Chapter 3 : Between Laughter and Awkwardness
(Narrator : Josh)
I’m frozen. I don’t understand.
The words keep ringing in my head, looping over and over, like an echo.
“Hi, I’m Jessica. Nice to meet you.” That simple phrase, meaningless to anyone else, just turned my entire world upside down. Why? Why did Jess just introduce herself to me like I’m a complete stranger?
My brain tries to process what just happened, but nothing adds up. This is my sister. Jessica, my little sister. And she just said those words to me with a smile, as if we were meeting for the first time. Part of me wonders if I misheard her, if this bizarre scene is some kind of dream. But no, it’s all too real.
She looked me straight in the eye, with that forced, almost nervous smile, and said it. “Nice to meet you.” My mind is spinning, scrambling for a logical explanation. Is this a joke? Is she messing with me? But no, her expression isn’t mocking. It’s just… uncomfortable.
Am I losing my mind?
I replay the moment over and over in my head, but every time, it comes back to the same thing: Jessica is acting like she doesn’t know me. Why? What am I supposed to do? My instincts scream at me to confront her, to demand answers right now, but I can feel the eyes of our friends on me. I’m stuck.
A knot tightens in my stomach. Everything about this is wrong, but I’m paralyzed. What is happening?
I’m overwhelmed by a wave of confusion. Did I miss something? Is there a reason, some hidden motive, why Jessica is doing this? My thoughts are a mess, crashing into one another. For a moment, it feels like the ground is slipping out from under me.
I can’t figure out what she’s trying to do.
The silence after Jessica’s introduction is thick, almost oppressive. I’m not the only one who senses that something’s off. The tension is hanging in the air, and the guys feel it too. It’s Brice, of course, who finally breaks the silence with a joke to lighten the mood.
- Brice (laughing): “Told you they’d fall for each other at first sight!”
Everyone bursts out laughing. Light, carefree laughter that seems to sweep away the heaviness—at least for them. But for me, it’s the complete opposite. That comment only makes the discomfort worse. A “love at first sight” moment? I can’t decide if I should laugh along, protest, or just disappear entirely.
I laugh, but it’s nothing more than a mask. I’m stuck in this strange, suffocating moment. The sound of their laughter echoes in my ears, but it feels distant, like it’s coming from another room. I’m too focused on Jessica.
She doesn’t say a word. She just smiles, as if everything’s fine. But I know it’s not. Why is she doing this?
I can’t confront her now. Not with everyone around us, watching, waiting for me to play along. I have to hold it together. I force a smile, trying to blend into this absurd charade, but inside, the weight of it all feels like it’s dragging me under.
Jessica keeps smiling. Her performance is flawless. Anyone watching would think she’s perfectly at ease, that everything about this is normal. But nothing about this is normal. And here I am, stuck in the middle of it, forced to go along with her act without understanding why.
What is she doing? Why is she playing this role?
I can feel the anxiety creeping in. If we weren’t surrounded by my friends, I’d have already pulled her aside to ask what the hell is going on. But I can’t do that. Not here, not now. So I stand there, trapped in this forced smile, trying to piece together what’s happening. Every part of me is screaming to react, to demand an explanation, but I hold back.
They have no idea what’s really going on.
I glance at the others. They’re still laughing, joking, completely oblivious to the tension hanging between Jessica and me. Do they feel it, or is it all in my head? Brice, always ready to crack a joke, throws another one out, but I don’t even register the words. My entire focus is locked on Jessica and her baffling behavior.
Is this her way of protecting herself? Is she embarrassed about something? My thoughts spin out of control, chasing answers that refuse to make sense.
After a few minutes of small talk, the mood lightens. Everyone seems to relax, and I do my best to go with the flow, even though my mind is miles away. I’m still reeling.
The girls, including Jessica, settle around the large wooden table on the terrace, and the guys soon follow, bringing beers and joking loudly.
- Brice (smiling): “Alright, time to toast! Nothing better to kick off the weekend.”
Paul pops open the first bottles with a wide grin, and within seconds, beers are being passed around to everyone. I take mine, smiling mechanically, even though my thoughts are miles away from this cheerful scene. How did I end up here?
Laughter fills the air around me. The girls blend in seamlessly, and the conversations revolve around weekend plans, old stories, and the usual banter among friends. Brice and Paul are in their element, always chasing the next punchline, while the girls respond with energy and enthusiasm. Harper and Chloe joke about wanting a proper party, and the guys eagerly promise that it’ll be unforgettable.
- Chloe (laughing): “So, when are you going to show us this famous country house? We need to see if it’s really as amazing as you’ve been hyping it up!”
- Paul (laughing): “Patience! We’ll give you the full tour, I promise. You’re going to love it. But first, let’s toast!”
The clinking of bottles echoes around me, but it all feels distant in my head. I take a sip of my beer, forcing a smile, trying to blend into the cheerful atmosphere. And yet, I can’t shake what just happened with Jessica.
Why did she do that? The question keeps looping in my mind. I glance at her from the corner of my eye, careful not to be too obvious, and she looks perfectly at ease. How does she act like nothing’s wrong? She’s laughing with the others, joking with her friends, and yet she knows just as well as I do that something’s off.
As the evening picks up, Paul stands and announces that it’s time to give the promised tour of the house. The girls, excited, jump to their feet, eager to explore. I stand too, moving mechanically, following the group without really registering what’s happening. My thoughts are elsewhere.
As we head toward the front door to start the tour, I drift into my thoughts. My friends know I have a sister… don’t they? Yeah, of course they do. We’ve talked about it before. But they’ve never met her. They’ve never even seen a photo of her. I’ve mentioned Jess in passing during casual conversations, but never in a formal way. They knew she existed, but none of them ever connected the dots until now. That’s why this all seems normal to them. They’ve never seen her before.
I run a hand through my hair, feeling even more lost. That would explain why no one’s reacting. To them, Jessica is just another girl. They don’t know she’s my sister. They probably think it’s just some random coincidence that I didn’t know her before today.
This realization unsettles me even more. How did it come to this? I can’t believe I have to go along with this charade, pretending I don’t know her. But for now, I’m stuck. If I tell the truth now, things will only get stranger, more complicated. And besides, does Jessica even want me to say anything? Why hasn’t she said something herself?
The group moves into the house, and Paul begins showing off the rooms one by one, hamming it up to get some laughs. The rustic living room, with its leather couches and massive fireplace, impresses the girls, who joke about how they’d spend their evenings here. The spacious, modern kitchen becomes another source of banter.
- Paul (laughing): “And here’s where we’ll never be, because we don’t cook. But hey, we can always pretend!”
New bursts of laughter fill the house, but I’m still lost in my thoughts. What should I do? I need to talk to Jessica, but not here, not now. There are too many people, too much noise. I need to understand what’s going on—why she decided to act like we don’t know each other.
As Paul and the others carry on with the tour, I feel strangely isolated, despite the cheerful atmosphere around me. It’s like I’m trapped in a dream. Everyone seems to be having fun, but I’m stuck in my head, unable to relax.
Why do I feel so trapped?
After finishing the house tour, we all gather back in the living room. Paul, ever the master of ceremonies, suggests we go around the group so I can officially get to know the girls, since it’s my first time meeting them.
- Paul (smiling): “Alright, before we down too many beers, let’s do proper introductions! Josh needs to know who he’s dealing with.”
Everyone bursts out laughing. I force a smile, but my mind is elsewhere. I’m still rattled by what happened with Jessica. Why does she keep acting like nothing’s wrong? I haven’t had time to figure out her behavior, and now I have to play along with these introductions.
The girls sit on one side of the table, the guys on the other. I take my seat, trying not to dwell too much on the strange situation I’m stuck in. I need to focus on what’s happening around me.
The pretty brunette speaks first. She takes a long sip of her beer, then leans forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table with an amused smile.
- Harper (smiling): “Well, I’m Harper, and I’m the voice of reason in this group.”
She winks as she says it, and everyone bursts out laughing, fully aware that “reason” is probably not her strongest suit.
- Harper: “I work in communications, so if you ever need help making your stories sound cooler, I’m your girl. Otherwise, I love road trips, spontaneous parties, and… drinking beer, apparently.”
Paul cuts her off, laughing.
- Paul (teasing): “Actually, Harper’s mostly the one who forces us to plan stuff, even when we don’t feel like it. But hey, we love her for it.”
Harper raises her beer bottle toward Paul, and everyone joins in a cheerful toast. The group dynamic feels effortless and genuine. I laugh along with them, even though, deep down, I’m still questioning why Jessica keeps up this act.
- Lily: “I’m Lily. I work in robotics with my dad. We build humanoid robots. I know, it sounds a bit crazy, but basically, I help make sure they don’t surpass us one day.”
Brice laughs and nods.
- Brice: “Honestly, nobody understands what she does, but she’s killing it.”
Lily smiles modestly and takes a sip of her beer. It’s nice to see the camaraderie between them. Yet I remain distant, my thoughts still fixated on Jessica.
The blonde sitting next to Lily speaks up next. She’s more outgoing, and her voice carries a little louder than Lily’s.
- Chloe: “And I’m Chloe! I work in marketing, and I spend my days convincing people to buy stuff they don’t need. It’s a real talent! Also, I’m the one who screws up the most. If anything goes off the rails this weekend, it’ll probably be my fault.”
Everyone bursts into laughter.
- Harper: “It’s true. She’s gotten us into some serious messes before. But hey, that’s why we love her.”
Chloe raises her glass, laughing, clearly proud of her reputation. The atmosphere is light, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Everyone except me. I sit there, trying to smile, but my mind is still tangled up in everything that happened with Jessica. Why didn’t she tell everyone I’m her brother? Does she think it would make things weird?
The questions won’t stop spinning in my head, but for now, there’s nothing I can do.
And then, it’s Jessica’s turn.
She hesitates for a moment but eventually starts speaking. Everyone turns to her, waiting for her introduction. Her voice is calmer than the others, and I immediately notice that she’s nervous.
- Jessica: “I’m Jessica.”
That’s it. Just her name. Nothing more. Everyone waits for her to continue, but she doesn’t say anything else. She wants to keep things low-key, to downplay her presence here. But Harper, ever the tease, can’t resist the chance to poke a little fun.
- Harper (teasing): “Oh, come on, Jess! You can do better than that. If you don’t, I’ll spill all your secrets for you!”
Everyone laughs, and Harper leans toward me, adding:
- Harper: “Just so you know, Josh, Jessica’s single. And she has a thing for handsome, muscular guys.”
The laughter erupts again, and Jessica blushes, clearly uncomfortable. She gently nudges Harper with her elbow, trying to keep a smile, but I can see how uneasy this is making her.
Meanwhile, I sit there with a nervous smile, wondering how things ended up like this. Why does she keep playing this game?
The atmosphere around the table remains cheerful, but I’m growing more and more unsettled.
The girls continue introducing themselves, but I can barely focus. I can’t stop wondering if I made the right choice by staying quiet. Maybe if I’d said from the start that Jessica is my sister, we could have avoided this strange moment. But now, it feels too late. We’re stuck in this lie, and I have no idea how to get out of it.
The evening carries on, conversations flowing effortlessly, but I can’t help staying lost in my thoughts, caught between the laughter and jokes echoing around me. The girls are witty, the guys keep firing off punchlines, and everything seems to be going perfectly… for them. Yet for me, all of it is tainted by a tension no one else seems to notice.
Jessica sits at the far end of the table, and we’re still pretending we don’t know each other. I find myself wondering, over and over, why she made this choice. Is it because she didn’t want to make things awkward for our friends? Does she think admitting we’re siblings would have been uncomfortable? I don’t get it, but one thing is clear: we’re stuck in this lie.
Jessica keeps playing her part, laughing at jokes, joining in the conversations with an ease that’s almost unsettling. But I can see it—subtle tells in her gestures, in smiles that are sometimes just a bit too strained. She’s just as unsettled as I am. She’s nervous—I can feel it—and I wonder how much longer she can keep this up before it all falls apart.
As for me, I don’t know how much longer I can sit here, silent. I need answers. I need to understand why she made this decision and, more importantly, why she didn’t tell me. Did she think I wouldn’t want our connection revealed? But why would she assume that? Our friends wouldn’t judge us—it doesn’t make any sense.
While the conversation buzzes around the table, I start running through scenarios in my head, searching for the right moment to talk to her. I can’t keep going like this. I have to talk to her. Not here, not now, but as soon as possible. This situation is unbearable, and the longer it drags on, the harder it will be to undo.
Jessica catches my gaze, just for an instant, and in her eyes, I can tell she’s thinking the same thing. This situation is ridiculous, and she knows it just as well as I do. But for now, all we can do is keep playing along.
The rest of the evening passes in a blur. The laughter, the lighthearted conversations—everything continues as if nothing strange has happened. The others suspect nothing. They keep joking, sharing stories, completely unaware, while I sit here trapped in my thoughts. Each forced smile feels harder than the last. It’s as if something is bound to give, and I can’t tell if it’ll be Jessica or me who breaks the silence first.
I take a sip of my beer, trying to relax, but it’s no use. Everything feels fake, everything feels tense, and I know this night is just the beginning of a long, complicated weekend. We’re stuck in this house, with this secret between us, and I’m not sure I can keep pretending.
The unease inside me grows, twisting into confusion and frustration. The hours pass, but I’m caught in this spiral of thoughts, desperate to find a way out. I know I’ll have to act, to take the lead. Maybe after dinner, maybe tomorrow morning—I need to find a moment to talk to Jessica alone. I can’t keep going like this.
As the evening wears on, I glance at Jessica one more time. She seems lost in her own thoughts too. She’s laughing, but her eyes give her away. She’s just as unsettled by this as I am.
But for now, I stay silent, waiting for the right moment.