The Other Sister (Hawke Brothers Series- Book 1)

04: Bring the boyfriend to dinner.

Queensland, Australia.

March 3rd 1992.

Age 12.

Hazel.

     I'm use to feeling isolated and lonely.

     It's in the description that comes along with being the other Brye Twin. I know the sickening feeling stirring in my stomach when I watch my parents shower Lilly in all the love and attention. I'm used to it when people walk by us on the street and immediately feel summoned to Lilly's energy, causing them to forget my existence.

     I'm use to all of it.

     What I'm not use to, is being completely and utterly ignored. Yes, being the other  sister means I don't get the same treatment as Lil, but I've never been completely one hundred percent ignored. I'm always acknowledged by my family and others. Talked at instead of to, but nonetheless considered into their conversations.

    It's always been this way, ever since I was little. From the very young age of three, I had come to a realization that it would always be Lilly first, Hazel second. And ever since then, I've grown to accept it.

     Because I'm not Lilly.

     But being okay with being ignored doesn't mean it doesn't suck, because it does.

     And being ignored by Lachlan Hawke sucks even more. I don't know what I did or didn't do to make him avoid me like the plague. But what I do know is, Lachlan Hawke is one thousand percent ignoring me.

     I noticed I was being ignored by him very quickly. It was the day after I had hit my knees with his and felt an automatic shock run through me and couldn't stop myself from thinking about the way his dark blue eyes lit up into flames and watching that charming smile grace his beautiful stoned features.

     But the next day when I sat in science waiting for the boy I was quickly falling for to sit next to me and tell me about his previous classes, but instead, I watched him walk past my desk. Dark blue eyes barely meeting mine as he quickly darted past and headed to the back of the class with a familiar red head boy.

     I don't know if I've ever felt more embarrassed than in that moment. Because there I was sitting in a plastic science chair bobbing up and down excitedly waiting for the brown hair boy with starry dark blue eyes, only for him to ignore my very existence.

     Gosh, I was use to my existence being somewhat ignored by my parents and twin, but I had never expected to be ignored by him.

     I didn't care that everyone in this big dumb high school preferred my twin, and completely ignored me. I only cared that he did, and it sucked.

     What sucked more was the questioning debate running through my brain because of all of this. Was I being too clingy? No, how could I be clingy if I only saw him once a day. Was it because I smelt funny? No, it couldn't be, I remember he complimented my shampoo many times. Was it because he thought I was a nerd and didn't want to be seen near me? No, that wasn't it, I had seen him hanging out with the smartest kid in our grade, Cal Stone.

     And with all my questions coming up with easy explanatory answers, I was left with one question I knew I couldn't fight.

     Was I not pretty enough?

     That question ran through me every time I saw him in science for the next month. Sitting in the back row next to Eli, with a genuine heartfelt smile and his big dark blue eyes searching around the room. But they never fell on me. Never. In fact, even when he was looking around the class, I had the strange burning feeling in my chest that he was purposely not looking in my direction.