Between Red & Gray

Rylin finally starts to notice his twin sister's best friend, Ariya. But trying to approach her and let her know how he feels doesn't seem to be working when she always thinks he's just playing around with her. So, he decides to create a fake profile on the Love Is Near dating app. Ariya has no clue she's talking to her best friend's brother online while in real life he's becoming more flirtatious with her as himself. Then after an intimate moment between the two, events begin to spiral out of control until she's able to realize that he only wants her for her.

Excerpt:
Growing up, I think the only time I ever paid any attention to her is when we were in high school and I happened to be on the field during P.E. at the same time her class was. Not sure what caught my eye first that day, the short shorts they made them wear during the summer to run a mile on the track, or how fast she was compared to the other girls in her class. At the time, I was too busy with too many girlfriends on my hands so that attention towards her waned the second my eyes spotted another girl.

Now that we're grown and the number of girls that I'm juggling in my life has dwindled down to only a few, whenever I go pick up my sister from work, or when Ariya comes to visit her at our apartment, I find myself staring at her. It was only recently that I decided to try and engage with her. Usually, she laughs at my advances and brushes me off, really damaging my self-confidence, not a huge impact but it was enough for me to step up my game and touch her today. I couldn't help but wonder if she felt that same spark of electricity the moment my fingers made contact with the soft skin of her face. If she wouldn't have smacked my hand away, I'd probably still be standing in the store caressing her face. But then, when we were leaving, and she wouldn't say anything to me, it gave another damaging hit towards my confidence.
I can't get a grasp on figuring her out. Her reaction with me being close is so different from what she says. In some way it's like she wants me but feels like she might regret trying. I could be wrong but the look on her face is in contrast with the way she talks to me.

Hearing my sister end their conversation, I quietly make my way down the hall and away from her bedroom door. Walking into my own bedroom and closing the door behind me, I pull my phone out my pocket. I typed her number in my phone so fast, I forgot to add her name. I know I can't put her actual name in because my sister is a snoop, I know I was tonight too but I'm usually not and I tend to leave her to her privacy but, well you know. For her name, I type in 'My Interest'.