Jace looks like he’s going to be sick. “How did you find out?”

A smug face belonging to a certain bully flashes through my head.

I have a sneaking suspicion it was Tommy DeSilva.

Like both my brothers, he’s had the hots for Dylan too.

Only unlike them, Dylan wants nothing to do with him.

Although they were awfully close tonight.

Then again, Jace went to the dance with Britney who everyone knows is Dylan’s enemy.

I rub my chin. Maybe that’s why she said yes when Liam asked her to the dance. Dylan was jealous and hurt. Perhaps she wanted to return the favor and give Jace a taste of his own medicine.

And what better way to do it than to use Liam, the brother who has a crush on her. Only, Liam probably thought she said yes because she actually liked him. The sucker.

Meanwhile, Dylan spent most of the dance cozying up to Tommy of all people.

And then somehow, ended up kissing Jace in a closet…where surprise, surprise Liam was magically there to witness it.

I smell a rat. Actually, I smell two of them.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

And a tormenter who likes to stir up shit.

“I j-j-just t-t-told you, dumbas-s-ss,” Liam screams. “I s-s-saw—”

“How did you know we were in the closet?” I can see the moment it finally dawns on Jace. “Goddammit.”

Yup, this shit is bad. Real bad.

Especially considering what Tommy did to Liam right after.

Talk about kicking someone while they're down.

Liam smashes Jace’s television next. “Tommy t-t-told me you were s-s-sneaking around b-b-behind my b-b-back. I didn’t b-b-believe him, but he s-s-said he could p-p-prove it.”

Damn, that asshole is good.

Jace’s face falls. “I’m so—”

A Jimmy Eat World song fills the room. Dylan’s ringtone.

The girl has some balls calling him after what she’s done.

Liam eyes him like a hawk. “Is t-t-that her?”

Of course it is, dumbass. What other girl do we know who’s obsessed with that stupid band?

Jace swiftly presses the ignore button on his phone. Smart move.

“Doesn’t matter.”

Liam places Jace’s brand-new Apple laptop on top of his desk.

My father offered to buy it for him for his birthday, but Jace declined…just like he always does.

Instead he saved up every cent he earned cutting lawns for the past year to buy it himself.

Jace takes a step toward him. “Liam, stop!”

Liam swings at the air—taunting him—before he flips the laptop open and smashes it to smithereens.

I’ve never felt the urge to kill someone before now. I know how hard Jace worked for that.

I know how much he loves Dylan.

And Liam.

This isn’t right. Liam’s acting like a spoiled brat who isn’t getting his way and it’s not fair to Jace.

“Did you t-t-tell her I l-l-loved her?” He swings again. “Did you b-b-both g-g-get a g-g-good laugh?”

“No. I told you I wouldn’t do that to you.”

I believe him. There’s no way Jace would ever betray Liam.

“Ha. Like I c-c-can t-t-trust you,” he screams. “You’re n-n-nothing b-b-b-b-but a liar.”

No, he’s not. He’s a good brother who doesn’t deserve any of the shit Liam’s currently giving him.

“Christ, man. Get a grip,” I yell. “Stop acting like a maniac and destroying Jace’s stuff.”

Liam glares at me. “He k-k-kissed, Dy—”

“Yeah, I know. But Dylan was never yours, dude.” I snort. His oblivion is almost comical. “Did you really think you had a shot with her?” I rock back on my heels, trying not to laugh. “A blind person could see she’s been into Jace for a while now. But even if she wasn’t, no way would she ever date someone like you.”

Despite being weird and bitchy, Dylan’s a dime piece.

Liam isn’t even a five. Well, not anymore.

Some kids at school dubbed him the green-eyed monster because of the scars slashing his face.

Thanks to our parents’ exceptional looks, everyone in our family is well above average looking.

Everyone except him. Now his outside matches his inside.

“Cole,” Jace snaps.

No. If he’s not going to defend himself and stop the Liam pity train…I will.

It’s time someone put Liam in his place. Who better than his twin to do it?

“No one likes you, Liam. Not even your own family.” Disgust rolls through me. “You’re embarrassing. Always looking for attention with your crying and stuttering—”

“That’s enough,” Jace growls, winding his fist back. “Say another word and I swear to God I’ll beat the shit out of you.”

Seriously? Liam destroyed all his stuff, won’t let him be happy with the girl he likes, and somehow, I’m still the problem in this scenario?

It’s like everyone I care about has blinders on and no one can see the real him.

Maybe I should walk around with a mask on too.

One that fools people into thinking I’m so great…just like Liam does.

“Whatever. Screw this.” I look at Liam. I’ve never hated anyone more than I hate him. I’m pretty sure I never will. “Screw you.”

I flip them both the bird. “You assholes sort your own shit out. I’m done.” I start to walk away but pause when I reach the door frame. “I wish it was one of you who died instead of Mom. Maybe then this family wouldn’t be such a disaster.”

With one of them gone, maybe she could have finally loved me.

I’m about to roll over and go to sleep, but there’s a knock on my door.

I ignore it.

I know who’s on the other side and I’m not interested in his bullshit.

Knock, knock.

“Go away.”

“P-p-please,” Liam croaks. “I n-n-need…I n-n-need to t-t-talk to you.”

Oh, hell. Here we go.

Just like our mother, Liam suffers from what my family calls mood swings.

Usually he stays in bed and sleeps it off when he’s upset, but sometimes he’ll stay up for hours on end. Doing stupid shit.

Like painting a mural in the living room. A hideous one at that.

My father was pissed when he saw it. But of course, Liam turned on the waterworks and cried about how much he missed Mom and how she would have liked his ugly ass painting featuring an ugly green butterfly.

Not only did he not get in trouble…the monstrosity stayed on the wall for six months straight.

Another random night he decided to throw out all the food in the refrigerator. When we confronted him about it in the morning, he said he was tired of us killing animals and demanded we all become vegan instantly.

When we objected, he threatened to call the police and tell them we were murderers.

Did he get in trouble? Nope.

We were forced to eat like rabbits until Liam decided he had enough of it a week later and put us out of our misery.

Then there was the time he decided he wanted to learn to play the trombone.

When did he like to practice? Three o’clock in the damn morning.

We were all forced to wear earplugs for two whole weeks…until he decided he had enough and threw it in the swimming pool.