SVH01-Double Love (14 page)

"Hey, get that heap out of the way!" he yelled.

Todd Wilkins climbed from the Datsun, a tough look on his face, a look that meant business.

"Todd!" the twins screamed in unison.

"Get back in the car," Todd commanded them soberly as Rick released them to advance on

this new menace. Rick's fists were knotted at his sides, and there was a murderous look in his eye.

"Who are you to give orders?" growled Rick. "Get out of my way before I teach you a lesson."

"The only one going anyplace is you, Rick," said Todd quietly. "Why don't you just go home and sleep it off, huh?"

Rick's fist caught Todd square on the jaw in a lightning punch that took him completely off guard. Todd jerked backward but didn't fall. Elizabeth gasped when she saw his nose was bleeding. But after that first stunned pause, Todd didn't miss a beat. He came to life in a fury of hard, short jabs to the middle that sent Rick jackknifing to his knees, clutching at his stomach and gasping for breath.

Todd turned to Elizabeth and Jessica. "Come on. I think he'll leave you alone now. It doesn't look as if he'll be bothering anyone for a while."

"Are you all right?" Elizabeth brought a trembling hand to Todd's face.

Todd smiled. "Sure--as long as nothing's broken. Are you OK?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"I thought he was going to kill you!" Jessica gushed. "Oh, Todd, you were wonderful! You practically saved our lives!" She glared in the direction of Rick and the roadhouse. "I never

want to see this place again. It's even worse- inside."

Todd gave her a funny look but said nothing.

"I could just kiss you!" Jessica squealed, rushing toward him.

She was intercepted as Elizabeth stepped in front of her. "Not this time, Jess. It's my turn." With that, she turned to kiss a surprised Todd squarely on the mouth.

It wasn't until the Fiat was back at the Wakefields' house and he was parked in front that Todd confronted Jessica.

"Hey, Jessica," he said. "What did you mean when you said you never wanted to see Kelly's Roadhouse again?"

"Well, I don't, Todd."

"But how do you know how rough it is in there?"

"I really am simply too worn out to go on with this," Jessica said suddenly, looking from Todd to Elizabeth. "Good night!"

And before either of them could say another word, Jessica had skipped into the house.

"Hey--"

"Todd, thank you so much. You saved our lives," Elizabeth said. "I didn't know what we were going to do."

"Liz, do you mean that--that other time--it really wasn't you?"

Elizabeth only looked at him.

"But--"

"Todd, didn't Jessica tell you it was her?"

"Well, yes. But--"

"But what?"

"That's really amazing. She said it was her, but--Liz, I'm so sorry. I should have known you wouldn't have--that you never could have. . . . How could I have been such an idiot?"

"You weren't alone, Todd. Everybody thought it was me--especially when somebody has a funny way of telling the truth." Somebody who bears a striking resemblance to me, she thought.

"I was such a fool," Todd was saying. "But you were so popular, with dates every night. I guess I thought anything was possible. You never would give me a look."

"What? Todd, who told you such insane things?"

"Jessica."

"Jessica?"

"Well, yes. She constantly told me how popular you were and that you had no time for me. Well, I could see it was true."

"I see. And that's why you decided to go after Jessica?"

"Go after Jessica? One date? And I tell you, I'm not quite sure how that even happened."

"Is that so? How's your memory on what happened at the end of that date when she had to beg you to stop--grabbing her?"

"When she had to do what? Who told you that?"

"Jessica!"

"Liz, I barely touched Jessica. I gave her a little peck on the cheek at the door--and I only did that 'cause she seemed to expect it!"

"What?"

"Yes! Liz, you're the only one I ever wanted. Not Jessica, not anybody,"

Todd was moving closer to her.

"But what about Emily?"

"Emily Mayer? We have a history project together."

"You didn't touch Jessica?"

"No. You didn't go out with Rick?"

"Absolutely not!"

Todd shook his head in confusion. How could it all have happened? It was impossible.

Elizabeth smiled to herself, trying to picture the hilarious scene of Todd kissing Jessica on the cheek. Why, she must have been ready to burst into a million pieces!

Seeing her smile, Todd asked, "What's funny?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth said.

Whatever she was going to say next was lost forever because suddenly she was in Todd's arms, and they were locked in a long and searching kiss. Elizabeth felt her heart pounding and her ears ringing, and she found herself wishing the moment would last forever.

Todd's breath was warm against her ear. "There's never been anyone but you, Liz," he murmured.

"Only someone who pretended she was me." Elizabeth laughed softly, pulling Todd closer for another, longer kiss that was sweeter than anything she had imagined.

Eighteen

Elizabeth floated through the living room and up the stairs to her room. She headed straight for the mirror and smiled at what she saw reflected there.

Yes, that was most definitely the face of a person in love. What was even better, she thought, was that it was the face of a person who was loved in return.

She hurriedly got out of her clothes and slipped on her nightshirt. She could hardly wait to get to bed. Her dreams were bound to be terrific that night.

Wait, she reminded herself. There was one little thing that had to be done--immediately.

Elizabeth marched through the bathroom and into her sister's room.

"Jess," she said, "we have to talk."

Jessica was fussing with her new eye makeup.

"If I use this aqua liner, it makes my eyes look greener. What do you think?" Jessica asked, sticking her face right into Elizabeth's.

"I think it won't work."

"You like blue better?"

"Come on, Jess. You know what I'm talking about."

"Honestly, I don't," Jessica said, her eyes indeed looking almost pure green and very innocent. "If something's wrong, tell me."

"You bet I will."

"You know I'd do anything to help you, Lizzie," she said. "After all, you're the closest person in the whole world to me."

"Jessica."

"There's no one who means more."

"Todd told me everything."

"And you believe him over your own sister," she said, switching gears without missing a beat.

Elizabeth plowed on, paying no attention to the crushed look on Jessica's face. "He said he never tried to kiss you or anything else."

"Is that all?" She brightened. That was an easy one for a pro like Jessica.

"No. There's lots more."

"Like what?" Trouble again.

"Like your visit to Kelly's with Rick Andover."

"I've already explained that. Besides, it's ancient history. As for Todd trying to paw me,

well, it's true that he didn't, but I only told you he did for your own benefit."

"Oh, come on!"

"No, really, I thought I was helping you."

"Just how did it help me to think that the guy I liked was after my sister?"

"Lizzie; honey. I did it because I felt he was wrong for you. That you wouldn't be able to handle him."

"Jessie, honey. You're really full of it. You did it because you liked him yourself and you were trying to get rid of the competition."

Jessica, seeing that she was cornered, tried a different tack. "You're right," she confessed. "I guess I did like Todd a little. But, honestly, I didn't realize he was so important to you. Besides, it all turned out OK because he really does like you. He certainly showed it tonight. He's a terrific person, and I'm really happy for both of you."

"Jess, you were spying on us just now," Elizabeth accused.

"Come on, Liz. I said I was sorry. Can't we just forget it? After all, you make mistakes, too."

"What about Kelly's?"

"I've told you and told you about that. Jeez, Liz, I can't talk anymore. I've got to get to bed. My head is bursting. I must be coming down with something. Here, feel my forehead." She

leaned over to her sister, her face pale with instant terminal illness.

Elizabeth ignored the extended forehead. Instead, she took Jessica by the shoulders and moved her back so that they were eye to eye. "Tell me one more time, Jessie."

"It was ages ago. Let's forget it."

"I mean it, Jessica."

Elizabeth was only four minutes older than Jessica, but in a pinch she could make those minutes really count. Like now. Elizabeth was in charge, and there was no way out for Jessica-- who knew it. She burst into tears.

"How could you let everybody think I was at Kelly's?" she demanded of the sobbing Jessica. "How could you do such a horrendous thing to me?"

"I'm sorry, honestly, I swear I am. Forgive me." Jessica's pleading face was drenched in tears. "Even when it was happening, I knew it was a horrible thing to do."

"I never would have done such a thing to you."

"I know you wouldn't, and that's what makes it so awful. But I just couldn't help myself."

"Why not?"

"Because . . ." She started but couldn't go on. Her sobs turned everything into an unintelligible babble of how she was so ashamed of herself for being so selfish and awful and on and

on. But Elizabeth was determined. She was not going to accept any apologies until Jessica made a full confession.

Finally Jessica, exhausting all her self- recriminations, saw that she had to tell Elizabeth the real reason.

"I knew if it got around school that I was in that bar with those terrible people, I'd be finished. It's a rule, an absolute rule, that you can't be on the cheering squad if you have any black marks against your name. I couldn't give that up, Liz. You know how much being cocaptain of the cheerleaders means to me."

"What about me? Didn't you care if I got into trouble for something I didn't even do?"

"But you wouldn't have--and you didn't! You're not a cheerleader, and I knew they wouldn't kick you off the newspaper. Sure, some dumb kids gossiped about you, but so what? They do that, anyway. Still, I knew nothing really bad would happen to you, but it would have been the end of everything for me. I couldn't bear it. Besides, Liz, I know you would have helped if I asked you. Wouldn't you have?"

"I don't know."

"If you knew how much it meant to me?"

"I guess so."

"You know you would have." She sniffled. "But I couldn't ask you. It all happened too fast." Now the tears came again. "You know

you're the most important person in the world to me. I'll die if you don't forgive me". Please, Lizzie."

This time the affection was sincere, and Elizabeth was won over.

"I can't ever stay angry with you," she said, and before she had a chance to say another word, Jessica threw her arms around her with such emotion that poor Elizabeth squealed.

Elizabeth hugged her back. No matter what happened between them, this mirror image, this other half of herself, would always be connected to her in some strange and powerful way. And that relationship would be different and separate from any other she would ever have in her life. Nothing could ever change that. Not for either of them.

Jessica's face was shining with pleasure and relief. She really couldn't bear to have her sister angry with her. Elizabeth knew that, and only wanted to see Jessica happy. And happy she was--for the moment.

But Elizabeth had a score to settle with Jessica, and she knew exactly how she was going to do it. She didn't intend to tell anyone but Todd-- since he was a part of her fantastic plan.

Nineteen

Elizabeth checked herself in the mirror one last time. "Looking good, Liz," she told herself, twisting around to see if her tuxedo shirt was tucked in neatly at the back.

She was finally going to have a chance to wear her new outfit, and she couldn't have chosen a better time.

Now for the next step in her plan.

"Jess, are you almost ready?" she called. "Todd will be here to pick us up in a few minutes."

"I don't see why I have to ride to the rally with you and Todd," Jessica grumbled as she came into the room. "I could have driven the Spider."

"Not without the keys, and I guess Mom forgot to leave them." Elizabeth crossed her fingers behind her back.

"You and Todd will be crawling all over each other right in front of me!"

"I promise not to embarrass you, Jess. Maybe we'll do a little hand-holding." Maybe a lot of hand-holding.

Now for step three.

Elizabeth picked up the glass of water that was on her dresser, and somehow it spilled all over Jessica's white blouse and blue miniskirt.

"How could you be so clumsy?" Look what you've done!

"Oh, Jess, I'm sorry. I don't know how in the world I could have done such a thing. Let me help you dry it off."

"There isn't time! Now what am I going to wear? There isn't another clean outfit in my closet." Jessica moaned.

"Well, since it was my fault," Elizabeth said, guilt and a spark of something else radiating from her eyes, "it's up to me to solve your problem."

"How?"

"I just pressed my best jeans today and my blue button-down shirt that you've been dying to borrow."

Jessica was stunned. "You're serious? You'd let me borrow that outfit?"

"Yes, but just this once."

Jessica made a quick change, then stood admiring her image in the mirror.

"Look at us, Liz. Do you see something funny?"

"No. You look terrific."

"I don't mean that, silly. Look again. If I didn't know which of us was me, I would swear you were me and I was you."

It took all of Elizabeth's ample supply of self- control to keep from bursting into laughter. It was like taking candy from a baby.

"You know, you're right, Jess. You look just like me."