in. Words she'd never heard from anyone.
Sophie sighed.
"Do you know what Lucas said when I asked him who he would choose to save among a hundred people?"
Lisa looked at her for the first time in minutes.
"What?"
"He said: 'My sister. I'd choose her over the entire world.'"
Lisa's eyes widened. Her heart pounded so hard she feared Sophie could hear it.
"He… said that?"
Sophie nodded, with a melancholic smile.
"Of course, he didn't say it aloud, but reading his thoughts, I saw it. He cares. Much more than you think."
Lisa clenched her fists.
"But even if he felt it… it wouldn't change anything. We'd still be siblings."
"People put rules on love because they're afraid of it. But true love doesn't follow rules. It just… happens."
Lisa wanted to believe. She wanted to so badly. But years of frustration, of bottled pain, of silence and ignored looks… it was hard to surrender to hope.
Sophie stood and returned to the other side of the table.
"You know, Lisa. I've had relationships. Many. Men, women. And they always seemed great at first. They praised me, wanted me… but it was always because of my body. Always superficial. Never for who I really was."
She ran her fingers through her black hair, as if trying to untangle an invisible knot.
"You're lucky, Lisa. Because the only man you love, loves you… not for your looks, but for who you are. Even if he doesn't see it the same way you do. Yet."
Lisa stayed quiet for a few seconds. Then, with a voice still trembling:
"So what do I do?"
Sophie gave a soft smile.
"You need to be brave. Courage isn't about breaking rules. Courage is being honest with what you feel. Even if no one else understands."
Lisa took a deep breath.
Courage…
Easy to say. Hard to live with a love the whole world says is wrong. A love she didn't choose. That was simply born with her. Grew with her. And now consumed her.
But in that instant, with her heart racing and mind conflicted… a small spark ignited.
Not hope.
But courage.
---
Sophie was about to end the session when she noticed something strange in Lisa's eyes. They had lost their insecure shine. In its place, now there was something darker. More intense.
Lisa rose slowly from the chair, her body's shadow falling over Sophie.
"Oh… before I forget," she said with a smile too sweet to be harmless, "you should be careful with what you feel for Lucas."
Sophie raised an eyebrow, surprised, but didn't answer.
Lisa continued, her gaze sharp as a blade.
"I noticed. The looks. The way you talk about him. The questions. You can hide it from others, but not from me. After all, I saw you reading his mind. And even if I can't read yours… I understood. You have thoughts about him."
"Lisa…" Sophie began, trying to stay calm, "you're interpreting things the wrong way."
"Am I?" Lisa took a step forward. "I'd even accept sharing him with Helena. I actually think they match, you know? Gothic mommy and all that… But you? Stuck-up little shrink? No."
She tilted her head slightly to the side, her smile now completely twisted with a hint of madness.
"Give up. He already has an owner. And you know who it is."
Sophie felt a chill down her spine. Not of fear… but a primal instinct warning her: something was wrong with that girl.
Without another word, Lisa turned and walked toward the door. Her voice still sweet, but now heavy with something deeper:
"Thanks for the talk. It really helped me understand what I need to do."
The door shut behind her with a dry click.
---
In the hallway, Lisa walked with determined steps. Her heart racing, her mind spinning.
She was going to confess.
Even if he didn't accept it. Even if it was weird. Even if the whole world laughed at her afterward. She needed this. Needed to put an end to that doubt, to that pain. Needed to rip out what had been locked inside her.
She found Lucas near the courtyard, distracted, staring at the sky. As always, lost in thought.
She stopped in front of him. He smiled, like he always did.
"Hey, little sis. Was the session peaceful?"
She didn't answer.
"Lisa?"
"Lean down."
"Huh?"
"Lean down, idiot."
Confused, Lucas bent down, obeying... and then, without warning, Lisa's lips pressed against his.
It was a quick kiss. Hot. Confused. Desperate.
Lisa immediately pulled away, her face burning, her heart about to explode.
"I love you, you idiot. I always have. And now you know."
Before he could react, she turned and ran down the hallway, without looking back.
But inside her mind, thoughts were boiling.
'He's going to think about me all day now… and tomorrow, when I see him again… I'll do more. Much more. Maybe I'll lock him in my room. Maybe I'll take his shirt off and…'
Lisa shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away.
But it was too late.
She had already crossed the line.
And once crossed… there was no going back.
---
Lucas stood still.
The breeze passed, gentle.
He brought his hand to his lips, touching them slowly, as if testing reality. His fingers felt the warmth left by the kiss — that soft, brief sensation... almost unreal.
A real kiss.
From Lisa.
He blinked a few times, then let out a low sigh, as if laughing inwardly at his own life.
"As impulsive as ever..."
He turned his face toward the end of the hallway, where Lisa had vanished seconds earlier. He could still hear her hurried steps echoing in the distance, mixed with the muffled sounds of the school.
She had run off before he could say anything.
'Before I could tell her Helena had to leave…'
It was a serious matter. Helena had received an urgent call from an old heroic team, something about a magical collapse in another city. She'd left without giving many details, and Lucas was left with the strange feeling that it was something more personal.
And he wanted to tell Lisa. Wanted to share that with her.
But now...
He looked at the empty hallway once more.
She kissed me. And ran.
A faint smile appeared on his face. Not mocking. Not joyful. Just… quiet confusion. A silent acceptance.
"I think I'll let her think for a while," he murmured, shoving his hands into his pockets.
He turned toward the other wing of the building, where the other evaluated youths were gathered.
He didn't know much about them yet, but... maybe it was time to get to know them. To see who the future allies — or enemies — would be.
---
End of chapter.