The Twin Girl They Rejected

when my phone vibrated. I pulled it f

ew me

re anything else, Princess. It kills

ared. I had spent most of my life wishing for something as

ople had seen

ents inside the lecture hall

meone from my batch. Maybe one of the stu

f. Still, the message made me feel

ort

atching Jake gave me something to dream about. But this was different. This was real. Some

phone away. Only then did I remember how the whole th

ding, I had forced myself upright by holding onto t

t completely on my left leg. All I wanted

lled me Professor's pet. Sometimes they used much worse names. The

myself through exams and assignmen

bly earn good grades through hard work. There had to be

rgy to think about their insults. My o

y knee was in terrible condition, and

ould happen if I did. I would find somewhere q

ned at home the day before, I c

At least studying would give my

s the door as I entered. His e

o finally deci

tudents

ce bu

rry, Pr

ou could arrive when the lecture begins.

t arguing. He looked at me for a mom

you normally do, take your

you, Pr

ng me. I tried not to think about how strange I must have looked, dragg

pened to

t telling him everything. Queens Univer

hey would probably face suspension. Bu

go home with Shane every day. If he lost his place at university

t. Maybe they were right. But courage is n

speaking up can feel like risking

le I was ru

nold watched

obody pus

It was an

nother second before

l. Let's

ied to listen. I really did. But my knee

It didn't. Tears gathered in my eyes. I blinked them a

thing that could take me away from the pain. T

iled me today. Th

a

nd him. He was sitting in the row ahead o

verything Professor Arnold said. Even sitting in

im for a moment. Then another. My mind drifted back to the football matc

s University. He played with confidence and a

d looks helped, but there was more to him than that. He didn't chase attention

ticed me. Maybe he would look at me and see noth

ked imagini

hat I forgot about my knee for a while.

tebook and packed his things. I watched him walk aw

otten everything. My family. The

ing. I waited until most of the stud

gle. Then my phone vibrated. I checked the scree

re anything else, Princess. It kills

eeling unwanted, that small kindness meant

hrough the tears in my eyes. Maybe my

o keep going. Jake had given me another.

dn't have only two reasons to look