Twice The Trouble

Chapter 46: Circumstances

Sophia

"S-O-O-OP!"

I urgently raised my chin from my pillow. I was half-way to a nap.

"S-O-OP!!!" Stacy bellowed from outside the house. She was being very loud this afternoon.

I screamed at the top of my lungs: "W-H-A-A-A--AT!!??" And plonked my face onto my soft pillow.

"BUSTER WANTS TO PL-A-A-A-A-A-Y-Y-Y!!!" My sister shouted back.

"THEN LET HIM PLAY-Y-Y-Y!"

"GOD HAVE MERCY ON US ALL," exclaimed Bro Mack, who was passing by our bedroom.

"BUT HE ALWAYS PLAYS WITH BOTH OF US!!!" yelled Stacy.

"I'M COMING, I'M COMING." I rolled out like sushi and fell off my bed with a THUD.

A groan escaped me as I crawled on the warm floor and reached for some fresh clothes.

Early September has arrived, signalling at least two months of Lucas' courtship to my sister.

Stacy had once mentioned she wouldn't go easy on him, and I believed her, certain it would take a long time before she gave Lucas her sweet 'yes.'

Or 'no.' I'm simply being realistic. Stacy is a hard shell to crack, after all.

Changing into a plain green shirt and denim shorts, I drew my brown hair up into a high ponytail and shut the bedroom door behind me. I was wearing camouflage slippers as I exited the house.

I stepped into the sunlight,whose rays were beaming down on everything within proximity.

When I caught sight of my tall, blonde, blue-eyed sister in an apricot t-shirt and black shorts, I tried to squash down my bitterness about the situation we've been in for the past 2 months.

Life, to be quite frank, has not been a walk in the park for me. It would never be easy nor fun to stand in the sidelines, witnessing the guy you like be wrapped around your sister's finger. For many weeks, I have seen Lucas give Stacy a ride to and from school, inevitably leaving me to commute on my own. I wordlessly watched on as Lucas escorted her to and from her classes, and I soon became the third wheel, but most of the time, I hid in the shadows, providing them their privacy as they shared lunchtime together, and whenever Stacy had a modeling gig, I always tagged along since I've been accompanying her long before Lucas met her anyway.

I did my best to be a supportive sibling, but I couldn't help feel hurt every time I see them walking alongside each other, holding hands, laughing and flirting in front of me.

"Sop!" Stacy's voice sliced through my grim thought bubble.

I looked at her energetic face and my gaze traveled downward to the beagle at her feet.

When we had turned five years old, our stepparents brought us to the animal shelter and told us to pick out one pet to take home afterward. Stacy and I had taken one glance at a baby beagle and fell in love in mere seconds. We agreed to name him Buster.

"I was napping when you suddenly turned banshee mode on me," I scolded my twin as I neared.

Her forehead creased with worry as she examined my face. "A nap? Why? Do you feel ill?"

"Just catching a bit of sleep,that's all," I told her with a wave of my hand.

She continued to assess my features. She commented: "You DO look a little pale, Sop."

I avoided eye-contact and squatted down in front of our adult beagle, stroking Buster's head. To be honest, I've been feeling dizzy and lightheaded from all my duties and responsibilities at school. If not homework, it would be editing articles and managing the layout for the Orion Arrow, the university magazine. Plus there were projects to complete and only a few weeks left until Final exams would start. Time really flies fast when you're swamped with academics.