I drop the bag of food. It thumps on the ground as I stare at my sister in belief.

My sister... The same sister that I haven't spoken to for years. She's no longer the sixteen-year-old I left. She has to around twenty now.

She looks it, too. Her once long chestnut hair is now a pixie cut. Her face is caked with makeup. Even her fashion sense is more exotic. She's dressed in a frilled, pink top and loose, black pants. Her makeup is dark, almost gothic. Upon closer inspection, I see she has a septum piercing and gauges in her ear. It almost makes me gasp. She's practically unrecognizable.

I didn't realize I missed her so much until now. She's grown so much and I missed out on the rest of her childhood.

And she's here now! She actually came for me!

Oh my god, we have so much to catch up on! She looks so adult! I wonder how college is going for her! Ooh, does she have a boyfriend? Did she meet her soulmate? Is she still the social butterfly she once was?

I step forward, ready to give her a hug. A frown forms on her bold black lips as she looks at me in disgust.

She turns to Harry, looking borderline offended. "You told me we're meeting your band!"

And just like that, all my hopes are crushed. She didn't come to see me. She was brought here under false pretenses.

Harry stands up and frowns. "I think you two should talk." I don't miss the stern look he flashes her. She doesn't notice though. She's too busy glaring at me.

"Harry," I try to keep my voice composed even though my hands are shaking. "Did you bring her here by lying?"

He winces. "I did but-"

"Can we talk out in the hall?" I ask calmly. I feel anything but calm.

He nods and follows me out, leaving a very upset Lily behind. Once the door shuts behind us, I turn to him.

"What were you thinking?!"

"Look, I-" He begins pacing along the hallway, tugging at his hair as he does. It's a familiar sight that would usually bring warmth to my body. But right now, all I can focus on is the fact that I'm seeing my sister after years and she doesn't look like she feels the same way. "She thought the money was coming from your dad, okay? I couldn't let her think that was true! He was taking all the credit from you. I want her to know the truth. So, I lied and said I'd introduce her to the boys."

So that means they've kept communication all those years, even without me in the picture. I'm not sure if that should make me happy or upset. I settle on crossing my arms and leaning against the wall. "She doesn't seem too happy to see me."

I'm trying to hide the fact that her rejection hurts way more than I thought. This is the exact reason I never reached out to anyone. I could handle them hating me from afar, just not in person.

I know I deserve the hate and glares face to face because I've done a terrible thing. I should assume responsibility for my actions. But I can't. I'm too much of a wimp.

He pauses from his pacing and looks up at me. "I think she's just in shock. Give her a minute."

Sighing, I nod and pray he's right.

We walk back into the apartment. Lily's still looking around in disgust. I take the armchair, careful not to scare her away. The last thing I want to do is upset her more than she already is.

"I guess you were supposed to meet One Direction, sorry I'm such a downgrade," I joke to ease the tension. She looks back at me like it's true.

Ouch.

"For someone living in California, you sure have a shitty place. I'm guessing your fancy dreams didn't work out?" she sneers.

I stare at her in shock. She's no longer my sweet little sister. No, she's hurt. Very hurt. And very mean. I don't bother correcting her either. It's the last thing she wants to hear. She needs to let her anger out.

"Lily," Harry scolds in a fatherly tone. "Ellie, tell her what you did for her."

I shake my head. There's no reason to brag. I didn't do it to kiss up to her. She wasn't ever supposed to find out about it. I don't want her to think I was trying to buy her affection like a dad after a divorce.

"Fine, I will." Before I can protest, he turns to face her on the couch and looks at her seriously. "Lily, your father's not the one who sent you the money every month. It was Ellie."

I avert my gaze to the coffee table, feeling incredibly awkward. There's a stretched out silence that makes me feel uneasier by the second.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she asks in a bitter tone. I whip my head up to her. I didn't expect her to dance around in happiness but I expected a little gratefulness. The amount of harshness she has in her eyes makes her unrecognizable. "She missed out on my four years. She didn't see me graduate."

"I did," I meekly say. "You just didn't see me." Like Harry's concert, I went to her ceremony. I stayed on the sidelines but cheered the loudest when they called her name. I was so proud of her for finishing up high school. After the ceremony, I saw her with her friends looking so happy, I didn't want to interrupt their moment. I quietly slipped away.

She defiantly folds her arms over her chest. "Well, I don't care that you did. I don't care that you sent money into my account. And I don't care that you're alive!"

Tears pool in my eyes but I quickly blink them away. I never imagined my little sister saying she wished I was dead. The words hurt more than I show.

"Lil!" Harry barks. "She's your sister!" He's no longer taking her shit.

I shake my head at him, telling him to back off. This is my mess and I have to clean it up. "Lily, I know I wasn't there for you physically but I wanted to make sure you didn't miss out on your teenage years. I sent the money so you wouldn't have to worry about a job. It was the only way I could help."

She lets out a humorless laugh. "I didn't need your fucking charity. I needed you! I needed my older sister! What the fuck was wrong with getting a job in Florida, huh? Or, I don't know, calling once in a while?"

"Lily, we both know there aren't influencers in Florida. I wouldn't have survived," I say in a pleading tone. It kills me to know she thinks I abandoned her.

If anything, her eyes harden. "I don't care. All you care about is yourself."

"That's not true." A rebel tear strays down my cheek. I reach across to grab her hand but she jerks away from me like my touch would burn her.

"Oh, is it not?" She taunts. "Okay, forget me. Whatever. What about Harry, then? Huh? He's your supposed soulmate. You left him for selfish reasons!"

"Lily, stop," Harry pleads.

"I needed to focus on my career!" I explain. "I needed to make sure I had a secure future!"

"You know what? It's so funny. You became the one thing you hate." She dramatically laughs, clapping her hands slowly. "You've turned into mom."

My jaw drops as I feel the blow to my gut. "No I haven't!"

"Yes, you have. You've turned to work to help you cope with your pathetic life. You use your job to distract you from the fact that you've lost the love of your life," she yells. "And you sure are dad's daughter. You've abandoned everyone you love for selfish reasons. Sound familiar?"

Tears freely stream down my face as her words cut into my heart. "That's not true," I weakly protest. I don't even have the strength to defend myself. What can I even say? She doesn't know about my depressive episode in college and I'm not going to tell her about it either. I don't want her to know I was so weak.

"It is! You're cruel and selfish and I never want to see you again." She abruptly stands up. "I hate you, Ellie Marsh!"

With those final words, she storms out of the apartment.

"Fuck, Ellie-"

"Harry," I plead through my tears, my bottom lip quivering. He seems to understand what I'm asking for. He quickly chases after my sister to make sure she stays safe.

Once the door is shut, I curl into the couch and sob.

Her words echo in my brain. The more I hear it, the more I realize she's right about everything.

When it came to Harry, the idea of being so vulnerable around someone who could easily break me was terrifying. As soon as I got my job, I buried myself in work so I wouldn't have time to think about him. It got worse when I saw him in person. I buried the ache in my chest behind paperwork and meetings.

The comparison of my dad hurts worse. When it comes to my mom, I understand. She was in pain and needed a distraction. It makes more sense now considering I've fallen to the same coping mechanisms. But my dad? He was cruel to me. To us.

As soon as he found his soulmate, he left his old life behind. He left his two kids and wife, who was very much so in love with him. I promised I wouldn't be like him. I promised I'd never be so selfish.

And I've done exactly that.

I don't know much time passes, but the door opens again. I lift my head up to see Harry walking toward me with a concerned expression.

"Lily?" My throat is dry and aching.

He kneels in front of my chair. "I dropped her back to the hotel."

The care he has for her warms my heart. He isn't obligated to be in her life, yet he chooses to of his own free will. Even to the point where he'd betray her if it was in her best interest.

Overwhelmed, I throw my arms around his neck and sob into his chest. Right away his hands stroke my hair in a comforting manner. He whispers sweet words - words I'm undeserving of.

Once my cries die down, he apologizes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know she felt this way."

"It's okay," I sniffle.

"Are you mad at me?"

I pull away and look at him sincerely, even though I must look like a mess. "No. I understand your intentions. It was a nice thought but I don't think it'll work out."

He looks relieved. "Her flight back is tomorrow evening. We can't try-"

"No," I shake my head with a sniffle. "If she doesn't want to see me, who am I to force her? Besides, she's right."

I laugh, realizing I'm admitting my bratty, baby sister is right for the first time. If she was here, she wouldn't believe a word coming out of my mouth.

But she was here. And she hates me now.

The realization is depressing.

"What do you mean?" There's a wrinkle between his brows and I want nothing more than to smoothen it out.

"About my parents. I've become the thing I swore I'd never become."

His eyes light up but before he can speak up, the sound of the front door echoes throughout the apartment. I spring away from Harry, aware of our proximity for the first time. He frowns but ends up standing while I get off the armchair and stretch.

"Bitch, why is there a bag of tacos... oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know we had company," Laine freezes as he basically drools at Harry.

I laugh, wiping the dried tears from under my eyes. "Yeah, sorry. Those are for you."

Laine obviously senses something wrong but he doesn't make a big deal about it, thank God. His lips curl into a smile as he pretends the sight in front of him isn't concerning. "Are they for me? Or are they scraps from Rick?"

"Rick," I sheepishly admit as he picks up the bag.

He nods and inspects the contents of the bag. "Right. Why are you home so early? Picking up another file?"

"No, Medusa sent me home early," I explain. When he raises his brows in surprise, I laugh and throw my hands up. "I know, I know. I was just in as much shock as you. It's kind of a long story."

"Let me guess, Danny covered for you?" His voice is mocking as he walks over to our kitchen and dumps the tacos on the counter.

I follow him in and cross my arms as I lean against the doorway. "The opposite, actually," I grimace as I remember Danny completely outing my unhealthy work schedule. He didn't know better though and I can't hold a grudge.

"Hm, that's surprising," Laine smirks as he pulls out plates. He turns his head in my direction but isn't look at me. "I'm sorry. Harry - um, Mr. Styles?"

"Harry is fine," he says from behind me.

Laine blinks at him in disbelief. I take the liberty of grabbing the nearest item - an envelope - and chucking it in his direction. He uses his amazing frat boy skills to quickly catch it before it hits him. After a short glare in my direction, he smiles at Harry. "Harry, would you like a taco?"

"Oh, Harry's just leaving," I quickly cut in.

"I am?"

"Yes, you are. Remember, you have some matters to attend to? In a hotel room?" I hint, referring to my little sister.

Realization flashes in his eyes. "Right. Of course, silly me." He looks up at my roommate with a forced smile, which almost makes me laugh. He still doesn't like Laine. "Cheers, mate. Thanks for the offer. Maybe I'll see you later."

"Maybe," Laine replies in a dreamy voice. I openly laugh at his gawking, which makes his face fall. He flips me off before digging into his tacos.

I follow Harry to his car. Once we're at the hood of his Range Rover, we stop. "I'm sorry again. I really didn't expect her to react like that. I knew you wouldn't reach out so I figured I'd try," he says quietly.

"It's okay," I reply softly. I understand his intentions. He was trying to be nice. "I appreciate the sentiment." The harsh August wind whips my hair around. I quickly tie it in a messy bun to control it.

"I'm staying with her tomorrow," he informs me with his hands in his pockets.

I nod and bite my lip. I'm half tempted to ambush them in public so I can have a civil conversation but there's no guarantee she won't make a scene.

"She'll be okay," I say more to myself.

"I'm not worried about her," Harry says softly. "Will you?"

"Me?" I fake nonchalance. "Pfft, of course. If I can handle Daffodil, I can handle anyone. A twenty-year-old doesn't scare me." She terrifies me.

"Right," he drawls. I fake a smile even though we both know he sees through it.

I surprise myself by pulling him into a hug. He seems shocked too. Hugging when I'm overwhelmed with sadness is one thing. But this is a grateful hug and I hope he can see that. Even though his plan horribly backfired, he had good intentions. It means so much that he'd go to such lengths for me.

His arms tightly wrap around me. I can feel the pounding of his heart. It matches mine.

The whipping of the wind is no match for the warmth his body provides me. I close my eyes and take in his cologne. The smell provides me more comfort than I'd like to admit.

"Thank you," I mumble against his chest. His hold on me tightens.

Soon enough, the hug becomes longer than something friends would do. I reluctantly pull apart, him following along.

"Goodnight, El."

"Goodnight, Harry."

As I go back upstairs, I find myself wishing he had kissed me goodnight.

~~~

Daffodil's face falls when she sees me drag myself into the office the next day. She puts an intimidating hand on her hip as she judges my appearance. "I thought I told you to get some sleep, not drag yourself to hell and back."

Ah, Daffy. Always knows how to make a girl feel good about herself.

After the whole Lily fiasco last night, I couldn't sleep. Her hate-filled face kept flashing in my mind. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and I ended up doing what I do best: work. I edited those photos we took yesterday, then moved on to arranging her schedule. I didn't stop until the sun rose.

And now I'm here.

"This is how I always look," I reply with a tight-lipped smile. She scoots out of the way as I dump my stuff on to my desk carelessly. "I have those photos ready."

She doesn't linger on my appearance for too long. "Great. Send them over and afterward, go to Starbucks and pick me up a coffee."

"You got it," I say, relieved I'll be able to pick myself up one too. I need the caffeine right now. I take a seat at my desk and turn on my desktop computer instead of taking out my laptop. While I'm waiting, Danny rolls over to my desk. "Hello, Danny boy."

"Ellie, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you look terrible. Did you actually sleep last night?"

I flash him a sheepish smile before looking back at my monitor. "I tried to, I promise. I just had a bad night."

His voice softens. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah...No," I admit, not sparing him a second glance.

When he realizes I'm not going to elaborate he prompts, "Do you want to talk about it?"

I shake my head, my ponytail whacking side to side. "Not really."

"Okay," he says softly, a little disappointed. I immediately feel bad. But I can't tell him. I don't want him to know of my past and think I'm a bad person. I have enough self-hate, I don't need him to add to it. Plus, the idea of disappointing him makes my stomach twist in bad ways. I don't like it.

He rolls over back to his desk and I quickly email the edited photos to Daff. Once that's one, I turn off my screen and turn toward Daniel. "Do you want anything?"

"No, thanks," he smiles sadly before putting his headphones in. I sigh. Great, just another person I've hurt.

As I take the elevator down, I decide I'm going to grab something for Danny anyway.

The strong smell of espresso hits me as soon as I walk into Starbucks. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, letting the aroma wake me up. When I realize I might be looking like a creep, I walk in further.

I stop again. There's a familiar tingling sensation running through my body.

My eyes scan the cafe and ultimately land on Harry. Figures. I guess accepting the truth of my situation has reclaimed the soulmate bond once again. I'm starting to feel things that I've pushed away for so long.

He catches my eye and I can't help but raise a questioning brow. I'd walk up to him right now, except for the fact that my sister is currently sitting at the table with him, completely oblivious to my presence. He gestures for me to come over and nods when I shoot him a concerned look.

Signing, I nod but continue to the line. If I'm going to get through this, I need coffee.

As I wait, I pull out my phone and dial Daniel.

"Danny," I breathe as soon as the ringing stops. "I need you to do me a favor."

"What's up?"

"Look, I've run into some... trouble. I might be back a little late. Can you run and tell Medusa that this Starbucks is all out of sugar-free vanilla?" I plead.

There's slight hesitation on his end. "Are you okay?"

I ignore his question. "Danny, please? You owe me after ratting me out yesterday." I feel bad that this is the tactic I have to use but I don't have any other options here.

He lets out a deep sigh. "Yeah... okay."

I cheesily grin. I knew he'd have my back. "Thank you! Love you, bye!" I call into the phone before hanging up. I step up to the counter and place my order.

The barista looks at me in surprise. "Nothing for Daffodil today?"

"Later. I'm just finishing up some work here first and we all know how she feels about cold coffee." On cue, the barista and I both shudder at the same time.

"You got it, El."

I gratefully smile at her and walk over to the counter, sneaking a peek at Harry. He gives me a small smile as Lily rants his ear off about something, still oblivious that her worst enemy is here. It makes me smile. It's just like the old times when she first found out Harry was my soulmate.

God, time flies.

I grab my coffee before the barista can call out my name. She smiles weirdly at me but I just grin back, weirding her out even more.

Harry waves me over again and I carefully approach the two. Lily finally looks at me. She purses her lips but makes no move to scream or bolt so I take that as a good sign.

"Look," I throw up my hands cautiously as I'm within earshot. "I'm not here to start anything. I can leave if you want."

"El-," Harry groans.

"No," Lily forces a smile, "I'm the one who wanted to see you."

I freeze just as I reach the edge of the table. "You... you did?" My eyes flicker to Harry, who nods in confirmation. I straighten up and take a seat across from them. "And how'd you know I'd be here?"

Harry shrugs. "You were bound to come at some point."

"So you were just going to wait here all day? Why not show her around California or something?" I ask accusingly. It seems like such a waste of time to just wait here all day.

"Well, he guessed right. Besides, you look like you need a cup of coffee," Lily says, but her voice isn't as harsh as usual. I might be imagining it, but she sounds a little teasing...

"Well thanks," I drawl.

She gives me her brightest smile, which softens me a little. "Look, I acted like a huge bitch yesterday and I want to apologize. I was just in shock I saw you."

I nod. "I get that, I really do. And if you're not ready to forgive me, I totally understand."

"Oh my god," she groans. "Shut up! Just... just let me talk, okay?"

I clamp my lips shut and let her talk.

"Look, I know I acted super terrible yesterday but you have to understand that I have the right to be upset. I mean, you fucking abandoned me! The first time it happened, I was upset because it wasn't fair to Harry but whatever, you two broke up. But what's the excuse now? You guys weren't even dating when it happened!"

"Lily," I sigh, daring to interrupt. "It wasn't personal. Life just happens. People drift apart all the time." I spare a glance at Harry who uncomfortably shifts in his seat. "It's totally normal."

She snorts, forcing my attention back to her. "Okay, you drift from your exes and friends," she points a thumb in Harry's direction, "but family?"

"It wasn't you," I quickly interject before she gets the wrong idea. In a quieter voice, I add, "It was mom."

She tilts her head in confusion.

"I started to resent her. I realized that she always put her job over us. I know, I sound hypocritical but hear me out," I say when she makes a face. "I didn't technically leave anyone behind when it came to my job. I don't have kids that I have to look over. I left you when I was still in college. I'm not saying that it wasn't selfish, because trust me, I beat myself up for it every night. But it wasn't because of you. I just couldn't stand seeing mom anymore. If I did, I'd probably explode. I needed time to come to terms with everything."

She glares down at the table and I patiently wait for her to process everything.

"But why didn't you reach out when you felt better?" she softly asks. When she lifts her head back up, she has tears in her eyes.

My sisterly instincts kick in and before I know it, I round the table and pull her into a hug. Her lack of rejection makes my heart sore. Maybe we'll be okay after all.

"Because of this," I mumble. "I was scared that everyone would hate me. It's selfish but I didn't want to face the consequences of my actions."

She laughs as I pull away. "You're still my selfish sister who took the bigger room when we moved into our house."

I grin, recalling the good memories. "Hey! Everyone knows the older sibling gets first pick."

She sticks her tongue out at me, making me laugh.

"Are we okay?"

She nods. "We're okay... under one condition."

"Name it, kid." I'd give her the moon if she asked for it.

She evilly smiles, making a knot form in my gut. Suddenly I'm unsure if my words were a good choice. With the mischievous spark in her eye, I know she isn't planning anything good.

"I wanna meet Daffodil."

I blink.

Oh fuck.

~~~

"Okay, stick to the story," I say as I juggle a drink carrier with three cups of coffee, a vegan parfait, and a cake pop. "You're one of Harry's fans and he offered for you to meet her."

She dramatically rolls her eyes. "And why can't I say I'm your sister?"

"Because she doesn't particularly like me," I say airily. "Just trust me. It'll be better this way."

"What do you mean she doesn't-" Lily begins screeching but Harry clamps a hand over her mouth as the elevator doors split. I shoot him a thankful smile and walk out, the two behind me.

I lead them to our office area and give Lily a stern look before opening the door. Right away, Danny's head pops up from his desk.

His smile wavers when he sees Harry following through with a supposedly random girl.

"Daffodil's on a call right now," he informs me like I wouldn't know. Sir, I am her personal assistant. I know her schedule like the back of my hand. I don't point that out though. Instead I walk toward his desk and plop down the cake pop and coffee. "I said I didn't-"

I clamp my hand over his mouth to shut him up. "Look, I'm sorry for being all closed off earlier. And thank you for covering. I'd like to introduce you to someone." I wave my sister over and put my hands on her shoulders as she stands in front of me. "Danny, this is my little sister, Lily."

He looks at me in surprise. His eyes flicker between the two of us, finding the resemblances. At first glance, we don't look like sisters at all. Lily's new look doesn't help much. Her fashion taste is... fun? I'm not sure how to describe it without being disrespectful. It's not something I'd particularly wear or enjoy, but being in California has broadened my horizons and forced me to be more accepting, even if someone looks like they've just dumpster dived.

Daniel sticks out a hand for her to shake. "Daniel. Interesting to see that Ellie has a life outside of work."

"Hey," I protest.

Lily sends me a discreet 'I told you so' look before turning back to him with a smile. "Likewise." They shake hands.

It's a weird moment for me – like a worlds-collide situation.

"Okay, you can go sit in the conference room until I call you out, okay?" I say to my sister. She pouts but one stern look from me shuts her up. She glumly nods and goes to the room I pointed her toward.

Daniel raises a brow at me. "This is why it took so long?"

"Yeah," I huff, leaning against his desk. "But don't tell Daff that she's my sister."

"Ah, I'm assuming that why he's here then?" Danny nods toward Harry.

"He's helping me out with my cover story," I admit.

His brows furrow. "I could've helped-"

"No, you couldn't have," I sigh wistfully. "You know how Daff is. She'll do anything for her clients. We're the gum on the bottom of her shoe."

He nods in agreement. "You look better. And thanks for the food."

"It's your favorite," I sing as I push myself up. "I have to finish up some things. Apparently, she's not happy with the pictures and wants me to edit them better." I exaggeratedly roll my eyes, making him laugh.

Once I'm at my own desk, I turn on my monitor and start editing those pictures again. At second glance, they do look a little dull compared to the usual...

Weird.

Harry, instead of going to accompany my sister, comes up to bother me. He leans against my desk and picks up random items, assessing them. He looks childlike but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it.

"This reminds me of the good old days," he contently sighs as he stops fiddling with things. I'm assuming he's referencing the short period of time where I worked for him.

I scoff as I roll away from my desk. "No. With you, it felt like we were always on the move. Here it's more like a nine to five."

"Well, which did you like more?" His eyes hold a challenging glint. I bite my lips to stop blurting out my answer. The last thing I need is to sound desperate.

"Both had their advantages," I say truthfully.

His brows raise, like it's the last thing he expected me to say. Before he can respond, a timer goes off on my phone. I quickly shut it off and stand up.

I grab the coffee and parfait and put up a finger, indicating for Harry to wait. Slowly, I walk up to Medusa's office and knock. She lets out a muffled 'come in' and I slowly walk in.

"Hey," I say in a low voice, placing the coffee and parfait on her desk. She looks at it in a questioning way, which makes me explain. "I felt bad for keeping you waiting so I thought I'd get you some lunch."

She keeps a stoic face. "Smart thinking."

Oh, thank you, Ellie! You're the best worker I've ever had!

"Is there anything else?" she asks when she notices I haven't left yet.

I nod as I awkwardly rub my upper arm. "Yeah, uh, Harry Styles is here-"

"Well, what're you waiting for? Send him in!"

"Yes, well." I clear my throat. "The thing is, he's brought a fan. Your fan. Apparently she insisted on coming or something. I'm not sure," I lie.

"I see." She takes a deep, calming breath.

"I know this is your yoga hour but I think it would mean a lot to Mr. Styles," I clear my throat again, "as your client."

She pinches the bridge of her nose, an annoyed gesture. "Yes, we need to keep him happy." She plasters on a fake smile and imitates a cheery voice. "Bring him in!"

I nod, pretending to be solemn. It's only when I have my back to her does my smile widen in triumph. Yes! I did it!

"Lily, you can come on in," I say as I poke my head into the conference room. She pockets her phone and follows, Harry trailing behind her. I make a mental note to thank him for this later.

Harry walks in first and greets Daff, explaining the situation to her. When my cue comes in, I bring in an overenthusiastic Lily.

Her eyes drink up Daff's office space. She takes in all the details, no doubt memorizing everything about it. When her eyes land on my boss, they widen like she didn't expect her to actually be here.

"H-hi," Lily gasps.

Daffodil does her own quick scan of my sister. She takes in her "fun" outfit consisting of army pants and a leather jacket. She assesses her cropped hair and colorful makeup.

Then she does something I never thought she'd do at someone not worth her time. She genuinely smiles.

My jaw drops as I watch the scene unfold in front of me.

Daffodil lets Lily hug her. "You know," Daff starts when she pulls back, "I like you, kid. You have a lot of spunk."

Lily blushes. "Thank you! You're one of my biggest inspirations!"

Daffodil smiles and decides to show her around the office. I take a step backward, nearly knocking into Daniel.

"This is weird," I mumble to him, never taking my eyes off of the girls.

He hums in agreement. "Yes. Do you think she's doing this because of Harry?"

"I don't know," I lie. She isn't, I can tell. She'd never smile like that unless she meant it. Daniel makes a noise and I chuckle under my breath.

This is so weird.

Daniel leans in so only I can hear him. "You did a nice thing, you know. It was very sweet of you to bring your sister here."

I smile up at him. "That means a lot. Thank you." Even though I can hardly take the credit. Harry deserves it all. I just wish I could explain it.

My eyes flit back to my sister. She has a wide grin on while Daffodil shows Lily her makeup collection and some behind the scenes things. My heart swells. I've missed a lot of her smiles because of my stupidity. It feels nice to know I've made her a little happier, even if it wasn't entirely my doing.

"We should get back to work," Danny whispers to me. I reluctantly nod, finding it hard to pry my eyes away from them. I somehow manage to let him push me out of the office and back to my desk. He looks down at me with a happy smile. "It's so weird seeing you like this."

I cock my head in confusion as I sit down. "Like what?"

"Happy," he answers.

For some reason, his words make me blush. I avert my gaze and look down at the floor. "Is that a good thing?"

"Very," he immediately responds. I look up at him to see him sporting a fiercer blush than me. I laugh but quickly cover it up with a cough. "Right, I'm just gonna..." He awkwardly points toward his desk and nearly trips over his own feet getting there.

I bite into my fist to prevent the laughter from bubbling up.

God, he's so cute.

When he looks over at me from the safety of his desk, I pretend that I haven't seen that entire fiasco, even though I'm dying inside.

Minutes later, my desk phone rings. I twirl the cord as I answer it. "Daffodil's office, how can I help you?"

"Ellie, it's me. Get in here."

"Kay," I say as I hang up. Normally Daffodil shouts for us but when she has company, she often calls instead. I guess it's her way of looking civilized, even though it's such a waste. God forbid she steps out of her office for two seconds to call us face to face. "What's up?" I ask as I enter her office.

Lily's circling the area like it's the zoo while Harry is sitting down in one of the chairs. Daffodil looks up at me. "Ellie, I need you to do me a favor."

"Yes?" I sweetly ask.

"I insist that you take this lovely girl out for dinner on my behalf," Daff says politely. I open my mouth to object but I realize I can't. She's just asking me to do my job, who am I to say no? She continues on, "I would personally go but I'm afraid I'm a little behind on schedule."

"Daffodil, there's really no need," Harry interjects.

She waves a dismissive hand. "Nonsense. It would be my pleasure." She turns to me. "A word, Ellie?"

I nod and wait for the other two to leave the office before approaching her. "Yes?"

"Use your company card and take her to wherever she wants to go. Don't skimp out on the money, you hear?"

I stare at her in shock. Who is she and what did she do to Medusa? "Daff, if you don't mind me asking, why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why spend all this money on someone who you won't benefit from?" I ask bluntly. There's no other way to sugarcoat it.

She taps her acrylics against the white wood of her desk. "Well, there's the fact that she's Harry's friend or whatever." When my flat look shows I don't believe her, she sighs. "And she reminds me of my younger self. It's clear she's experimenting with fashion and looks. I find it endearing."

Cue the gushing!

I fight back the smile threatening to overtake my face. "Okay, got it. No spending limits."

"That doesn't apply to you," she says in a threatening time. I mischievously smile.

Oh, what a mistake she's made.

~~~

Dinner goes better than well. It goes spectacularly.

Harry dismisses himself, saying he has some business to take care of. Both Lily and I beg for him to stay but he doesn't. I think he was trying to give us some alone time before her flight. He said he'd be back in time for her flight to drop her off.

So far, I've learned a lot about her. She isn't as much of a partier compared to me in college. She hasn't found her soulmate yet - which I'll use as an excuse for her "creative" fashion sense. She's going to college in New York, which I already knew. She enjoys hookup culture. She was in a sorority until she cut her hair off, then they kicked her out. Then she said 'fuck it' and went all crazy on her appearance, hence the piercings. It's also her own way of rebelling against our parents.

Speaking of parents... Mom's still a workaholic. Since Lily is in New York, it doesn't matter much. Apparently dad has decided to be a parent and pays for her college in hopes that we'll re-establish a relationship with him. Lily claims she refused his offer but he did it anyway.

Hey, if he wants to act like a sugar daddy, who is she to refuse?

Oh, Lily's also a vegetarian now. The news is heartbreaking for me but she claims she loves animals too much. I found this out when she ordered a freaking veggie burger. Who does that? I took the liberty of ordering a nice meal and expensive dessert using Daff's card.

It's the little things.

Now we're waiting outside for Harry.

Soon enough, his Range Rover pulls up. I turn to my sister, tears prickling in my eyes. "I'm going to miss you so much."

She dramatically rolls her eyes - a habit she's picked up from me - and pulls me in for a hug. I hug her back tightly, trying to make up for the past four years. It isn't enough, but maybe in time, it will be.

"We haven't seen each other in four years. I think you'll survive," she replies against my hair.

Laughing, I pull away and wipe the tears away. "I promise I'm not usually this emotional."

"Good," she grins, "because you've never been the crying type."

"Yeah, you should feel special," I tease even though the tears aren't stopping. Ugh. I feel stupid. This isn't a big deal!

It's a huge deal.

Harry gets out of the car and puts his arm around Lily in a brotherly fashion. The gesture itself springs fresh tears to my eyes and I start crying harder.

"Ellie," my sister groans.

Harry lightly nudges her. "Didn't you hear? Living in California makes people more dramatic."

I playfully smack his arm and wipe the tears away. "Shut up," I sniffle. "I have the right to be sad. I feel like I've just got you back and you're leaving again."

She pulls me in for another hug but something tells me it's to stop me from crying so damn much.

"Come visit in New York," she says as she pulls away.

"And if you ever want to come here, I always have space for you," I smile.

She makes a face. "Hm, in that apartment? No thanks."

"Hey, bash me all you want, but don't speak a word against my place," I say defensively. She laughs, tilting her head back. It's a wonderful sound.

Harry checks his watch and frowns. "I hate to break up the family reunion, but Lily, you're going to miss your flight if we don't hurry. LA traffic sucks."

Lily and I let out a simultaneous sigh.

"So, I guess this is it," she huffs.

I nod and cross my arms. "I love you."

"I love you too."

We hug again which is funny because we never used to hug. I guess we're making up for lost time, which is fine by me. She walks over to the car. The bounce in her step is gone now and it makes me feel good that she's just as sad as I am.

Before I can think about it, I hug Harry again. He seems surprised but more prepared as his arms immediately wrap around me. "Thank you, Harry."

"Ah, I didn't do much-"

I squeeze tighter. "For everything." For all those times you were there for her when I wasn't.

We seem to have a silent understanding in each other's arms.

Too soon, we let go. He drives off with Lily while I watch their car. Once they're gone, I head back to the office. It's the main reason I couldn't go with them to drop her off. I'm still working.

I practically skip inside. When I notice the office is empty, I go straight toward Daff's office. I can hear her yoga playing in the background so I let myself in. She spares a single glance at me before focusing on her video. I tilt my head as I look at her. She's in some type of twisted position, almost pretzel-like. That does not look comfortable.

"Where's Danny?" I ask after mentally laughing at her. I should be used to her weird yoga positions by now but they're still hilarious to me.

"I sent him home. Poor boy was about to pop a blood vessel," she distractedly answers, her eyes never leaving her screen. "How's your sister?"

"Good, she's leaving-"

I freeze. Did she just say sister?

Does she know? No way, she couldn't.

Unless Danny...?

She releases her position and sits cross-legged on the floor. She has a knowing smirk on her face, which silently answers my question. "Relax, Ellie. I'm not going to fire you or anything."

Thank the heavens above.

"How did you...?"

"I'm not blind," she laughs. "She may look more colorful than you, but you guys look similar. Besides, I saw the way you looked at her."

Embarrassed, I cast my eyes downward. I had no idea I was being so transparent. Usually I'm great at hiding my feelings. Yet one look from Daff and suddenly I'm an open book. It makes me wonder what else I'm terrible at hiding. At least Danny didn't snitch on me.

"Now, finish up those photos and get out of here. I swear if you show up with more dark circles... It's embarrassing when you're a makeup artist and your own assistant can't properly apply concealer." She gets into her next pose, signifying this is the end of the conversation.

Welp, there goes her nice streak.

"Thank you," I say referring to the dinner and not firing me. She grunts in response.

You know, sometimes I love my job.