The Other Sister (Hawke Brothers Series- Book 1)

01: Fake catwalks for the crowd.

Queensland, Australia.

January 24th 1992.

Age 12.

Hazel

     Sitting outside's my father's office is sort of a surreal feeling for me. 

     It's the knowledge and feeling that I'm finally in high school. That I'm no longer a kid the high schoolers can mock when they walk past me on the bus. Because now, I'm one of them, warranted I am on the younger scale, but nonetheless, one of them.

     All summer I had been excited to start high school. To start a new chapter. To prove to my family that I was capable of exceeding in something Lilly couldn't, because let's be honest, I am the nerd out of the Brye twins, and I sure as heck wear the title with pride.

     For the two months of summer holidays between year seven and now, I spent my time studying. I know I know, what a nerd, but it was crucial. I needed to know what I was walking into. I needed to know how to prepare myself because, I love school, I love learning new things, I love opening a new book and finding a whole new world beneath the pages, but what I don't love is the unknown, the uncertainty. So, I spent my whole summer cooped up in my bedroom, reading and writing, while my twin sister Lilly spent her summer making friends and getting to know how to become the most popular girl in school.

     I wasn't like that. I didn't care about popularity or having the hottest boyfriend the school could offer. In my opinion it was all superficial, fake, it was hiding behind a layer of insecurities and fears, hoping no one would break past your barriers.

     And that's where Lilly and I differed. Because that's all she ever cared about, ever since we were little. She only ever cared about being the best, being the prettiest or being known as the popular Brye twin, she even liked it was Daniel Shepard and Mike Quill fought over her in front of the whole school at the Lockhart disco.

     In Lilly's eyes, being popular and having the cutest boyfriend in high school was the ultimate goal, and whoever stood in her way would be dealt with.

     "I won't be too long sweethearts." My father's gentle tone greets, his long semi-muscular body leaning against the blue archway leading to the principal's office- Aka his. "Then we can get out of here and you two can tell me about your first days, yeah?" He asks, looking between my sister and I. An eager expression gracing my face, while Lilly looked as bored and annoyed as the day we were born.

     "Sure thing pa." I say for the both of us, glancing over to see if my sister's attention is still on our father. It is not, instead Lilly looks down at her bare blue textbook, balancing a felt tip black pen between her lips.

      My father clears his throat in an attempt to grab Lilly's attention. When she looks up, her sky-blue eyes hold up still and confused, before settling into her normal bored stare. "Of course Daddy." She jets her thumb and pointer finger out in a fake gun salute.

     My father chuckles to himself, pushing back a stray piece of black hair out of his eyes. "Won't be too long." He says, his attention on me.

     I give him a quip nod, letting him head back into his office. While I wait for my father to finish his work for the day, I let my eyes wonder around the big building my sister and I are currently residing in. It's an out dated two story red brick building that has moss and probably mold growing out of it, if you look closely. It's got two archways that lead from the outside areas to the office, and a station for the receptionist to sit in. The inside of the building is not much better to the outdated red brick, it's all eggshell white and lumpy walls from years of being repainted over. And considering this is the only good school on this side of town, I'm kind of surprised that the community hasn't clean it up. But we live in outback Queensland, the way our school administrations office looks like, is not a top priority.