Jane’s POV

 

After we all settled on the dining table, we started devouring mom’s famous beef and mushrooms with mashed potatoes.

 

I’m kind of picky. Since I was small, I would always separate the vegetable on the side and Jaden would eat them for me while mom wasn’t looking.

 

A few minutes later dad arrived.

 

Dad is seven years older than mom. He was white-skinned with a square face covered with light brown spots and little yet visible wrinkles.

 

His eyes were exactly like ours, just slightly smaller, more like Jaden’s than mine though. He was tall and had a body in a good shape despite his age, his hair was soft and grayish that’s where our good hair came from.

 

I stood from my seat and grabbed his suitcase, earning a hug and a kiss on top of my head.

 

“How was your day at work dad? ” I asked.

 

“I’d better days ”

 

When we reached the table, he took his blazer and handed it to me. Lazy me just tossed it on chair next to me, mom scolded me with her gaze before her attention went back to dad.

 

“Rough day hum?” She murmured.

 

“Unfortunately we’d a malfunction today ” Mom placed a plate of food in front of him and kissed him lightly.

 

Dad is a Marine engineer, he was transferred here to work at Debmarine a leading marine diamond mining company.

 

“Are you guys excited to finish high school, what about your grades? ” Dad questioned.

 

” We manage to _ ” Jaden started but I cut him halfway.

 

“We already applied at NUST with the past trimester’s grades, the only thing missing is our final assignment to be in tomorrow and we will officially be considered out of high school” I burst the words out giving a victory smile to Jaden while whispering ‘ Too slow buddy ‘

 

Dad just laughed and told us how proud he was.

 

Dinner went by and we just talked about how we spent our day and so on.

 

When we were done, I went up to my room and decided to take a shower. I grabbed my towel and got in the bathroom locking the door.

 

The water was warm enough to take the stress of the day off, I took my peach flavored shampoo and start massaging my hair softly.

 

“Twin, you here?” I heard Jaden scream when the water stopped running.

 

“In the shower ” I shouted back.

 

I walk out of the shower with my towel wrapped around me, Jaden’s back was against the board of my bed typing something on my laptop that was on his lap.

 

‘As you can see, privacy is nowhere near my dictionary’

 

I chose a pair of pink shorts and a very comfy white sleeveless shirt and went back to the bathroom to dress.

 

When I was back Jaden was gone. I grabbed my phone to text my friends good night.

 

I organized my uniform and packed my bag and was done for the day.

 

I mean, almost done.

 

I walked to Jaden’s room, it was dark, I could only see the light coming from his phone. I switched the light on.

 

His room was not so different from mine, maybe the color that unlike mine was grey. His desk was messy, papers books, bags, pencils everything everywhere, he also didn’t have a bay window seat. ‘Shame ‘

 

“Jaden, your uniform? ” I asked while trying to find it in his mess.

 

“Somewhere, maybe that chair” He specified pointing at the chair full of clothes.

 

” Will you die if you clean your room once in a while?” I asked, but he just jerked his head in response

 

I grabbed his uniform and headed out to the laundry room, placed the uniform inside the washing machine, and waited for the program to finish.

 

“Washing his uniform again? ” Mom asked standing at the door.

 

“Yeah I guess he forgot that we still have school tomorrow ”

 

“You don’t have to do it. He should do it himself ”

 

“I’ll gladly convey this message to him” I joked and she smiled.

 

“Goodnight sweetheart ”

 

” Goodnight mom”

 

When I was finally done, I walked to my room and drowned on my pillows.

—

 

I woke up when the alarm went off letting me know that it was 6 am. ‘Here we go again ‘

 

This was how our daily routine begins.

 

First the fight. “Jaden wake up, you need to get ready for school ” I first tried being nice.

 

“Go away ” Alright then.

 

I grabbed the sheets he was covered with and pulled off him, then his legs, and struggled to drag him out of bed.

 

“Get up you lazy monkey ” At this point, I was already fatigued.

 

“Leave me alone” He mumbled breathing heavily after our little wrestling.” I’m up, happy ?”

 

“More than you could ever imagine twin ”

 

The second stage, is shower. I found myself drying my hair in front of a mirror.

 

‘I wish I’d a little confidence like Ailee or Annabelle’ I decided to go for a ponytail, more like a messy tail. I picked up my phone and bag, I was ready to go.

 

I found Jaden eating. I took a plate and put one slice of bread then egg, bacon, a slice of bread again, ham, bacon, cheese, and finally, the last slice of bread went on top. Mission accomplished.

 

Jaden looked at me with a beam expression.

 

“What? ” I murmured with my mouth full. “Wanna pick a fight or what? ”

 

“Someone is hungry today,” He said smiling.

 

“For someone who is always late for school, you seemed to be always on time when the topic is food, aren’t you? ” I fired back.

 

“Morning for you two and princess, no talking with your mouth full,” Dad said kissing my forehead and stroking Jaden’s shoulder.

 

“You can drive the Fortuner today, okay? ” He picked an apple and he was out of the house.

 

As soon as we parked the car, I saw Ailee talking on the phone and we made our way to her.

 

My best sister is the same age as me but she was more mature. She was tall, at least taller than me, with a slim figure. Small face and lips, straight eyebrows, flawless skin. Her beauty rested on her long black hair and pale skin. I told her that her beauty standards were too high for a high school learner.

 

Here goes a random fact, she hates me because I hate applying makeup.

 

When we finally approached her she ended her call and hugged us.

 

“How are my favorite twins doing?” She asked almost screaming.

 

“If it wasn’t for your friend here,” Jaden said pointing at me. “That wakes people up by fighting them, I would be in a much happier mood”

 

“Oh come on! what is in the past is in the past, let’s enjoy our last day “Ailee said putting a strand of her hair behind her ear.

 

“How do you manage to be this energetic early in the morning? ” Jaden asked.

 

“Drinking a milkshake of determination and eating the bread of perseverance you’ll be just as energetic” l laughed.

 

We moved to our classes, and Jaden went to a different classroom.

 

Then we noticed Annabelle in front of our class arguing with Luke, although she pretty much does the whole talking part, and he just stands there. She had a thin face, big brown eyes almost intimidating, tanned skin pursed lips with short wavy hair, and a thick body.

 

‘Yeah! She is our African beauty’

 

She had a leadership aura and when she starts talking, no one could stop her.

 

Luke saw us and his eyes were begging for help. Luke had a slim body, the tallest among us. He had tanned more like caramelized skin, small lips, and almond brown-shaped eyes. Unlike Annabelle, he likes to avoid situation that draws attention to him, just like me.

 

When we reached them Annabelle stared at us and began mumbling about how we made her wait for too long. We apologized so she could drop the topic.

 

The day at school went by quickly. The teachers went on about how we were no longer kids and as soon. When the bell rang we walked out feeling like adult life was meant for us.

 

We went to where our car was parked and found Jaden and Mia there.

 

“Hey, guys ” Mia greeted.

 

“Hey, Mia” We all greeted back in unison.

 

“Officially adults now, what do you guys have planned for today,” She asked after a long awkward silence.

 

“For today we’re just going to granny’s, just waiting for Annabelle ” I replied.

 

“Talking of the devil,” Luke said pointing in the direction where Annabelle was coming from.

 

“I heard you, wanna-be-adult-with-no-maturity-asshole ” She fired back and we all laughed.

 

“Are we all ready?? ” Jaden asked while hugging Mia.

 

“We’re always ready for you,” Annabelle said her lips forming a creepy-looking grin.

 

“Don’t mind her? ” I told Mia and Jaden while smacking Annabelle’s back.

 

“Ouch!! What was that for ” She cried.

 

I received the keys from Jaden and unlocked the car. ” Behave ” I whispered.

 

Mia took her bag from Jaden’s shoulder and kissed him. Everyone tried to look elsewhere for very long, awkward seconds.

 

Ailee and Luke jumped at the back of the car.

 

Mia ain’t you coming with us?” I asked.

 

“No, unfortunately, I’ve to start packing, I’m traveling tomorrow ” She replied and Jaden looked at me with a grimace.

 

“Okay, be safe ” Mia and I didn’t have much to talk about, one could smell how awkward our interactions were.

 

She left and we were just waiting for Jaden to move. ‘Anytime now buddy, no rush ‘

 

Annabelle started arguing with me to take the front seat. “Anna, I said no! I’m not leaving my brother alone with you. You’ll torture him ”

 

When Jaden decided to move, a boy from our class walked our way. He passed by Jaden totally ignoring him, and I noticed him heading my way. I instinctively took a step back when he stopped in front of me with his fixed cold gaze.

 

Ailee and Luke put their heads out to see what was going on. Tension grew in my face and limbs. I saw Ailee walking out of the car standing behind me.

 

“Walker !? ” He stated more like a question though.

 

“Damian Smith, right?” I took in a large gulp of air.

 

We have been in the same class since primary. He had this thing of staring at me intentionally, sometimes it scared me because he acted like I belong to him or something. He would literally threaten people who would bump into me unintentionally or hurt me. Since we were kids, I tried ignoring him but sometimes it was suffocating.

 

To summarize, he made my life at school a little uncomfortable.

 

“You’ve been avoiding me for the past few weeks!” He sounded offended or annoyed, maybe both, and for some reason the scar on his left cheek made him look scary.

 

“I’m sorry, sometimes I don’t really notice what is going on around me” I lied, and without realizing I was shaking.

 

“It’s okay, we’ll have time to rectify the situation ”

 

I was petrified. Jaden moved next to me and Ailee pulled him by the shoulders and whispered in his ear, loud enough so I could hear.

 

“Remember the psycho we told you about the other day?

 

“Psycho? ” Jaden whispered back.

 

“The one that screamed at her and made her cry when she refused to give her number, it’s him ” She nodded in Damian’s direction.” He was also the one that told the whole class that she belongs to him. I think he has some sort of crush ”

 

I grabbed Jaden’s shirt wanting to move but couldn’t.

 

“Hey man, I think you should go now ” Jaden threatened him shielding me with his body.

 

Damian slightly turned his head giving me a predatory glance then looked at Jaden.

 

” We’ll catch up later Jane,” He said then walked away.