Things took an eerier, darker turn when I started high school. I was still riding high on the wave of admiration, but something inside me felt empty. That's when I met Jason. He seemed older, confident, and had an aura of danger that drew me in. He made me feel wanted in a way that my twin never could.
Jason was everything I aspired to be—charismatic, fearless, and always the center of attention. He took me under his wing, showing me the ropes of high school life. With him, I felt invincible. He made me feel superior to Kyle, and I basked in it.
"Why do you hang around your brother so much? He's such a loser," Jason would say, smirking. "You're really holding back your full potential because of him."
"He's not that bad, really," I would reply, trying to sound dismissive, but deep down, I agreed with him just to seem nicer. Being with Jason made me realize how much I enjoyed the feeling of being better than Kyle.