Chapter 7
It’s after three in the morning when Jayson sneaks into our room through the window. I figured out where he was after I got home from Ryder’s and saw his shadow inside Elizabeth’s bedroom. I lied to Mom when she saw me walk in and asked me where Jay was. I said he was already asleep upstairs.
Ryder is a mess. I stayed with him after Jay ran off, and he and I just talked.
He thinks Jay hates him. He thinks he’s lost his best friend.
I reassured him over and over that everything was going to be okay.
Jay simply needed a minute. Our bonds of friendship were strong.
Eventually, I was able to convince Ryder of this, and I left his place feeling pretty good about things.
But like the stupid jerk my twin brother just made me when I realized he was with Elizabeth, I was a liar.
What I promised Ryder is now all a big fat lie, and that makes me angry.
“Where have you been?” I demand when he comes through the window.
I glare at my brother as he strips off his shirt and shorts and climbs into bed like nothing has happened. His nonchalance only adds fuel to my anger. I chuck a pillow at his head.
“Hey! I asked you a question.”
“What! Leave me alone!” He turns his back to me and takes the pillow I just chucked at him, punching it a few times before laying his head on it.
When we were younger, we had bunk beds. I slept on the bottom while Jay had the top. We still share a room, but now it has two full beds instead of the bunks
Needing to see his face, knowing I will catch him in a lie if he tries, I sit up and throw my legs over the side of my bed, ready to confront him.
“Are you seriously going to pretend that I just did not see you in Liz’s bedroom.”
I get nothing.
“After everything Ryder said to us tonight. He laid his heart out for us and you just stomped all over it.”
That gets his attention. Jay flings himself off his bed and lunges at me.
My brother may be muscular, years of swimming giving him broad shoulders and strong arms, but I’m faster, my soccer skills and quick feet coming in handy.
I dodge his attack easily and push against his back.
He falls over onto my bed, but instantly recovers and jumps up to grab my shoulders.
I know he’s not fighting me. He’s fighting himself.
He’s at war with what he’s done and needs to channel that aggression into something physical.
Unfortunately, his punching bag is me. He sucker-punches me in the jaw, but I give back as good as I get and clip him on the nose.
We both freeze after seeing blood. Some is dripping from the cut he opened on my lip, and some from his nose where I punched him.
“What are we doing, man? Do you feel better now? Want me to see if Liz wants to come over so you can pummel on her too?”
Jay’s face blanches at the thought of anything hurting Elizabeth. He immediately backs down and takes a seat on the side of his bed. Like earlier tonight at Ryder's, his head hangs low, refusing to look at me.
He swallows a few times before speaking.
“I panicked. I heard what he was saying and all I could think about was that I was going to lose Liz. My girl,” he thumps his chest above his heart.
“I know I should’ve told her how I felt ages ago.
I know I should’ve talked to Ryder. He and I have both been dancing around the subject for years.
I wasn’t expecting him to finally grow a pair and pursue her. So yeah, I panicked.”
“You need to fix this, Jay.”
“I know. I promised Liz I would take care of everything. I’ll make sure she doesn’t lose any of us. I made her a promise, and I will never break my promises to her.”
“You didn’t see what you running off did to Ryder. He’s devastated. He thinks you hate him. I promised him otherwise. Told him you just needed a moment. Now I’m a liar, thanks to you.”
If I thought Jay’s head couldn’t hang any lower in shame, I was wrong.
“Talk to me, brother. No matter what, I am here for you. But I won’t betray Ryder. I’m not going to keep things from him.”
“I love her, Julien. I’m sorry.”
I hate to see him tying himself up into knots about this.
We all knew would come to a head when it came to Elizabeth.
It was inevitable. Lines would have to be drawn, boundaries established, choices made.
I only wish he went about it better. Talked to Ryder instead of running off behind his back to stake his claim and steal her.
“You know, he still plans to talk to her tomorrow. You’re going to have to suck it up and talk to him first before he sees her or else it’s going to cause a lot of confusion and problems.”
I touch his shoulder. Sitting down beside him on his bed, I wrap my arm around his shoulder and pull him to me.
“Want to talk about it?”
Jay wipes a tear from the corner of his eye and smiles over at me. “I kissed her and it was beautiful.”
“Okay, not wanting too many details because the girl is my best friend and I may decide to punch you again if you made any moves on her, but go ahead,” I gesture to let him know he can continue talking about what happened between them tonight.
I stay with my brother until the sun comes up as he confesses every feeling, every thought to me. Liz told Jay she loved him back. Regardless of how screwed up the circumstances, she made a choice. I hope Ryder is strong enough to live with it.