"What am I, a priest? Do I need a confessional box. What the fuck is with all the damn tea being spilled this week?"

Abby stared at me when I'd finished ranting over the fact that she had more to tell me.

She said whole truth. Which made me sort of nervous.

If I had beaten the shit out of Tanner for no reason, I'd be pissed. But in all fairness, I'd still heard him badmouthing her. So he deserved it regardless of what she had to say.

We stood in the pool house slash gym. I grabbed a skip rope and started a warm up while Abby paced back and forth with her finger between her teeth.

She'd peer over at me every other second, her cautious expression alluding to her truth as being unfathomable. As frustrated as her fluffing about was making me, I continued to warm up and pretended I wasn't two seconds from wringing her neck.

"Here's the thing Luc," she said. I threw the skip rope back on its hook and sat down on the bench press. "Tanner— he wasn't— I wasn't a virgin."

There wasn't a chance I'd have been able to stop from recoiling with disbelief, even if I had tried.

As much as no brother wants to think about his sister having sex, my brain went into overdrive while I tried to think about when this could have happened.

Especially after all of the effort I'd made to ensure it didn't. I stood up and tried to form a sentence about three times before words came.

"What?"

She continued pacing. I hated it when she did that. She'd done it from the time we were kids.

Whenever she felt nervous or anxious, whenever she landed in trouble for doing something stupid albeit harmless but dumb, she'd pace while she prattled.

And if she couldn't pace, she'd fidget. She'd fiddle with her hair or tug at her clothes. She could never hide the fact she was unsettled, her mannerisms called her out.

"Tanner wasn't the first," she said. "Remember our sixteenth? We had almost the entire school here?"

I nodded. We didn't always do joint parties. Max and I were born on November 30th. Abby was March 18th. But our sixteenth was a big one we went all out for and decided to combine.

We decided to do it at the end of March. The weather was warmer and everyone was looking for the next event after the spring break buzz had worn off.

Our yard had been transformed for the night. We had a DJ. Bounce houses and inflatable obstacle courses, which Max had claimed was childish but Abby and I had whole heartedly agreed you couldn't be too old for inflatable obstacles and bounce houses.

It was one of the few things we agreed on for that night. Even Mom and Dad spent a good hour challenging each other.

It had been a no alcohol event due to the fact there were too many people to get parental permission from.

So Mom and Dad had said no to begin with. That didn't stop people from finding other ways to guzzle back a few vodkas while no one was watching. Including me. There was no drama. It'd been a good night.

"Yeah so," she continued. "It was all over at like— two in the morning. We carried on in the rec room for a while. Just crashing out on the couches while we talked. Ingrid fell asleep first. Remember, you drew a dick on her face?"

I shrugged with an indifferent nod. "You're just telling me stuff that I know, Abs. What's going on?"

She took a deep breath. "Well, after everyone else fell asleep, it was just Flynn and I. The last ones standing. We went upstairs and—"

"You and Flynn?!" I snapped, standing up, alert and listening. "At our sixteenth? You lost your virginity to my best friend?"

"I was his first time as well. Just listen for a sec. He told me he liked me. And I liked him. Both of us were a little drunk but not out of our heads and it was sort of— great."

She smiled at the floor, her cheeks reddened as she gnawed on her lip. "Anyway, he wanted to be together. We both did. But we knew how protective you are. The more we thought about it, the more obvious it was that you'd be pissed.

"And I didn't want Flynn to have to choose. I didn't want him to have to pick me or . . . you. Because I had a feeling that. . . well he might have chosen me. And that would have broken your heart. I didn't want that Luc. I didn't want to put him through that either.

"So I told him we needed to move on. It was one time and we didn't need to talk about it ever again. But it's been so hard Luc. The feelings never went away. And then he told me this afternoon that you've been telling him to just tell me how he feels.

"Like, you'd given him your blessing or something. But he was afraid I didn't feel the same now. Because of fucking Tanner. Who I did like. But not how I like Flynn. I mean— I— I love him."

That was the last thing I expected to hear. The fact she'd been hiding that for two years was something that both impressed and concerned me.

This girl could bluff and lie through her teeth and I'd been none the wiser. It made me wonder what the fuck else she'd managed to slip past me.

Not that I had the right to know all of her business. She was entitled to her secrets. It just amazed me that I couldn't see she was in love with my best friend. I sat down again and let the information process.

"Is this where all the attitude comes from?" I peered up and saw her watching me with anticipation. She was no doubt waiting for me to implode. "You've been sort of an unbearable bitch for a while. Is this what it's all about?"

"Sort of. It wasn't intentional. I think it was just the fact that I chose to give up Flynn for your friendship and you continued to stop me from being with anyone else. It was subconscious resentment I think."

"Dumbass," I laughed. "I know Flynn. He's a good guy. I would have supported that because I know he'd never hurt you. Couldn't really ask for someone better."

She tipped her head back. Neither of us could believe what a little miscommunication could result in.

It meant a lot to me that she would've put her happiness aside for the sake of a friendship.

But at the same time, I wished she'd been honest from the beginning. I could understand where her fear came from though.

If I'd found out the two of them had fucked back then I would have been out for blood. I guess having time to mature - sort of - meant I could come at it from a more rational point of view.

I wanted both of them to be happy, regardless of how weird it might be, it's what they deserve.

"I had no idea," I stood up again and ran a hand through my hair. "I genuinely thought you were attracted to assholes this entire time. I couldn't get it considering that Dad's been the example. He treats Mom like a queen."

"Yeah," she said. "He does. And I love their relationship. I think the attraction to douchebags might have been intentional. On a subconscious level. I think, deep down, I gave my heart to Flynn a long time ago. And I couldn't let someone else have it."

"I'll pretend that wasn't the cheesiest fucking thing in the world."

She glared. "Alright Mr Suave," she taunted. "I've caught a little of your conversations with Amalia here and there. You're a bit of a sap yourself."

"Get out," I ruffled her head. "Come and spot me while I bench press these motherfucking weights."

So she did. She stood at the head of the bench while I went as hard as I could. I even listened to her blush about Flynn and go a bit more into detail about when the feelings started and who made the first move and bla bla bla.

She knew how to be a girl, that's for sure. It wasn't that the thought of the two of them nauseated me, it was just uninteresting but I let her blabber because it really did feel good to have dropped the tension between us.

The truth was out and it felt so much more peaceful and the biggest relief was that she seemed happier.

We had a brief chat about Max as well. That dampened the mood a little bit. I sat up and used a towel to pat the sweat on my arms and forehead while Abby almost took a seat beside me on the bench.

I gave her a shove though and pointed out the sweat my back had left behind. She sat down on the leg machine and pinned it at the lightest weight so she could sit and chat with ease while getting in some sort of exercise.

She slipped her legs under the soft pads so her shins were comfortable and then she leaned back in the seat and swung her legs up and down.

It was more effective with more weight but it wasn't as if she was going for a body building rep.

"Did you see him when you got home from school this afternoon?" I asked, slipping my cap on that I'd left in here the other night.

"No I think Mom mentioned the doctors appointment was of no luck. He can't help Kyla either. Max was upset to put it light."

"Yeah," I mumbled. "I get that."

"You feel it, right? You can feel how upset he is?"

"Sort of," I said. "It's kind of like a headache or stomach ache. It's just this off feeling that won't let up. I can ignore it for the most part but it's unsettling."

"As sad as it is that Mom lost my twin in a miscarriage," she said. "I'm glad I don't have to deal with someone else's emotions, as well as my own. I love being the only me."

"You never used to think that. You were always pissed you didn't end up with a twin."

"Well that's because you and Max had each other and I was the third wheel," she paused and began pulling her hair up. "You didn't leave me out a lot, I'll admit that. But I wanted that connection you both had."

I understood what she meant. Max and I were close, thick as thieves our entire lives. We didn't exclude Abby from our games or activities, not that it mattered, she would have joined in whether we wanted her to or not.

But there's a connection twins share. No matter how close you can be with another person, it'll never be equal to the relationship twins have.

Dad was a twin too. His sister had been brutally murdered when she was twelve. It killed him and I could understand why.

I had no idea how I would ever live on if it something happened to Max. Abby as well of course. I love her just as much. But losing Max would be like losing a limb and I hoped I never had to experience that.

"Speaking of the third wheel," I said when Flynn walked through the door in his tank top and shorts, a bottle swinging from his hand. He saw Abby who was now standing beside me, smoothing down her hair and clothes. "That'll be my new title huh. Third wheel."

"Shut up," Abby whispered and gave me a slap as she skipped toward Flynn.

She stopped in front of him and he turned into goo. Just a big, tall muscular pile of goo. He stared down at her like she was the reason he breathed. It was both beautiful and disgusting.

As it happens, watching them is scarily like watching Mom and Dad. There was still a friendship there before and now both of them were aware of it turning into more without having to hide it. I wasn't about to snap and tell him to get his hands off her waist, as strange as it was to see. They deserved it.

So I sat and twiddled on my phone for a minute, let them arrange weekend plans and tried not to gag when he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.

Which was probably only quick because he was aware I was a few meters from him. It was when I heard Abby attempting to get him inside to hang out that I stood up and interjected.

"Alright, you two might be in love. The earth might be standing still, the stars have aligned bla bla bla," I stood beside Flynn and put a hand on his shoulder. "But he's still the bro. You have to share him. We're doing a circuit. You can have him later."

He smiled so damn big. It was as if he was a kid on Christmas. Except this kid wasn't getting his favourite action figure, he was going to be having sex with my sister.

Ick.

"Hang on," I told Abby before she could leave and handed her my cellphone. "I haven't updated Instagram in a bit. Take a picture? Flynn, stance on dude."

We both got into position and did one of our comical pre work out poses. You know, exude macho bravado. Flex the muscles, appear as though we're compensating for lack of size in other areas even though I am most certainly well endowed in all aspects.

Abby left after she'd taken the photo and of course, Flynn watched her, twinkles in his gaze, flutters in his chest.

No judgement though. I knew I stared at Amalia the exact same way. Still, as far as big brother duties go, I'd like to believe I do a top job. So I gave him a little nudge.

"Congrats man."

"Thanks Luc."

"Yeah, of course," I said. "Just worth mentioning, if you hurt her. . . I'll murder you. You'll be dead. Like, no pulse, no heartbeat, never to breath again, dead. And no one will find your body."

He stared at me with that blank, on the brink of disapproval expression but I caught the visible swallow that had his neck bobbing up and down.

"Good thing that I don't plan on hurting her then huh."

I knew he wouldn't. He was the best man I knew. He never commented on a girls body, he didn't verbalise his appreciation for a fine ass.  One time I asked him if he ever beat his meat and he blushed.

Of course, thinking about it now, he was probably thinking about my sister when he did it. Gag.

He'd had a few dates here and there but he never invested much in other girls. It was brief and then it was over.

I also thought it was worth mentioning, the same fate would await Abby, should she squash Flynn's fragile heart. That would be cold and cruel. Like standing on a small dog.

During our circuit, we dropped the conversation about girls and sisters and discussed this weeks game play.

Leo was a good quarterback but I'd gone over his play with Dad and of course he'd suggested an alternative strategy.

Flynn didn't seem to think that it'd be a good idea to bring it up at our next team meeting. Leo was given the position fair and square but that didn't mean that he couldn't take some constructive feedback on board.

That was the point of a good team. You had to be open to suggestions. And who wouldn't take ideas from a retired quarterback who had gained his team more wins than they'd ever had before.

After that, we had a drink, locked up and Flynn went in search of my sister while I headed for the shower.

While I was in there, I slipped the phone into the wall case and facetimed Amalia. There was nothing to be seen, it was from the chest up. Her jaw still dropped when she answered.

"Lucas," she looked around behind her as if someone else might be watching. "Why are you FaceTiming me in the shower?"

"Thought you might want to see my dick?"

She gave me a blank stare.

"I'm kidding," I waved her off, showering the phone screen in droplets of water. "I just figured that I'd call to catch up."

She grinned and laid on her bed. The sun set was coming in from her window. The orange hues illuminated the side of her face, she was glowing, speckles of honey coloured gradients were stunning.

I could have stared at her like that all afternoon. I absentmindedly lathered the loofah and soaped up while she carried on the conversation.

"What are you doing tonight?" She asked.

"Subtle much? Babe, I'll be right there."

"No," she dropped her face into the mattress and laughed. "No. I meant for dinner. I know it's late notice but Dad is cooking traditional tonight. I wanted to ask if you wanted to join us?"

I hesitated a beat too long because her shoulders dropped.

"No pressure though. I won't be offended if you say no."

"Of course I won't turn that offer down. What time should I be there?"

____

Well done those of you who guessed Abby lost it to Flynn. I am obviously terrible at plot twists. Fml. Lol. Love you all