Sam fought the need to step back as Kay glared at him.

"Honestly, Kay, you can go home," Angie said, sounding exasperated. "Sam will stay with me."

"I don't trust this," Kay muttered. "Not because of you, Sam. I just don't trust her around you with her Tom obsession."

Angie rolled her eyes. "I do not have an obsession. And really, I feel like you're smothering me with all your coddling. Go. Home."

Kay ignored her, still analyzing Sam as if to make sure he wasn't Tom in disguise. He wondered what would happen if she knew he and Angie had kissed. Maybe never let them come anywhere near each other.

"I'm not going home," she suddenly said.

"Then take your room," Angie said right before taking Sam's hand and leading him into her bedroom.

"Um, are you sure this is okay?" Sam asked as she shut the door behind them and headed for the bed.

She already wore pajama bottoms and a tank top so she just flopped down on it. "If you feel uncomfortable, you can go sleep in Jessie's old room. I just don't want Kay in here with me."

"Why not?" He walked over and lay on the bed, not touching her. It didn't feel weird. Not yet at least.

"She should go home. She's screwing up her relationship. I've never seen her and Kyle so tense around each other. They were here the other night, it was... They were like two different people."

Sam flinched. He hadn't noticed, but come to think about it, he hadn't seen them together in a good long while. Since Angie came back, actually. He closed his eyes because he didn't want to think about it. Angie took his hand. It still wasn't weird. Not even when she turned her back to him and he hugged her from behind and fell asleep with her head against his shoulder.

It was hours later that something woke him up. He wasn't sure what, but it could have been the light of the full moon breaking through the window and landing on his face. He blinked to get adjusted to the light. Angie was no longer next to him, but sitting on the edge of the bed, looking out the window. Her angle let him see half of her face, but it was enough to notice the empty look in her eyes, the trace of tears on her cheeks.

His heart clenched as he watched her, the pain dripping out of her every pore. For her family, for her lost love, for her stupid, stupid boyfriend. Maybe he should've said something, but it didn't feel right. Not even when fresh tears started rolling down her face. But at that moment, he knew she needed someone to hold her together. So he scooted over and hugged her from behind.

"I'm not sure how much more I can take," she whispered.

He opened his mouth to say that it was okay, but the words got stuck in his throat, so he just hugged her tighter. It wasn't, because she didn't deserve to hurt that much.

"I want him to come back so much," she said between tears.

"You shouldn't." These words were easy to get out because he was sick of lying. "He cheated on you."

She stiffened, but didn't turn around. "What?"

"That's actually why I think he was so keen on breaking up with you. Because now it's him, not you, and he just wanted it out of the way."

"He did what now?"

Angie wouldn't be thwarted, and for a second, Sam was sorry that he'd betrayed his twin. But then again, who cared? The truth would've come out eventually and he was so tired of miscommunication and all that bullshit.

So he sighed and let it out. "He screwed some girl in a club while crazy drunk. He couldn't even remember it properly afterwards, but it's no excuse."

"Bullshit, he'd never do that." She hugged herself, digging her fingers into her shoulders.

"He hates it, but it doesn't mean he doesn't do it. Just like he did with Mizrelle."

Her fingers dug deeper into her skin. "Mizrelle," she whispered as if she'd always known. It probably seemed obvious now and she wasn't an idiot. "Bella," she whispered again.

"He never did anything too serious with Mizrelle though, and he was basically forced into it. The alternative was getting killed, pretty much."

Angie didn't answer, just stared at the moon some more, her eyes glassy. Sam didn't say anything either, letting her process the words. It was better this way. In case she decided she wanted to get back with Tom, she at least had all available information. From now on, it was up to her.

It seemed to take forever for Angie to speak again, and Sam was pretty sure he might've dozed off for a few moments with his forehead propped against her back. Then, suddenly, she shifted and turned to face him.

"All the heaviness..." She curled one foot under herself, letting her other leg dangle over the bed. "All the guilt I've been feeling thinking this is my fault. All my fault." She raised her eyes to him, and they were finally dry. "Thank you. I really needed to know that. Because now everything makes sense. I understand and I am free." She said the last word with wonder in her voice, as if it were surprising, but not unpleasant.

"So this is it?" Sam asked.

"This is it. I can finally let him go."

And just like that, Sam realized what he'd actually done.

♠️

"Don't you understand the gravity of the situation?" Sam raged, pacing the length of the office.

"I think you're blowing it out of proportions," Skye said in that annoying tone of hers while she leaned back in her chair. "Like you do with basically anything."

"How's this not a big deal? I kissed my twin's girlfriend!" 

Yes, that had finally caught up with him too the next morning, and the sense of panic and nausea were overwhelming. He hadn't even had a scheduled appointment with Skye and had just burst in like a Neanderthal, waving his overdramatic arms around.

"Ex-girlfriend," she pointed out as if that made any difference.

"Who cares? I know Tom still loves her. Not to mention that I told her. I told her that he cheated." He needed a paper bag to blow into.

"Look, Drama Snowflake, the way I see it, two single people got together to ease each other's pain. There's nothing odd or abnormal about that." She stared twisting her pen between her fingers as if this wasn't even worth taking notes. "I'm surprised you didn't sleep with her since you say you spent the night in her bed. I'm pretty sure you're in love with her anyway."

He slammed his fist on her desk, and not just because of his new nickname. "I'm not in love with her. She's my very close friend. I'm in love with Christine, remember?"

"Then it's even less of a big deal." Sky shrugged, so unimpressed with his antics. "Or what, are you afraid of Tom?"

No, he was terrified of Tom. So terrified that he'd come here instead of going home. Because there was no way in hell Christine hadn't called his twin and informed him about what Sam and Angie supposedly did.

But he huffed. "No."

"You have betrayed him, though. He trusted you not to tell anyone what he did, especially Angie, and you did it anyway." She leaned towards him looking very much like a wolf about to attack a deer. "How does that make you feel?"

God, her pleasant tone was the death of him. Like a piece of shit, that was how it made him feel. He clenched his fists, unsure what to do or say next. He didn't care what she claimed, this was a fucking big deal and he was one second away from curling up into a ball and just dying. Why had everything seemed like such a good idea when it happened? Fuck hindsight.

"See? No big deal," Skye said after a moment of silence. "I fail to understand what you're so agitated over. But I guess that's why you need me. To tell you that you're nothing special and that there's no reason to lose it."

"No reason to lose it?" His voice came out low and deadly as the panic molded with a new type of rage. "I betrayed my twin, I kissed the girl he still so obviously loves, all my brothers are in pain, their relationships falling apart, my father hit my mother, my parents are getting divorced and my girlfriend fucked my best friend behind my back all because I thought I was doing her a favor by not sleeping with her!"

He twisted to walk away, but his legs could no longer hold him and his knees buckled. Before he knew it, his hands and knees hit the ground and his entire body heaved. He couldn't be doing this, crying in front of her, but he'd completely lost control of everything. He was a fool to think he ever had any.

So he just let it out, his mind wondering aimlessly over every memory it chose to, only to finally retreat and witness from afar the failure of his body. The failure of him as a basic human being.

A warm hand clasped his shoulder, but he didn't make a move to look, because there was only one other person in that room. One who he hadn't expected in a million years to show any sing of kindness. But there was no sneering laugh, no snide remark. Just a warm touch and a light squeeze.

"There it is," Sky whispered, her tone kinder than he'd ever heard it. "This is the beginning."

He didn't want it to be the beginning. He wanted it to be the end.

"Do you want me to go?"

He nodded. Without another word, she straightened and left the office, letting him pick himself up.

♠️

Sam wasn't sure exactly how long he'd taken to pull himself back together, but he finally left Skye's office and headed home. Their last interaction had been so odd with her acting like she actually cared. He doubted it, but he was grateful that she didn't kick him when he was down. She'd probably return to her snarky self the next time he saw her.

Or maybe she'd actually start helping, though heaven knew why she hadn't been doing that so far. Yeah, chances were slim.

He entered the house and dropped his jacket, his mind still on Skye, wishing he'd actually taken a look at her to see if she were faking. Though he really didn't need more confusing shit to think about. Recent events were enough. At least bawling his eyes out had helped and he felt a tiny bit lighter.

"Hey there, Sam."

He jumped a mile and only then noticed Tom sitting on the ouch, his hands folded behind his head. "Um, hey."

"Where have you been?" Tom's voice was pleasant enough, but in that deliberate fake way he used around annoying people.

"To the therapist." His voice was freaking trembling, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Something weighing you down?"

Oh, shit, he knew. And the fear that came with that realization was paralyzing. Before he could even blink, Tom was on his feet, charging at him. His fist collided with Sam stomach. It was full force and had Sam curling into a ball and falling to the floor. All air flew out of his lungs and he barely had the strength to block the next punch aimed at him.

"Wait!" he called.

"Wait?" Tom stopped for precisely one second before punching his gut again. "Wait?"

"Christine?" Sam wheezed.

"Yes, fucking Christine! What the hell!"

"Are you going to believe Christine?"

Sam's words had Tom's next fist stop in midair. He pulled off Sam, a frown on his face. "If she's lying, how would you even know about the lie?"

"Because Angie wanted to teach her a lesson so she pretended we were..." Crap, he couldn't even say it.

"Oh." Tom dropped on his butt next to Sam. "Sorry about that then."

It would be so easy to just leave it at this, scold Tom and walk away with his life. But he couldn't, not after what he'd done. Not after what he'd told Angie.

"Don't be. I didn't sleep with her, but I did kiss her."

He didn't even see the punch to his face coming, nor anything else for a few more seconds.

"She's not your girlfriend anymore," he called, swatting away any potential other hits.

Tom went around his pathetic defenses with ease and grabbed his collar. "She gonna be your girlfriend then?"

Sam blinked and almost wished he were still seeing stars. Tom had taken his sunglasses off and the rage in them was terrifying.

"No. We... We decided we don't want any complications and that we want to stay friends." Thank God he'd managed to produce the words because Tom let out a deep breath and let him go. "It was something out of too much crying anyway. Her over you, me over Christine."

Tom rested his forearms on his knees. "Shit."

"Yeah. Trust me, I freaked out, too. Probably because I half-suspected you were going to kill me."

"I have no right," Tom mumbled. "You're right. She's not my girlfriend anymore. I just wish she'd stop crying over me."

"She will. I... I told her the truth."

"What?" There was a brief spell of panic in Tom's eyes before resignation took over. "How did she take it?"

"Well, she wouldn't believe it at first, but then she seemed... better."

Resignation was replaced by pain, but he only nodded. "I'm happy to hear that. And I'm sorry for hitting you. And for listening to Christine. If you have feelings for Angie..."

"No. No way. I could never do that to you, Tom. I'm not an idiot. Breaking up with her doesn't mean you no longer love her." It doesn't mean she no longer loves you. 

"Thanks," Tom mumbled.

"I'm sorry I told her, but she was crying so much it just felt right."

"It's okay," he said absently.

"Not really, because you trusted me not to. And because I have to spring this on you, or it wouldn't be fair." Sam took in a deep breath. "Angie disappeared because she went home. Her house burned down and her entire family was killed in the fire."

"What?" Tom raised his eyes, panic taking over his face.

"Yeah. She just shut down and didn't even think about calling any of us. Plus Christine had her phone so it became that much harder. I think you had to know."

"No." He sunk his head in his hands and pulled at his hair. "No, no, no... She was... And I..." He fell silent, his face buried, his frame still as if it were about to snap.

Sam wasn't sure how he knew, but he was certain Tom wanted to be alone. So with a brief squeeze of his twin's shoulder, he got up and left for his room. Tom would have questions later, maybe. Or he'd decide to just learn to live with it. With abandoning Angie when he needed him most. Either way, the cat was finally out of the bag.

No more secrets, no more lies. Just truth and a chance to heal and move on for both of them. Or so Sam hoped. He sure as hell prayed he hadn't just pushed his twin off a building.

End of part I

Hi there. Part one is finally done and I pretty much broke or crippled everything there was to break. We're now heading on for part II where I hopefully start fixing stuff.

In this chapter, Sam finally spills the beans. How do you feel about it? Was he right? And what about Skye? What was up with that? Could she be human?

I would also appreciate any and all thoughts on the part as a whole, the pacing and character development in particular.

The next update will be a part II divider so don't get to excited. Hoping to get to writing the next part soon enough.

Vote for the goat.