Elizabeth Lennox

Her Twin Surprise - Introduction

Her Twin Surprise - Janus - Small

Janus….

“Go long!” Janus whispered to his receiver.  The man looked at him, then at the opposing team.

“Are you sure?” Danny asked. 

Janus looked around, noticing that the other team had brought in their heavy defensive linemen.  They thought he was going to run the ball.  With the tie scored, third down and twenty seconds on the clock, running the ball wasn’t going to get the football over the line. 

“Go big or go home,” he muttered to Danny.

Janus nodded, not cracking a smile in any way.  He just moved over behind the line of other high school varsity players, willing to risk it all, just one more time. 

The other team had won the state championship for the last four years.  Janus, their team’s new quarterback, was only a sophomore, but he was good.  Janus knew that there were scouts in the stands today.  Although he still had two more years of high school, it never hurt to impress the scouts early on.

“Let’s win this thing!” he muttered to his teammates as he bent down and made the call.  Instantly, he felt the tension among all of the players heighten. That was good, he thought.  The tension meant that everyone was paying attention. 

He counted down, then caught the hiked the ball on the second number.  The players flew past him, pushing the opposing linemen back and giving him the extra seconds he needed.  Janus faked to the runner who didn’t just run on top of the offensive line, he twirled around, spinning towards the outside.  The linemen were going for another player, but they soon recognized their mistake and headed towards the runner who was already crossing over the line of scrimmage.

Janus moved back two more steps and…there!  Danny was running fast.  Janus didn’t glance at the clock.  Instinctively, he pulled his arm back and, with a mighty throw, tossed the ball down the field.  Then he stood still, waiting.  Waiting.  The ball spiraled through the air!  Vaguely, in the back of his mind, he listened to the hush of the crowd as everyone watched and waited along with him.

Danny kept running.  The ball started its downward descent.  Danny kept on running. Faster and faster!  Finally, Danny turned, looking over his shoulder.  A grin on his friend’s face told the entire story.  Danny took two more steps, then skidded to a halt, ignoring the defense player that was barreling towards him. 

One second ticked by.  Then two.  The ball kept coming.  Falling now.  Falling and….right into the arms of the receiver! 

Danny spun around, sprinting now towards the end zone, his feet flying faster and faster. 

The whistle blew at the exact same moment that Danny’s feet passed the end zone.  Touchdown!!

 

Stevie’s Story…

“Boring!” Stevie muttered, looking out at the sea of faces in the dimly lit bar.

“Oh, come on!” Cindy urged, grabbing Stevie’s arm and pulling her towards the back.  “It’s going to be fun!”

Stevie rolled her eyes.  It was the beginning of their freshman year of college and Stevie knew that this was the “most happening” bar in town.  But it seemed to be filled with jocks and frat boys.  She was more into the cerebral guys.  The kind that wore black and loved poetry, reading it with a cigarette hanging out of the side of his mouth combined with a stoically sad expression to his almost feminine features.

Okay, so no cigarette.  Smoking was nasty and caused way too many health issues.  But the tragic and stoic expressions?  Yeah – that’s hot! 

She followed Cindy to the back where their friends had gathered, everyone pouring a drink of cheap, barely drinkable beer.  The bouncers here hadn’t carded anyone, which was a good thing since most of the students here were under age.  But since there weren’t many places to go other than right here on campus…freshmen weren’t allowed to have cars…and the fraternities were scary places because of the number of recent assaults, many of the bars in town turned a blind eye, assuming that the kids were safer here where the bar staff could keep an eye out for dangers. 

Not that Stevie would get drunk.  She didn’t even sip the beer now, just lifted the glass to her lips and pretended to swallow a gulp.  She wasn’t that desperate for beer that she’d drink something barely passable, she told herself.

But still, she joined in with the others as they played darts and laughed, argued politics that none of them fully understood and pretended to have a great time.

It was after midnight when she finally decided to head back to her dorm room.  Yeah, it was still early.  Especially for the first night on campus.  But Stevie had been too excited about this day and had been up since five o’clock this morning, waiting until her mother woke up so that they could get on the road to arrive early to the campus. 

“Hey there, gorgeous!” a tall guy with perfectly mussed hair called out, stepping into Stevie’s path.  “Heading towards my heart?”

Stevie stared up at the guy, suspected that the glistening eyes was caused by more than just an excess of cheap beer, and tried not to roll her eyes.  “Um…well, not really,” she told him. 

“Let me buy you a drink.  Freshman?” he asked, putting a hand on her elbow and leading her towards the bar. 

Stevie knew the drill.  The juniors and seniors hovered around the bars tonight, hoping for starry eyed, drunk freshmen who were eager to spread their wings and explore some extracurricular exploits. 

“I’m heading home,” she said, pulling her arm out from his hand.  “But thanks for the offer.”

“Why the rush?” he said, once again stepping into her path.  “It’s barely past midnight.  The night’s still young.”

Stevie tilted her head slightly, looking at the man with curiosity.  “I can’t believe people still use that line.”

“What line?” the guy asked. 

“The night’s still young line.  Very tired.” 

“Hey,” he grinned.  “If it works, why change it?”

Stevie rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide it this time.  “Gotta go,” she told him and stepped around him, fully prepared to jab her elbow into the guy’s side if he stopped her again.

Thankfully, the man knew a dead end when he saw one and moved on to the next female who might be more interested in cheesy lines and cheap beer. 

Once outside, she looked around, stunned to find a group of guys playing football out in the street.  “Good grief,” she muttered under her breath. “If there isn’t a more pointless sport than football, I’m not sure what it is.” And with that, she stuffed her hands into her pockets and headed down the street. 

 

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