"Erika, open the door please." Elizabeth begged outside my door.
I wiped away my tears, stood up, and opened the door for her, "What do you want?"
"I don't hate you," she explained, "all I've wanted the past fourteen years was for you to be back home and I couldn't be happier."
I knew she was telling the truth. I felt this weird connection between us, I guess that's thanks to being twins. She was genuine. I sighed and hugged her tightly.
"I really think you should talk to Jacob. He's freaking out." She told me as I let go of her.
I shook my head, "He hates me."
"No he doesn't! He's really confusing, but what teenage boy isn't?" She joked lightly pushing my arm.
I let out a small laugh and nodded. I went over to his door and knocked. He was quick to answer and his face was relieved when he saw it was me.
"You have five minutes." I said, sitting down on his bed.
He didn't waste any time and began to explain himself, "In the family I am the outcast. I didn't lie about that. Nothing i told you was a lie. I'm only popular in school because everyone knows our family and I'm the star of the football team. I just got lucky there and now everyone knows me."
I nodded, it all made sense and things began to come together.
"Now what those girls said, about me saying you just cause us stress, it isn't true. I am really happy we found you and you're everything I thought my other sister would be. You get me and you're making the family feel complete." He finished.
I closed my eyes, "Did you say it though?"
It was silent in the room. He didn't have to answer. I knew he had.
"I didn't mean it."
I stood up and left the room. I heard him saying he was sorry as I shut the door and went down the stairs. I pulled the front door open and left the house. I didn't know where i was going but I knew i couldn't spend one more minute there.
—-
After walking for about fifteen minutes, I stumbled upon a small park behind the elementary school. I sat down on a swing, took out my phone, and began to text Becca, the girl who had defended me in first hour earlier today.
• Hey, it's Erika
• Hey! What's going on?
• Just dealing with some family drama lol. I'm so over not fitting in anywhere.
• Well if you ever need me to tell them off too, lmk! Here for you, we're outcasts together :)
I smiled at my phone and felt okay for the first time. At least i knew i had Elizabeth and Becca backing me.
I looked over at the small basketball court the park had and saw a boy doing layups. As i continued to stare, I realized it was Josh, the boy who helped me find my classroom.
I stood up and walked over to him. He didn't notice me come up behind him so when he missed a shot I joked, "You know the ball is supposed to go inside the hoop, right?"
He spun around and smiled at me, "Hilarious. I'm so off my game today."
I motioned for him to pass me the ball and when I caught it I instantly shot it into a far away hoop. It went in without touching anything besides the net.
Josh's eyes widened, "You play?"
I shook my head, "Not really. Growing up my dad would always take me to play basketball and he was really good. Like freaky good, never missed a shot. Eventually, he taught me how to play and his skills just sort of rubbed off onto mine."
Josh grabbed the ball and began to dribble, "Let's play then."
I grinned, "You're so on."
—-
I spent the next hour just laughing and messing around with Josh. When we got tired we just sat against the fence and talked about life. I opened up to him about my whole situation and what had happened with Jacob. He reminded me a lot of Blake, minus being a douchebag. It was really crazy to think after one day it felt like I might have replaced Stacy and Blake with Becca and Josh.
As it began to get darker Josh stood up and gave me his hand to pull me up, "Let me give you a ride home."
I nodded and thanked him as I followed him to his car. We continued to talk on the short drive and when we pulled up to my house he began to tell me, "There's something you need to know-" but he was cut off by Jacob running over to the car and pulling my door open.
"Oh hell no, you are not talking to my sister." Jacob fumed.
James sighed, "Jake, calm down."
"Don't you think you've already taken enough from me, man?" Jacob hissed as he clearly grew angrier.
I decided to cut in before it got any more heated, "What's going on?"
"Get out of the car, Erika." Jacob ordered.
I shook my head, "Not til one of you tells me what is going on."
Jacob narrowed his eyes at Josh, "Josh and I used to be best friends."
"Wait a minute, you two know each other," I questioned, "and you let me sit there like an idiot rambling on about him?"
Josh bit his lip, "Listen, Erika, it's really complicated."
I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car, "I'm sure it is. See you around."
I shut the car door and stormed back into the house. Jacob followed behind me and sat next to me on the couch.
I looked over at him, "I just spent the last hour ranting to him about how confusing my whole life is now and opened up to him about so many things and he didn't bother telling me you were ever friends."
He sighed, "I wouldn't expect him to. He's an ass, probably just trying to use you to get back at me."
"What did he even do to you?"
"Well, we were friends forever. Our birthdays are three days apart, he was my first ever friend in preschool and we just stuck together. Then freshman year when we both tried out for the football team, I got onto varsity, which is obviously a huge deal for a freshman, and he didn't get on at all. He turned into a giant ass, despite me trying to still be friends. Ended up going after Elizabeth and then when I told him off, my ex-girlfriend cheated on me with him." He spilled out.
I felt awful. I had no idea how much had happened with Jacob and Josh and now hearing Elizabeth was involved made me even angrier. No one should ever mess with her, she's the sweetest person in the world.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't know." I apologized.
He smiled, "You have nothing to be sorry for, but I do. I really am sorry about everything. I was just being a jerk and trying to be cool, but if being cool hurts my family then I would rather be forgotten by everyone at school too."
I leaned in and hugged him, "It's okay. I completely understand."
He hugged back tightly, "I promise I'll never say anything stupid like that again. I love you, Erika."
"I love you more, Jacob."
A/N: Lots of twists, huh ;) Jacob actually isn't a lying jerk & Josh might be a true villain.. or is he? I'm so excited to show you guys the backstories of Becca and Josh more as their characters develop. Now that Erika and Jacob have really shown their backstories, prepare to see the true colors of Steve, Annette, Josh, Becca, and Elizabeth!