The Book of Gemma VOL. 2

26: THE DARK TWIN

The party started to die down as a few Zodiacs left.

Deecon, Edna, Lib, Aries and my father remained, standing around the kitchen island. They play a game where they tell two truths and lie, whoever figures out which statement is the lie, they choose a person to drink. God's had to drink Aries home brew and Edna takes a shot of gin.

Lib raises her hand, "Okay, my turn. I've never rebirthed, my favorite color is green and.. Umm.. I've slept with... Hercules." Her cheeky grin grows as she tells the last one.

Aries lifts his hand, "Last one is a lie."

She pushes the bottle to Aries, "My favorite color is blue!" She squeals and Edna gasps, "You slept with the Hercules?" Her mouth was hanging open in shock.

"He was quite sweet to me." She purrs.

"Libra!" I exclaimed, shocked myself that she had a naughty side to her.

The game continued around the circle, after a couple rounds Edna had yawned, rubbing her eyes. Aries stretches his arms, "Alright, little human. Let's get you to bed."

I look at their interactions so differently now, I used to see it as bickering frenemies but now.. I see how he treats her. He picks her up and carries her to her room that he set up for her stay. Lib calls it a night, my father escorting her back to the compound. That left Deecon and I alone in the kitchen. He forgot his boundaries, placing his hands on my sides and lifting me onto the kitchen island. We both remained silent for a moment, he bit his lower lip, taking in a sharp inhale.

"I'm sorry.. Still getting used to the lines we drew." A nervous laugh falls from his mouth, doing anything to avoid eye contact as he blushes. I could still feel the warmth from his hands on my sides and feel the flap of a butterfly's wing within my stomach.

"Oh.. no, it's fine... I assume you are leaving soon?" A nervous question I ask, it would be inappropriate to ask him to stay.

He looks back to the door, "Yeah, I've got to fly back to Darus but I will be at the compound bright and early." He begins to step towards the front door, something takes a hold of me, this needy feeling of wanting to reach out and grab his arm from leaving. My hand stretches out to grab, even if he is already five feet ahead of me.

"Or!-" My volume louder than I intended makes him jump, "-You could.. Stay here?"

Deecon looks at the ground and then back at the door, still avoiding eye contact. My heart sinks when I see his tongue press against his inner cheek. No.. he's going to say no.

"Probably not a good idea, right?" He says those words and I sink deeper into the counter. Embarrassed, I was so embarrassed for being this needy and.. He didn't want to stay. I know us as friends will be beneficial to our cause, to keep us focused and to stop the fighting but.. I missed him.

I rub my forehead, cheeks red and reply, "Of course, of course.. Must be the liquor."

He gives a polite smile to the ground and continues his walk to the door but leaves me with one more dagger to the heart,

"You are a good friend, Gemini... I'll see you tomorrow."

He closes the door behind himself and my eyes stay fixed on the door.

You are a good friend, Gemini.

I repeat his words in my head over and over

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