Deciding Love by Janelle Stalder

asked.
    “You have it even worse than I thought, don’t you?”
    I shifted in my seat, looking in my mirrors - anywhere - instead of her. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, keeping my tone bored and uninterested, even as my body tensed for whatever she was going to say. Because I knew it would be some form of the truth. Cat had the ability to see through whatever outward appearance people put on. She could read others easier than I could a book. It had always made me nervous, and now was no exception.
    “Sure you don’t,” she said. I could feel her eyes burning into me.
    “Why don’t you enlighten me?” I suggested.
    She huffed as if she were annoyed with me. I bit back a grin. It was so easy to irritate my sister, and I was the best at it.
    “Chloe, Ky. You have it so bad for her and you just can’t admit it.”
    I snorted. “Sorry to burst your bubble, kitty, but no, I don’t.”
    “Why can’t you just admit it? She’s an amazing girl. There’s nothing wrong with you liking her.”
    There was that word again - like. Such an inadequate word.
    “I’m sure she is,” I said evenly. “But I don’t like her.”
    I could practically feel the waves of anger rolling off her.
    “Why do you think that?” I asked, genuinely intrigued.
    “Because I have eyes,” she snapped. “And a brain, for that matter. The first time you drove her home, you turned in your seat to look at her and froze. You just froze,” she said. “Both of you did. You two just locked onto each other as though no one else existed. I don’t know if you guys even realized how long you did it for.”
    Words seemed to escape me. I’d frozen because Chloe was the most beautiful girl. And I’d known it wasn’t just physically, but inside to. The girl radiated a sweet nature that you couldn’t help but notice.
    “It was like that moment, you know?” She went on.
    “What moment?” I asked before I could stop myself.
    “That moment. The one when two people who are meant to be, finally see each other and their life changes, their paths forever intertwined.”
    I looked over at her and laughed. “Are you even listening to yourself?”
    “Ridicule me all you want, Ky. I know what I witnessed, and I know what I see every time you look at her and you think no one is watching.”
    “I think you’re mistaken, little sister. You’re imagining things.”
    “So then what’s with you shouting her name as if you own her or something? Hmm? Why do you get so pissed when she’s with other guys?”
    I shrugged, tightening my grip on the wheel. “I’m just looking out for her because she’s Colt’s sister.”
    I could see her nod her head out of the corner of my eye. When I glanced at her, she was staring out the window, her jaw clenched as it always was when she was pissed.
    “Well she’s a beautiful girl, you know?” She said. “Jax isn’t the only one who notices. Other guys watch her too, even though she wouldn’t know it. Because that’s the type of girl she is. The pretty one who has no idea, and who doesn’t use it as some sort of weapon like Hilary, and all the other girls you hook up with.”
    “Easy now,” I warned.
    “I’m just stating facts,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “If Jax doesn’t snatch her up, someone else will. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
    “I don’t want to do anything about it,” I said, pushing through the ache that had now risen to my throat.
    “Good,” she said haughtily.
    We reverted back to silence as I tried to push the feelings swirling around in my head away. It was what I was good at, numbing myself. For some reason though, I was struggling.
    “It’s no wonder Colt accepted her so effortlessly, you know?” Cat said casually, as though we were having an easy conversation.
    I sighed, debating on whether or not I should even ask. “No, why is it no wonder?”
    “Because she’s so sweet. That’s why all the guys notice her too. And