The Bet (Just The Way You Are)

The Bet *Metanoia

Hooray for the 50th chapter! *Metanoia*

~Drake

"Mom, Driana, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"About what?" Driana inquires.

Rolling my eyes, I say, "Impatient as usual."

For the past few days, I thought about what Pie advised me- that I should tell my family about my secret. Actually, it's not really mine to tell. I can't believe until now that Pie is the first one I told about it. I don't know why I did it. At that time, all I wanted was to give everything she asked for.

Is this love? Maybe, maybe not. I don't have a basis so I'm lost—

"Hey!"

Blinking my eyes, I see Driana scowling at me. "What?"

Pursing her lips, she says, "I thought you wanted to talk to us? Why are you daydreaming?"

My mom smiles at us, seeming amused to watch her twins tease each other. She doesn't know what I'm about to tell her will change her life. Our lives.

"Let's go to the family room, shall we?" I say.

I already planned everything . . . What will I say, where, and when. Even Pie knows that today is the day. I have to keep my life on track. Focus on what's important and leave the things that don't matter.

Driana and my mom seats on the couch, and I take the chair across from them. The coffee table is in between us, holding sandwiches and tea my mom prepared.

This is the right time. I practiced it a few times already. But why am I forgetting everything I have to tell them? It must be the nerves. I can do it!

"Father cheated on mom," I say slowly, looking at both of them.

At first, that gets no reaction. After a few seconds, questions are asked. Well, Driana is the only one asking. My mom is so surprised, she can't even talk. So I tell them everything I know. Everything I told Pie.

While I'm recalling to them what I know, my body slowly feels light. Maybe because finally, I'm letting go of the heavy burden I'm carrying.

Driana has an unreadable expression on her face. Now I'm regretting—

No, don't regret it, my voice says, it needs to be done.

I just don't want to see her get hurt.

She's a Daddy's girl – close to my father than my mom. And now I know that her relationship with him will change.

Don't blame yourself!

Well, thank you, I think sarcastically.

"Why did you just tell me now?" she asks in an eerie voice.

"Because I'm afraid this is how you'll react," I say. "I don't—"

"But you should have told me earlier," she exclaims. "I thought we're a team?" she starts to sob.

My heart clenches painfully in my chest. Seeing my twin cry is hard for me. Especially I'm the reason why she's crying.

It's not your fault, my voice says impatiently.

Yeah, yeah.

"Driana, I'm sorry. If only I can—"

"But you can't," she interjects, wiping her cheeks with shaking hands. "I can't believe dad could do something like that."