I am certainly not happy with this chapter. But I just woke up and have been harrassed to upload. So here you go.

Thank you for your comments last chapter amiva0402, brightyeolie, and jueka1

This is the last chapter I have stockpiled so we will see when I get a chance to write another one.

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The corners of Callie's lips were slightly turned upwards as she walked into the house that evening. We had all watched the lights of Ashton's car back out of the driveway before she even came inside.

Mum, dad, Sara, and I were on the couch watching a movie together when she entered.

Immediately as I met eyes with my sister, I guiltily dropped Sara's hand. But Callie noticed, her eyes trailing down at Sara's hand now sitting limp between us, her best friend's face turned towards me in heartbreak.

That was all the attention Callie gave us though. Ignoring dad's probing questions, she took off down the hallway to her room.

Yet Sara and I couldn't bear to wait any longer to find out the question we had been dreading all afternoon.

Telling mum and dad to continue the movie without us, we headed off down the hall after Callie. And to our luck, she had left her door unlocked.

Leg already off and lounging on her bed with her phone in her face, corners of her lips slightly turned up, Sara and I stood in her doorway with an expectant stare.

And we didn't even have to ask.

Without even glancing up at us, Callie said, "I completed it."

"Please," I started to beg, "Don't just cut me out. I've said I'm sorry. We are sorry for not telling you, Cal. Forgive us this once."

Grey eyes snapping up from the screen, glancing between me and Sara, she said, "I just don't know how to forgive you both. Especially you, Lexi. Maybe Sara hasn't messed up like this before but... how can I support her dating you. You who lies and runs away when the times get—"

"How long are you going to bring up what I did when we were kids?" I demanded, tired of the familiar lines exiting her mouth.

Callie heaved a sigh and sat up, keeping her gaze turned towards her lap as she spoke. "I get we've moved on from that. That you have changed. But you went on and on about how you were different and you wanted to get along again... and then you both lie to me for months. You hide one of the most important things that you should have told me and expect me to just forget it because you apologised? As Sara's friend, am I supposed root for her being with my sister who lies to her own family? What if she does it to you?" Then Callie turned to face Sara. "And what do I do if things go south between you and Lexi? She's my twin. I'm always going to remind you of her. You won't ever come around anymore."

Sara's brows turned down as she walked towards my sister. "Don't worry about things that haven't—"

"But this is part of the equation."

"What do we have to do, Cal?" I then said, unable to take this any longer. I wanted her forgiveness. And if 'sorry' wouldn't cut it, then I'll do what it takes to get her to forgive me.

"I've already taken care of it," she said grimly, like she wasn't satisfied with her solution herself. Then she said, "I've kissed all six boys. Now you two go be happy and leave me alone."

But Sara wasn't having it. Bounding across the room, she sat on the edge of Callie's bed and picked up her hands. Leaning close to my sister, she said, "I'm not just ditching you when you need support. Friends don't do that."

Callie's eyes began to water, her voice coming out as croaky as she said, "Friends don't hide who they are dating from each other. Let alone date a sibling without even mentioning it."

"Callie... if you dated my brother, I wouldn't—"

"I've told you countless times, it's not the fact that it is my sister. But that you both kept this big secret from me for months. Because you think I'm scary. Am I really expected to shrug off such a blow like that?"

"I know it hurts but—"

"No," Callie said, ripping her hands from Sara's. "No body once, neither of you," she glanced between me and Sara, "Told me that I was 'scary'. You all just danced around me, never saying it was my personality that was the problem instead of the leg."

"Your personality isn't—" Sara began to reassure, though Callie wasn't done.

"It took Flynn admitting it. Five years later after losing my leg, he is the one who says I'm too grouchy and unapproachable and that is why I've been a loner. At first I thought it was just because people didn't know me. But you, Sara, who has been by my side this whole time always propagated that. Said it's just that I need to step out of my comfort zone and let them get to know the real me. When all this time you were joining them all, not telling me I was just too damn 'scary'."

"I never thought you were—"

"This was literally why neither of you told—"

But I wouldn't let her put all of this on Sara just because of my word choice in an earlier conversation. "I said that, Callie. This whole time Sara has been trying to convince me to tell you and I've been too scared that it would be the final straw. That everything we've built would be thrown away because I've gone against a code by dating your friend. We were going to tell you the same day we first... well... Found out each other's feelings..."

I could see Sara blushing, her head turning to her lap as we both remembered the day as being more than just finding out each others' feelings.

"But you were distraught about Flynn. So then I stupidly kept saying we should push it back until things were stable. Then this tiny lie snowballed into a big one and I got scared knowing how long we had left it that I'd ruin everything and... it's my fault, not Sara's. And I'm so, so, so sorry. I promise I'll never lie to you about a single thing again. Just forgive us and be our friend and my sister again."

Callie bit her lip, brows turning inward as she seemed to think long and hard about my request. But then she said, "If I forgive you, then what? You two just always gravitate towards each other and I'm the third wheel?"

In a small voice, Sara said, "But you said the fact that she's your sister doesn't—"

She shook her head. "Of course it bothers me. The two people I'm closest to are dating and one is my twin. And every time you choose each other over me, I'm going to remember that lie. I'm going to remember I'm an outsider. I just..." Callie's lip began to quiver, her eyes welling with tears once more. "I hope you two are happy together. I truly do. But just please leave me out of this. The damage is done. I've done the kiss list. Just go be happy away from me."

"No," Sara said, wrapping her arms around my sister despite her protests to free herself. "You need us."

"I don't need you two near me, rubbing in my face that I'm scary and that I'm alone while you two have each other."

"Oh, Callie," I said, bounding across the room and throwing my own arms around her. "We won't rub it in. I promise."

"Your promises mean nothing to me though," she croaked. "I can't trust either of you anymore."

Sara and I shared a wary glance.

My heart began to throb as I realised the only solution to this all.

The only way Sara and I could be what Callie needed right now.

To be sure we wouldn't keep hurting her... while keeping her in my life.

Which was why I ripped my gaze away from her. Without even making sure she was okay with it, I said, "We will take a break. While you're recovering and need a friend and sister... Sara and I will take a break."

"I... what?" Callie's watery gaze lifted, meeting my stare in disbelief. "I... I'm not asking you to—"

"I know. But I don't want to hurt you more."

"Lex—"

"I lost you once, Callie. And I worked so damn hard to get you back as my sister. I may have messed it up, but I'm not letting you slip away when you need me. If seeing Sara and I together hurts you then... we will stop."

She began to shake her head. "That will just—"

"It's fine," Sara then whispered, retreating from Callie. "It's what you need. Lexi and I can... put some distance between us and focus just on you."

Callie turned her head back down to her lap. "What, so if I'm heartbroken we all must be? How's that fair?"

"You can tell us," I then said. "When you feel better and you're okay with us being together... you can tell us. But for the meantime..." My heart ached as I unwillingly turned to look at Sara, whose gaze was already waiting for mine—accepting, but dejected—"We will just focus on being your friend and sister. We won't talk to each other. We will take a break."

Her midnight eyes began to pool with water, her bottom lip quivering before she turned her face away.

But she didn't fight me on it.

She didn't run away.

Instead, she buried her head into my sister, holding onto her like she was her crutch.

"No," Callie started to say again.

But Sara whispered into her, "It's okay, Callie. I know it won't be forever. One day you will forgive us... and if Lexi and I still feel the same when you do, then we can try again with you knowing and giving us approval from the start. But our decision to date and hide it from you caused too big of a rift. Friends come first."

I wrapped my arms around my sister, avoiding touching Sara in the process as though a simple collision of skin would make the searing tightness around my heart only burn more aggressively. "And sisters come first."

"I'm sorry," Callie then sobbed.

"We're sorry," Sara and I said in unison.

And we spent a long time, all three of us, crying our hearts out in her room.

Until the tears ran dry.

And our hearts finally felt free.

And Callie pulled back with a slight smile on her face. "I also kissed Ashton again tonight," she said, causing both Sara and I to pull away in shock.

"Okay, you need to tell me everything," Sara said.

When Sara left that night, I waited in Callie's room instead of walking Sara out.

Callie took on that role for me this time.

After both of us showered, I decided to climb into my sister's bed that night, despite her complaints.

"This is what we do, Cal. We fight and then we cuddle it out," I grumbled as she tried to weasel out of my hold.

"We did that earlier. Go back to your own room."

"No. I need you. Holding you makes the pain go away."

Callie heaved a sigh. "I didn't ask you to—"

"You didn't. But it's for the best."

Almost as if on cue though, my phone buzzed on her bedside table.

My heart fluttered at the thought of who it could be, but I stayed where I was, holding onto Callie.

Though when it buzzed again, Callie sighed and reached around me, glancing at my phone.

"It's Sara," she said.

"We aren't talking anymore."

"Lex—"

"I mean it, Callie. Not until you're ready and okay with it. For now, my only role is your sister. No one's girlfriend. No one's friend. Just your sister."

She heaved a sigh, but her arms wrapped around me.

Callie didn't take long to fall asleep. Eventually her breaths became further apart, her heart rate slowed, and she rolled out of my grip, muttering something about a 'Herbert'.

Unable to help myself, I reached for my phone, swiping open the text Sara had sent.

Sara: This is part of an act, right? We haven't really broken up?

Sara: Lexi?

Sara: Please say something...

Reluctantly, I typed a response.

Me: We need to take a break for Callie.

Sara: How does this make sense?

Me: Don't look my sister in the eyes and promise her one thing then do something else.

Me: We need to live up to our word if we want to prove to her it was a one off.

Sara: So that's just it? You and I are over? Without you even talking to me about it in private?

Me: I'm sorry. But if this is what it takes... I can't lose her again. If the alternative is letting her distance herself from me because of the kiss list...

Sara: So despite telling me you love me... she means more?

I typed and retyped my final message multiple times. But eventually I realised there would never be a nice way to say it. So I hit send.

Me: She's my sister. My twin. She will always mean more than anyone in this world to me. And I will never abandon her again when she needs me. I'm sorry... I hope one day, once Callie has forgiven us, you can forgive me.

Sara never responded after that, even though I waited for a few minutes.

But eventually I flicked off my screen and set it back on the table.

As I rolled back over to cuddle Callie again, she mumbled an, "I'm so sorry, Lex..."

"Don't be," I breathed. "I'm the one who broke your trust. It's my job to earn it back now, no matter what it takes."