So to recap, you, the Reader, are often overlooked because of your intelligent, glamorous, and popular older sister. You’ve always been in her shadow, rarely ever acknowledged. Which makes your friendship with Douxie mean that much more, because he sees you. Same with Zoe and Archie. They’ve become your secret, little magical tribe and you cherish them.
So you’re more than distraught when your sister takes an interest in Douxie.
- You’re hanging out with Douxie at Arcane Books when someone storms into the store. It’s your sister, looking extra irritated.
- Douxie greets her and you see it. Your sister looks Douxie up and down. And not a second later, she’s got one of her hands combing through her hair and a flirtatious smile on her Barbie-doll face.
- “What are you doing here?” you ask, feeling small tremors in your voice. Your hands curl in on themselves and you start picking at your thumbnails.
- Your sister scowls at you. “Um, trying to find books for a research paper?” She turns her attention back to Douxie, leaning on the counter. “We were told we can’t use books from our school’s library. Think you can help me?” She bats her eyelashes and drums her fingers against the counter, her long fake nails clacking on the surface.
- “Sure, of course,” Douxie says, smiling. You swallow, actually wishing for once that Douxie wasn’t such a sweetheart.
- “(Name)?” Douxie says when you suddenly gather your things and head for the door.
- “Sorry, Douxie, I’m...” Your sister glares at you, leaning and waiting against the bookshelves you’ve been associating with warmth and comfort and belonging. “I’m not feeling great all of a sudden. I’ll see you later.”
- Douxie frowns, stepping towards you. “(Name) -” But you’re already out the door.
- “Forget her,” your sister sighs, touching Douxie’s arm. “She has these moments or whatever. She’ll be fine. So....books?”
- “Um...Yes, right. We have some interesting volumes over here...” Douxie makes a note to text you later.
- The feeling of absolutely not being fine at all burns deeper and deeper, under your skin and into your bones, no matter how many times you say the opposite. Your sister’s been making it a point to pay Douxie a visit everyday for the past week. And not just at the bookstore. Now’s she’s infiltrated Benoit’s, always asking for Douxie to be her server.
- She keeps touching Douxie’s arms and shoulders. Stop touching him.
- Your sister’s so pretty and you’ve always known it and seen it and she makes sure Douxie notices. No...Not you, too. Don’t look at her. Please look at me.
- “Oh my gosh, I love cats, too!” She’s such a liar.
- “Can I hear you play sometime? Sing a song for me?” No, no, no. Anything but that.
- You look at yourself in the mirror. You don’t know who or what you’re looking at. Who does Douxie see? What does Douxie see? And does he deserve it? Is it good enough for someone so beautiful and amazing as him?
- She’s everything you’re not. She’ll win. She’ll take it all like she always has.
- It doesn’t go unnoticed, how troubled and distressed you are. How your eyes go downcast as soon as your sister approaches Douxie. The stiffness of your smiles. The passive mean-spirited comments your sister makes about you. No, Douxie doesn’t miss any of it.
- “Hi Douxie!” Douxie’s heart jumps into his throat when a weight crashes down into his lap. He staggers where he sits. Your sister’s thrown herself at him, giggling and linking her fingers around the back of his neck. Her calves hang off the armrest of the couch, her legs swinging. “Wanna help me look for books again today?”
- You’re not even fully in the door when you see it. You don’t hear Douxie ask what on earth your sister is doing. You don’t register him actually trying to squirm out from under her. No, you just see your sister all over the boy you’re pretty sure you’ve fallen in love with. The boy you so desperately don’t want to lose.
- She’s trying to land a kiss on his cheek and the next thing you know, you’re storming up to the couch, visibly shaking.
- “Get off of him,” you seethe.
- Your sister gives you an incredulous look. “Um, excuse me?”
- “I said get off of him!” You’re on the brink of screaming. “Can’t you see he’s uncomfortable?”
- Douxie’s resolutely standing up from the couch, forcing your sister off of his lap. He goes to your side, feeling flustered and annoyed like he has all week with this girl.
- “Oh my gosh, lighten up,” your sister sneers. “I was just having fun. Right, Doux?” Her seductive smile evaporates when Douxie backs away from her touch.
- “Look, I’m glad I could help you,” Douxie says to your sister, genuine but dry. “But I think we’re done here, love.”
- She scoffs, crossing her arms. “What do you mean done?”
- “You’re smart. I’m sure you can figure it out.” Douxie’s glowering at her, meeting her gaze evenly. You don’t realize it, but he’s put himself between you and your sister. A protective shadow.
- Eventually your sister breathes out a mirthless laugh, rolls her eyes, and pushes past Douxie. Before she leaves, she takes one last glance at the two of you and her face utterly sours with disgust.
- “Whatever. I’m over this. Clearly neither of you have good taste.” With that, she stomps out the door.
- You put your fists over your eyes and walk away from Douxie, suddenly overcome with shame. Douxie doesn’t hesitate to go after you, gently turning you to face him.
- “(Name), what is it?” he asks, hoping that you’ll look at him. You’re so upset and he just doesn’t like it at all. “Don’t listen to her. You’re-”
- “I’m a possessive jerk,” you say, voice strained as you feel the tears coming. “I’m sorry....I just...You’re just....I didn’t want her to take you away from me...”
- “Take...me away?” Douxie repeats. “Please look at me, (Name).” His large hands encircle your wrists, tugging gently. “I don’t....” Then he understands. He smiles softly. “No one’s taking me anywhere.”
- “Over and over and over...It’s always been the same,” you say, unable to hide your tears when Douxie manages to tug your hands away. “You were the only thing she never touched and now...”
- “(Name). Look at me.” And you do, overwhelmed by the tenderness in Douxie’s golden eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.” His hands slide up from your wrists and now he’s loosely holding your hands. “I didn’t go with her. I’m here. With you. Where...” Douxie feels a strange sensation in his chest, a warm swell. “Where I want to be.”
- You hug him, pressing into his chest. Douxie hugs you back, resting his cheek against the top of your head. He reassures you for the next several moments, holding you close.
- “You...want to be with me?”
- “Of course.”
- “You like being my friend?”
- “I most certainly do.”
- “You don’t hate me?”
- “Never.”
- “...I’m...not invisible, right?”
- You feel his arms tighten around you. “Not at all.”
- You feel your tears dampen Douxie’s collarbone, and a dam break loose inside of you like liquid fire, overpowering you because Douxie sees you. Douxie, the boy you love, sees you. And chose you over her. The relief is virtually unbearable.
- Cradling you in his arms, Douxie can only wonder how anyone could overlook you, so lovely and pure.
- “You’re mine...” It’s a feeble utterance, just barely above a whisper, not meant to be heard. But it is.
- And Douxie finds that he doesn’t disagree.
- He presses his mouth into your hair, murmuring despite himself.
