Me vs. My Sister's Plot Armor

"What are you even saying?" He gave a shaky laugh. "Don't jinx me."

"If you're dying, and we've never done it after all this time... kinda sad, right? I'm curious what feverish Enzo feels like." I leaned in, voice low.

"You—" He jerked, face twisted. "That's not funny, haha..."

I didn't answer. My hand was already sliding down.

"Wait!" he blurted, full panic now. "Okay, fine! I was bitten. If you sleep with me... you'll get infected."

I laughed softly, pulling my hand back. "So that's the truth."

Never actually planned to sleep with him. Just wanted to see if he'd crack.

Sure enough, the chat feed went wild:

[Shameless tramp! Still clinging to Willa's leftovers!]

[Even if he's just one of her simps, he belongs to Willa!]

[Omg Selene's smile is fire—literally gasped.]

[Hands off! He's not yours!]

...

A few backed me up, but most were straight-up hate.

Guess Enzo never really liked me after all.

Last time, he died protecting Willa. I didn't think twice—figured he cared because I did.

But the chat feed clued me in.

The Palmers lived next door. Enzo grew up with us. He'd always been into Willa.

When he finally confessed, she said, "Sorry, Selene likes you... I can't..."

She didn't want him, but she didn't want to lose his loyalty either. So, as usual, she threw me under the bus.

Enzo blamed me for getting in the way. But sticking with me let him stay close to her. He was fine with that.

He even made some dramatic vow as a kid—said he'd never touch any girl but Willa. Saving himself for her.

We were together eight years. He never laid a finger on me.

I remembered when we were little—Willa snatched my pendant.

That emerald pendant had been mine for as long as I could remember. When Willa snatched it, my gut reaction was to snatch it right back.

Before I could, Enzo showed up with a cheap plastic hairclip and that fake sunshine smile.

"Be good, Selene. Give Willa the pendant and she'll trade you this 'crystal' clip. You two need to get along. You're older—let her have it, okay?"

A busted hairclip... for my heirloom pendant.

He was five years older and still pulled that con with a straight face.

He said I was the one he valued most—because I "knew how to take responsibility." Said he admired girls with that quality.

It stung. I knew something was off, but still—his words made me feel seen.

Enzo always played the calm, mature type.

He clearly had a soft spot for Willa, but he masked it behind fake neutrality. Always telling me not to "hold grudges." Always nudging me to keep shielding her.

I let out a cold laugh. What a warped kind of love.

I stood and cracked the door, letting him watch the mess unfold in the living room with me.

***

The banging on the door kept getting louder.

A young couple and two middle-aged spouses were bracing it with all they had.

Miranda? Completely useless. She just sat there, snacking and doting on her pudgy grandson like they weren't seconds from death.

"Oh, my sweet baby. You must've been terrified. Here, have some milk to calm down."

Perry took one sip—and spit it everywhere.