I don’t believe her, but I also don’t want to leave, not if she’s not feeling well and I can tell she doesn’t want me to go either. “Okay.”

  I help her hop off the counter and we go to the couch; she grabs a blanket and turns on Netflix, she’s suddenly yawning and leaning on my shoulder. We settle on watching Free Guy, which I’ve seen a million times—never gets old though, so we hold hands and eventually, like a half hour into the movie, I’m yawning too.

  My eyes get heavy.

  Before I know it, I’m dead to the world.

  I jolt awake when my phone goes off in my pocket. It’s Ambrose.

  And it’s also like four AM.

  Shit.

  Ambrose

  Did she kill you or are you alive or just dead via sex, text back, bro.

  I quickly answer.

  Me

  Sorry, dickhead, I fell asleep.

  Ambrose

  I’m so disappointed.

  Me

  That I’m alive?

  Ambrose

  No, that you fell asleep mid sex.

  Me

  There was no mid sex, only champagne and a movie.

  Ambrose

  No action at all.

  It feels wrong actually telling him something did happen, so I just answer that I’m tired and am going back to sleep.

  Speaking of sleep, Chloe is nowhere to be found.

  Frowning, I look down at the floor, did she lay down? Leave? Huh, I feel like I would have noticed, then again, I was sleeping so hard I was probably snoring like an idiot.

  I should probably leave.

  I start to get up when Chloe walks into the living room. She’s wearing a pair of short white shorts and a sheer black tank top that leaves literally nothing to the imagination. “Damn.”

  It’s really all I can say.

  Her hair is in a loose braid. “You fell asleep.”

  “I did, Ryan Reynolds does that to a person said nobody ever.” I laugh, my voice is raspy from the sleep. “Are you feeling better?”

  She tilts her head. “Of course, I mean, other than the snoring coming from you.”

  “It’s like a mating call.” I nod seriously. “Kind of like when peacocks stretch their feathers to, you know, peacock.”

  “Stop saying peacock.” She laughs, it sounds kind of different, then again, I’m delirious, it is four am.

  I lean back as she suddenly crawls up onto my lap, straddling me. She reaches for her shirt and pulls it off and tosses it to the ground.

  No bra.

  I try like hell not to stare at her chest but it’s right in front of me, I’m looking at her face with all the willpower I have. “I take it you got hot?”

  She leans down, her lips are so full, nearly swollen like she’s been biting them, and suddenly I’m jealous of her teeth—weird. I grab her by the back of the neck and jerk her forward. Our mouths collide in a bruising kiss that has me completely awake and ready to go, she reaches between us and palms the front of my jeans.

  “Ah, déjà vu.” I joke.

  She laughs. “Let’s repeat some things, make some mistakes, let’s start now.”

  I grip her by the hair and twist it around my fingers. It feels so soft. “Deal.”

  Everything passes in a blur then.

  I’m flipping her onto her back on the couch.

  She’s reaching for the button of my jeans, then asks about a condom. We’re moving fast, like fast fast, but I also can’t say no. I can’t, I don’t want to. I’ve had a shit year and this beautiful girl is seducing the shit out of me and I don’t want to say no.

  I want to forget it all.

  The heartbreak.

  The times I stupidly cried over my best friend’s girlfriend like an idiot.

  The moments we tried to hang out only to have to be tortured, watching them fall deeper in love while I fell behind.

  Being a third wheel sucks.

  I want to be the lead.

  I want to be the main character of my own story, so I kiss her deeper, and I hold her tighter and tell myself it’s going to heal the scars that have yet to scab over. I tell myself that sex will change everything, even when I know I’m lying to myself.

  I give into it.

  I give into her.

  And when I sink into her, I feel at peace for a fraction of a second and realize it can become my new addiction, getting lost between her thighs and telling myself everything is going to be okay—because I’m for one instant, loved by someone.

  Giving them pleasure, taking mine.

  I tell myself this as I pump into her, as I consume each and every breathy sigh from her mouth, as I bite her neck and suck.

  As she clings to me, gasping my name like a chant.

  It’s all going to be okay.

  It’s going to be perfect.

  Chapter Six

  Chloe

  Last night sucked, it sucked all the balls of the balls that were available, I feel so bad for Quinn. First, I invited him over to hang out, then fell asleep, then ended up having another episode. I started getting really tired, like so tired he probably thought I was drunk… then the headache set in along with the rash that was starting to present itself on my stomach.

  It sucks.

  All of it sucks.

  I wonder if he ended up leaving earlier this morning. At least we had a few moments together and at least we had yesterday. I decide to throw on a pair of sweats and put my hair in a ponytail, then go see if he’s still on the couch.

  When I go out there, the blanket’s folded and he’s in the kitchen making coffee. He smirks at me, looking over his shoulder like he knows a secret I’m truly not aware of. “So last night was fun.”

  “Look, I’m so sorry—“

  “—sorry?” He frowns. “Why would you be sorry for the best sex ever, I woke up dreaming I was a unicorn, and I don’t know exactly why that’s where my head went but, yeah, you were, that was, I honestly have to say the statement of I don’t do this ever, but, thank you.”

  My hands start shaking so badly, so I put them behind my back. The hell? We never had sex last night.

  I immediately feel sick to my stomach, but I also don’t want to say anything because he’ll hate me and never come back.

  She promised.

  She freaking promised me.

  I look around the room and find her at the breakfast table like she didn’t just have sex with my crush, with my person.

  When she looks up, her smile is cruel, so cruel that I want to cry.

  “You guys should have been louder.” She licks her lips. “I don’t think they heard you in space, it was close though.”

  Quinn winces. “Yeah, sorry about that, I think things just got really out of hand in the heat of the moment.”

  Sophie sits up. “Must have been nice to get your brains screwed like that, I wonder what it was like.”

  She’s never gone this far.

  She’s never.

  I start panicking, my breathing is off, the room feels dizzy or is that me? I collapse onto the ground, cracking my knees before laying down.

  “Chloe!” Quinn’s at my side immediately. “Chloe, are you okay? Talk to me.”

  Sophie’s voice sounds. “She’s fine, she sometimes gets lightheaded, it runs in the family, it’s kind of an attention thing though sometimes, right Chloe?”

  I blink up at her, barely getting out the word. “Right.”

  “Anyway, I’ll see you losers later, have fun with all your sex.” She steps over me and walks out of the room, she’s in a short denim skirt—my denim skirt to be exact and wearing one of my white crop tops.

  She grabs her purse, then my Ray-Ban’s and blows us a kiss, leaving the house.

  “She’s a piece of work.” Quinn mutters under his breath. “It’s weird you’re even sisters, let alone twins.”

  “Yeah.” I can’t cry. I think I’ve lost all my tears because of her in the past few years, it was one time, one time, and it’s not like I knew that he was her boyfriend.

  She purposefully did this.

  To hurt me.

  To get revenge.

  She took it too far.

  And now I have to decide if I come clean that it wasn’t me last night, or do I lie and keep him by my side?

  I’m too sick to think about it.

  My sickness isn’t going to get better, but what will make it better is having someone like Quinn.

  His eyes search mine. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah.” I lie. “It’s perfect.”

  Chapter Seven

  Quinn

  I put on a straight face the entire time I eat breakfast with her and make plans for later, I’m trying not to lose my mind. I could have sworn there was something off with her this morning, and her sister, naturally, was just as hateful as ever.

  Good riddance.

  I pull Chloe in for a hug but she goes immediately stiff like she doesn’t want the attention. “You good?”

  Her eyes fill with tears. “I’m totally fine.”

  “Was I too rough with you last night?”

  She presses her lips together then smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes, it’s like she’s holding herself back, shit I knew a one-night stand wouldn’t end up well. I probably hurt her or her feelings, both of us were exhausted.

  I shake my head. “Listen, we can just be friends this doesn’t have to go past—“

  “—NO!” she shouts and then grips my shoulders. “That’s not it, it’s just, I’m really tired after—last night and no, you weren’t too rough.” Her eyes fill with more tears, what the actual hell is going on? “I just think I’m a bit too invested in you and it’s only been a day, kind of terrifying.”

  “Extremely terrifying.” I agree, “But I’m not going anywhere, I mean I am going home because I have to shower and I know I don’t technically live here so that might be an issue later, but taking a gap year is sounding better and better the more time I spend with you, add that to the fact I can take online classes and by your expression I am one hundred percent freaking you out aren’t I?”

  She shakes her head, why does her hair look a bit longer? Weird. “No, not freaking me out, I like you.”

  “I like you too.”

  She stands on her tiptoes and presses a warm kiss to my cheek. “Go shower, go make sure your rich roommate knows that you’re okay and call me later, okay?”

  “I don’t call, I text, calling stresses me out.” I wink. “Kidding, I’d even break the no calling rule just to hear your voice. Then again, I heard it a lot last night when you kept saying my name over and over again.”

  She flinches. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” I lean in. “I liked it.”

  Chapter Eight

  Chloe

  I text Sophie, she doesn’t text back.

  I’m so upset that even crying all day and burning down my own house wouldn’t make it better.

  She slept with him.

  On purpose.

  And pretended to be me, there’s no way I sleepwalked into the living room from my bedroom and had the best night of my life.

  Me

  Sophie, pick up. Now.

  Sophie

  I’m shopping.

  Me

  Then stop, take a time out, and call me back, this is serious. He’s a good guy and doesn’t deserve this.

  She doesn’t type back right away, instead I wait for the bubbles to pop up and when she does respond, I don’t even know what to say.

  Sophie

  Just like I didn’t deserve to get ignored my entire freaking life because you’re “sick” with Lupus. Half the time I still think you’re faking it for attention, attention I never got, so yeah, I slept with him, but if you say something just know I’ll tell him you’re not well and I’ll make you look like the biggest liar on the planet, so pick your battles, sis. I had a good time, and so did he, what’s the harm?

  Unbelievable!

  Me

  The HARM is that he thinks he was with me, and it’s you instead!

  Sophie

  Go with it, what’s the worst that could happen? He gets more sex? He gets more attention? You’re lame and you’re lucky I showed up, now he’s still interested, meanwhile you were passed out sick, you should be saying thank you.

  I don’t even know how to respond to her and I don’t have time or the patience to when mom suddenly calls.

  “Hi!” I sound way too cheerful to be talking to her, my voice is high pitched, I’m still sweating and could pass out at any minute. “Everything okay?”

  Mom sighs heavily on the phone. “Sophie said you had a hard night last night?”

  I’m so angry I could cry, it’s just instinctual to want to cry when I’m mad at her or the world or my stupid sickness. “Not really.” I answer honestly. “I just decided to go to bed because I had a slight fever and then kind of passed out, but I’m fine, I swear.”

  “It’s nice your sister’s paying attention and is worried about you.”

  See, this is where I get pissed because my sister only does that in order to deflect from herself, but because she knows it drives me crazy, I don’t want to be the center of attention and she only makes it worse by constantly doing this to my parents when she wants to get me grounded to the stupid house.

  Mom is quiet for a few seconds. “You know, maybe you should rest.”

  I also know they start paying attention to the ring cameras the minute they’re worried about me, which also means that I can’t have Quinn over because they’ll see it immediately.

  What is with this sabotage? It’s not like she even has his number! She just doesn’t want me to be happy.

  “Mom.” I try to speak as clearly as possible. “Please don’t make me stay home, I’m fine, plus I’m on a break, right? I even went on the canoe the other day, went to a movie, I probably overdid it a bit but I’m truly good, I’m taking my meds, I’m hydrated, I’m good.”

  I feel like it’s the perfect argument, instead she curses under her breath. “I just worry and I’m not there.”

  Worry, my ass, but it’s still nice to hear. “I’m good.”

  “Why don’t you just stay home for the day, take a nice lukewarm bath and then I can put in a call to Dr. H—“

  “—Mom.” I interrupt, nothing sounds worse than a lukewarm bath right now, especially after last night. “I promise if I start feeling worse, I’ll go to the doctor, but right now I just want to relax and go for a walk.”

  I leave out that I want to walk into the actual ocean.

  Instead, my mom just answers, “Oh honey, I’m headed into another meeting, just, go for your walk but call me if you need anything, I’ll text Sophie later—hi! So great to meet you!”

  She forgot I was still on the phone, so I hang up first and start walking. I need to get out; I need the fresh sea breeze—what I really need is to hang out with Quinn. It feels freeing, but now I don’t know if I can face him, I’m not sure I can keep myself from confessing everything, not just what I’m sick with but what happened with my twin.

  It’s so messed up.

  I would so love the ice cream he offered me last night. How did things get so messed up so fast?

  I grab my purse and a pair of sunglasses and leave the house, power walking down the boardwalk like my life depends on it.

  Ice cream. I’ll eat ice cream. I repeat that mantra in my head a dozen times as I round the corner and come to a complete and total stop.

  It’s Sophie, and she’s with Quinn.

  Wait, what?

  Maybe it was a random meeting?

  I had my phone with me all night and while she knows my passcode she would never, right? Never.

  He starts laughing and leans in, then pulls her against his chest and kisses her head.

  He thinks he’s kissing mine.

  He thinks it’s me.

  This is freaking diabolical.

  I start walking toward them, then stop when she turns in my direction. Her eyes say it all. She pats his face and then walks toward me. I round the corner and try not to hyperventilate.

  Sophie meets me in front of the store, the wind whips at my face as I stare out at the beach, I can’t even meet her eyes.

  “So, this is how this is going to go.” She leans against the wall. “You’re not going to say shit about last night, not that he’d believe you, I’m very good at impersonating your sad innocent face, have been for years, and I won’t tell him that you have Lupus and are constantly fainting and laying in bed like the loser you are. And you let me go on a date with him.”

  “What?” I jerk my head toward her. “He’s not an object! And I barely know him!”

  “And yet…” She grins. “…you took him to the movie theater, and you went into the old section, trust me, that was one of the best moments of his life, he’s not going anywhere. Plus, he’s decided to take a gap year, so he’s here for a while, not just vacation, I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? He gets a ton of action for like months on end? Would any guy say no to that?”

  “Stop!” I yell. “Just stop! He’s a person and a really good person from what I know, you can’t just—he’s fragile right now and I won’t do this—“

  “—Again?” She grins. “You mean you won’t do this again.” She taps her mouth with her fingertip. “Because isn’t this kind of sort of what you did Senior year when I was dating Brax?”

  “He was in on it and I had no idea!” I hiss under my breath. “He hurt me, he hurt us!”

  “He”—she seethes—“was the love of my life and you stole him from me because at the end of the day, he chose you, not me. So right now, I’m going to choose Quinn and you’re going to deal with it, but don’t worry, I’ll leave you some scraps, even dogs deserve a bone.”

  She walks off.

  My heart cracks in my chest.

  I never meant to hurt her and had no idea Brax had this weird fascination with twins or that he was purposefully doing it because he was a sick bastard and no matter how many times I tell her she doesn’t believe me.

  Her hatred has always run deep.

  Years ago, she dressed differently.

  Years ago, she did her makeup differently.