"Your twin is quite different from you."

I look, seeing Nate behind me. His head over my shoulder as I sat at the lunch table, watching Archie's tray since he was in the restroom. To see Nate so close to me was so...

"He's at a loss for words, you might be too close to him." I heard one of Nate's friends tease him, and he doesn't react.

"He is..." I finally say, seeing him grin since I responded finally. "We both are identical, but too bad we don't have identical personalities."

"What makes you say that?" Nate asks, sitting beside me now. His friends were quick to sit at the other seats and I wondered if this was their agenda.

"Archie is much more cooler and confident than me. If I had that personality than I think I'd have more friends...and not be so shy, so weird." I smile awkwardly and he snorts.

I see him shake his head, and it began to hit me that he was disagreeing. I'm so used to people agreeing with me that this took me aback.

"I think your personality not being identical to his is perfect. Just be yourself." He grins, causing me to nod. "If your personality was the same, you would've disliked me too."

"Well good thing our personalities are not identical because that allows me to like you." I smile and see him smile at such a thing. His friends were talking to one another and I even saw some others sitting with us now.

No one sat at Archie's seat yet since my leg was on his seat. My legs were quite long...so I'm pretty sure it blocked three people from sitting down if not more.

"I'm curious, why does your brother seem to dislike me?" Nate asks me, and I look at him awkwardly. "I heard you two begin to speak a very cool language. I couldn't...tell."

"French, our dad is French so it kind of...rubbed off onto us. Not to mention we went to school in France all the way up until this point." I state, and he looked impressed by that. "It was...our home, but it wasn't forever. My dads made a deal about it, and now they're fulfilling my other dad's wishes." I explain, seeing Nate look intrigued by that.

"Wait, aren't your dads William and Arthur Martin... Used to be William Moretti?" He asks me, and I nod. "Oh! Your dads are pretty well-known here, you know."

I chuckle, nodding. Only to look and see Archie come up. I move my leg off and he sits beside me. He narrows his eyes onto him only to shake his head, facing forward.

"Archie, be nice." I pat his back only for him to shake his head again.

"Wren you're not seeing what I'm seeing somehow. He's trying to use you." Archie mumbles, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and yanking me closer to him. He looked in my eyes seriously and I grin awkwardly. "You already know how daddy would react."

"Daddy isn't here...and it's like you said, we can't...depend on them forever. I don't think Nate is a bad person. I think you're just overthinking, you know?" I try to make up for it, and I glance at Nate.

He was talking to his friends now and I felt my face be turned back onto Archie.

"Just look!" He exclaims quietly, and I see him nod at the people that were at the table. "Who invited these people? Just sitting wherever they want... Does that not feel off?"

"I don't know...again, overthinking...I think." I say, though I kind of questioned it myself. "Maybe they just think we're cool."

"Users." He hisses, shaking his head.

I look back at Nate and he was looking back at me at the same time.

Before I could speak he nodded to the side, and I frown.

"Wanna hang out outside?" He asks me, and I found myself smiling. I nod excitedly as I he stands up. I look over at Archie and see him actually taking with someone else.

That made it easier to get away as I walk off with Nate. Once we were outside we sat quite a distance from the cafeteria. We sat down at a bench that faced away and he pulls out his phone.

I thought we'd talk, but instead, I was seeing him put headphones in. Felt kind of awkward...because I wouldn't mind looking at such a face; but I feel like he might think that's-.

"Hey, listen to this," Nate grabbed my hand, and I could feel my face becoming hot, only for him to rest it on his earphones, "You can grab one and we'll listen together."

I end up taking it, putting it into my ear. He grins as I began to hear the song play in my ears. It was different...and it wasn't anything I've ever heard before. Didn't even sound like anybody famous or someone I could name off the top of my head.

That's when I look at Nate, seeing him smiling excitedly. I find myself gasping and he nods.

"Is this...you singing?"

"Yep, impressed?" He smirks, pretending to flip some imaginary hair over his shoulder. "My band and I are thinking about performing at a restaurant who's known for putting starting up bands out there. If I can book us a gig...we're set. I think we'd be getting followers by the numbers!"

"I believe so too," I nod, facing forward as his happiness was beginning to cause me to smile stupidly, "Your voice is quite nice, very soothing. You'd definitely win anybody over with such a voice. Not to mention the bass player is awesome."

"Isn't he? He's been playing since he was a kid." Nate agrees, resting his head on my shoulder.

I went stiff almost because he was so close to me. I already know he doesn't see me the same way I see him, obviously.

"Can you play any instrument well?" He asks me quietly, and I still look down at his phone. I see him replay the song and I shook my head. "Is there any instrument you have ever wanted to learn how to play?"

"The banjo."

I see Nate sit up fast, looking at me like I was joking. When I didn't budge he began to smile as he snorts.

"The banjo? Why on earth would you want to learn how to play the banjo?"

"I don't know..." I smile awkwardly, shaking my head as I did know why. "I just like how it sounds. They're easy to learn, and they come in all types of patterns and colors. It's just so...nice, you know?"

"Mmm...I don't think I do know." He snickers, and I nod in understanding. "You seem like the...acoustic guitar kind a guy."

"I don't really care for the acoustics." I tell him honestly. Nate puts his hands up in defense, backing up and I smile as I pull him back. "I know how to play the violin."

Nate looks at me for some time, only to soon nod fast.

"I can see that. What about the cello? The viola? The bass?"

"I know how to play the bass and viola."

"I can see that too. You're so huge, your bass is as probably humongous too. I bet that's amazing to see in an orchestra." Nate shook his head in amazement and I found myself smiling.

He was so...nice to be around. I didn't understand how Archie could hate him. What's not to love about him?

"Hey so...listen, I'm kind of a nobody and my family just has a lot of money; but that's it. We're not as well-known or have that many ties with that many people. Is it okay if you can help me out? Friend to friend?" He asks me, and I frown.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course. If they see you and your dads come, they'll definitely believe we're worth the hype. Just gotta start somewhere and there always has to be the one up there who is willing to help us with that first step." He looks at me pleadingly.

I was at a loss for words at first.

Was he using me? For some odd reason, I couldn't tell. There's nothing wrong with asking for help, but this soon? If we were friends wouldn't we need to be closer than this if you were to start asking for favors?

"I...I don't know."

"Please?" He begs, leaning his head against my arm. I found my face hearing up as I cleared my throat.

"I can look into it for you, b-but I can't make promises!" I say, and he smiles happily. I see him stand up with a hopeful smirk as he nodded back.

"Okay, I'll put my faith into you. Let's go back, shall we?"

I watch him already walk back and for odd reason...

I felt...duped.

__________________🫥

because you kinda were.

- yolo 🫶