At first I didn’t notice they were there. I hadn’t heard the door open and, from the feel of it, neither had Jared. Jared and I actually only stopped kissing because we needed air in our lungs. My eyes remained closed as our panting breaths mingled in between our faces. Finally, I opened my eyes to look up at the man who had just made me feel, in a few moments, more than I had ever felt in my entire lifetime.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of another face in the room and I gasped, jumping out of Jared’s arms. Jared whipped around to see the twins standing there, both looking confused, as though they weren’t sure what to feel. Their expressions changed from proud to disgusted to something like sympathetic and finally remaining fixed as something inscrutable. I looked to Jared, hoping he might know what to say, but he looked as bewildered as I.

“How long have you two been standing there?” Jared asked, his voice surprisingly strong and clear. I was sure if I spoke, it would quiver like my knees.