More than Secrets

The Girl Who Missed the Bus

JANE'S P. O. V.

I'm just about to start on my applications for early college admissions when there's a knock at the front door.

Mom, dad and Dani are at the store right now, getting ingredients for dinner tonight, Ryan is staying at his girlfriend's place until classes start back up again and he has to head back to campus, and El ran out of here about 5 minutes ago, shouting something about Stacy needing a makeover for school tomorrow, so it's just me at home at the moment.

I sigh and put my applications down next to me on the couch and go over to the big bay window that has a view of our front yard.

I move the curtain to the side slightly and peep out to see who's here.

I spot Liam's car in the driveway and head to open the front door.

I'm about to tell him that El's at Stacy's house down the road, but I don't get the chance to because Liam's pushing me inside.

He grips my waist and pulls me flush against him as he crashes his lips against mine in a heated frenzy.

I want to push him off me, scream and yell at him that this is so wrong on so many levels, but for one: he's much too strong for me, and two? ...I really don't want him to stop.

Why does this feels so incredible?

Oh no, my sister is going to kill me!

It takes all of my strength (and willpower) to shove Liam off me.

I'm leaning against the small entrance table. My hair's sticking out in all directions and it probably looks like a bird's nest.

I'm gasping, trying to catch my breath and recover from, possibly, the best kiss of my life.

I glare at Liam who's just smiling at me with barely a hair out of place. "You do realise that I'm not El right?" I ask him, still breathing heavily.

"Yes, Jane." he says, still smiling at me like we're talking about the weather and not the fact that he just kissed his girlfriend's twin sister.

I look at him incredulously. "Liam, you can't be serious, you're dating my sister!" I yell.

He winces and slumps back against the wall opposite me. For once, he actually looks ashamed.

I've finally caught my breath now and go to open the front door again, motioning for Liam to leave.

He sighs and starts to head out, but stops on the threshold and looks at me. There's so much longing in his eyes.

"I'm going to break up with her, Jane. You are the one I want to be with... the one I need to be with."

Come again?

Dani's P. O. V.

El's head is on our mom's shoulder now and she's sniffling softly when our dad walks in.

He stands at the kitchen doorway behind Jane and takes one look at the scene unfolding at the breakfast table, before turning quietly and promptly exiting the kitchen again.

I have to giggle at that. Our dad has always been one to avoid "teenage boy drama" as he puts it.

I remember the night El first brought Liam home to introduce him to the family. Our dad had huffed and grumbled all through dinner, muttering under his breath that no boys would ever be good enough for his girls.

Liam was still so unbelievably charming and polite throughout the evening, despite our dad's comments and death glares, and as for our mom? Oh, she was like putty in Liam's hands.

Of course, this only enraged our dad further and, as soon as we'd said our goodbyes to Liam, he'd slammed the door shut and turned to El with an unreadable expression.

"You're too young and naïve to be in a serious relationship with anyone, let alone the likes of him," was all he said to her before storming off.

I guess he didn't want to see El end up with a broken heart like she is now.

The sound of Jane pulling out a chair to join us at the table causes enough of a distraction for me to slip the mangled spoon into the front pouch of my oversized hoodie. I don't want mom to freak out over her destroyed utensil or, worse, find out exactly how it came to be destroyed.

Jane doesn't say anything though. It actually looks like she's worried about something else. I watch her pull on her bottom lip - a habit of hers that she does when she's deep in thought.

Our eyes meet and she quickly smiles and shrugs off her worried expression, busying herself with getting a bowl of cereal too.

I use this as my cue to go back to my room and get my backpack ready for school.

I go into my bathroom and do a once over of my outfit. I usually prefer to dress for comfort most days, but maybe it won't hurt to put in a little bit of effort today seeing as it's the first day of senior year?

I plug my headphones in and get to work on applying some mascara and blush, finishing off with a nude lip.

Next I head to my closet and swap out my black sweatpants for a pair of denim skinny jeans and, my oversized hoodie, for a white crop top instead.

I have to take my headphones off for this part and that's when I realize that the house has gone quiet... which means my sisters have already left... and I've lost track of time.

Crap, I didn't realize how late it is!

I grab my bag and run down the stairs and out the front door at lightning speed, shouting a goodbye to my parents.

I'm running down the street to the bus stop, praying that I haven't missed it, but my prayers are useless. I'm more than ten minutes late already.

My sisters had left the house a long time ago, catching a ride with Stacy, a friend of El's.

I stand on the sidewalk, trying to catch my breath and weigh out my options. I could walk to school or I could go back home and ask my parents to give me a lift, but either way, I'm going to be late for school.

I decide against the latter, not wanting to bother my parents, and start the grueling 30 minute walk in the direction of school.

I'm about to cross the street when a flashy black Audi pulls up along side me and stops.

The tinted window on the driver's side rolls down and one very handsome Tyler Black is smiling at me. His emerald green eyes sparkle with amusement as he takes in my, no doubt, ragged appearance.

"Need a ride to school, Daniella?"