"Was Dom really that adamant?" Selena asks again, her voice filled with curiosity and slight disbelief.
I nod in response, my lips pressing into a thin line. "Yeah, he said he didn't want to talk about it."
Her brows furrow, and she shifts uncomfortably, her fingers tapping against the table in a restless rhythm
. "That's so strange. Don't tell anyone, but I've been—"
She suddenly stops, her eyes darting around the karaoke lounge as if one of our classmates might appear out of nowhere to overhear her.
She lowers her head slightly, her voice now barely above a whisper.
I roll my eyes, exhaling in frustration. "Sel, we're literally outside, away from school. We finally decided to come to this karaoke event to relax, and you're still being paranoid."
She ignores my comment, still fidgeting, scratching at her scalp like she's contemplating whether to even say what's on her mind. Finally, she speaks.
"I kind of… went through the school files," she admits hesitantly.
I freeze. My eyes widen, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out, "You what? Selena, that's insanely dangerous!" My voice rises in alarm, drawing the attention of a couple at the next table.
Selena quickly presses a finger to her lips. "Shh! Keep your voice down!" she hisses, glancing around anxiously.
I lean in closer, lowering my tone but still unable to hide my concern.
"We don't even know Dom like that. Why would you risk your place at school for him?"
She shrugs, but there's a flicker of defiance in her eyes.
"The worst that could happen is suspension," she says matter-of-factly. "And let's be real—the school wouldn't want to lose their money over something like this. They care about tuition more than enforcing rules."
I sigh, slumping back in my seat. "Well, no lies there," I mutter moodily.
Selena leans forward, her expression suddenly more eager. "So don't you wanna know what I found?" she asks, her voice tinged with anticipation.
I glance away momentarily, watching a couple on stage singing '
If the World Was Ending by JP Saxe and Julia Michaels.'
The way they look at each other, so full of love and longing, makes my stomach twist.
Then I turn back to her, raising an eyebrow. "Alright, spill."
She inhales deeply before dropping the bombshell. "Dom and Dan's parents are some of the school's biggest contributors."
I blink, confused. "Okay…? And? Parents donate to the school all the time. What's the big deal?"
Selena leans in even closer, eyes shining with intensity.
"Think about it. Maybe that's why we never got any official confirmation that they're cousins. The school might be keeping it quiet on purpose."
I frown, still not entirely convinced, but I nod anyway. "I guess that's possible," I admit reluctantly.
My attention drifts back to the stage. The couple continues to sing, their voices harmonizing in a way that makes it seem like nothing else in the world exists except for them.
And then, as if on cue, Dan slips into my thoughts.
I quickly pull out my phone, scrolling through my messages, refreshing the screen, checking again. Nothing. No missed calls, no texts. Just silence.
"What's wrong?" Selena asks, her mouth full as she takes another bite of fries.
I shake my head, shoving my phone back into my pocket.
"Nothing," I say, feigning nonchalance.
But in reality, there's too much going on more than I even know how to process.
I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with air as if it might steady the chaos inside me. My insides are twisting, coiling like a storm about to break. I need to tell someone. If I keep this bottled up any longer, I might just explode.
"I don't know…" My voice wavers as I finally begin to speak. "I overheard Mrs. May saying something, about how Dom's parents had a hand to do with my parents' lost son."
Selena's head snaps toward me, her eyes widening in pure shock. She looks like I just told her the sky had fallen.
"I—I don't understand. How did this even—" She stumbles over her words, her voice breaking with disbelief. "Start from the beginning."
I exhale sharply, shaking my head. "I can't start from the beginning, because I don't know the beginning. That's all I overheard,"
I say, frustration heavy in my tone.
My gaze drifts to the stage, where a young lady is singing a song I don't recognize, but my mind is too clouded to focus on anything other than the weight of my own thoughts.
And then Selena blurts it out.
"Could Dan be your brother?"
My head whips toward her so fast that I almost give myself whiplash. "What?"
"Could he be?" she asks again, this time slower, her voice quieter, more serious.
I let out a short, humorless laugh, shaking my head. "Hell no. Dan is years older than my parents' lost son would be," I say firmly, but Selena is still looking at me like I should reconsider.
And then the thought seeps into my mind like a slow, creeping poison. Could it be true?
I shake my head, trying to dispel the thought before it takes root. "He doesn't even look like Mom or Dad," I blurt out, gripping onto certainty like it's a lifeline. "I've seen his pictures."
"You mean Dan's?" Selena asks, trying to confirm.
I open my mouth to say yes, but then I freeze. My chest tightens. A sinking feeling crawls into my stomach.
I've never actually seen Dan's baby pictures. I've never even asked to.
Panic flickers across my face, and Selena catches it immediately. I feel her hand gently rest over mine, a small, grounding gesture.
"Hey," she says softly, her voice dipping into something almost comforting. And then, in true Selena fashion, she smirks.
"You know… we could knock Dan out, take a sample of his blood, and boom, all this confusion would be over."
I immediately yank my hand away from hers, glaring at her in disbelief. "Is this a joke to you?" My voice is sharp, edged with anger.
Selena raises both hands in surrender. "Relax, it was just a suggestion. A harmless one," she says, but the mischievous glint in her eyes doesn't fade.
I turn away from her, my gaze drifting back to the stage. A guy is up there now, his voice carrying through the room as he sings 'Stay With Me by Sam Smith.'
His voice is raw, full of emotion, but I can't even let myself get lost in the music.
"You know I'm just joking," Selena says after a pause, trying to take back her words. "You'd never do something like that to Dan."
I glance back at her, this time with more composure. "Or… I could just ask for his baby pictures," I say, trying to be logical.
Selena shrugs, but there's something knowing in her expression.
"Sure. But he's been clearly avoiding you since this suspension."
Her words land like a punch. My chest tightens.
I swallow hard. "He might have a reason for it," I say slowly,
though even I can hear the doubt creeping into my voice.
Selena huffs, her frustration bubbling over. "Why don't you just open your eyes? He's given you every reason to walk away from him!" she says, her voice laced with anger.
Something inside me snaps. My own frustration rises like a wave, crashing over me before I can stop it.
"You don't even understand my relationship with Dan!" I shoot back at her. "Stop acting like you do."
Selena stares at me in disbelief, her lips parting slightly as if she wants to say something.
But instead, she just picks up her glass and takes a long sip of her orange juice, her expression unreadable.
The silence between us stretches, heavy and unspoken.
Suddenly, the karaoke coordinator points toward our table, announcing that it's our turn to sing.
My eyes meet Selena's, and she grins mischievously.
"I'm going up there. Are you?" she asks, already shifting in her seat.
"What? You didn't tell me we actually had to sing," I blurt out, my pulse quickening.
"That would've killed the fun, wouldn't it?" she replies dryly, smirking as she pushes back her chair.
I watch as she stands, smooths out her vintage shirt, and tosses her braided hair over her shoulder before confidently walking toward the stage.
Just before stepping onto the platform, she glances back at me, but I don't move. She can tell I'm not budging.
Unbothered, Selena adjusts the microphone stand to her height and clears her throat.
"I want to dedicate this song to my best friend over there," she announces, her voice clear and warm.
A wave of applause ripples through the room. Heads turn toward me, and I force a smile, despite the sudden tightness in my chest.
Then, the music starts.
Selena begins singing I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston, her voice steady yet brimming with emotion.
At first, I only listen. But then, the lyrics start to sink in, and something inside me tightens.
And when she reaches the third verse, I know she's directing it to me,
"I hope life treats you kind,
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of,
And I wish you joy and happiness,
But above all this, I wish you love."
A lump forms in my throat. I squeeze my eyes shut, but it's no use. The tears gathering spill over, tracing warm paths down my cheeks.
Then comes the chorus, powerful, unwavering.
"And I… will always love you…"
The words cut deeper than I expect. A swirl of fear, confusion and longing crash into me all at once.
I fumble for my phone, my hands slightly shaky.
Opening the ride-hailing app, I quickly book an Uber.
I need to see Dan.
'Was he my brother?'
'Was that why he's been acting this way toward me?'