***This is an update to an older story. SM owns Twilight***

Soccer practice had been extraordinarily brutal with record high temperatures and the humidity at over 80%, it was a miracle I had any water left in my body. I finished off the last of my water bottle as I walked up the street to my house. After six months, Texas really didn't feel like home, but neither had the last six states we'd lived in over the last two years. With a single parent household, we moved where the jobs were. My dad was a project engineer, and construction was hit or miss depending on where you lived. While some cities boomed, others faltered, hence the moving.

I shook my head seeing Alyssa's car parked in front of the house. I really wanted a shower and a quiet evening, but it looks like that wasn't in the cards. I trudged up the cement walk to the two story brick house. Gwen and I were lucky enough to have our own rooms. We'd been stuck sharing since we first moved from Michigan nearly ten years ago. I didn't mind sharing with my twin, but as we got older, we really did need our own space. We weren't the same, as so many people thought about twins. We were both smart, even if Gwen hid it from most people, but that's about the end of our similarities. Gwen was outgoing, a free-spirit artist type, while I would rather be s playing soccer or reading. Of course, Texas was one of the worst places for soccer, well anything but football was a low priority. But I got to play.

I pulled the mail from the hanging box by the door. Pushing the front door open, laughter rang through the house as the cool air stuck to my skin. I set my soccer bag on the bench in the entry. I rifled through the mail, seeing an envelope with my name, but no return address.

"Andie?" Gwen called from the living room.

"Yeah, it's me."

"How was practice?" Gwen asked.

"Hot." I called back. "I'm gonna shower."

Gwen poked her head out of the living room into the entry. "You can join us if you want."

I looked over Gwen's shoulder. Cara and Alyssa sat on the sofa, Twilight was paused in the background. I shook my head.

"I'll get dinner started as soon as I'm done."

I squeezed Gwen's hand before heading upstairs. I would have hugged her, but I was sweaty and felt disgusting. I tossed the envelope and my phone on the bed in my room. I pulled out a pair of sweats, t-shirt and clean under clothes from my dresser. I opened the bathroom door and started a shower. I closed the door leading to Gwen's room. We shared a linked bathroom. I quickly showered in lukewarm water, trying to cool off some of the heat. Even in the air conditioned house, I was still too warm after practice. I dried off and dressed before pulling Gwen's door back open. I walked back into my room. The queen size bed took a majority of the small space. A dresser and nightstand was the extent of my furniture. Gwen and I shared a laptop, so I really didn't need a desk. I lay back on my bed staring at the ceiling. The bamboo fan spun slowly above my head. My phone buzzed next to me. I swiped the screen.

Did you finish the Calc HW? Lacy texted. She was a girl on my soccer team.

Yeah. I texted back.

#4?

Tomorrow? Making dinner. I texted back.

Awesome. Thx.

Lacy and I had three classes together and played soccer. I didn't have many friends, and honestly, I kept Lacy at arm's length, just in case we moved again. It was hard to say good-bye, and I wasn't one to let myself be hurt. Gwen didn't seem to mind. She still emailed and texted friends she had from elementary school, and she loved making new friends.

I pushed myself off the bed seeing the envelope. I shook my head. Who would write me… I ripped open the paper, and pulled out the single sheet of paper. I unfolded the paper. The top of the paper read: Michigan Corrections Department. It was a copy from the parole board. I read through the sheet twice. Parole approved - Quentin Castelino. My heart raced seeing his name, and a chill ran down my spine. Before I could freak out, I heard Gwen running up the stairs. I folded the paper stuffing it into the pocket of my sweats. I grabbed my phone and pulled open my door just a Gwen was about to knock.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Yeah, fine." I tried to smile.

"Really?" Gwen knew me too well. "I can send Cara and Alyssa home if you want to talk."

I shook my head. "No. Really, I'm fine. Lacy just asked about some homework that I'd forgotten about. That's all."

Gwen cocked her brow. She knew I was lying, just like I knew when she was. There were certain twin stereotypes we did fall into. We did just know when the other was emotional, whether that was fear or happiness, we just knew what the other was feeling. At this point, I wish she didn't know. I couldn't tell her about the letter.

"OK." Gwen said.

I followed her downstairs turning toward the kitchen while she went to the living room. I tried to keep myself calm as I made dinner. My thoughts kept focusing on the letter. As much as it frightened me, it would kill Gwen. She always felt responsible and guilty over the car accident and everything that happened after. Even though none of it was her fault. My mom and I were hit by a drunk driver on our way to pick up Gwen from a rehearsal. Our mom died, but I survived. My arms and back are scarred from the whole ordeal. It seemed like a much bigger issue when I was younger, but as I've gotten older, the scars didn't bother me as much. They still weigh on me, and they dictate what I wear and why I don't let people touch me, but some of that has to do with David.

I was in the hospital for two months, in that time, David had been a nurse. He would sedate patients and assault them. Another nurse found him in my room, and after an investigation, they had little proof he done anything. They could only charge him for criminal neglect and distributing a controlled substance. He was never charged for abuse or molesting his patients. I tell my dad that I don't remember, and that's somewhat true. There are some things you'd rather not burden those you love with. Gwen felt so guilty, it was just easier to say I didn't know what happened.

I sat at the table pulling a book from the counter. I seemed to have books everywhere, I could pick something up at anytime. Gwen and her friends laughed in the living room, swooning over Edward Cullen. I rolled my eyes as they began to compare Edward to boys from school. I could never fathom a boy, any boy, waiting a hundred years to lose his V-card.

Alyssa came into the kitchen getting a drink from the fridge.

"How can you read that?" She asked in her snide, bitchy way.

I look at the cover. "It's pretty good."

"It's smut." She snaps back.

I hold the very tame cover up, the title Dead Until Dark, with a vampire and girl on the cover. "It's not smut. And I would rather read about vampires that go poof than sparkle."

"Please." Alyssa sighs. "Those books are filled with sex and filth."

I laugh. "Better than a virgin teenage vampire."

"Edward is better than any of those." Alyssa snapped. "And Jake isn't a vampire."

"Yeah, shark-boy. I'll get right on that." I snapped back.

Gwen and Cara enter the kitchen. All three of them are wrapped up in the Twilight mayhem.

"They are great characters in a romantic story." Cara chimes in.

"I guess if you're a weak small minded girl, than yes, he is pretty fantastic, but for me, I actually want some depth and believability to my fantasy."

"You're such a bitch, Andie." Cara snapped defending her friend. "It wouldn't kill you to try and fit in."

"Not like you could or get a guy like Edward." Alyssa said.

"Thank god for little favors." I smile.

Cara and Alyssa turn from the kitchen. After a few minutes, the front door opens and closes, and Gwen comes back to the kitchen.

"Do you have to be so mean?" Gwen asks as she sits at the table.

I stand walking to the stove. I stir the spaghetti sauce trying not to be upset with Gwen.

"I'm sorry." I finally say.

"It wouldn't hurt you to try and like these books." Gwen said.

"Ah, no." I shake my head. "I've read them, and you've forced me to watch the movie. I think I've had all I can take."

"You didn't even watch the entire movie, and there are three others." Gwen pouts.

Gwen had kicked me out of the living room when I started making fun of Edward and pointing out all of Bella's insecurities.

Gwen sighed. "They shouldn't have said anything to you, anyway."

"It's fine. I can take care of myself."

"Sometimes, it would be nice if we liked the same stuff."

"I know." I said. "I still love you as crazy as you are."

"I still love you." Gwen repeated.

Dad walked into the house before we could finish our apologies.

"Hey, how's it going?" Dad asked walking into the kitchen.

"Good." Gwen and I say in unison.

Gwen pulls out the salad from the fridge and sets the table as I strain the pasta. Dinner is something Dad tries to do with us every night. There have been many nights he's had to return to work after dinner, but sitting down with Gwen and I for a meal and conversation was a priority, especially after mom died.

"Homework done?" Dad asks as we sit down at the table.

"Yeah." I said scooping salad into my bowl.

"Almost." Gwen said.

"Gwendolyn," Dad's warning tone.

"It will take me ten minutes." Gwen whines.

"You should be worried about homework instead of those movies." Dad said.

Gwen rolls her eyes. "My grades are fine, Dad. Stop worrying."

"It's not just your grades I worry about."

"I have a game on Thursday." I said trying to change the subject. "It's at three, if you can make it."

"I'll try." Dad said.

"Me, too." Gwen smiles.

Dinner wraps up too soon. Gwen clears the table before Dad tells her to get her homework done. We both know she is trying to put off homework by clearing the table. Once Gwen head's upstairs I pull the letter from my pocket. I stare at the paper in my hand debating on whether I should keep it to myself.

"What's going on?" Dad asks leaning against the counter.

I hand him the letter. Even if it hurts, he has to know. Dad reads the letter before balling the paper up in his hands.

"How could this happen?" Dad snaps.

"I'm sorry."

Dad wraps his arms around me. "This is not your fault. I'll clean up, you should head up to bed."

I hug my dad again before heading to my room. I brush my teeth trying to focus on anything but the look on Dad's face. The anger and fear etched in my mind.

"You ok?" Gwen asks as she picks up her toothbrush.

I rinse my mouth. "Yeah." I set my brush back in the holder. "I'm sorry for bashing your Edward."

Gwen rolls her eyes. "He's not my Edward."

"Do you really want someone like that?" I asked. "Someone controlling and hurtful."

"He only does that cause he loves her." Gwen defended. "And who doesn't want to find love."

"I guess I don't see it like that. If you love someone, you respect them. I just never picked up anything like that."

Gwen rinses her mouth setting her brush on the counter. "Clearly, you need to watch the movies with me, then you will see."

"Maybe before we leave for college."

"That gives me, what... nine months to wear you down." Gwen laughed.

We hugged before heading back to our rooms. I lay on my bed in my dark room unable to close my eyes. I can only see his face looking down on me. I tried to pretend that the memories that would resurface were just my imagination, but knowing he was getting out of prison, that he could find me again, made me face facts. I tossed and turned for an hour before I decided to get up and take something to help me sleep. I quietly got out of bed and opened my door. Gwen's light was still on under her door, and the TV was on downstairs. I figured I didn't need to be too quiet, and rushed down the wooden stairs. On the fourth step, my socks slipped against the step, and I crashed down hitting my head as my body slid down the stairs.