The Dangerous Twin Part Two

By L. W. Lawrence

Identical twin brothers, Landon and Luke, start their college experiences at the same university but in very different social circles. Landon joins a fraternity and majors in political science/pre-law. Luke focuses on pre-med, baseball, and his girlfriend Lauren who majors in pre-pharmacy. Their freshman year is filled with challenges both in and out of the classroom. Landon falls for a forbidden love while giving his brother a score to settle.
The story of their summer canyon experience spreads across campus as Landon paints a much different picture than Luke about what happened. His fraternity brothers consider him a hero for saving his twin brother. He shares his story with all his sorority dates who consider him a much more polished version of the shy baseball player, Luke. Luke and Lauren cringe every time they hear the latest more embellished version of Landon’s story. He even touts himself to be “the dangerous twin” until real danger bonds him and his brother to battle a greater threat.

• Language: English
• Publisher: L. W. Lawrence
• Release date: Apr 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311519788

Book preview

The Dangerous Twin

Part Two

Copyright 2015 L. W. Lawrence

Published by L. W. Lawrence at Smashwords

All rights reserved.

Cover Design by Laura Shinn Designs

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, or incidents are the work of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is coincidental.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue

About L. W. Lawrence

Prologue

Identical twin brothers, Landon and Luke, start their college experiences at the same university but in different social circles. Landon joins a fraternity and majors in political science/pre-law. Luke focuses on pre-med, baseball, and his girlfriend Lauren who majors in pre-pharmacy. Their freshman year is filled with challenges both in and out of the classroom. Landon falls for a forbidden love while giving his brother a score to settle.

The story of their summer canyon experience spreads across campus as Landon paints a much different picture than Luke about what happened. His fraternity brothers consider him a hero for saving his twin brother. He shares his story with all his sorority dates who consider him a much more polished version of the shy baseball player, Luke. Luke and Lauren cringe every time they hear the latest more embellished version of Landon’s story. He even touts himself to be the dangerous twin until real danger bonds him and his brother to battle a greater threat.

Chapter One

Transitioning from high school to university is both exciting and intimidating. Orientation programs help students prepare schedules, register, and know the layout of campus. For freshmen it is an open canvas of freedom outlined by class schedules and social events sprinkled with generous helpings of young men and women. In addition to Greek life, athletic events, and club sports, there are specifically designed courses to help students acclimate to university life. Time management, study skills, wellness programs, and even social etiquette are included to improve students’ chances of adjusting to the fast pace of university life.

Luke and Lauren participate in orientation and sync their schedules as much as possible to spend time together. Outside of Luke’s mandatory baseball meetings and practices, they have been inseparable since their summer vacation. Unlike Landon, Luke and Lauren choose not to attend rush week for fraternities and sororities. They agree that any free time outside of class and baseball will be spent studying and being together. Lauren’s friends try to convince her to participate but she finally decides to sit it out. Listening to her friends talk about fun parties and cute guys is tempting and there is a part of her that regrets passing up this rite of passage, but she knows that her heart belongs to Luke and it wouldn’t be the same without him by her side.

They attend a few parties with Luke wearing his lucky cowboy hat as promised. Everyone knows there is a story behind the hat. Luke and Lauren have a few opportunities to share what happened but most of the fraternity guys and sorority girls have already heard Landon’s version and seem to like it better. One young lady with very slurred speech accused Luke of lying because she heard the whole thing from Landon.

You’re lucky to be alive. If it hadn’t been for Landon, you’d be at the bottom of a canyon. Considering her obvious state of inebriation, Luke and Lauren refuse to get into an argument so they let the young lady continue her wildly dramatic recounting of Landon’s story. Unfortunately, that leads to more confusion and assumptions that the young sorority pledge has her facts straight. Luke and Lauren agree to avoid the topic all together especially at social functions. All that matters to Luke is that Lauren, his parents, and his teammates know the true story. His biggest disappointment is that Landon never refutes the continually mutating story. To Landon’s advantage, he is quickly gaining a reputation in the Greek community as a hero and a leader.

Luke calls Landon after hearing the latest version of the story and insists that he start correcting people. Landon laughs, You be a hero on the baseball field and let me be a hero with the ladies. After all, you stole the girl I’ve always wanted. Can’t you be satisfied with that victory?

Luke doesn’t reply and ends the conversation. He knows it’s no use trying to convince Landon that he is wrong to let others believe his embellished story.

He is going to make a great politician someday. He develops his story and then sticks to it. He had me almost convinced that I was wrong. I even wanted to believe him. Luke is grabbing his head with both hands and shaking it in disbelief as Lauren listens to his outburst. They are sitting on a bench outside the student center as other students congregate under a large tent to listen to a local band.

It’s okay Luke. Landon wants to be as important to his fraternity as you are to the baseball team. It’s not right that he lets people believe a lie, but I seriously think he believes it too. Lauren is trying to calm Luke. She hates to see him so angry with his twin brother. However, the constant struggle between the twin brothers has been going on as long as she has known them. Lauren assumed Landon would grow out of his fantasizing tales as he got older, but she thinks they may be getting worse. She hates to see Luke so upset and knows that choosing Luke over Landon has made matters worse between the brothers.

Lauren, the problem is that he is making me look like a liar. It wasn’t a big deal in high school because everyone had known us forever and knew Landon exaggerates. However, this is a new place, and we have new friends. They don’t know whom to believe. If I don’t have a confrontation with him the next time he tells his story, everyone will assume that I’m the one making up what happened. I wish he wouldn’t be so competitive.

Don’t worry Luke. Truth is constant unwavering facts that stand the test of time. People will eventually figure out Landon’s talent for fiction and that will make you a hero both on and off the baseball field.

I really don’t care about being a hero. I just want to play ball, make good grades, and spend as much time with you as possible. I’m really a pretty basic guy.

And that’s why I love you Luke. Lauren places her arm around Luke’s waist and gives him a kiss on his cheek. Remember, fifty years from now no one will know the difference. Lauren uses a phrase that Luke shared with her from his childhood memories of his grandparents. Whenever he was disappointed with his game performance, they would try to cheer him up with the old cliché.

Luke grabs Lauren by the waist and tickles her lightly as he whispers in her ear. We better get to our next class or should we skip it and go on to the nursing home?

You’re terrible Luke Warrum.

I know I am and that’s why you love me.

Luke and Lauren head to their next class, Public Speaking with Dr. Russell. It’s a required course for all pre-professional programs and it’s the one class they share with Landon. Lauren recalls the first day of class and the astonished look on Dr. Russell’s face as Landon walked in not long after she and Luke were seated. He did a double take and laughed.

At first I thought I was losing my mind. Twin brothers in my class will make this semester quite interesting. It’s a good thing that you are in here together. Otherwise, you could have pulled a few fast ones on me.

No worries Dr. Russell. As soon as you hear us speak, you’ll know the difference. Landon’s words were laced with arrogance as he took a seat on the opposite side of the room. He smiled at Lauren and Luke as the other students compared the two brothers. Luke had cut his hair and shaved when he returned from his summer vacation. Except for clothing, their appearance is identical.

Dr. Russell’s class is held in an auditorium. He wants students to feel what it’s like to be on a stage with an audience looking at them. As a professor, it gives him better feedback for student comprehension because he can see all students’ faces and expressions.

One of his topics is the communication loop that includes sending and receiving messages. He includes verbal and nonverbal communication so that students are more perceptive to what others are communicating with body language. He has already picked up on the tension between Landon and Luke. He also feels that the pretty girl Lauren has a lot to do with it.

When Luke and Lauren arrive for class, they go to their usual seats. Landon is already there and in his usual seat. Dr. Russell