The Other Twin

15

Rory's POV -   
I continue walking out of the room, down the corridor, out the reception area and into the parking lot. I then get in the passenger seat and hear Edward get in beside me.
"Where to?"
"Anywhere," I reply, speaking for the first time since we got to room 206. The car pulls out of the space, and onto the road. I watch trees and buildings speed by. Eventually, we stop outside a pathway into the forest. Edward gets out, and I follow. Hearing the beep of a car lock, we head into the green. After walking for 20 minutes, we finally stop in a beautiful clearing. The boy next to me sits down on a log, and I follow suit. After a short argument in my head, I lay my head on his arm.
"You want to talk about it?"
"I don't know."
"Okay."

We sit in a comfortable silence for ten minutes, before I speak up. "I know this sounds bad, but I wish she was hit worse."
"I think that's understandable. But tell me why you think that."
"What she said to your brothers. How it clearly affected them more than they let on."
"And?"
"She doesn't deserve to be okay. I know I'm her twin brother. And I know that I'm meant to have her back no matter what, y'know, blood is thicker than water and all that crap. But better people than her die. Everyday. Heroes who save lives. And she can't even keep her homophobic thoughts to herself. She has to act on them. She has to call your brother that. She has to slash my tires. And everyone still thinks of her as good. And, I wish that people would see her for who she is. But they won't. Because, why see the truth, when you can be happy believing a lie."

I don't know at what point tears start rolling down my face, but my face is wet and so is the sleeve of Edward's jacket.
"I'm sorry. God I'm pathetic," I say, starting to move. But he puts an arm around my shoulder, and I stay put. I think I feel a soft touch of lips on my head, but I can't trust that it's not just the crush tricking me.
"Hey. I don't think you're pathetic. I think your someone who has a lot of pent up feelings, who doesn't let them out. It's okay. I'm here for you. Whether you like it or not."
And I almost tell him. I almost tell him that she sometimes hits me. And thinks it's my fault when thinks go wrong for her. But I don't. Because he'll think I'm weak. Instead, I just look up at him. And he looks back. And he kisses me. Nothing like the long, hot, passionate kisses you read about in romance, but a soft, tender one, on the lips. I kiss back. And after we break apart, I kiss him again. And he doesn't break away in discust. And I think, for the first time, that maybe, he might actually like me back. When we break apart for the second time, I look him in the eyes. And he looks at me. And we have a chance.
"You want to go out, at some point. To the movie theatre or something. Get popcorn or pick and mix, or nothing, if you'd prefer. You can pick the movie."
"Yeah. I'd like that. A lot."
"Is tomorrow night okay with you?"
"Uh. Yes. Yes I am."
"Then I'll be picking you up around five?"
"Sounds good."
After the exchange, we just sit there, looking at the beautiful nature, and sometimes glancing at each other secretly. Until it starts getting darker, and colder. Then we start waking back to the car, and he gives me his jacket once I let out a small shiver. It's a bit on the big side, but I take it after a fake protest. It's got his smell in it. I fake an attempt at trying to give it back to him, but he thankfully refuses, before kissing me goodbye, leaving me in an empty house with the ghost of his lips on mine.