Page 54 of My Twin Sister's Ex

14

Jessilyn

Reese found me at my locker just before lunch. Her blonde hair was swept up in a sleek ballerina bun. It was a look I’d seen on her many times before. She’d been dancing ballet for years. It was part of the reason she was so good at musical theater. There was a lot of dance involved, and Reese was fantastic at what she did.

“Hey,” I said.

“Want to eat lunch outside today? The weather’s too gorgeous to stay inside.”

“Sure.” I shoved my books in my locker and grabbed my bagged lunch instead. I slammed my locker shut. “Let’s go.” My mom liked me to pack my own lunches so she could make sure I was eating the healthy stuff she wanted me to eat. I usually snuck candy in the bag when she wasn’t looking. Today I had a bag of M&Ms from her secret candy stash.

I pushed open the side door of the school to the parking lot and blinked in the sunshine.

“Have you responded to Bennett yet?”

“No.”

“What are you waiting for?”

I twisted the brown bag in my hands. “I don’t know. I guess I’m still processing everything.”

“Do you think you’re going to keep dating him?”

We crossed the parking lot to a picnic table under a large willow tree. “How can I? He kissed my sister.”

“Do you think he actually wanted to?”

“I don’t know. I still don’t know who to trust.”

“I think you should trust Bennett.”

We settled at the picnic table, and I pulled out my peanut butter and honey sandwich. “Why do you say that?”

“Because he’s been amazing up until this moment. And you know your sister is rotten.”

I shook my head. “I just can’t let myself believe that my sister would be that horrible to me.”

“You knew she wasn’t going to handle it well that you’d have to kiss Bennett in your scene. Then she saw you two kissing for real, and the next thing she knows, you’re dating him. And then he’s taking you to prom, which is totally romantic and sweet. Think about it. She just kind of lost it.”

“That does make sense. Bennett got me a corsage, and Kellen didn’t bring one for Jackilyn. She tried to play it off like it was dumb and outdated to get a corsage for prom.”

“She was doing that to save face because she felt bad that she didn’t get one.”

“Yeah. I see that now.”

“She wanted revenge,” Reese said.

“I think you’re right. Especially when Kellen ditched her at prom for his friends and Bennett was doting on me and bringing me drinks.”

Reese opened the lid of her vintage metal lunch box. “I didn’t even know about that part. Kellen really isn’t that great of a boyfriend.”

“Not compared to Bennett.” I took a bite of my sandwich.

“Nowhere close.” Reese pulled out her baby carrots and started munching on one. “When are you practicing with him next?”

“Today after school.”

“Are you going to forgive him?”

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