Mutual

12 - Interventions

After about two months of Alana and Dylan dancing around each other but getting closer, Anastasia found out. It was an accident, really. They didn't have to hide it–Ana and Dylan still talked on occasion. But it felt weird to let other people in on their unlikely friendship. They did have a bumpy start after all.

But they were talking on the phone one day, when Dylan made a comment that made Alana scold him, "Dylan!"

Her shut door couldn't mask her voice when Ana happened to be walking by. She didn't want to invade her little sister's privacy, but she couldn't exactly ignore what she just heard. So, she slowly opened Alana's door. "Lana?"

She startled a little at her sister's voice. "Hey, Ana," she feigned nonchalance.

"Who are you talking to?"

"I think I need to go," Dylan said to Alana through the phone. Thankfully, she didn't have him on speaker.

"You aren't going anywhere," she said firmly to Dylan. To Anastasia, she answered, "Just a friend."

"Oh, is that what you're calling him now?" She asked with slight amusement. "Is he still there?"

Alana sighed, knowing she couldn't lie to Ana at this point. "Yeah."

Anastasia motioned with her hand to give her the phone. Alana handed it to her, and Ana held it up to her ear. "Hey, Dylan. I need to have a conversation with Alana."

"Yeah, of course."

And before he could think he was off the hook, she told him, "And you and I will be talking later."

"Of course," he muttered.

The call ended, and Anastasia gave Alana a look. "Do you want to explain?"

"Not really," she mumbled, looking anywhere but at her sister. When all Ana did was wait, Alana started talking, "Okay, look. You two broke up, and you thought we didn't get along. And we sort of thought we didn't get along. But then, he kept coming to photography club-"

"What do you mean kept coming?" Ana cut her off to ask.

"Uh, remember when we talked about it at dinner? Well, one week he just showed up and went ever since."

"Huh, I didn't know that," she whispered under her breath.

"Anyway, uh, well, we would talk sometimes, during and after the meeting. And I don't know, we slowly became friends I guess."

"And you didn't tell me," Anastasia deadpanned. "Dylan and I are on good terms, you know. And enough time has passed where there are absolutely no negative feelings between us. And yet, neither of you told me."

"Sorry?"

Ana sighed and spoke softly, "Lana, you could've told me."

"I didn't know how to bring it up."

"You like him, don't you?"

Alana's eyes snapped to her sister. "What?"

"That's why you didn't want to tell me."

"Ana, I- it's not like that."

"It's okay if it is. I'm over him and our relationship. If he makes you happy..."

"Ana..."

"I mean it, Lana. If you like him and he likes you, go for it. I'm giving you my permission. I mean, that's why you're not together right now, right? Or are you still trying to deny that you like him?"

"I've accepted it," she muttered begrudgingly.

"Good. I'm gonna talk to him about his feelings, too. And if you two aren't together soon, I will force you into a room together and not let you out until you do something about this."

"Ana-"

"No, I'm serious. You know, you were part of the reason I thought about breaking up with him."

Alana immediately felt guilt wash over her. "I'm so sorry."

"No, wait! I did not say that to make you feel guilty. I don't mean it in a bad way, Lana. Don't blame yourself; I know you are. I just, I noticed how much more...passionate he seemed talking to you, and that was when you actually didn't like each other. So, it got me thinking. And eventually, I realized that we acted more like good friends than a romantic couple."

"I'm sorry," she repeated.

"Don't be. I don't blame you, and I never did. We just didn't work out, but maybe you two will." She smiled genuinely, making Alana feel slightly better.

Alana gave her older sister a hug. "Thank you."

Anastasia held her a little tighter as a silent, "You're welcome."