#PlotTwist

Chapter 4

"Why isn't Taryn in class today?" Winnie asked as she slipped into the seat next to Tayton. He was leaning back in his chair with arm draped around Jenna, who was reclined in the seat on the other side of him.

The group, excluding Taryn, was sitting around an outside patio table of the small restaurant on campus they had chosen for lunch. No one had heard from Taryn since her unusual freak out over the girl's group text.

Tayton took a sip of his drink. "I don't know what you're talking about" he answered casually.

Winnie's eyes narrowed. "You know I don't believe you. Where is she?"

"It's not like I have a mental GPS in my head that tells me her exact location 24/7" he responded. "We're twins, not robots."

"But you do know where she is" Winnie corrected. "And you know why she didn't get any sleep last night."

"How do you know that?" Tayton asked.

"You called me to help her get ready this morning, at your mother's office" Winnie reminded him in a bored tone. "I had to use twice as much concealer as normal to cover those awful bags under her eyes. She obviously didn't sleep, and I'm gonna guess she was at the office last night. My question is why?"

"Wait, Taryn didn't go home last night?" Garrett asked.

Tayton pressed his lips in a firm line. "Why is there a sudden interest in my sister's nightly routine?"

"Because staying up all night at the office isn't her nightly routine" Winnie pointed out. "She's almost always in bed by ten. She's such a grandma."

"She worked late with me last night" Garrett explained. "We didn't get to leave until eleven. She already looked pretty rough. I told her to go home and sleep it off."

"Which she obviously didn't do" Winnie pointed out. "Why was she at the office all night? Why wouldn't she tell me where she is? What are you two keeping from us?"

"Who's keeping what from who?" Reese asked as she sat down.

"Apparently the twins are keeping a secret from us" Jenna informed. She turned to face her boyfriend. "What's going on babe?"

Tayton leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Aha!" Winnie exclaimed. "So there is something going on!"

Tayton groaned. "Does this have something to do with what had Taryn so worried last night?" Garrett asked.

"Taryn was worried about something?" Jenna asked. "Is she okay?"

"She seemed a little off" Garrett answered. "We talked. But she wouldn't tell me what was bothering her. She swore it wasn't family related, but I don't know. The only other time I've seen her like this was when Mr. Beckett skipped her sweet sixteen."

Tayton swallowed hard. "This doesn't have anything to do with our dad. T doesn't worry about him anymore. She's learned not to expect much."

"So what is this about?" Reese asked. "Because she obviously isn't being herself."

"Look," Tayton sighed. "You guys just need to wait until she tells you. Just know that she's safe and that everything is okay."

"We're just worried about her" Jenna stated.

"I know" Tayton replied softly. "And she knows too. It's killing her not being able to tell you guys."

"So she's not allowed to tell us" Winnie restated. "And I'm guessing since you know, you've been sworn to secrecy too? This has to be family related! Well guess what, we're your family too! And families give each other support! So Tayton, I'm gonna ask you one more time and if I don't get an answer, I am driving straight to your house where I am going to wait on your front porch until she shows her pretty little face again. And then I'm gonna force it out of her!"