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Then Holden joins in, and the next thing I know, I’m singing it too. Our noise must have drawn the attention of the rest of the house because in just a few more lines, Romeo, Griff, Fallon, Ren, Nash, and Sadie are all outside scream-singing at the top of their lungs with us.
I let the tears fall as I cling to my twin, and some broken piece of me heals. The connection to my twin, the one I thought I’d lost forever, mends just a bit.
Just enough.
Because Nix is still Nix, and even though this is a conversation I needed to have, he’s still the same man he was when he abandoned me. Three times.
But I understand him just a little bit more now. He wasn’t punishing me. He was punishing himself.
“You still need therapy,” Nix says after we finish the song, and everyone starts trailing inside.
“Like you don’t!” I shove him, making him bark an obnoxious laugh.
“Hey! That's my bad arm!” he whines, and my eyes go wide until he laughs harder. “You should see your face, sissy.”
“I hate you,” I grumble, but I can’t hold back the cheek-splitting smile. My heart feels so fucking full right now. I can’t remember the last time I felt so happy.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
“You Don’t Call Me Anymore” by Sam Fischer
PHOENIX
I know I’m a shitty brother and a shitty friend. A shitty son.
Hockey gave me focus. An outlet. Without it? I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. All I know is that Rose is the good twin.
The best of us.
She carries her guilt around like it’s a boulder on her back, dragging her down. Guilt that isn’t hers to hold.
I can’t do much for my twin sister, but I can do this. Remind her she’s good.
I know I let her down. That I’m a disappointment, but every time I try to change, I only let her down even more.
I just hope she knows none of this is because of her.
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
“Sunshine” by OneRepublic
ROSE
“How are you my sister!?” Nix shouts, throwing his hands up as he jumps to his feet. “That was the wrong team!” he snaps, and I gesture to the rink.
“I didn’t know that! They all look the same!” I defend.
“You’re wearing his fucking jersey! The colors are literally on you! WE’RE THE BLUE ONES, ROSILY GRACE!”
I jerk back in offended outrage because how dare he bring my full name into this! “They’re also blue!” I cry, pointing at the man in the ‘Sin Bin’ in front of us. “The naughty box boy looks just like Nash!” I cry, and Mr. Naughty Box whips around to glare at me.
“Naughty Box?!” he shouts, but my twin is already there.
“Shut the fuck up, number seven!” Nix hollers, and even though the words are harsh, there's a small sense of…camaraderie? A level of sportsmanship. I grimace because I don’t get it…
“Holy shit! That you, Firebird?” the guy in the box asks, and my brother smirks. Oh, shit, the guy in the box looks familiar. Someone from our hometown, I think. Huh, small world.
“Nah, I’m just Phoenix now, man.” Even though he’s smiling, there’s a tension in my twin’s shoulders that wasn’t there a moment ago.
