Twice The Trouble

Chapter 20: Tears of a Duchess

Stacy

Monday morning strolled in.

Our professor was droning on about pattern cutting, its history, icons, and procedure while everyone in class snapped pictures of the power-point presentation with their phones.

Because the lights were flicked off and the classroom was pitch-dark, our male, elderly professor wouldn't be able to notice if anyone was actually paying attention to him, but I was being attentive and scribbled down loopy notes in my notebook even though I had a hard time staying awake. He was speaking like a robot whose oil needed tuning. I really wanted to nap right now.

"Ah!" I yelped in shock when a wad of paper hit the back of my head.

I rubbed my scalp and threw a sharp glare over my shoulder to find the perpetrator.

Suspect #1 was Alison, whose arms were crossed, her brow arched, and a devious smile stretching her red plump lips. Could she have thrown the paper ball at me? Possibly.

Suspect #2 was Barbie, but she had her earphones in her ears and her head was unconscious on her desk. Okay, she was out of the lineup.

Suspect #3 was Heather, who was cupping her face in both hands as she smirked at me.

Wait a second.

While Alison's and Barbie's desks were completely clear of items, Heather had a thick notebook carelessly sprawled on her own table. So she was the culprit.

I returned my concentration to my professor's lecture. I couldn't afford to ruin my grades.

Just ignore them, Stacy.

Thirty minutes and four more paper balls hurled at my head, the lunch bell rang.

Hallelujah!

Okay. I needed to talk to Sophia so I could revive my sanity from the grueling class.

She's wouldn't spoil her appetite and skip lunch, so I searched for her at the main canteen, and when she wasn't there, I resorted to the other university cafeteria. No dice. Where WAS my twin?

The park-like garden with the marble benches and tables under ancient trees! Sophia loved nature and isolation. Maybe she was there, reading a book or working on a newspaper article.

Oh Good Gosh, I was running out of breath and I was actually perspiring! That girl was going to pay for making me break into a sprint when it wasn't part of my exercise routine to keep fit.

That sneaky little bookworm.

Bookworm. Right.

I started to change direction, fast-walking in a path that led to the library, and I was almost there when a sudden detour blocked my way.

"What the hell? You're still following me?" I hissed at him.

"I just need a few minutes of your time," Mark Domingo begged me.

"And I don't intend to give you another second," I lashed at him.

"Stacy, please, please give me another chance," he pleaded.

"Stay away from me!" I told him.

I ignored Mark when he continued to follow me, but then another guy blocked my path.

"Stacy, hey!You were really great last Friday night at the Miss Orion Pageant," Roby told me.

I racked my brain to see if I knew him. Robert Chavez. Another one of my fans and admirers.

"Yeah, I know," I said without interest. "Could you step aside?"

"But why? I was gonna ask if you're free sometime this week? Maybe dinner?"