𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴

𝖂𝖔𝖐𝖊 𝖚𝖕 𝖓𝖊𝖝𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖎𝖒

"I love you."

I lifted my head to see if he was serious, but he continued to kiss my chest, seemingly unfazed, as if those words were the most normal thing for him to say.

"Tom?" I asked, genuinely confused. He raised his head, and his dark eyes locked onto mine. In the dim light, I could see him scanning my face, trying to gauge my reaction. "What was that?" I inquired.

A smirk formed on his face as he leaned in closer. He traced the tip of his tongue along the path from my heart up to my neck, all the while maintaining eye contact. "I said, I love you," he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down my skin.

I arched my head back from the sensation it caused. A soft moan escaped my lips as he continued to leave soft kisses all over my neck, though he didn't dare to go further. It was evident that the alcohol had taken its toll on him. His movements became slower, and his eyelids grew heavier with each passing second. Eventually, his head began to droop, and his breathing deepened. I realized that Tom had fallen asleep, his body slowly relaxing in my arms. I carefully disentangled myself from his embrace and gently placed a blanket over him to ensure he was comfortable.

The room was quiet, save for the distant sounds of laughter and chatting coming from the living room. As I sat down on my bed, Tom's deep breathing and the gentle rise and fall of his chest were the only sounds that broke the silence.

In that peaceful moment, I found myself wrestling with my feelings. It was evident that both of them liked me, and I clearly liked them back. However, I couldn't escape the reality that eventually I would have to choose between them. I decided that it would be smarter to prioritize my education and focus on school. The idea of choosing between them weighed heavily on me, as I knew that whatever decision I made, it would hurt one of them. I couldn't bear the responsibility of causing pain, especially considering they were twins who shared a close bond. It didn't feel right to potentially disrupt that closeness just because I had a stronger preference for one over the other.

***

The next morning, I awoke from my sleep to the sensation of a hand wrapped around my waist. I turned and noticed Tom was still asleep, having joined me in bed at some point during the night, snuggling up against my back. Carefully, I slipped out of his embrace and made my way to the bathroom to take a shower.

As I stepped out of the shower, I realized I had no spare clothes with me. Wrapping a towel around myself, I cautiously opened the bathroom door, hoping Tom was either still asleep or had left the room. However, to my chagrin, he was still under the blanket, only his eyes visible as he watched me.

I walked over to the dresser with water dripping from my hair. I heard the bedsheets rustle, and then I sensed his presence drawing closer. Suddenly, his hands were in my hair, gently squeezing the water out as it dripped down my back, gradually soaking my towel.

As Tom's hands continued to press against my hair, I couldn't deny the tingling sensation that ran down my spine. His touch, though unexpected, felt oddly comforting and intimate. With my towel slowly getting soaked, I contemplated what to say or do at this moment.

I turned around to say something, but the look in his sleepy eyes took my voice away. His gaze remained locked onto me with a playful glint, and in that moment, I knew I couldn't deny my feelings for them both any longer.

"I should get dressed," I said, gently pulling away from him. "I need to buy things for school today." I turned my attention back to my open drawer, searching for an outfit to wear for the day, as I could still feel his gaze on me.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, I, uh, got some stuff to do anyway," he mumbled. I heard the door creak open and then shut. Finally alone, I let out a sigh of relief. I unwrapped the wet towel from my body and dried my hair with it. I then put on a pair of flared jeans, a pink, lacy, backless crop top, and a cute belt with tiny skulls.

I left my room and headed for the kitchen, hoping to find my brother and ask for a ride to the mall. As I entered the kitchen, I was surprised to see Gustav sitting at the table, calmly eating a bowl of cereal.

"Good morning!" He greeted me with a full mouth.

"Morning," I answered, pouring myself some cereal. I sat down next to him and started eating my breakfast. I decided that, since my brother wasn't here, I could just ask him. "Hey, Gustav, could you do me a favor? I need a ride to the mall. Could you take me?" I asked.

Gustav swallowed a spoonful of cereal and nodded. "Sure thing, I can give you a ride. When do you want to go?"

Relieved by his willingness to help, I replied, "As soon as you're ready would be great. I've got some school shopping to do."

Gustav finished his breakfast and got up from the table. "No problem, let's get going. Just give me a few minutes to grab my keys, and we'll head out."