(Author’s POV)

"Whenever I picture it, why do I feel sudden chills run down my spine?" she mumbled to herself. "Let’s find out what its actual meaning is and ease this curiosity of mine," saying this, she got up from the bed, walked towards her study desk and settled down.

Opening a notebook, she closed her eyes, took a moment to recall all the details and then started drawing the vivid diagram from her memory; her hands flowed like a skater on an ice rink. She only kept the pen aside when she was finished and gazed at the image intently, tracing the lines with her fingers. Next, she took out her phone and was about to scan it when the display lit up with Nora’s name. Without wasting any time, she didn’t even let it ring and picked it up.

A man’s chuckling voice came from the other end, "Haha~ ... were you waiting for the call so eagerly, hmm?"

Myra’s eyes widened, then shrank as she muttered while a low gasp left her mouth, "Dion~ ... it’s you. But this~ ...this is Nora’s number?"

"It is. I just borrowed it to get a surprising reaction out of you, and you didn’t disappoint. Heard dinners on you tonight. Count me in, *click sound*," Dion answered, his voice as smooth as ever.

Myra was embarrassed by his teasing. She cleared her throat and inquired, "What about others? Are they all coming as well?"

"Hmmm~ ...." Dion dragged his hum, keeping it suspenseful. "Let me see. Nora and I are definitely coming, Eli~ ... he too. Rave said he had some business, but he most probably would be done by the evening. Mother, of course, when heard about the dinner, she willing agreed. As for Al~ ...." he sighed. "He has a video conference scheduled. An important business meeting. So~ ... it looks hard for him to come."

"Uh~ ... ohh," Myra voiced, sounding a little disappointed. Shaking her head, she quickly added, "Okay. "I’ll let mom and dad know. Well then." She was about to cut off the call when Dion spoke again, "Wait~ .... Myra, Hey ...." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Yes? Do you have something else to add?" she said.

"Ahhh~ .... I~ .... wanted to ask~ ... are you~ .... Brother Dio, why is my phone with you?" He was in the middle of saying something when Nora approached him. "I have been searching for it, and it’s with you. Wait, who are you talking to?"

’Huhh, didn’t he say he was just borrowing her phone?’ Myra thought to herself.

"Nothing, just confirming our evening plans to Myra," Dion said as he handed back her phone without protest. After saying that, he walked away, placing his hands inside his jeans’ pockets. Nora shook her head and saw that the call was still running. She replied, "Myra, sorry about that. Brother Dio, he was just messing around~ ... you know how he is."

"It’s okay. I don’t mind. Hey, I need to go now. Wendy’s calling for me. Remember to be here by six thirty, ohkiez. Bye. See you later," she sounded sing-songy.

"Ummhmm~ ... we’ll be there on time. See you," with that, Nora disconnected the call and smile. ’Finally, our relationship feels, it is back to being how it used to be. Love the normalcy,’ Aura commented. Thought Nora didn’t say anything, she agreed with her wolf.

Myra was already walking out of her room, completely forgetting about that tattooed picture. "Wends, what’s up? Why were you calling?" she asked.

"How does this look?" Wendy, who has been cooped up in her room since morning, showed her the sketch. "Does it bear any resemblance?" her eyes twinkled.

Myra was literally taken aback by the face in the portrait, her eyes flickered, "Isn’t that~ ... Elio?"

"Yups. It is him. I have an assignment due the day after tomorrow for portrait class. We need to draw a portrait of the opposite gender. Sis, tell me~ .... how does it look? Is the shape of his nose okay? Does the dimple look apt? It doesn’t look weird, right? Sis~ ... sis~ ..."

Myra snapped out of her initial shock and said, her eyes fixated on the portrait, "It looks~ ... good. It looks just like him."

Wendy breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank god. I was worried." Wendy turned the canvas around and smiled, not a subtle smile~ ... but was beaming like sunshine, bright and radiant.

Myra’s eyes lingered on the similar-looking sketches spread across her desk and asked, "But why did you draw so many?"

"Ohhh that~ ...." Wendy’s eyes flinched with panic as she shifted in her position, covering the desk, "I was just~ .... I was just practicing, honing my skills. You know, I am not very good with portraits, haha." She laughed awkwardly.

Though Myra nodded, her thoughts remained complicated. All those sketches were of Elio from various angles. The life like sketches made him look in another light. He looked like he had descended straight from the heavens. He bored a resemblance like a celestial being. That was not something that made her uncomfortable. Elio was handsome in real life, no doubt, all the Everests brothers were, but the way those portraits were drawn, the perspective of the beholder, that’s what made her fidgety and created discomfort in her heart.

She had an inkling that her sister had a crush on Elio. But she only thought it was just infatuation and would eventually pass. But now, looking at the glint in Wendy’s gaze, she could tell it was more than just a crush. The moment that thought crossed her mind, she felt a thud like ache in her chest. Her heart felt heavy, as if someone was pressing it with a heavy stone. She pursed her lips and didn’t know what to say more or how to react.

"Sis~ ... sis~ .... how was the dat~ .... *ahem ahem*. How was your getaway with Prof. Stephens? Where did you two go?" Wendy asked sheepishly, gauging her sister’s expression.

"It~ ... it was good. Fabian took me to his beach house." Myra kept it at that. Her mind racing with other thoughts. For some reason, she couldn’t meet Wendy’s eyes. She felt guilty. She just wanted to get out of the room, so she said, "Ahh~ ... Wendy, I need to go downstairs to help Mom prepare dinner."

"Dinner? It’s just three thirty? Why so early?" Wendy questioned, her brows creasing.

"Don’t you know? Mom and Dad have invited the Everests for dinner tonight," Myra told her.

"WHAT~ .... does that mean~ ... Eli~ ... holy shit. You should have told me sooner. Fuck, I look like a total mess. I haven’t even taken a shower, jeez," Wendy, who was in her pyjamas, her hair looking like a crow’s nest, panicked, hearing the news. She wasted no time and hurried towards the bathroom.

Once Wendy was gone, Myra was left all alone in the room. The portrait once again drew her attention, as she unconsciously balled her fists. even she didn’t know why she felt that way.

To Be Continued . . . . . . . .