Life Lines

32: He Showed Up

Chapter Thirty-Two

I should've known it was him. He used to take advantage of assumptions when we were kids so why would that change when he got older? Stupid me.

"It's not like it meant anything." I put the picture face down on the desk and stared at him through the mirror that hung on the wall above the desk that doubled as a vanity. "What do you want now?"

He sat down on the cushioned bench facing me but I just scooted away.

"Don't be like that."

"Like what?" I still looked at him through the mirror. "Like you just told me you hated me about an hour ago?"

"You didn't let me finish."

"What else was there to say? That was pretty much a conversation stopper if you didn't know."

"You never were a patient person. How you managed to sit still to get all that useless knowledge into your head always baffled me."

"It's not like it matters." I looked down at the desk top and started playing with the edge. "No amount of useless knowledge could've prepared me for you saying you hated me."

"It was a bad choice of words..."

"But it was the truth, wasn't it?" Finally I looked at him. "You hated me because I didn't turn Elite like you expected. You hated me because I kept trying to talk to you when all you wanted was for me to leave you alone. You gave up everything for nothing so I guess that entitles you to hate me."

"I don't hate you, Tally."

"You're just saying that. There's no need to make me feel better..."

He sighed and I frowned at the meaning I got from it. It was one I'd hear my father give me from time to time when I did something he didn't like.

"If I wanted to make you feel better, I would've just left you alone. But I came here so I could finish the conversation we were having..."

"Well, I don't want to finish it, ok? So just—go back to what you were doing."

"I wasn't doing anything. Actually, I was in Jesse's room waiting for Kells to leave so I could talk to you."

"I don't want to talk..."

"I've been waiting to talk to you for years. The least you can do is sit there and listen."

My jaw dropped and my head swiveled to look at him straight on. "Excuse me?"

"I'm going to talk your ears off, Tally. Get used to it. I have three years to make up for."

"I don't want to hear it! I don't care what you have to say."

"There are still a few things you need to know."

"Well then I'll just wait for Kells to come back. I'm sure he'd be more than willing..."

"What you need to know, he can't tell you. It's twin stuff."

"I'm not your twin." I tried to get up, to move away from him, but instead he got a hold of my arm and kept me in my seat. "Let go of me."

He shook his head. "You need to hear me out."

"I don't 'need' to do anything. You had your chance. You told me you hated me. Did you honestly think I would stick around after that little tidbit came out? For the past three years I've been missing you and all you've managed to do is hate me. All you had to do was slip me a note, you know. Clue me in to your true feelings. 'I hate you. Leave me alone.' would've been perfect."