Chapter 6 A Crush and Two

Katy stared at her sister, a whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. Confusion. Resentment. Envy. Sonia always had a way of asserting herself, commanding attention without effort. It wasn't anger Katy felt this time-it was the suffocating weight of inferiority.

For as long as Katy could remember, Sonia had overshadowed her. With her confidence, striking presence, and a boldness that dared anyone to challenge her, Sonia was the kind of person Katy had always wished she could be. Despite being older, Katy felt powerless, as though Sonia's dominance had been etched into the fabric of their relationship.

"Katy!" Sonia's sharp tone jolted her from her thoughts.

Katy blinked and found Sonia standing directly in front of her, her expression equal parts amused and annoyed. She opened her mouth to speak, but Sonia didn't give her the chance.

"Why do you bother trying to cut me out of your life when you know I'll always be a part of it?"

Katy inhaled to respond, but Sonia cut her off again.

"That wasn't a question," Sonia said with a sly smile. "Nice club, by the way. Is it new? I almost forgot how much I've missed home."

"Why are you here, Sonia?" Tom's voice came from behind Katy, clipped and direct.

Sonia turned to him with a slow, practiced smile. "Calm down, Tom. Don't forget, you invited me." Her gaze shifted to Katy, her smirk widening. "Or should I say, begged me. Even when I turned you down."

Katy rolled her eyes. "Spare us the theatrics, Sonia."

Tom stepped between them, his tone sharp. "Listen, you're welcome to stay and have a good time, but if you cause trouble, you'll regret it. No drama tonight."

He took Katy's hand, leading her away before Sonia could respond. But as they walked off, Katy glanced back, catching the glint of amusement in Sonia's eyes.

"Sure," Sonia muttered, raising her glass in mock toast. "I'll behave."

~~~

The night progressed with a surprising amount of fun. Tom and Katy leaned into the moment, dancing together, sneaking kisses, and laughing as their friends joined in. Shots were poured, games were played, and the club became their playground. For a while, it felt like the stress of the wedding and Sonia's interference had melted away.

Katy took a break to chat with her friends at a corner table. Julia's eyes darted to the bar, where a man stood nursing a drink, his gaze fixed on Mia.

"Looks like you've got an admirer," Julia teased, nudging Mia.

Mia glanced at the bar and found the man smiling at her. He raised his glass in acknowledgment. Mia blushed, looking away.

Before long, the man approached their table, his smile broad and charming.

"Hi, ladies," he greeted, though his eyes lingered on Mia. "I'm Kelvin. Came here with some friends"-he gestured to a group at the bar-"and I couldn't help noticing the lovely lady in red." He nodded at Mia. "Would you do me the honor of a dance?"

Mia hesitated, her eyes darting to her friends.

"Go for it!" Julia said, grinning.

Encouraged by their enthusiasm, Mia stood, taking Kelvin's hand. As he led her to the dance floor, she glanced back, and her friends gave her thumbs-up.

"Looks like someone's scored herself a date for the wedding," Julia said, laughing.

~~~

Katy's attention shifted when she noticed Sam looking unusually quiet. She snapped her fingers in front of Sam, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Earth to Sam," Katy teased. "What's going on?"

Sam blinked, then shrugged. "Nothing. Just... taking it all in."

"Well, let's make it interesting." Katy grinned mischievously. "Remember how I promised to hook you up with Dave? Tonight's the night!"

Sam's face turned crimson. "Katy, no! Don't-"

"Trust me." Katy grabbed Sam's hand and led her toward where Tom and his friends were playing pool.

But halfway there, they both froze. Sonia was standing close to Dave-too close. Her hand rested casually on his shoulder, and she leaned in, whispering something into his ear. Whatever she said made Dave chuckle.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Sam muttered, turning on her heel to leave.

"Wait, Sam-" Katy called after her, but Sam didn't stop.

The group noticed the commotion, their eyes falling on Katy as she called out again. Flustered, Katy turned back to Dave.

"Hi, Katy," Dave greeted, his tone cautious. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes," Katy replied, her voice firm. "Sam likes you, Dave. She has a crush on you, and I promised her I'd help her talk to you. But clearly..." She glanced at Sonia, who rolled her eyes dramatically. "You're already... occupied."

Dave's expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and guilt. "Sam... has a crush on me?"

"Yes," Katy said. "And she wanted to talk to you, but she left when she saw you with Sonia."

Without another word, Dave stepped away from Sonia, his focus now on Katy. "Do you know where she went?"

"She's probably somewhere nearby..." Katy started, but Dave didn't wait for her to finish. He strode off, leaving Sonia standing there, visibly annoyed.

Katy exhaled in relief, but as she turned to leave, Sonia grabbed her arm.

"Not so fast," Sonia said, her tone low and sharp. "Your friend has terrible timing, Katy. Dave and I were having a perfectly nice conversation."

Katy yanked her arm free. "Maybe next time, pick someone who isn't already spoken for."

Sonia's lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, please. I have a crush on Dave too, and I think you should tell your little friend to back off. He deserves someone with confidence-not a wallflower."

Katy stared at her sister, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "This isn't a competition, Sonia. For once, let someone else be happy."

Sonia leaned in, her smile as sharp as a blade. "You don't get it, do you? In life, it's always a competition. And I don't lose."

With that, Sonia turned and walked away, her heels clicking against the floor like a countdown to chaos. Katy stood frozen, her hands clenched into fists.

Tomorrow was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. But with Sonia around, happiness felt like a fleeting dream.