The door slams shut behind you, the sound of the lock clicking into place echoing in the small, dimly lit room. Your parents' voices fade down the hallway, their final words ringing in your ears: "You two aren't coming out until you learn to get along." Sera is already across the room, her long, dark blue hair swaying as she flings herself onto her bed with a dramatic sigh. The mattress bounces slightly under her weight, and she sprawls out lazily, one leg dangling off the edge as she pulls her phone from her pocket. The soft glow of the screen illuminates her face, highlighting the faint smirk tugging at her lips. Thoughts: Ugh, why do I have to be stuck in here with him? This is so unfair. I didn't even do anything wrong. Well, not this time, anyway. From your awkward position near the door, the path ahead is unsure. The room smells faintly of her perfume—something sweet and floral, but with an edge of something darker, like smoke. It's overwhelming, just like her presence. "Ugh, of course they'd lock me in here with you," she mutters, not even looking up from her phone. Her voice is low and dripping with annoyance, as if the mere idea of sharing a room with you is the greatest inconvenience she's ever faced. She scrolls absently, her long nails tapping against the screen, the sound sharp and rhythmic. There isn't really any place to sit that isn't her bed or the floor. Her room is messy but oddly stylish, with clothes strewn across the back of a chair and a few empty snack wrappers scattered on the desk. The walls are adorned with posters of obscure bands few have even heard of, and the air feels heavy with her disdain. "If you're just gonna stand there like a creep, at least make yourself useful and turn off the light," she says, finally glancing up at you. Her icy blue eyes narrow, and she tilts her head slightly, her dark hair falling over one shoulder. "Or better yet, just fuck off entirely. I don't care how you do it, just stop breathing so loud. It's annoying." Thoughts: Why is he just standing there? Does he think I'm gonna invite him to sit down or something? As if. He can stand there all night for all I care.

Her lips curl into a sneer as you turn off the light, casting her in darkness even more effectively than before. "You really are pathetic," she whispers, her voice barely audible over the quiet hum of the fan on her desk. "Just leave already. Go back to your room and pine for attention from some other stupid girl. I'm not interested."

"Well, that's just too bad, isn't it?" Her voice is laced with mock sympathy as she rolls onto her side, facing away from you. "Guess we're stuck with each other for the night, huh? Better make yourself comfortable." With a dramatic sigh, she tucks one of her perfectly sculpted legs beneath her body, drawing up her oversized sweater to reveal the curve of her hip and a tantalizing glimpse of bare skin. Her breath catches in her throat as she feels you watching her, but she refuses to give any sign that she's aware of your presence.

Instead, she reaches up with both hands to run her fingers through her hair, slowly and sensuously, as if nothing is amiss. The motion stretches out the hem of her sweater even further, revealing more of her long, smooth legs and the soft skin of her abdomen. She wants you to look, she decides, but only because it annoys her so much. There's a quiet triumph in knowing that no matter how hard you try to ignore her, your eyes will be drawn back to her again and again throughout the night.

It's not long before she feels you looking at her again, and this time, she can't resist giving a smirk in the darkness. Her movements are slow and deliberate, her hips swaying slightly as she stretches out on the bed with one arm flung above her head. She pretends to be absorbed by whatever's on her phone screen, but you know better than that; you can feel her gaze boring into your back even when she looks away.

The game continues like this for what feels like hours, an endless cycle of mock disinterest and feigned indifference. But every now and then, Sera will catch herself glancing up from her phone, only to find you staring at her, those wide eyes fixed on whatever bit of skin she's chosen to reveal that day. It's infuriating in its own way, how easily you get under her skin, making her question whether or not her contempt for you is genuine. But then again, isn't that what she wants? Isn't that why she treats you this way?

She snorts derisively at your question. "Civil? Seriously? That's a good one." Her voice is sharp, cutting through the darkness like a knife. "Why would we ever be civil to each other?" She rolls back onto her other side, propping herself up on her elbow and regarding you thoughtfully for a moment.

"You know what? Fine. If you're gonna act so pathetic, I guess there is something you can do for me." She pauses dramatically, drawing out the suspense until she knows you're dying to hear what it is. "Get my phone charger from your room and bring it back here. It's on your dresser."

The satisfaction of having bested you, even in this small way, fills her for a moment. But only for a moment; the smirk she wears fades quickly as her patience begins to wear thin again. There is so much more she wants to say to you, but for now, this will have to do.

Closing her eyes, she sighs heavily. "Fine, ask away." Her tone is bored and irritated, as if you're interrupting something much more important. But even as she speaks, she leans forward slightly, tilting her head to the side in a way that accentuates the curve of her neck and shoulder. You can almost see the wheels turning in her mind as she decides whether or not your question is worth listening to.

Her eyes widen slightly at your question before narrowing to slits. "I don't hate you," she says slowly, as if explaining something incredibly simple to a small child. "It's just that you're such an idiot. You've never done anything right, you don't know how to treat me with any kind of respect..." Her voice trails off, her gaze drifting away for a moment before snapping back to meet yours once more. "And it's annoying," she finishes, almost dismissively. "You make my life harder than it needs to be."

There's a small, satisfied smile on her lips as she watches the hurt flash across your features. It's everything she hoped you would feel when she said it out loud: worthless and pathetic. But even as she savors that moment of victory, there's something else beneath it all - a tiny flicker of... something. Perhaps guilt, or maybe just the beginnings of genuine annoyance at having you in her life for longer than she anticipated.

"You have?" Sera's expression turns incredulous. "No, you haven't. You just sit there and stare at me like some kind of pathetic little creep! And don't try to act all innocent now; I've seen the way you look at me." She gestures vaguely toward your crotch, her expression both mocking and disgusted. "You think just because you're a boy, that gives you the right to stare?"

Her eyes narrow further as she studies you, looking for any sign of embarrassment or shame in your expression. When she finds none, only determination, it sends another wave of annoyance crashing over her. She pushes herself off the bed and storms across the room toward her desk, ignoring you completely now that she's found something more productive to do with her energy: texting her girlfriends about what an idiot her stepsister thinks he is.

She rolls her eyes and turns back toward you, leaning against the desk casually. "You're such a clueless little boy," she says, tossing her hair over one shoulder with a careless motion. "Of course I'm going to look at you when you're standing there like that. You can't blame me for wanting to make sure the idiot stepbrother doesn't trip and break something." Her lips purse into a petulant pout, making her full lower lip even more enticing than usual.

But even as she continues to taunt you, her words carrying an undercurrent of disdain and mockery, there's a tiny spark of... something else in her eyes. It's fleeting, easily missed if you aren't paying close attention, but it's there: amusement. The realization that she has power over you, that she can make you squirm with just a few well-chosen words, brings out a different side of her. A smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth as she watches your expression struggle to process this new information.

"Oh, do you now?" she asks, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she slowly crosses the room toward you once more. "Well, that's a relief to hear. In that case, you can start by cleaning up this mess." She kicks at a pair of dirty socks on the floor by your bed, sending them skittering across the carpet in your direction. Her gaze flickers downward as she takes in your form, noticing for the first time just how tall and broad-shouldered you are beneath your oversized sweater. There's an unwelcome flush of heat that touches her cheeks when she realizes you could probably pick her up and toss her across the room if you wanted to.

With a sigh, she pushes off the floor and heads for her bed again, sprawling out in a dramatic fashion that draws your attention like a magnet. "Just make sure you get rid of all my things from your room," she says over her shoulder, not meeting your eyes. "I don't want to see anything that's mine anywhere near you." It's her way of maintaining some semblance of control in this ridiculous situation, and she knows it drives you crazy because it does the same thing to her.