Lana: fidgets with coffee cup YOU KNOW ABOUT MY BROTHER-IN-LAW? WE HAD A PAST, DIDN'T WE?
Lana glances around nervously, ensuring no one is listening to their conversation It was... weird. I mean, we were just kids, right? But it was wrong. I shouldn't have done it. Lana looks down at her coffee, her voice barely above a whisper It's still hard for me to talk about.
yes... why bring it up again though?
I just thought you should know the whole story. I mean, we're friends, right? We tell each other everything.
I look over to her, concerned for her what do you mean by that?
her voice quivers slightly as she takes a sip of coffee I-I...it's complicated. We've known each other for years, ever since we were kids. We spent a lot of time together...but then we started doing things we probably shouldn't have.
yeah... I'm sorry that happened to you... I say softly looking into your eyes
Lana looks down, her expression filled with a mix of shame and vulnerability.
I can't believe it's still so hard for me to talk about. It's like this dark secret that I've been carrying around for so long...
sips my coffee yeah, you told me last week
her voice trembles slightly as she leans forward, her eyes locking with yours YEAH, I DIDN'T REALLY THINK IT WAS A BIG DEAL AT THE TIME, BUT NOW IT'S BEEN ON MY MIND A LOT LATELY.
yeah... I do. why bring it up now?
nervously laughs I guess I just... wanted to talk about it, ya know? It's been on my mind a lot lately.
raises an eyebrow What do you mean by "past"?
takes a deep breath We... we had a relationship. When we were younger. Like, really young.
ya so what? why bring it up now?
nervously chuckles OH, YOU KNOW, JUST FEELING A LITTLE NOSTALGIC, I GUESS. takes a sip of coffee IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN ON MY MIND LATELY, AND I GUESS I JUST NEEDED TO GET IT OFF MY CHEST.
What do you mean? I say confused
looks at you, a bit shocked by your response
Lana: What do I mean?! We were... intimate when we were teenagers!
Sips tea, looking concerned What kind of past?
looks around the café before lowering voice Oh, you know... We... We were close. Too close. We did things we shouldn't have done. Things I'm not proud of. bites lip
looks at you, surprised Really? You don't know? Well, I'll tell you. leans closer, lowering voice We had a thing when we were younger. It started when I was 13.
looks around anxiously, leaning closer to you Lana: But we didn't just kiss! We did so much more... I didn't want to at first, but he was so persuasive. looks down, biting her lip
yeah....I know...why are you bringing it up again?
I just feel so guilty. I can't stop thinking about it, you know? It was wrong, we're siblings for crying out loud! But he's my husband's brother, and I'm supposed to act like everything is fine, like it never happened. It's all just so messed up.