a/n: [04-18-21] Thank you for reading this story. I'm sorry in advance for any mistakes you might find here. I hope you like it! :)

Disclaimer: Fifty Shades Trilogy and its companion books belong to wonderful EL James. This is a non-profit fanwork.

This Love

You have pointed out my flaws again (As if I don't already see them)

.

Alexandra is the best person anyone would ever meet.

She has the sweetest laughter that starts with funny snorts. She could remember your favorite color and bring a lot of chocolates you need on a bad day. She has a good ear to listen to your problem, and shoulder to cry on. She could turn your frown upside down with just simple wink.

She is my twin sister.

I have known Alex from the moment we shared our mom's womb. I know what she thinks, what she would do, what's inside of her beautiful head. She had shared with me her dreams, and hopes, and the dark part of her no one would ever know. But like any other hero in the story, my sister has a fatal flaw.

And I have to face my own fear because of it.

She wears her best dress.

It's obvious to me that she wants to impress, because once in a while she would open the camera app from her phone to fix her long auburn hair or her immaculate make-up. She is crossing her legs, her navy-blue skirt flowing delicately over her knees. A word regent fills my head when I look at her from this angle. She bought the skirt and the floral-patterned blouse just a week ago. Why I know this? Because she told me so.

"Why are we doing this again?"

I slap José's hand, which is the nearest part of him that I can reach, as he is lifting up the menu. He hisses before retracting his hand.

"You crazy, that hurts!"

"Ssh! Shut up. She could hear us."

He rolls his eyes, but pulls in his cap so it's covering half his face. "So, what? Honestly, Ana, you should stop doing this whenever Alex—"

I kick his shin under the table. The drama queen that he is, he yelps.

"You talk one more time, and I won't treat you today."

"Ow, okay, okay. Jeez, calm down will ya," he winces, and for the first time since I woke up this morning, I felt a little guilty. Just a little.

Succeeded in silencing my partner in crime, I turn to observe Alex again.

She is on her phone again, and I mentally groan. Alex is too nice for her own good that even if her date is two hours late, she would just brush it off and tolerate it. Apparently, she is on the second glass of berry smoothie (I guess), and seems to be bored. I try really hard to watch her while being secretive. That's why I brought José with me and covered my head with my hoodie.

"So where is this suspicious guy?"

"I don't know. Alex just said they would go for brunch."

"Lunch? For a first date?" José eyes widen. "Even I know the best move is to have a candlelight dinner, preferably under the moon, so then you can kiss with romantic atmosphere."

I can't disguise my distaste. "Ugh. I don't need the mental image."

"Hm, figures," he sips at his iced tea. "Hey, wanna hear something cool?"

In his term, something cool usually equals games or skateboards. Typical José. I ignore him.

"I found a nice article about how a donor would start to do odd things they didn't do before—"

"Ssh, José, not now."

"But here me out! You see, they said—"

"José, what part of undercover operation don't you understand?"

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Tell me again why I had a crush on you the freshman year."

"Hmph. Your bad."

But that was true. Last year José said that he liked me. We just met the first day in the freshman year and hit it off ever since. He is my best buddy. And I told him that I like him, too, but not in that way. Fortunately, he has a thick skin, and we agreed to stay friends. He often teases me about his lapse of judgment. Hah, serves him right.

"You were a cool chick, Ana."

"I am not anymore?"

"Yeah, turns out you're just regular, plain, stupid Ana now. Oh, not to mention, you have a very serious, very dangerous sister complex."

I punch his arm. "I don't."

"And I now honestly think your sister is way cooler than you."

I grimace. "Don't I know it."

He chuckles. "Hey, no offense, but that's true."

I roll my eyes at him, trying to mask my darkened thoughts because of his words. Now is not the time.

All of sudden José bends down in front of me. I think he has a constipation before I hear he whispers, "Hey, I think it's him." Oh, yeah. The suspicious date.

I look over my shoulder surreptitiously. Sure enough, there is a guy who was just coming through the glass door. He spotted Alex near the window and approaches her.

"Quiet. Stay low."

We crunched down with our menu books in front of our faces. Hopefully Alex won't realize that she is being watched.

"I don't really see him." I just notice that he wears casual attire with deep blue jacket. He doesn't seem flashy, but other than that, I don't really trust anyone near my sister.

"Wow, I think this one is great," José gives him a quick once-over.

I gape at him, shocked. "What! Why?"

"I dunno. There's something about him that makes me feel… maybe Alex has a good eye this time."

Huh. I peer at them again. Alex is laughing with those playful smiles. Ugh. Why does my sister have to be so romantic?

"Ana, why are you doing this every time Alex have a date?"

"You don't know how much hurt Alex been through, José. My sister is naïve, pure. And guys had hurt her in the past. She was too trusting for her own good. That leaves me to protect her."

José just grins at me. "You love her, huh."

Love her? I don't know. My feelings are far too complicated to be squeezed into that single word.

"She's my sister," I shrug.

If José realizes I didn't exactly answer his question, he doesn't say it.

"But she's an adult," I give him a pointed look, "Okay, barely. But you'll be twenty next year."

"What does age have to do with this?"

"I mean she's perfectly capable to make her own mind."

"I know," I sigh. "But José, in case you hadn't realized yet, my sister is—"

José's eyes widen. "She's looking at us!"

What? "That's not what I want to say. Are you high or something?"

He pinches my chin and turn my head to the right.

Alex is staring at me.

Crap.

"Oh, God, she is looking at us!" I all but hiss.

And now she says something to him. I can't anticipate what would happen next, but surely I didn't expect this. Alex stands gracefully, walking straight to where we sit.

The first thing I notice is my sister's narrowed gaze at José and me. I know that look so well. It means: You better have a good explanation or I so torture you after this.

The second thing is her date.

He walks behind her, regarding us coolly, or should I say impassive? I can't read him. He is… odd. His eyes calculating, analyzing, like we are some part of an equation that didn't make sense. Well, in a way, maybe we are.

"Ana, José, what are you doing here?"

I glance at José and he looks like a deer in the headlight. Quick, think, Ana!

"Oh, um, we're having brunch, as you can see."

As to prove my point, José swallow his pancake carelessly. Dripping syrup and everything. God! Can this guy be more messy?

"José is famished."

She giggles in a cute way.

"Well, we'll be out of your hair, guys, but first," she smiled warmly at the guy beside her. "Meet Christian. We will be doing an assignment together."

Hm. An assignment, huh? I observe him. They do seem like a regular classmates on a regular lunch. But I won't be convinced easily. He is still suspicious to me.

"Christian, meet my twin sister, Anastasia and her friend, José."

He nods at José once, but then he stares at me. There's something about the way he scrunitizes me. I can feel the trickle of cold sweat on my back.

Better finish this quickly.

I hold up my hand, managing a perfect fake smile. "Hello, I'm Ana."

He still looks at me funny and doesn't say a word. What's with this guy. I am about to ignore his blatant stare when he grips my hand, shaking it and start saying something.

His cold tone slices through my mind, I can't help but shiver:

"You don't look like Alex one bit."