You stared silently at the giant visage of Anna. This was definitely not part of the plan… she stared back in kind, mouth slightly agape and eyes wider than dinner plates. 

“…Jack?” she finally said, her voice quiet and unsure. 

“Uh, yeah… it’s me.” You waved meekly. “Hi, Anna. Is, uh… is Zoe home?”

Anna shoved the lid back on the box and rushed upstairs to her room, locking the door and emptying you out on her bed. You landed in a crumpled pile on her sheets but quickly recovered to face her. 

“What the fuck is going on?! What are you doing?! You’re… you’re tiny! Why are you so small?!”

Her questions came thick and fast, and you were unsure which one to tackle first. You opted for an answer that addressed all of them at once. 

“I’m trying to win Zoe back.” You said simply. It wasn’t like you were going to tell her about Zoe’s deep desire to have a tiny boy-toy. Anna went back to staring, trying to make sense of your words as they swirled around her head. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but this will all make sense to her when she sees me. Can you just take me to her, please?”

“She’s at work.” Anna finally said, “She finishes at six-thirty.”

You looked around for a clock, spotting one in the form of Anna’s phone as it flashed with a notification from Instagram. It was 2:30pm. 

“Alright, well… can’t you just take me to her room and I’ll wait for her there..?” 

“Why would I do that?!” Anna’s response came packed with the teasing venom that was unique to teenagers. “If I remember right, she dumped you!”

This was really not part of the plan. Your stomach dropped as your ability to control the situation continued to diminish. You looked to her hand resting on the bed, and thought about it lunging at you, swatting you like a fly. You’d be dead within seconds. You released a breath you didn’t realise you were holding and pleaded with her again. “You’re right, she did end things with us, but that’s why I’m here! I want to tell her how I feel, and tell her I love her! Please Anna, just let me see her!”

“And..?” Anna raised her eyebrows and leaned in, like a cat eyeing up a defenceless mouse.

“What..?”

“You want to tell her you love her and…?”

You couldn’t tell where she was going with this, but you had a feeling it was nowhere good. “I don’t understand…”

“Is there something we say to people when we’ve hurt them..?” She spoke slowly, as if she was talking to a child, or an idiot. “A particular word..? Beginning with ‘S’ and ending in-“

“Sorry!” You chimed in before she could finish. “Yes, of course! I’m going to tell her I’m sorry too!” 

Anna gave a weary sigh, sending her warm breath washing over you. “I don’t know, Jack… if you need me - a teenager - to tell you what to say, maybe you’re not mature enough to get back with my sister…”

Your breathing began to quicken. This wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right! The plan was going so perfectly, you were so close! You knew this was going to win Zoe back, all Anna had to do was not open the stupid box! And now she thinks she can dictate your life because she’s bigger than you?! 

You knew exactly what to do…