Page 6 of My Twin Sister's Ex

“You mean when you dumped him,” I pointed out.

She shrugged. “It was time to move on.”

“It looked to me like you got tired of him.”

“He wasn’t right for me.”

That was the most honest thing she’d said in a while. Bennett was way too good of a guy to be dating Jackilyn. He tried to put on this tough act, but I could see past it. Beneath the rough exterior was a kind, tender person. I’d spent enough time with the two of them together to see that side of him. He tried to hide it, though.

I never understood why he’d wanted to date Jackilyn. Maybe he felt like he deserved to be mistreated. She’d talked to him like he was her servant, like he was hardly worthy to grovel at her feet. It had been painful to watch. At least she hadn’t cheated on him. Well, she hadn’t as far as I knew.

“Why do you care if Bennett is sad that you broke up with him?”

“I can’t explain it, but it’s driving me nuts.”

I felt sorry for Jacki. She’d had a great guy, and now she was stuck with a jerk. When would my sister ever learn? But dating Bennett had been a big game for her. She’d only wanted to see the horrified look on our dad’s face when she brought him home. Bennett had a reputation for being the school bad boy. She knew Dad wouldn’t like that. Maybe Bennett knew it had been a game and was glad it was over now. But I didn’t know how to say that to Jackilyn. I didn’t think she’d take it well.

“You should just focus on your relationship with Kellen.” The sooner she did, the sooner she’d realize he was awful. At least that was the hope.

Maybe she was just using him. She wasn’t dating Kellen just to make Bennett jealous, was she? Would Jackilyn stoop to something that low? Of course, she would. Everything was a game to her.

“How long after breaking up with Bennett did you start dating Kellen?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I’m just curious.” I tried to keep my voice neutral, but Jackilyn’s eyes were already narrowing.

“Two days.”

“Just enough time for you to notice that Bennett wasn’t upset about the breakup.”

“What’s your point?” Jackilyn glared at me with her arms crossed.

“Are you sure that you’re not just dating Kellen to get Bennett back?”

“Of course not. I don’t want Bennett back.”

“You just want him to miss you?”

“My relationship with Kellen has nothing to do with Bennett.”

“Then why are you dating Kellen?”

“Because I want to.”

“What do you like about him?” I knew I was being nosy, but I was her twin. It was my right to be all up in her business. It came with sharing a womb with another person.

She ticked the list off on her fingers. “He’s sweet, caring, hot, muscular, attentive . . . I could name more things if you wanted.”

Was she making this stuff up? Kellen was probably the meanest guy at school. But maybe Jackilyn liked that about him. After all, she was the leader of the MGs, short for Mean Girls.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she demanded.

“No reason. I just find that an . . . interesting description of Kellen. That’s all.”

“You’re just jealous that you don’t have your own guy.”

“I’m definitely not jealous.” Okay, maybe I was a little jealous that she’d had so many boyfriends, and I hadn’t had a single one. But I wasn’t jealous that she had Kellen. I didn’t have to have a boyfriend. I had a life full of great things. A promising theater education at my dream school, a great after-school job, good friends. I didn’t need a guy, did I?

My computer dinged, and I glanced over at my email. There was a response from Mr. Brownley. I groaned. He said that he’d already assigned the partners, and he wasn’t willing to switch them around. How frustrating. I was getting excited about working with Reese. I should have known that Mr. Brownley would be hard-nosed about letting us switch partners.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jacki asked.

“Mr. Brownley won’t let me be partners with Reese for the Drama Competition.”

“Oh.” She looked like she was about to die from boredom. That was a typical reaction from Jackilyn when the topic wasn’t centered on her.

How was Jackilyn even a part of this family? Mom was always helping others and performing selfless acts. Dad worked hard to defend people who’d been mistreated. I was always there for my friends, putting them before myself. Jackilyn wasn’t like any of us. All she did was focus on herself and how she would benefit from a certain situation.

If only there were a way I could help her learn to see the value in being kind to others.

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