[A/N: The lyrics I included are from "Trademark" by Relient K. I don't know why I picked that song. Well actually I do. I was listening to it when I was writing this. Anyway, enjoy!]

Chapter 2: Letting The Truth Out

All day Evan and Amy where practically glued together. Ephram sat with them in the classes they had together, and talked with them, but mostly he just watched the way they were together. It was sort of sickening. Evan would say something, Amy would laugh, Evan would smile, and Amy would smile back, then flip her hair. The shameless flirting was starting to get to him. Finally, after fifty minutes of listening to Mrs. Fritz rambling on about Spanish direct object pronouns, the trio headed off to lunch.

"Oh God. What the hell is that smell?" Evan said walking into the cafeteria.

"That would be the smell of lunch at Peak County High. You get used to it… eventually," Amy said.

"How do you eat… whatever that is?"

"I don't," she said holding a brown bag in the air.

"Smart girl."

The two wondered off towards the table full of Amy's used-to-be friends. She only sat there for Bright now. Ephram stood there for a moment in shock. Did my own brother just walk off and leave me here by myself? Ephram walked to the other end of the cafeteria and got in line to get food. After he had paid for everything he went in search a place to sit. He avoided the table full of jocks, like everyone at it had the plague. Finally, he found an empty table across the room. As soon as he sat down he pulled his Walkman out of his backpack and slipped on the headphones.

I think it might just be all right

To leave what matters out of sight

Old habits die hard, holding on

Inevitable means it's never gone

Told myself what I need to hear

I think the point was very clear

I showed me what we missed since we

Slipped into inconsistency

He didn't hear the person coming up behind him until someone pulled off his headphones. It was Wendell.

"You would think these things were attached to your ears."

"When I put these on I'm trying to block people out, but that doesn't seem to stop you."

"Nope. You know they say that somewhere there is someone that looks exactly like you. Everyone in the world has one. Isn't it interesting that you found yours here in Everwood."

"Isn't it interesting that he's my twin brother," Ephram said putting the headphones back on. Once again he was snuck up on, and once again he had his headphones taken off. This time it was by Amy, Bright, and Evan.

"Come on Eph. You listen to that crap enough at home," Evan said sitting down next to his brother.

"Okay first, this is not crap. Second, this is school, I'll use any excuse to tune it out. Third, go away. I listen to enough of you at home."

Evan gave Ephram a look of mock hurt. "Ephram. How can you say such things to your darling little brother?"

Wendell, Amy, and Bright laughed. "Fuck off Evan."

"Ephram! Not in school! I only do those things at home!"

Ephram smacked Evan. "You are really gross. Do you know that?"

Evan winked at Amy, "It's one of my charms."

"You're only charming when you sleep, when you don't talk."

By this time Amy and Bright had sat down on either side of Wendell facing the twins. The three of them sat there watching them go back and forth. It was like watching little girls fighting. It was actually rather entertaining.

"So anyway, now that Prince Charming here has shut his big, fat mouth," Evan started. He never finished his sentence because that was followed by punch in the arm. "Jesus, Eph, that hurts. What the hell is wrong that pissed you off this bad?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"I'll tell you later."

"Fine." Evan suddenly had an idea. He leaned over and whispered in Ephram's ear, "It's because of Amy isn't it."

Ephram slowly nodded.

"Sorry man."

"Not your fault."

"Whatever."

Wendell, Bright, and Amy were shocked. Whenever they fought with their siblings it was never over that fast. And it usually involved blood.

"Do you guys do that because your twins?" Amy asked.

"Do what?" they both asked at the exact same time.

"Well that too, but the fighting. It lasted like two seconds."

"Well that's just because we understand each other and when something is wrong. We're sensitive people you know," Evan said.

"And the fact that we said the same thing at the same time was just a weird coincidence," Ephram added glaring at his brother.

"Well you know Eph. We do, do that a lot."

"Oh, shut up and eat."

*

"Evan, stop it. Evan, stop it. Evan, stop it. Evan, I swear to God, if you don't stop poking me right now, I'll break your fingers." Ephram and Evan were sitting in the kitchen. Ephram was doing his Geometry homework. But Evan had finished all his homework so now he was set on bothering Ephram. It seemed very immature and annoying, and it was, but Evan had spent the last sixteen years with Ephram doing this kind of stuff to him. Suddenly Ephram didn't want to do that anymore, and found it incredibly annoying. If Evan were to stop now, he'd miss out on all the fun.

"So what's wrong with you lately. You're so tense."

"I have to do three pages of useless Geometry homework for Mr. Nelson. Then I have to finish those worksheets on direct object pronouns, whatever the hell those are, I wasn't really paying attention in class. Then I have to write some stupid essay for English. I'm not even sure what it's supposed to be on. And here you are poking me in the back incessantly annoying the hell out of me for what? Your own sick pleasure? Leave me alone."

"That's all… lovely but I meant tense in general, not just right now."

"If you must know its Amy."

"What about her. She's awesome. She's nice, and funny, and sweet, and so cute."

"Exactly my problem."

"What you don't like her anymore?" Evan asked trying desperately to not let the hopeful air in his voice show through.

"No, I still like her. It's the fact that you like her that's the problem."

"I don't like her."

"Don't lie to me."

"Okay, okay, I like her. But why would that matter?"

"Because she likes you."

"What? No she doesn't."

"Oh please. I can read that girl like a book. Except of course when it comes to me. I know when she likes someone, and trust me, she likes you."

"Really? I mean. Oh. I mean. I won't do anything about it if you don't want me to."

"Go ahead. You both should be happy. You've both seen too much pain in your lives not to." It nearly killed Ephram to say those words.

"So you wouldn't mind if I asked her?"

Ephram gritted his teeth, and took a deep breath. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"You ask me again I might say no," Ephram threatened

"Okay, okay, I'll stop." Evan looked at Ephram's Geometry homework. "By the way number eight is wrong." Ephram looked down at his homework, and then glared at Evan and through his pen at Evan's head. "You missed," Evan smiled sweetly.

"I hate you!"

"Oh, come on Ephhie, you know you love me."

"Do not call me Ephhie! And I don't love you."

Evan pouted. "But Ephhie…"

"I said don't call me that. There were only three people that called me that. One's dead and the other two still live in New York. I said goodbye to them more than a year and a half ago."

"Wait who? Well, I mean other than mom."

"Maliea and Jenny."

"Oh yeah. I knew that."

"I know you did. You just 'forgot' huh."

"Yeah. Sorry about that."

"Whatever."

*****

[A/N: That's it for now. I'm working on it I swear, but I'm in drama club and our show is next month so I have set building, fund-raising, or rehearsal, like everyday. Not to mention my homework, which I have a ton of. And that movie I'm making in GSA. As you can see, I'm a little busy right now, but I promise I'll get another chapter up as soon as possible. So please review, it makes me happy. Very happy. By the way after January 20th or so I should be able to get a chapter up just about every week or so, as long as I have ideas. Just so you know.]