Second Chance

Second Time

I got off the bed and tried to walk probably around the house to check how everything was. My house looked perfectly fine, and I even found my phone on the bedside table; it was my old phone, the one I got before I – or perhaps John – broke it.
I remembered I met the twins at the park not far away from home. John and I bumped into each other and my phone fell to the ground, breaking into pieces. John wanted to pay me but I refused it, saying it was okay. So he and Edward treated me to lunch and since then we had become friends, and finally I ended up with John.
I checked the time again – it was still early morning, so I had time to fix up myself. I was soaking wet.
I fished out some clothes from my closet and went for a shower. I also took my time to think things over.
This was like a movie, being transferred into the past. This seemed to be impossible but this was the only logical explanation. I could not be dead because afterlife could not be like this. It was all so real, but surreal at the same time.
And I could not wrap my head around the idea of Edward being alive. I had lived without him for days and now he was back in this world. My world. He was here, breathing the same air as me. I was happy but nervous at the same time. It was all so weird. He had not died.
I wondered why this had happened. But whatever the reason was, this might be the only chance for me to set things straight with the twins, and even save Edward from being killed.
Finally I finished my shower and made sure I looked presentable. I went to look at the time, and decided it was almost time to set off to the park, to make the encounter that changed my entire life happen.
On my way, my heart would not stop fluttering like a bird’s wings. I was really nervous, not sure what I should do. Should I pretend to run into John like last time? Or should I go straight up to them and say hi?
I arrived at the park eventually, and I glanced around to see if I could spot the twins. The park was crowded with people.
I walked around the park and suddenly I saw two blond heads in the distance. They looked so familiar. I zeroed my eyes on them and when the crowd parted away slightly before me I could not hold it in anymore. All the thoughts of introducing myself had varnished.
Emotions took over me and tears flooded down my face. I was so happy to see Edward alive and smiling, talking with John, and I was glad to see John was laughing – he had not even smiled after Edward’s death. They both looked so happy and the feeling of getting someone who was supposed to be dead back was overwhelming.
They both looked as gorgeous as always, wearing identical clothes. John’s soft blond hair swept to his left while Edward’s silky hair swept to his right. Edward was grinning his special Edward smile which I loved so much, showing his teeth and John’s full lips curved upwards after telling something to Edward.
They came closer to me and I was transfixed. A couple of people around were looking at my tear-streaked face strangely but I did not care. All I could think about were the two people who meant the world to me – and they had now spotted me.
Widening their eyes, they paused in their tracks slightly. They exchanged a glance before coming towards me.
“Are – are you okay?” John was the one who spoke first, and I stared at him. I had missed him being caring like this. For the past few weeks John had been acting like a stranger, and I missed the old him. But now he was here. My John. Standing in front of me.
“I – I—” I wanted to say something but it was like something was stuck in my throat. I could not form a proper sentence.
“Are you hurt?” Edward asked, and I was mesmerized by his voice. I had missed his voice so much. I turned my gaze at him and I nodded.
“I – I guess so,” I choked, my arms half-raised by my sides awkwardly. I wanted to hug them. I had missed them both so much. The real John, and the Edward who should be dead. But I could not hug them; I did not want to startle them and act like a weirdo.
“Why are you crying?” John continued, his brows furrowing together like he was worried, “Are you sure you aren’t hurt?”
I nodded again, as it was still difficult to get words out.
“Don’t cry,” Edward said in a sweet voice and reached into his pocket for a packet of tissue and he handed me a piece of tissue, “We don’t like to see girls cry.”
“Yeah,” John agreed and gave me an encouraging smile.
I sniffed and tried to stop crying. I was too emotional. I needed to collect myself.
“Would you like to go for an ice cream with us?” John asked, “Ice cream makes people happy.”
“I’d like to,” I sniffed and said. I would certainly not give up any opportunity to get close to them, “Thank you for being so nice.”
“No problem; we like helping pretty girls,” Edward winked and I blushed. Then I walked to a nearby ice cream shop with them. They treated me to an ice cream and we got to know one another.
“So what’s your name?” John asked once we had sat down with our ice cream, “I bet it’s as beautiful as you.”
I blushed again, “I’m (your full name),”
“I’m John Grimes and this is my younger twin brother Edward,” John smiled at me and I smiled back. I had missed these bonding moments with them.
“So what were you doing at the park then?” Edward asked, “Are you really okay? You can choose to not tell us if you don’t want to.”
“I – I just – it’s very complicated, but everything’s okay now,” I assured them, as I could not think of an excuse. And it was very sweet of them to be so concerned about a stranger, “Thank you for caring.”
“You’re welcome,” John grinned, “If you have any problem in the future, which I hope is not going to happen although I want it to happen so I get to see you again but I seem so bad thinking like this but anyway what am I even talking about – you can always find us. We’d be more than happy to talk to you.”
I giggled at how cute John was being – my John, that was, and I hoped I would be able to call him like that again, even though I honestly did not know who I loved more, John or Edward, “Thank you,” I said, “You’re so nice.”
So we talked more and exchanged numbers. We laughed a lot during our conversation like we were old friends – well, to me they were, but to them I was only a girl who they had just met. I seriously hoped everything would go well and we would be close like how it was before – or should I say, in the future? It was all so messed up.

After that encounter, we hanged out very often, and became best friends. John was being bubbly around me but Edward had started to be quiet – just like last time. The first time our relationships developed Edward’s behavior was like this too, but this time I no longer found it strange, as I knew the reason behind. He also liked me but he had decided not to show it because he knew John liked me too. He wanted us to get together. That was so sweet of him but it kind of broke my heart to know that he was suffering – and I could do nothing about it. I could not force things to happen even though I was from the future.
Today we were watching a movie at the cinema, and the twins were sitting on either side of me. John had his arm casually around me and Edward was just sitting in his seat quietly. I grabbed his hand to hold it in mine and he looked up to smile at me weakly. I knew how exactly he was feeling and I felt bad. But I was helpless; I could not do anything about it. I could not choose between him and John and I did not want to choose him over John. John was clearly expressing his feelings towards me but I could not possibly choose Edward because I felt bad.
At last the movie finished and we all walked out of the cinema.
“That was a cool movie,” John said and stretched his body, then put his arm around my shoulders again.
“Yeah,” Edward said, staring at John’s arm around me. He did not know I caught him staring.
We walked further down the street and it was starting to snow. We stopped in our tracks and looked up at the sky.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
“Not as beautiful as you,” John smiled down at me.
I blushed and looked away, and caught Edward exchanging a glance.
“I need to go to the toilet,” Edward suddenly said, “I’ll be right back.”
And then Edward jogged back and headed towards the cinema again.
John and I stood in the middle of the street to wait for Edward and by now the street was almost deserted. The crowd who just watched the same movie with us had melted away and it was not time for the next movie to start yet.
Snow kept falling, and it was only John and I on the street – it was actually very romantic.
But I suddenly shivered because of the cold. John of course noticed and said, “You cold? Come here, I’ll warm you up,” he then wrapped both of his arms around me tightly to keep me warm.
I looked up at him, and his face was just inches away. He was looking down at me, his eyes staring into mine intensely.
I got lost in John’s eyes and John began to lean closer, his warm breath on my face. I started to get butterflies and goose bumps but it was certainly not because of the snow. I was getting warmer not only on the outside, but also on the inside.
Then without warning, John’s warm and moist lips touched mine.