By the time Monday came around I was more than excited to have both Kieran and Harlan back at school. It sucked being without Kieran even if we couldn't interact at school I still liked having him around.

"Ready?" My brother slung his backpack up on his shoulder.

His face still was covered in bruises and I knew he didn't just have them on his face. He had two pretty nasty one on his abdomen too. When he had finally showed back up at the house I nearly had a heart attack. He had looked awful but luckily things have started to heal and while he still looked like shit it was slightly better than before.

"Yeah, are you?"

"No." He shook his head and walked out the door.

The day was going to be fine. No fights, hopefully.

I just followed my brother and got into the passenger seat of the car.

"Can you promise me you won't get into any fights today? You just got out of suspension and your face hasn't even healed yet." I was worried he would try to get Elliot back.

"I'll do my best." My twin nodded.

I sighed with relief. That was as good as I would get from him. But even if he couldn't promise I trusted that his best was good enough.

—

I pulled all the books I needed for my first period and stuffed them into my bag.

"Is your man here yet?" Ava asked.

"Not that I know of." I shrugged.

"You think he'll start something?" I had told Ava that I opened up to Kieran.

I hadn't even really thought about the fact that Kieran could try and start a fight today. I hadn't explicitly told him not to but I know he'd understand that I didn't want him to keep getting in trouble.

"I hope not." I turned just in time to see Kieran opened the entrance doors and step into the hallway.

I just watched as people went up to greet him and people move out of his way like he was Moses parting the Red Sea.

When he got to my locker he shot me a quick wink before continuing to walk. I couldn't help but roll my eyes, he was seriously obnoxious.

"Kieran Black its been awhile," I felt my whole body immediately tense.

This was not good. I turned to see Elliot smiling with a hand gripping one of Kieran's shoulders. I could read Kieran better than anyone and the expression on his face looked like he was ready to kill someone.

It happened so fast, there was nothing to do as Kieran grabbed the front of Elliot's shirt and slammed him harshly into the lockers.

"Touch me again and I skin you alive." He glared.

"Missed you too." Elliot chuckled.

"Watch yourself." Kieran let go of him and just stormed off down the hallway.

I didn't know how he did it but he walked away, I was fully expecting him to try to kill Elliot. He sure was angry enough.

"I wasn't expecting that." Ava just stood there surprised.

"I'm going to run to the bathroom before first period, I'll see you later." I rushed down the hall to the nearest bathroom.

I just needed a break. I just wished that Elliot could just disappear and make my life so much easier.

I stood at the sink and just splashed some water on my face.

"You alright?"

I turned to see a girl with dark purple hair sitting on the window sill smoking.

"Yeah." I nodded.

I studied her face for a second before recognition finally hit me. I knew her.

"Stephanie?"

It had been awhile since I last saw her. It was definitely before her and my brother had the explosive breakup. After they split ways I stopped seeing her around. I thought that maybe she left but Ava said that she saw her around sometimes.

"I'm sorry that douche is back." Her face softened.

I gave her a small smile. For the time that her and my brother were together she was around a lot and we got along quite well. It hurt when everything went down and it left my brother heartbroken. It hurt because I liked her, I had trusted her with my twin and she broke him.

"Thanks."

"Look I'm sorry, I know you hate me for what I did to Harlan. What can I say? I'm an asshole." She put the cigarette against her lips and just stared out the window.

"I don't think you're an asshole. I just wish that my brother didn't get hurt the way he did." I explained.

"You don't have to be nice to me Jade." She just shook her head at me.

"I haven't seen you around since the breakup." I leaned against the sink.

"It's not fun being the girl that caused the two most popular guys to go to war with each other. I've learned it's best to just fly under the radar."

I felt doubt seep into my brain. I knew Harlan and Kieran butted heads even before Stephanie came into the picture. But even still today they fought with such hatred all because of her. What if feelings were still there. No matter how many times Kieran had told me he never had feelings for her it seemed hard to believe.

"You think they still have feelings and that's why they still fight?" I didn't know why I was asking him this.

"Harlan hates me probably as much as he hates Kieran and Kieran he never had feelings for me. This whole fighting is not really about me, Harlan hates Kieran because he's Kieran and because he slept with me. Kieran hates Harlan because your brother is hardheaded and has the ego the size of Texas. If Harlan let it go and stopped pushing Kieran's buttons then Kieran would too."

She made it sound so simple. It always seemed so complicated with the two of them.

"You think they could stop fighting?"

"If they had a reason to." She shrugged.

Maybe things would work out. Maybe they could put aside their stupid feud and actually get along. That was probably pushing it but one could only hope.

"He's a nice guy you know." Stephanie said after a beat of silence.

"What?" I looked at her quizzically.

"Kieran, he's always been a good guy and you seem to have brought that side out in him." She gave me a small smile before taking another drag of her cigarette.

She knew about Kieran and I. I didn't know how she found out but the sudden feeling of panic swept through me. I didn't know if I was really ready for it to be out.

"How do you know?"

"About you two? Well there were all those rumors but I don't think anyone actually took those seriously. Maybe they would have if they saw the way you two look at each other when you think no one else is paying attention. I've never seen Kieran look at anyone the way he looks at you."

I couldn't help but smile. Maybe that meant that Kieran felt the same as I did. Maybe he was falling just as hard for me as I was for him.

The sound of the bell to first period caused the conversion between Stephanie and I to stop and I quickly exited the bathroom to get to first period before I was too late.

I couldn't help but feel like I would miss her. She had been a good friend to me back when she was dating my brother.

A friend I had lost.

A/n:

Every time i write a story I always end up second guessing myself. Like half way through I'm like is this even good??? I'm starting to feel like that right now. It shouldn't even matter because I'm not trying to write like masterpieces I just do this because I enjoy it but still I don't want my stories to be trash.

Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter and if you did don't forget to comment and vote!!

-Cora Leigh