The Cycle

CHAPTER 4: DRAFTED

CHAPTER 4

DRAFTED

I don't comprehend what she is saying. My brain doesn't put two-and-two together.

"What?" I whisper incredulously, my eyebrows mashing together in firm skepticism. "What did you say?"

Elvania sighs deeply and Lysander looks down at the table. I can feel Dylan's surprised eyes appraising my face, but I ignore him, my gaze locked on Elvania.

"You two are twins," she says after a long silence. As soon as the words are out of her mouth, my eyes turn to Dylan- his pale blue eyes glaring at me- and I suddenly realize why I recognize him. We're identical, from the wide space between our eyes to the dimples on our cheeks and the slight arch of our eyebrows. He looks just like me.

"So, she's...my sister?" Dylan asks, still unable to grasp the concept. His surprise is almost insulting.

Elvania nods.

Dylan thinks about it for a moment, and from the change in his facial expression, I can tell a new question formulates in his head.

"So...does that mean...Lorraine and Forrest are my biological parents?"

I turn to Elvania now, interested in her reply.

"No," it's Lorraine who responds. "No, we're not your biological parents, Dylan."

His eyebrows furrow in confusion and my forehead wrinkles.

"But if we're twins, shouldn't we have the same mother and father?"

Lorraine chances a glance at me and then turns back to Dylan. The emotion of guilt that is contained in that one peek is enough to answer Dylan's question for me. I clench my jaw and I can feel my eyes watering. Not out of sadness, but out of anger, pure fury.

"You both do have the same parents...because..." Lorraine struggles to get the truth out. "Because Elaina is also adopted."

Even though I know what she is going to say, her sentence stabs me so deeply I actually have to remind myself to breathe.

Dylan doesn't say anything, but I hardly notice him anymore, hardly notice anyone at the table. My thoughts are consumed with not bursting out into sobs at this very second. I grind my teeth together as the first trickle of tears slithers down my cheek. I curse under my breath, but don't bother wiping away the evidence. The damage is already done.

"Why don't we head out," Elvania suggests quietly.

I slide out of the booth and storm off into the night, ignoring the impulse to shout at the top of my lungs. The moon is out and it gleams brightly over the snow-covered town, making the ice twinkle and glitter in the silver moonshine. I trod through the snow and head straight for our car, not bothering to check if anyone is behind me. I yank on the car door, hoping it might be unlocked, but am disappointed to find it otherwise inaccessible. I sigh and lean back against the car door, gazing up at the stars. I can hear someone's footsteps gently pattering over the snow before stopping right next to me. I don't look to see who it is, not really caring.

"Hey," Dylan's shy voice speaks up. I turn to look at him, a little stunned, but compose myself.

"Hey," I mumble inaudibly.