Two months ago, I would’ve gladly listened to an eternity’s worth of Mr. Brady’s political organization lectures, as long as it meant that I would never have to experience again what would shortly follow. I distinctly remember being ecstatic when the bell rang and dismissed my 3,000+ fellow high school students from our classrooms.
It was a Friday afternoon and I had plans to go to the mall with my friends. Caroline had homework to do, she had claimed, but I knew she was staying home to more spend time with our freaky neighbor, Samantha. I also remember pleading with her to come with me and my girlfriends.
Ever since she and Samantha became friends months before, Caroline had totally forgotten about me. I was jealous of the loser living next door, and I didn’t know what to do about it. Caroline and I had once been the most popular girls in school, and we lived the perfect lives, practically. Lately, Caroline and I fought more than we had in our whole lives.
When she respectfully declined my begging, I became angry. I told Caroline, soon, she’d become as weird as our creepy next-door inhabitant. Soon, she’d be a pigtail-and-cheap-sneaker-wearing, instrument-sporting loner geek like Samantha.
It was harsh, I know. Trust me; I’ve thought about it a lot in the past sixty days.
The last thing I called to Caroline before leaving was that she took our sisterhood for granted. One day, one of us would be gone, and the other would be sorry that they didn’t spend as much time as they could have with the other. The last part, I said quietly. She had tears in her eyes as I slammed the door in her face. While I walked away, I ripped off our matching best friend bracelets that we’d worn nonstop since the third grade. I discarded it in the driveway.
* * *
I was flirting with some nameless guy from school when I got the call. A home invasion, they said. I didn’t know what it meant. The words were familiar. Some part of my mind understood. But I refused to believe. Two of my best friends, Kyle and Miranda, caught me as I passed out.
* * *
A few weeks later, when I returned to school, some people tried to talk to me, while others avoided eye contact. I didn’t speak much. It was quite uncharacteristic for the illustrious Caden Sommers. One day, as I walked, lithely, silently, through the hallways, I heard it’s voice. It is formally known as Kelsey Ackerman, the girl who stole my first boyfriend in sixth grade, the girl who decorated the school campus with pages of my diary, and the only girl I’ve ever truly hated. Caroline hated her too. At one point, we protected and defended each other, as sisters should. Caroline fought quite a few of my battles for me, in turn becoming one of Kelsey’s many targets.
“It’s a shame that one of them is still alive. At least, the burglar got the ugly one.” I heard Kelsey say to one of her ugly sidekicks. I wanted to wipe the hideous smirk off her revolting face. So I did.
I’m not proud of what follows. Well, actually, I am. To be honest, I was so caught up in the moment that I don’t remember doing what I did next. Afterward, Kelsey was so injured; she couldn’t even vaguely recount what I did to her. But thanks to the YouTube video that one of my classmates posted, my principal didn’t even need a statement from Kelsey. Whatever it was must have been good though, because I was expelled for it.
* * *
When Kelsey returned from the hospital the next day, Mr. Ackerman, the school principal, and Kelsey’s own father, gave me one chance to redeem myself. If I was careful and remorseful, he would have lifted the expulsion.
“What do you think about yesterday’s events?” Mr. Ackerman asked me cautiously as we sat in his office.
My parents stood behind me, tightening their grip on my shoulders. I knew what I was supposed to say. My parents had constructed the most perfect dialogue for me. I had been forced to recite it by memory the night before, and make it convincible. I didn’t know what would happen if I didn’t say it, and I was somewhat terrified of the consequences of saying anything other than that speech.
“I’m truly sorry for my actions yesterday. My behavior was out of line, and I am truly concerned about the condition of your daughter. I have not ever behaved like that before, and it was a direct result of the loss of my sister, my twin, my best friend. Without her, I have been completely inconsolable. I believe I should visit a grief counselor. Caroline would not have wanted me to behave this way towards Kelsey. Please allow me to continue attending this school. I will be your best student from this day forward, I swear it. I’ve just been so lost without Caroline.”
I’ve never been scared of the unknown. So, I threw my metaphorical life off of the cliff I had latched onto. I didn’t say the speech. Instead, I looked Mr. Ackerman straight in the eye, and said, “Caroline would have been proud. Apparently 7,000 people on YouTube think so too.”
I laughed wickedly as Mr. Ackerman got red in the face. He stood up and moved towards my seat, but not before my parents hauled me out of the chair and dragged me towards the door. “Kelsey may want to enroll in a self-defense class or two, Mr. Ackerman. Or, even better, hire a tutor for her. Insulting my dead sister was the most imbecilic thing I have ever witnessed in my life...and I’ve known Kelsey for a very long time. She must take after her father!” I screamed at him.
* * *
Twins come in pairs, people say. Whatever one twin does the other mimics. I guess that never stops being a valid statement. Even though only one twin died, my parents lost both of us.
So that’s how I got here.