Chapter 29
There was no real way to prove that the person in front of me was really my twin, but I could tell. We both looked exactly alike. I also had this gut feeling that he was my twin. I could feel a pull to the dangerous person in front of me. Call me crazy, but I wanted to get to know him.
He realized I was frozen, but didn't know why. He started to make a move to get up, but I growled at him before raising the gun up again. He froze.
"Don't move!" I growled, but it was softer than before.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Why do you care?" he snapped back in a tone that reminded me of myself far too much. I shivered inside.
"Where do you live? Do you live with your mother? Are you an orphan?" I blurted out, needing to know.
Here he was. I thought I had no family left, that I was all alone, but here he was. My own flesh and blood. I didn't know if it really meant anything if he didn't even have any connection with me, well at least that he knew about.
"Shut up! You don't know anything!" he yelled back. He had the same short temper as me. His eyes saddened a bit, but his jaw clenched tighter in anger.
"Please?" I pleaded with him. "I need to know!"
"Why?" he asked, eyeing me cautiously.
I took in a deep breath, and stepped out if my protective shadows. I heard a gasp, and watched his frozen shocked face. He could also tell we looked exactly alike. I did a mental happy dance. At least he also saw it.
"I'm going to ask you again, are you an orphan?" I asked. I had lowered the gun slightly.
"Yeah, I am. You?" he asked sounding shocked, barely able to get the words out.
I nodded my head, too shocked that this was really happening. I got my voice back, and answered him properly.
"I live in an orphanage right now. What about you?" I asked him.
"I ran away when I was 13 years old. I now live with a bunch of other boys that don't have anywhere else to go."
"Why did you run away?" I asked, curious.
"You might find out later."
"When is your birthday?" I asked. I was frustrated that I didn't get an answer.
"You tell me," He stood up slowly, keeping his eyes on me.
"April 18," I whispered. He nodded telling me it was the same for him.
The gun drooped a little more. We just stared at each other, trying to figure out each other for a long time. He suddenly reached into his back pocket, and the gun flew back up, aiming for him. He cocked an eyebrow. He and I both knew I could no longer shoot him.
He pulled out his chained wallet. He yanked out a small paper hidden in one of the card pockets. He unfolded it, to show me the same picture I currently had framed laying in my suitcase. It was the picture of us and our mother when we were really little.
I needed no more proof. I was suddenly so overcome with emotions. I clicked on the guns security. I then ran up, wrapped my arms around him, and buried my face in his chest. He was shocked, but after a moment wrapped his arms around me.
If I remember correctly he was older than me, but just by 12 minutes. Our poor mother!
I felt a shock and relief wash over me. He must have felt the same emotions I did, because he didn't pull away. He just held me there. He didn't have a family either, he was on the streets, living with a bunch of other boys that weren't needed- just like him. Now there was somebody that cared for him.
I finally pulled away, and realized that I didn't know anything about him, let alone his name!
"What's your name?" I asked.
It was kind of strange to be asking him this after we just had an emotional moment. He smiled, probably thinking the along the same lines as me.
"Cole, yours?"
"Eliana. Seems our mother ran out if creativity when she got to your name," I teased. "Want to go to Starbucks? I'll pay."
"Sure," he answered.
He walked into the shadow a bit, to grab my box of pizza. He handed it to me, and I handed him his gun. He tucked his gun into his pants, and pulled the leather jacket over it, concealing it.
I reached into my own leather jacket pocket, and pulled out a tissue. He smiled, and dabbed at his bloody nose.
"Sorry about the nose," I said.
"It's ok. At least I know you can defend yourself," he answered.
He then turned away from me, and with a loud crack, put his nose back into place. He swore a bit in pain, but nothing much. Blood started to flow again, but he used the tissue to stop the flow. We waited a bit for his nose to stop bleeding. I helped clean him up a bit, before that we left the alley. We headed down to the Starbucks I had seen earlier.
I ordered some tea so I wouldn't be up all night long, and a coffee for him. We sat down in those comfy chairs in a corner.
"So tell me a bit about yourself," he said taking a sip.
"Well when I was 12 I got adopted into this family..."
I explained everything, but left out the entire werewolf details. Something told me that he didn't know anything about what truly lurks in the dark. I felt like I had to tell him about Jace, but in a modified way. Just that he and I loved each other, no matter how much we both hated each other. I told him about how he had broken my heart the first time, but left out I was in a dungeon.
I figured this was a good time to figure out a good lie for the humans, to explain why I was back in the orphanage. I told him that they believed I would be better at the orphanage. I gave him a slightly more detailed explanation, telling him that I was in danger there (not from them), and it was safer in the orphanage.
I just left it at that, not wanting to relive tonight.
I took a long sip of my second cup of tea, after finishing. "Your turn. I just told you practically everything, in a modified version, so don't leave out much."
I leaned back, sinking further into the comfy chairs. Cole must have figured out by now that it was hopeless to get me to sit normally. I was currently sitting with my legs crossed.
"I pretty much had a boring childhood until I was about 11. I lived in an orphanage my entire life. Seems not every family wants a hyper ball of energy like yours did. When I was 11 this new kid came to the home. He was 15, and my new roommate. They had found him living on the streets. He taught me all that he knew about living on the streets. He said that everyone should know how to survive out in the real world. He would take me out at night, and teach me the essentials. Like how to shop lift your next meal, and not get caught. How to mug a person. How to fight. How to make a good deal with the other people in the streets.
"He did warn me to stay away from drugs. He was on them, but just couldn't break his addiction. A while after he got to the home, he would start to vanish. At first it was just a day or two. Then it started becoming weeks, then a month. He came back during the dead of the night. He snuck in through our window. I ran and fetched some food for him, because he looked like skin and bone. He told me to pack up, we were going to leave. I was 13 at the time, and he was the only person that gave me any interest. So I packed up some clothes, personal items, money, and a lot of food from the kitchen. We lived in an old apartment that hadn't been lived in for years. One day though, we were walking around, and this group of boys, maybe 8 of them, started chasing us. We broke off, but they only chased him, yelling about bad money. I watched from the side as they beat him to death. I tried to stop them, but they had a guy holding me back." I watched my brother as he focused hard on the table. He had it hard. He was never really given a chance to become anything. It was just what was expected of him.
"Not long after he died I found some other boys to live with. They were in similar situations to mine. Out in the world all on our own. I still live with them. Our group was found by a gang, and we were initiated. It is a very large gang, so the leader has a lot of money. He gave our group an apartment, and food. We help him in exchange." he stopped to sip on the last bits of his coffee. He then started to smile.
"Then one night I saw this girl in a leather jacket walking around looking like a drunk. She kept walking back and forth, and the other people around were wondering if she was right in the head. She went into an alley, and I decided that this was my chance to get that new video game I wanted. The next thing I know she's attacking me, and I have a nut for a sister," he finished with a giant grin on his face.
I kicked him under the table, and felt my foot connect with his shin.
"Ouch!"
I smirked. "That's what you get for calling me a nut, drunk and not right in the head."
I turned my attention to the box on the table. I opened it, and took out a slice. I offered it to him, and then took out another for myself.
"So, what do you know about our parents?" I asked.
"Our parents?"
"Yes, the people that conceived us."
His face scrunched up. "Nothing much. I just figure, from our picture that our father wasn't around, and our mother was young. You?" he asked. I started to eat another slice.
"Same."
"Excuse me, we will be closing soon." I looked up, to see a pretty brunette walking off with a broom in her hands. She walked over to another table. They got up and left.
I looked at the clock on the wall and swore.
"What?" Cole asked.
"Emily is going to have my head for being out this late," I panicked.
"Emily?"
"Yeah she's the one in charge of all of us. God, I can't face the wrath of Emily tonight."
I got up, and threw away the cups, and now empty pizza box. When I came back I threw on my jacket.
"You could always come stay with me for the night," Cole offered. "That way you don't have to face Emily until the morning."
Today was friday... eh why not. "Sure. Thanks!"
We left starbucks, and headed back towards the pizza shop. He explained that his apartment was just another street past. On the way we played the question game. I asked one, he asked one. It was a great way to get to know each other.
"Ok, how about this." Cole was sucking at asking questions, so he kept asking me the ones I would ask him. "If you were given the chance, would you beat up that Jake dude?"
I started to smirk up at him. "It's Jace, and I already have. Today actually. He was making out with one of my best friends from when I used to live here, and just flipped when he saw me at the school. He got really pissed off, and slammed me against the locker. I then fought back, and kind of gave him a gorgeous shiner..." Cole looked proud of me. "And broke his nose..." His smile fell. "And kneed him in the balls..." His face contorted in pain. "And possibly broke his rib." He stared at me in shock.
"Remind me to never get on your bad side. Ouch that poor dude." The look on his face made me burst out into laughter.
"Ok my turn." I said eagerly. "Hm..." I pretended to think, even though I already knew what my next question was going to be. "Do you have a girlfriend?" I asked.
He burst out laughing. I gave him odd looks, wondering what I did.
"Only you would ever ask something like that. No I don't. I prefer not being tied down." He finally answered.
"Are you like some type of player?" I asked.
"Hey that's two questions it's my turn." I let out a frustrated sigh as he thought.
"Do you... Do you like cars?" he asked.
"Well enough, but I prefer my baby." A look of worry shot on his face.
"Your baby?" He asked, panicked.
"Nuh-uh. That's two questions. Now for mine. Are you a player?" I asked.
"Well I don't mean to brag but..." I let out a frustrated sigh at his huge ego. "The ladies sure do like this." He said pointing to his body. I rolled my eyes. "So yeah, I kind of am. Now you. What do you mean by your baby?" He asked slightly panicked again.
"My motorcycle. I stole it a few weeks ago. Got it repainted, and boy is it beautiful. I wish I would have taken it with me." A look of relief crossed his face, when he realized I didn't actually have a baby.
That was when we reached an apartment building. He walked us up four flights of stairs, with me complaining the entire way. Apparently the elevator was broken. I took off my jacket, because it was very hot in the stairwell. He unlocked his apartment, and led me in. Inside all the lights were off, but there was the constant flashing of light from the TV. Cole lead me into the living room. It was large, with a coffee table, that was now covered in chips and popcorn, and two couches. There were two boys sitting on the couch, maybe a year or so older than me. They were playing Call of Duty. Another boy was laying out on another couch, watching those two play. He looked about our age. I was hidden in the shadows, and half behind Cole.
"Hey dude, what took you so long? Did you get anything?" the boy laying out asked.
"Nah. Looks like you two are still in the same position as when I had left." Cole replied amused.
"Hey, I got up to go piss."
I stepped out from behind my brother. He shot me an amused look. Probably curious as to how this would play out.
"Dude, you got yourself a babe while you were out?" asked the boy laying down.
The boys paused their game to check me out. The boy who noticed me got up, and walked over to me.
"She's sexy too! I bet she's good in bed." One of the boys on the couch said. I heard a deep growl from my side.
The boy who came towards me introduced himself to me. "I'm Nate. And you are?" I just glared at him, not talking. "Well once your done with Cole over here, would you like to keep me some company in bed."
He gave me a hungry look, as he ran his eyes up and down my body. When he looked back up at me, he winked. I felt Cole move from my side, ready to react, but I beat him. I pulled my arm back, and swung my fist to connect with his jaw. It sent him sprawling onto the ground, and left my knuckles throbbing.
"I'm not a whore, you dick!" I yelled at him.
Suddenly Cole cracked up laughing at his friend on the ground. His friends on the couch were laughing so hard, one of them started hiccuping. Cole's friend started to get up, and looked furious.
"Hey!" Cole yelled, getting his friends attention. He pulled me back behind him. "My sister is off limits!"
They all looked at Cole in complete surprise. "Sister?" asked the one I had punched.
"Eliana, this is Nate he's also 16," He said pointing to the boy I punched. "That's Deon he's 18, and that's Aden 17," he said pointing to the boys on the couch. "And Joe is... Where's your brother?" He directed to Deon.
Deon just shrugged. Deon had short black hair, and dark skin covered in tattoos. He was very tall and muscular, with warm amber eyes. He was the one that made that remark about me being good in bed. Aden had ash blond hair, and hazel eyes. He was also very tall, but was more lean. Nate had light blond hair, and lapis lazuli eyes. He was shorter than the other two, about my brother's height, but had a very well built figure.
"How did you find her?" Aden asked.
"I was actually mugging her, but she..." he said she accusingly, "broke my nose and stole my gun. We must have seen how much we looked alike, because the next thing I know we are at Starbucks talking about our past."
"Now that I know, I can totally see the similarities," Aden said.
"I don't," grumbled a still pissed off Nate.
Aden got up and turned on the living room light. He then smirked at his now sulking friend. I started to smile too.
"Ignore him. It's his time of the month." He lurched to the side, dodging a punch from his friend.
"Come on, I'll give you something slightly comfier to wear," Cole said, and lead me to his room.
His room had a queen sized bed in the middle, a dresser, and his own bathroom. On his dresser he had a radio, a few bottles of cologne, and a row of books, and cd's. Not much, but at least he didn't have to share anything. He too seemed to have the messy gene, because his room looked like a tornado came through it. There were clothes, and shoes everywhere. Some people may insist that their mess was an organized mess, but his mess certainly wasn't.
"Here," he said handing me a huge over sized black shirt.
"Pant's?" I asked.
"Sorry, nothing that wouldn't just slip right off."
"Oh could I use your phone to call Emily? Don't worry I'll come up with an excuse."
"Sure," he said handing me his phone.
I dialed the orphanage number. It rang a few times, before a very hyper child picked up.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?" I asked.
"Nope. Who is this?"
"Eliana. Would you do me a big favor?" I asked, exaggerating the big.
"Sure."
"Two things, one would you be able to get Emily for me. Two, could you please go to bed. Emily has a lot of other kids to help get to bed, would you be able to help, and get yourself and maybe a few others to bed?" I asked, using a very sweet voice.
"Ok. I will, but after I get Emily for you."
"Thank you...?"
"May."
"Thank you May."
I would have to remember to thank her in person when I get back. The other line was quiet for a bit.
"Hello? Eliana?" Emily asked.
"Sorry to call so late, but I'm going to be spending the night at Keila's. It was starting to get late, so we just went to her house. Sorry I forgot to call until now," I apologize
"That's ok, just try to remember next time."
"Sure thing, good night Emily."
"Good night," She mumbled.
I thanked him, and went into the bathroom to change. The black t-shirt nearly reached my knees. When I came back out, he was in the living room with the other boys. He was holding an ice pack to his nose, to help the swelling.
"Sorry about that," I said plopping down on the couch beside him.
"What I don't get an apology?" Nate asked from the other couch.
"You don't deserve one."
"Ohhh..." Deon said, smiling at me.
I gave my own smile back, and watched the movie. I started munching on some popcorn. I laid against the arms of the couch, and tucked my feet up under me, getting comfortable. Half way through, I started to drift off. It was a terrible movie anyways, so I didn't mind missing it.
The next thing I knew, Cole was shaking me awake. I just shrugged him off, trying to fall back asleep. He sighed, and scooped me up. He carried me into his room, and set me on his bed. He pulled the blanket up over me. He started closing the door, before he muttered a good night through the crack. I gave my own half coherent good night, and he closed the door. The light in the room vanished, encasing me in darkness. Then sleep sucked me in.
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