I Confessed To The Wrong Twin

Ch.7

Jami

The front door flies open, and Cole violently shoves me into the foyer. I stumble over my own feet, my shoulder slamming hard against the drywall. A sharp ache shoots down my arm, but I don't even get a second to rub it before the hallway light blurs my eyes.

Standing right there at the bottom of the stairs, with her arms crossed tightly over her designer blouse, is my stepmother, Evelyn. Her face is twisted into pure disgust.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Cole pants, rubbing his knuckles like he just did some heavy lifting. "Found her at that trashy club downtown, getting out of some rich guy's sports car. She was wrapped all over him."

Evelyn takes a slow, menacing step toward me. Her eyes scan my outfit, her lips curling up. "A sports car? At a nightclub? Are you completely out of your mind, Jami? You told me you were at the library finishing up your end-of-term papers. Instead, you're out there acting like a cheap girl, embarrassing this family with some dangerous boy."

"He isn't a dangerous boy," I say, my voice trembling but trying to hold my ground. "He's a student. He was just giving me a ride."

"Shut your mouth!" Evelyn shrieks, her voice echoing off the high ceiling. "I don't care who he is! Look at you, throwing yourself at guys who clearly just want one thing from you. You think a guy driving a car like that actually cares about a girl like you? You are a delusion."

The words sting, cutting straight through the lingering warmth of the kiss Reid gave me. She always does this. She loves making me feel small, loves reminding me that my body and my looks don't fit into her perfect, superficial world.

"Give me your keys," Evelyn demands, holding her hand out. "Right now."

"What? Mom, no, I need to get back to campus—"

"You aren't going back to campus anytime soon," she snaps, snatching my purse right out of my hands. She digs through it carelessly, pulling out my room keys and slipping them into her pocket. "You are officially grounded. You will stay in your room, and you will not see your friends. If I catch you sneaking out, I will cut off your allowance completely. Let's see how your little sports-car boyfriend likes a broke girl."

Cole smirks from the corner, thoroughly enjoying my misery. "Go upstairs, Jami. Before I have to lock you in myself."

Tears of hot frustration prick my eyes, but I refuse to let them drop in front of these monsters. I grab my rumpled purse back from Evelyn, spin around, and storm up the stairs. My boots thud heavily against the wooden steps, each step feeling like a weight dragging me deeper into a prison.

I slam my bedroom door shut, tossing my purse onto the floor, and faceplant straight onto my bed. The silence of my room suffocates me. I am trapped. My perfect escape, my entire holiday break with the boy I finally had a chance with, is completely ruined before it even started.

The sound of my door opening makes me stiffen. I don't even have to look up to know who it is.

Vanessa slides into my room, shutting the door softly behind her. She leans against the frame, her eyes locked on her phone, a nasty, victorious smile playing on her lips. She’s wearing a silky nightgown, looking completely relaxed while my entire life just burned to the ground.

"So," Vanessa starts, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. "Who's the mystery guy with the crazy wheels?"

I turn my head away, staring at the blank wall. "Get out of my room, Vanessa."

"Oh, come on, don't be a brat," she scoffs, walking closer to my bed. She taps her long, acrylic nails against the screen of her phone. "Mom is totally pissed downstairs, but I'm actually impressed. I didn't think you had it in you to bag someone who drives a car that costs more than Cole’s entire playoff bonus for three years. Tell me about him. What's his name? What does his family do?"

I roll over, sitting up on the edge of the mattress, my expression hardening. I completely lock down. There is no way in hell I am giving her a single detail, a single name, or any explanation.

Vanessa has always done this. Ever since our parents got married, she has made it her personal mission to take every single thing I ever liked. If I got a new sweater, she would borrow it and ruin it. If I made a new friend, she would invite them over and find a way to make them ignore me. She thrives on taking my things just to prove she can.

But this time? This time is different. Reid is the only good thing that has happened to me in a very long time. I won't let her touch him.

"It's none of your business," I snap, my voice unusually sharp. "Get out of my face."

"Wow. Someone is sensitive. Is he really that special?"

"I'm warning you, Vanessa," I say, standing up so I can look her straight in the eyes. My chest heaves with a sudden surge of protective anger. "Stay the hell away from him. Don't look for him, don't ask about him, and don't even think about him. Just stay away."

Vanessa blinks, and then a loud, mocking laugh escapes her lips. "Are you actually trying to threaten me, Jami? Over some guy? Please. As if I'd even want your leftovers."

She rolls her eyes, looking back down at her phone screen where the photo she took of us is still open. I watch her thumb pinch the screen, zooming in on the picture. My heart stops for a fraction of a second as she stares intensely at the image.

"Wait a minute," Vanessa mutters, her laughter completely dying down. Her eyes narrow. "Look at that logo on the rear bumper... that's a hockey team sticker."

My stomach drops into a deep, dark void. s**t. I didn't even notice the sticker when I got into his car.

Vanessa’s head snaps up, her eyes wide as a dangerous, predatory look takes over her face. The smirk that creeps onto her lips makes my blood run completely cold.

"He's a hockey player," Vanessa whispers, the puzzle pieces clicking together in her head as she stares at the blurry outline of his arm wrapped possessively around my waist. "An athlete with a car like that? He must be a star player. They are royalty on campus. They're rich, they're hot, and they definitely don't date girls like you."

She looks me up and down, her gaze lingering on my curves, her eyes filled with absolute judgment. "If a quiet, boring girl with your body can actually catch the eye of a guy like that... then it's going to be a walk in the park for me."

"He doesn't want you," I grit out, my fists clenching so hard my nails dig into my palms.

"We'll see about that," Vanessa purrs, stepping toward my bedroom door. She opens it, turning back to give me one last, wicked smile. "Thanks for the tip, sis. I think I'm going to love meeting your new friend."

She slips out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

I stand there in the center of my bedroom, completely frozen, the sound of her laughter still ringing in my ears.