I know something is wrong when Kate is quiet and Ella is looking at me with that gloomy expression of hers.
I slept through the entire afternoon and woke up around four.

When I go downstairs to eat, I check on my sisters in the living room and find Ella and Kate sitting on the couch, the tension eerie. Grandpa is in between them, his arms draped over their shoulders is comfort.

The house telephone is on the table, and I can tell they just finished calling Mom and Dad. Ignoring my stomach's cry for food, I walk in the room and sit in between them. The television isn't turned on, so I can tell something just happened. It's either bad news, or a stupid argument.

Kate usually goes all heartless and cold when she's in a bad mood, so I turn to Ella. "Did something happen?" I whisper, frightened.

Ella doesn't meet my eyes. "Mom and Dad tested positive for COVID."

The news sends a spear through my heart. My stomach churns, and my eyes go wide. I suddenly forget the need to eat, and I stand up boldly, shaking my head at Ella.

Mom and Dad got the virus.

What mortifies me is that a part of me is deeply saddened by the news, yet the other half of me is angry and upset, thinking Mom and Dad deserved it for almost tearing up the family last summer. I know they left the country for a reason and I know they had no choice, but it pains me to think that them getting the virus will only make matters worse.

Kate quietly gets up and walks out first. Knowing her, it's best to leave her alone. Ella stands up and shoots me a sad smile before walking away, most likely going to play the piano.

The moment I arrive in my room, my phone vibrates.

Nina: Leo said to check discord. i think they're starting w/o u

Shit. They're already calling about the research paper? I didn't think Leo was that serious when it comes to these things. Besides, the first chapter is still due next week.

Annika: already?? wtf

Nina: dom suggested

I blink twice. Dom??

Plopping on my bed, I open Discord and check Leo's server: Leonatics. I view the voice channels and notice Leo, with a dark purple haired female anime character as his profile. His username is LeoNotCaprio. Nina is also in the channel (ninuhnahnuh) together with an unknown user whose display picture is a fawn colored chow chow (archerdom).

Dominic.

Cute.

With a deep breath, I join the voice channel. If I were Liz, I'd hesitate and try to keep my cool, considering the guys in the server are practically popular and known; however, I'm not her, and I'm having a bad night.

Who cares what they think of me? Leo probably knows about the whole Cornell and Krista situation. He most likely pities me.

At first I don't hear anything, but then I finally hear Nina saying goodbye before leaving the channel.
Leo bursts out laughing. "Dom, it worked."

"Mmm." I hear Dom respond.

I wonder what Leo's talking about. "What worked?" I can't help but ask.

A stretch of silence enters for a few seconds before Leo sighs. "You'll figure it out soon," he says to me reassuringly, though it's not exactly so reassuring, "anyway, let's start? Dom said you're making the entire introduction and that I'm just doing the research questions."

I wrinkle my nose. "That wouldn't be fair."

"So what do you want to do?"

"Depends."

"Come on, be specific."

This guy's actually more annoying than he looks. "Any." I mumble in a low voice.

Leo lets out a dramatic sigh. "Wow, Miss Brooke, I knew you were a snob but I didn't think you were this snobbish."

That gets my attention. "I'm not a snob."

"Yeah you are," Leo retorts, "you give off the 'don't talk to me or I'll kill you' vibe." I hear him yawn, "just like your sister."

I frown. "Kate?"

"The younger one," Leo clarifies. "Ella. She's cute."

I make a face. Leo's also known for his way with girls - how he plays with their feelings before leaving them hanging. Sometimes I wonder why Nina's even close with him. "Kate and I will kill you if you make a move on Ella." I inform him seriously.

He laughs it off. "Can't take a joke huh."

"Let's focus on our paper," Dom finally butts in, his voice monotone. I stiffen. "I did the first paragraph of the introduction. I'm currently working on the statement of problem with Leo, who's still not yet done with the research questions—"

"I'm still thinking!" Leo cuts him off, irritated.

"Of course you are," I hear Dom sigh.

I can't help but snicker. Dom gives a light chuckle that silences me, the sound momentuously beautiful I forget about my parents and the whole drama with Krista and Cornell for a minute.

"What's funny?" Leo demands.

Neither of us answer him. "Okay, I'll work on the second and third paragraph. Can you share the word file through MS teams?" I ask, my tone lightening up a little.

"Oui. Okay." Dominic replies, the word reminding me of his message earlier.

Right. He's French. Curious, I start a conversation. "By the way," I begin, "how... how do you two already know each other?"

Leo sounds pleased to tell the story. "Dom and I are family friends. Anton and Robb - they're the two new guys in the other section - they're Joshua and Sean's friends. We all know each other because we performed in a music festival once."

"Ah." I blink, "music festival?"

"Yeah. I was the keyboardist. Anton and Robb sang," Leo shares, "Joshua did drums. Sean with the bass. Dom with the electric guitar."

Electric guitar... "Wait, you mean during our Freshman year?" I remember our class talking about Leo, Joshua and Sean participating in the music festival held in Priceton High. I didn't get to go because I was out with Cornell that time.

"It was such a fun night," Leo sighs dreamily, reminiscing the memory. "We had free wine after that. Archer Noir. Sponsored by Mr. Archer himself," Leo yawns, "be nice to Dom, Ann. You'll get yourself some free wine. Dom's looking forward to taking over their company."

I chuckle. "Looking forward indeed," Dom utters tonelessly.

"You interested in business, Dominic?" I find myself asking.

It takes him a couple of seconds to answer. "Yes," he responds firmly, "I am."

"You bet he is!" Leo squeaks like an excited little kid. I can see why Nina's fond of him. "He's gonna have a lot of girls lining up for him. Not that he doesn't already."

"Mmm?" I try to sound uninterested.

"Lots of girls like Dom," Leo says, "he rejected every one of them. Even my cousin. Remember Julia?"
Dominic doesn't say anything.

A few minutes pass by, Leo groans. "I have to go do something."

"You only have two research questions. We need three—" I begin.

"I'll do it tomorrow, BnB." He says jokingly.

I catch my breath. BnB. "BnB?" Dominic asks, curious.

"Beck and Brooke. Brooke and Beck," Leo specifies, "Ann Brooke and Cornell Beck. Her boyfriend."

"Ex," my tone is sharp, "ex boyfriend."

A moment of silence. "Oh," Leo's voice drops, "are.. are you okay?"

"Yes," I answer too fast, "I'm fine."

"Does he have a new girl?"

Oh. So none of them know about it. Nina knows, though I doubt she'd tell her boy friends. I just thought maybe Krista said something to him, considering he and her are friends.

They've been in the same classes for years. "Yeah," I try to sound like I don't care. "It's fine. I was the one who broke up with him anyway."

"Obviously," Leo mutters, "he was really into you. The boys and I could tell," as if realizing Dom's still present, he fills him up, "Cornell's a year older than us, and he's in college already. He and Ann have been together for, like, two years. Everyone in school knows about it. They're called BnB."

Dom doesn't sound the least bit interested. "Okay."

Okay? "Not enough to wait apparently," I laugh it off, "it's fine. And didn't you say you're gonna go?"

"Yeah, but— okay," Leo clears his throat, "okay. Bye."
When he leaves the call, I then realize it's just Dominic and I in the channel. The realization of him knowing about Cornell hits me. Also, was I too rude to Leo?
Stupid Ann. Stupid, stupid—

"Are you okay?" I hear Dom ask, his voice oddly soft.
Is that pity? If there's anything I hate the most, it's when people pity me. I'd rather be hated than pitied.

My heart clenches, and it all dawns on me— all the things that happened last year in summer are happening once again. What if it's going to be worse this time?

My hands reach for my eyes, my sight getting a little blurry. My head's starting to get dizzy, and my heart is racing fast. Too fast. "I... I..." tears escape my eyes, and I find myself trying to get out of bed; however, I collapse on the floor the moment I try to.

"Annika?" the way he says my name gives me the chills, but I can't fucking focus. I feel like I'm either going to pass out or go blind in a few seconds.

The tears come too fast, and before I know it, I'm bawling. "I.. I can't breathe.." I call out too desperately, looking around the room. My instincts tell me to reach out for my phone and leave the channel, but my hands are shaking.

"Annika," Dom seems more alert, "deep breaths."

I get up, my legs wobbling a little. I place a hand on my chest while the other is on my desk as I do my best to maintain my balance.

Discord has this specific noise that notifies you when someone leaves the channel. Still crying, I throw myself to bed and realize Dom already left the call.

Knowing I should be embarrassed, I leave the call in a hurry and calm myself down. When you're having a panic attack, the thought of humiliation will only be thought off after.

That's when my phone rings.

Unknown number.

I briskly press the red button, declining the call. Who the fuck would call me at this hour? The number calls once again. Pissed, I answer it.

"WHAT THE FUCK—"

"Annika."

Dominic's voice makes me cry even more. I feel worthless. I feel embarrassed. I'm a fucked-up person. "Oh my god, don't.." my voice breaks, "I... I..."

"1, 2, 3.. breathe."

"Wha-"

"Listen to me," he instructs gravely, "inhale."

I take a deep breath. He counts from one to three again and then tells me to exhale.

This goes on for awhile. Slowly, I start to feel better.
And the better I feel, the more I realize how much of a nuisance I've been to Dominic.

"1, 2-"

"I'm... I'm okay," I cut him off. Fuck. I hate myself sometimes. After a few beats of silence, I get anxious. "

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, Dom—"

"It's fine—"

"It's not," I interrupt him, "we're supposed to work on the research paper... I promise I'll finish it tomorrow. Deadline's still next week... I swear—"

"Annika," he sounds frustrated, "work on yourself first."

Does he pity me? "I AM okay," I insist. "It's just that.. some stuff happened today— it's not because Leo brought up Cornell, okay? I don't.. I don't like him.. besides, he's with my best- well, former best friend—"

"That guy got with your best friend after your breakup?" Dominic sounds disgusted.

I just laugh. "Yeah, yeah, but I'm okay!" I laugh it off before realizing what I just revealed, "oh shi— can you not tell anyone? They haven't made it public yet... I.."

"I won't tell anyone," he promises. "Just..."

"Just..?"

I hear him sigh. "Just get some rest."

"Yeah, I will," I assure him. "By the way, it's really not just because of Cornell, okay? There are some family matters I.." I shake my head, "never mind. I... I'm sorry—"

"You don't owe me an explanation. Or an apology." He sounds serious. "Distract yourself with something you like to do."

"Dance," I blurt out. "I like to dance."

He stays quiet for a few seconds. "Dance?"

I nod even when I know he can't see me.

Dance. It's what you and I have been doing in my dreams for five consecutive years.

"I'm rambling," I comment, ashamed. "I'm sorry. I.. I don't usually ramble. Or rant. I'm usually just.. a private person. I..." when I realize how much of an idiot I sound, I gulp, "okay. Goodnight." Then I end the call.

I sit upright on my bed and take a deep breath.

Okay. So THAT just happened.

My phone vibrates, and the disappointment is evident from the look on my face when I find out it's not a text from Dom but from Nina.

Nina: Ok so dom just asked me for ur number!

Nina: Wtf is up

So that's how he got my number.

Annika: nah it's just for research

Nina: Sure

I roll my eyes at Nina's response and turn off the lights, ready for sleep. Before I shut my eyes, I take a quick look at the sketch I made of Dominic and can't help but smile.