Page 32 of #PhiThetaForever

Her eyes find mine and she leans into my hand, covering it with her own. "I knew things were getting bad. It's weird, like I could feel it. Like when your accident happened last year. It's strange that you and I weren't connected for years despite being twins. Now, every time you're in trouble, I seem to know."

I chuckle and Lena snuggles closer to my side, her hand moving up my body from my stomach to my chest, where she leaves it. My one arm tightens just enough around her, and I stay silent for a moment to make sure I haven't woken her. Darcy takes my other hand and wraps it in her own, rubbing her thumb across the back of my hand.

"Declan, promise me you're going to stay clean. I know it's unfair to ask, because if anyone knows about how hard sobriety is, it's me. And even if you stumble and fall, no matter how many times, I just need to know that you'll never stop fighting to stay sober."

"I promise, Darcy." She takes a deep breath and actually pats the back of my hand the same way our mother always does during a serious conversation. "Do you think she'll still spend Christmas with us?"

Darcy licks her lips with a smile. "I think she can be persuaded. I mean, Candice and I are her best friends. Plus, Justus, Sandra, and Josiah might come to Lakeview for the holidays too."

I didn't fail to notice the change in Darcy's voice when she said Justus' name. Glancing behind her, he's sitting on the edge of her bed, chatting quietly with Josiah and Sandra who are laying on an air mattress in front of Darcy's bed. I'm not saying anything, because honestly, if Justus and Darcy date, that's be the most decent human being she's ever given her time to. Plus with everything Justus is doing for me and has already done, even though I'm Darcy's brother, I don't have a right to say anything. She's an adult and so is he.

"Go lay down, Darcy. I know you came over here to check on me, and I'm okay. Better than okay." I glance down at Lena, wrapped around my side, again.

Darcy smiles, looking from Lena to me. "Yeah, I think you'll be just fine. I love you, Declan."

"Love you too, Darcy."

She gets up and heads back over to her bed. As soon as she sit's cross legged lext to Justus, he reaches over and takes her hand in his, like it's the most normal action in the world. Yeah, there's definitely something going on there.

"You going to sleep sitting up?"

Lena's voice startles me and I jump, causing her to snicker. "You scared the crap out of me."

"Can you lay down so I can go back to sleep and you can actually get some sleep. We do have class in the morning." She sits up on her elbow giving me enough room to scoot down and lay on my back.

"Yes ma'am." As soon as I'm comfortable, I keep my arms above my head, and am satisfied when she puts her head right back on my chest. She drapes her arm across my chest, but rests her finger tips on my neck, right as my hairline on the back of my neck. Crossing one of her legs over mine, she pulls her throw blanket over both of us, and my breath stops when she kisses my chest before snuggling back down and yawning.

"Night, Declan."

"Night, baby." She smiles against my side, and within a few minutes her breathing has evened out again. "I love you."

34 Lena

Something smells like bacon.

I stretch on my bed, opening just one eye to peek at the clock. Damn. It's 5:00 in the morning . . . and our dorm smells like bacon.

I sit up and look over to the dining area. Declan, Jackson, Josiah, and Justus are . . . cooking. "Are you making bacon and pancakes on skillets . . . in a dorm room?"

All four of them turn toward my bed, and Declan smiles as he picks a coffee cup up off a warmer. "Morning." He sits on the side of the bed and holds the coffee out to me.

"Morning." I take the cup and sip the steaming vanilla liquid. "Mmmmm. Thank you."

He smiles and it makes my heart speed up a little. I didn't intend to share my bed with Declan last night, but being in his arms just felt right and if I'm being honest that's the best nights sleep I've gotten in weeks. "And yes. We've been up since four, and Josiah happens to know an awesome store that's open 24 hours and holds all the things needed to make college not suck. So, your room now has skillets, warmers, coffee pot, and a few other odds and ends. We bought a popcorn machine. All this is against school rules, but we just won't let the RA know you have it."

"The four of you have lost your mind." I shake my head and sip my coffee.

"Is that bacon?" Darcy sits up in bed and looks around the room. Smiling she hops up and walks over to the piece of bacon Justus holds out for her. "Thank you."

"Welcome." His eyes follow her as she walks around him to the coffee pot.

"Yeah, I noticed that last night while you were sleeping. Darcy could do worse. A lot worse." Declan lays his hand on my leg and I look at him.

"Well, anything is better than what she dated in high school." We both smile and finish out coffees in silence. I expect it to be more odd than it is, but being around Declan has never been weird. "Can I ask you something?"

His eyes go a little wide and he nods. "Lena, of course. You've never been able not to."

"And you won't lie to me?"