From the corner of my eye, I see Sam's face sour. Her smile's gone, replaced by that tight, annoyed look she gets when she's trying not to care.
"What's up?" Elijah asks, tone neutral.
The girl hesitates, "Well, I just wanted to, um... see if you'd maybe like to... dance?"
Sam smirks beside him, leaning back in her chair. I can practically hear the thought running through her head—this poor girl's about to get rejected so fast she'll evaporate.
But then Elijah says, "I would love to."
Sam's smile falters instantly.
I blink, honestly just as shocked. Elijah stands up, offering Eunice his hand. She looks like she just won the lottery as he leads her to the dance floor.
And Sam... God.
She's sitting there, perfectly still, eyes glued to them. Her lips part, but no words come out. The sparkle in her eyes—the one that's always there when she looks at him—just... dies.
Her fingers curl into a fist on the table, knuckles white. She watches as Elijah guides Eunice's hand to his shoulder, his other resting lightly at her waist. They start to sway—slow, steady, graceful.
It's like I can feel Sam's heart cracking from across the table.
"He said he doesn't dance," she whispers, barely audible. A humorless laugh slips out. "Clearly, he meant he doesn't dance... when it's with me."
Then she exhales, long and shaky, and leans back in her chair, staring at the ceiling like she's trying to blink the sting away.
Caroline and I exchange a look. She's still on my lap, but the lightness from a few minutes ago is gone.
Caroline reaches over and gently takes Sam's hand. "You okay?" she whispers.
Sam forces a small smile—too tight, too bright. "Of course."
She lets out a short laugh, the kind people make when they're pretending not to cry. But her eyes... her eyes tell the truth. They're glassy, trembling, and I can see her blinking fast, refusing to let the tears fall.
And me? I sit there, jaw clenched, every instinct screaming to punch Elijah right in the face.
Because I know him. Iknowhe said yes just to prove a point—to push Sam away again, to make it sting enough that she'll finally give up.
I get it. I really do. She's relentless, stubborn as hell.
There were times I told her to maybe tone it down — to stop forcing herself into Elijah's orbit, to give him space — but she never listened.
Every time I asked when she was planning to stop chasing after him, she'd just smile and say,"Forever, if I have to... until Elijah loves me back."
So yeah, maybe she set herself up for this pain—but it doesn't make it any easier to watch.
Because right now, my sister looks like she's trying to smile through a heartbreak the size of a crater.
And I hate it.
I hate seeing her like this.
Caroline's eyes shift toward someone approaching the table, and I follow her gaze.
It's Adam.
Smiling.
Atmy girl.
