I could feel the tension
We could cut it with a knife
I know it's more than just a friendship
I can hear you thinking 'bout it, yeah
Do I gotta convince you?
- Shawn Mendes, Lost in Japan

TYLER

I always knew that my life would not be as boring when I'd made it my life mission to get revenge two years ago. When I finally realized (thanks to Autumn) that it was pointless, I was finally able to accept my new family. Alexander Bernucci, the man that I'd hated growing up, became the father that I respected and loved. Shanelle, the girl I'd previously wanted to use to get my revenge, became the little sister I dearly loved. It was almost as easy as flipping a lamp switch but looking at the guy (who unbelievably looked exactly like me), I wasn't sure I could accept him just as easily.

Why? For one, he had a really bad attitude and temper. The way he talked to my dad (who was also his biological father) with no respect showed what a snob he was.

"I'm not here to see you," said Flynn with a dismissal flick of his hand. I tried my best not to get flared up by his attitude. "I came here for my mom before she made a big mistake by marrying you."

"I'm sorry that we have to meet like this," said Alex, ignoring what Flynn just said. "I didn't know about you until last night when Audrey finally opened up to me that Tyler," he paused and gave me an apologizing look, "has a twin brother."

I glanced at the door, impatiently waiting for my mom to come here. At first, I couldn't believe that she'd do something like this, keeping the fact that I had a twin brother from me, but now the evidence was right in front of me. Breathing and insulting my dad.

"I don't care whether you know or you don't," replied Flynn. His chin jutted out arrogantly. "I don't even care about Taylor or whatever that guy's name is," added him without looking at me. I realized, fifteen minutes late, that he'd never look at me properly. It was as if he didn't want to acknowledge my existence. "I'm here for my mom."

As if hearing her name being mentioned, my mom walked through the door toward us. Her face looked confused but once her eyes laid on Flynn, she smiled. "You came! I can't believe this!" She rushed forwards despite the five inches of heels on her feet nearly causing her to trip and threw her arms around him.

"Of course, I don't want you to make the biggest mistake in your life." Flynn shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers and didn't make any effort to hug her back.

My mom sat next to Flynn, still holding his hand on her lap. There were tears in her eyes and a look of disbelief on her oval face. "It's not a mistake, Flynn. I really do love your father."

Flynn scoffed. "He's not my father. He's just someone who donated his sperm and knocked you up."

"Flynn!" My mom nearly shouted as she raised her hand to her chest. "He's your father."

"He was the reason you put me up for adoption." He shook his head in disgust. "He will never be my father."

"Good," I jumped to my feet and looked down at him, forcing him to meet my eyes. "Because we don't need another family member." Flynn looked up, he looked surprised and perhaps even shocked. Maybe he thought I would beg him to be my brother. Like hell, I would. "Especially a disrespectful asshole like you."

Ignoring my mother's protest and my father calling my name, I walked through the door and left.

* *

Just like in the past, Faith always managed to find me, no matter where I hid. "I knew you'd be here!" She smiled as she offered me a can of Coke. "Don't worry, I didn't steal it like last time."

I rolled my eyes and took the Coke. When we had been dating years ago, Faith stole a can of Coke from her grandmother's store and gave it to me, knowing that the bubbly soda always calmed me down. "How's everyone?" I asked her as I opened the can and gulped down the chilled soda.

"I saw your mom and dad talking to a bunch of people downstairs," she slid down the wall and sat beside me on the floor. "And there's this guy who looks a lot like you. By a lot, I mean his face is an exact replica of yours. It probably cost him a million dollars in plastic surgery to get your nerdy face."

I let out a chuckle. If only that was the case. Sadly, apart from having the same face, we had the same blood running through our veins and shared the same parents. "So you've met my twin brother."

"Holy shit! He's your twin?!" Faith shook her head. "Now that makes sense. It's too perfect to be a surgery." Faith patted my shoulder and smiled. "So, what's up with you? What made you hide here on the ninth floor?" I was about to speak when she quickly added, "No, don't say because nine is your favorite number because I know it's not. It's probably something to do with Autumn, right?"

It was true that Autumn was born on the ninth of September and that was the reason why I unintentionally pressed nine, but she wasn't the reason for my distress. "It's not Autumn. I haven't met her today."

My hand instinctively went to my pocket and pulled out my phone only to realize that there was no text or missed calls from her. I let out a deep sigh and placed the phone between my feet. "I didn't know I have a twin brother until today, Faith. And he's such an asshole."

"Well, you just got a little sister two years ago and you said before that she was a brat." Faith flipped her hair to one side and turned to look at me with one brow arched perfectly on her powdered forehead. I suddenly felt bad for her. She'd made an effort to look pretty and accompanied me all the way here from New York City, yet I left her in a party where she knew no one. "Now you got an asshole brother, so what changes? Shouldn't you give him the same chance that you gave to your sister?"

She was right. "But he's no Shanelle. She was a brat because I was going to use her to get my revenge and didn't tell her that she's my sister," I tried to argue. "He was being an ass without reason."

"Are you sure?" asked Faith, giving me a pointed look.

I groaned. "Why do I feel that you know something I don't?"

"Because I do know something you don't." Faith giggled. "I overheard your twin brother talking to a girl in the bar just now."

That got my attention. I positioned myself so that we were face to face.

"From what I heard, it seems that he hates your father."

"He made that very clear," I commented. Faith stomped my foot with her high heels. "What was that for?"

"Ty, you hated that man your whole life. You only stopped hating him two years ago." Faith rolled her eyes and continued, "Not that he looks a lot like you but he feels the same way as you too."

I was so ready to throw a dozen reasons why he and I weren't alike but deep down, I knew she was (yet again) right. Maybe Flynn acted that way because he believed Alex had deserted us. Moreover, I remembered what he'd said earlier about Alex being the reason he was sent to adoption.

"Okay, fine," I replied with a sigh. "I'll go find that asshole and try to talk to him." I stood and offered my hand to Faith.

"Great!" She took my hand and raised it to her feet. "These heels are killing me!" Faith narrowed her eyes at me as if blaming me for her suffering.

I chuckled. "You don't get to blame me since I've told you if you want you can wear sneakers."

"Who wears sneakers to a wedding rehearsal? No one!" She elbowed my ribs and put her hands on her chest dramatically. "Oh, what I do for you, bud."

"Besides getting yourself slightly drunk on the bar downstairs which possibly would rage Mario?" I held her hand despite her protests, knowing she would fall if I let her go.

"Oh, shut up!" Faith chastised. "You know, I take back my sentence earlier. You and the guy downstairs are definitely not alike."

"And why's that?"

"Well, you're insufferable!" Before I could argue, she added, "And unlike you, he does prefer a blond." Faith ended with a wink.

* *

Talking to my long-lost brother was easier said than done. No matter how hard I'd tried to convince him that Dad was a good man, he didn't believe me. It was no surprise, really. I mean, why would he believe someone he only met two hours ago? Why would he believe someone who had called him an asshole and told him that he wasn't welcome to the family?

I remained in the bar even after Flynn and his girlfriend, Kelsey, had left. I drank steadily from the bottle of champagne I'd asked earlier to cool down Flynn's mood. Who would have thought that I would be the one down the alcohol all by myself?

"Hey, are you alright, bud?"

I turned to see Faith taking Flynn's seat. She plopped her arms on the cool metal surface and watched me with a frown. "You look like someone just rejected your confession. So I take it as a bad sign." Faith shifted in her seat. "What happened?"

"Flynn is going to convince Mom not to go on with the wedding tomorrow." I'd never considered myself a stubborn person, despite everyone else telling me that I was one, yet a few minutes ago when I had to go head to head with my twin brother, I couldn't help feeling like I was arguing with a wall. A twinge of guilt made me shudder as I realized how hard it must've been for Autumn to put up with me.

Autumn.

Oh, how much I miss her.

I wished I could untangle the mess I was in right now as fast as possible so I could run back to her. She was the only one that understood me perfectly, almost as if we were destined to be together. It was funny how I used the word 'destined' when we were clearly apart right now. So far apart that she probably had forgotten me.

I clasped my hand tightly around the neck of the bottle as I tipped my head back and finished the remaining champagne.

"Are you giving up?" asked Faith, worried. After my break up with Autumn, Mario was the only person realizing my bad drinking habit, which he kept silent about.

I turned to face her. "No." I meant it, no matter how much I disliked my brother's behavior, he was still my brother. "I just need a different approach."

"Yeah," Faith agreed. "I'm really happy Audrey finally reunited with her first love." She sighed dreamily. Sometimes I forgot how close they had been before she cut all ties and moved to Toronto. "I hope your brother comes to his senses and stops ruining things."

Even in the middle of a family drama, Flynn wasn't the one in my head right now. It was, and it would always be (for at least the next six months) Autumn. She was the reason I studied until late at night and worked so hard that as soon as I got home, I would fall into a deep slumber. A heavy, dreamless sleep. I tried my best so her face wouldn't haunt me day and night.

But every now and then, I still had her face flashing through my mind. What paralyzed me was the heartbreak in her eyes and knowing that I was the reason behind it.

A tap on my shoulder brought me back. "Ty, are you okay?"

I looked down and realized my hand was gripping the side of the table so hard that my knuckles turned white. "Yeah." Unfastening my grip, I rested both palms neatly on my thighs. "Did you see Autumn?" I finally asked the one question I'd been dying to ask.

When I'd left earlier, I only saw Steven so I wasn't sure whether she came or not. Maybe she wasn't, considering we parted in a bad term. Yet again, I didn't think Autumn would be the one to back out (from being a bridesmaid) just because we'd broken up.

But you hurt her, you broke her heart, a small voice reminded me.

"Autumn?" asked Faith. Her raised brow told me that she was surprised by the sudden turn of the topic. "I think I saw her while looking for you earlier."

So she came. My back straightened and I could feel my heart beating faster every second. "Where?"

"The swimming pool on the rooftop," answered Faith. "But Ty—"

I rushed towards the set of elevators outside by the lobby, completely unaware that her next few words were 'She's not alone'.

a/n: Okay! That's a rap! Although I want to write more, the cake in front of me won't turn into a pretty one unless I (stop procrastinating and) start working. I hope you like this update, I know it's been a while since I last updated. Also, I want to know what you think will happen next. The sneak peek - which contains spoilers - will be published on Sunday (;

Random:
• Belgium lost, I cried.
• Kelsey is a blonde.
• I changed the title from Selfsame to something else (started with an R) and It is now available on my other account austenative ♥

For those who rant about my "lack of sense of grammar", well, I let you know that all my works are drafts unless stated otherwise ;)