Bullet

C H A P T E R 2

BANNER AT THE TOP BY: @ggraphicss

He flashed his perfect grin and I could feel my heart skip a beat.

I knew, more than anything, that I was in love with Evan Anderson. Not in lust. But in love. I loved the way he bit his lower lip whenever he was thinking. I loved the way his dark brown eyes seemed to shine whenever he was happy.

Evan Anderson was absolutely perfect. I wanted to be his girlfriend.

"You're Anna, right?" Evan asked.

I nodded shyly. He knew my name. I was squealing on the inside.

"I was wondering if...maybe you wanted to go out sometime with me. Like to the movies or something?" Evan asked.

"Me?" I asked in total disbelief.

"Yeah. You sound so shocked," Evan answered.

"Sorry. It's just that you usually don't go for girls like me," I said.

" Girls like you? What are girls like you? Enlighten me please," Evan said.

"Girls like me are the girls who read late at night instead of go to parties. Girls like me are the girls who know how to solve math problems; not boy problems. Girls like me are the girls who go out with boys like them. Not swim team captains like you," I replied.

"Do you always live life by the rules? Opposites attract, remember?" Evan asked.

"I wasn't gonna say no. You can stop persuading me now," I answered with a laugh.

"Oh. Ok. I can't wait, Anna," Evan said.

"Me too, Evan," I said with a grin matching his own.

"Anna. There's someone here to see you," Mom said, waking me up from my dream.

I groaned and sat up, realizing I was still in the dress from yesterday's funeral.

"I'll be there in a second," I shouted, taking off my dress and slipping on my pj's.

I rushed down the steps and saw Aaron standing in the middle of the living room. I slowed my pace as I got near him.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I just wanted to apologize. For yesterday," Aaron answered.

"I don't need your apology," I said.

"Look. I don't want to be here either. But my dad forced me to. So stop giving me such crap about it," Aaron snapped.

"Can you go?" I asked.

"Gladly," Aaron answered.

Aaron walked out and I slammed the door behind him before sighing. Him and Evan looked alike but that was where the similarities ended. Evan was never an asshole. For goodness sakes, Evan and I never argued.

But Aaron made my blood boil. He somehow found a way to get under my skin and annoy the hell out of me. Storming upstairs, I looked out the window to see him walk to the house next door.

That house had been abandoned for years. Not anymore.

If I had wanted to forget about Evan, that'd be inevitable now.

[¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤]

"This is pretty crazy, Anna. Like super crazy. Everyone's talking about it. Evan has a twin?! Like what?!" Tiffany Hanson, one of my best friends, said.

"I'd really rather not talk about it," I replied.
It was Monday morning and as soon as Aaron arrived, the whole school was buzzing about it. By now, I was dry out of tears. I was more angry and frustrated than sad.

Anything could tick me off.

"Don't you at least want to know about what's going on?" Tiffany asked.

"No! I don't! I just want everyone to shut up about him and Evan and everything! Just shut up!" I shouted.

The whole hallway went silent. I took a breather and saw Aaron standing not too far away. He looked at me. Everyone looked at me. Including Tiffany who stared at me as if I had shape shifted into the Devil.

I just walked off and pushed past everyone. Why was everyone fucking staring at me? They acted like they've never seen a girl vent before.

As I was turning the corner, I felt a hand pull me back. I turned and saw Aaron. I jerked my arm back.

"What is it now? Do you have nothing better to do?" I asked.

"I just wanted to see where your head was at. You can't hate me forever. I'm your dead boyfriend's twin brother. We've got to talk sometime," Aaron answered.

I sighed and looked Aaron in the eyes.

"I'm fine. At least, I will be. I appreciate it. I'm sorry for being a total prick. It's just...," I trailed off, trying not to cry again.

"You don't have to explain yourself. I don't want you crying all over my leather jacket. It's a classic," Aaron said.

I grinned and playfully hit him on the shoulder.

"I hope you realize this doesn't mean we are incredibly buddies now. Because we're not. But thank you," I replied.

Aaron nodded silently, looking at me.

"I see what Evan saw in you," Aaron said before walking away.

I wanted to ask him what he meant but decided otherwise. Now was not the time or the place to do that. I had to repair my friendship with Tiffany. She was my only friend because all of Evan's friends that used to hang around ditched me.

I found Tiffany silently playing around in her locker.

"Tiff," I called.

Tiffany turned to look at me but didn't say anything.

"Look, I'm sorry about how I acted towards you. I do not have anything against you, Tiffany. We've known each other since diapers. Please forgive me. I wasn't, and I'm still not, in my right state of mind," I apologized.

"You know I can never stay mad at you forever," Tiffany said.

"Thank you so much," I said before engulfing Tiffany in a bear hug.

"No problem. I know it's gonna take some time before you'll be ok," Tiffany replied.

"Thank you so much for understanding. By the way, I've established normal communication with him," I said.

"Who?" Tiffany asked.

"Aaron. He wasn't as horrid as the first time we spoke. He seems super bipolar though. I'm definetly keeping my eye on him," I answered.

"Or instead of looking like a stalker, just ask him stuff," Tiffany suggested.

"I guess I'll try it your way. I just wonder why Evan never told me about him. I knew his parents separated when he was eight. But I never knew his dad took Aaron with him. And I never saw any pictures of Aaron," I said.

"Um.... Anna. The two are twins for God's sake. Maybe you did see pictures and just assumed it was Evan," Tiffany said.

"You're probably right. I've got to find out more, Tiff. It's a moral imperative," I replied, determined to crack the code that was my mysterious dead boyfriend.