It's A Twin Thing | j. clarke [1]

fourteen

-:- House of Reunion / House of Memories -:-

I tried to get Nina to talk to me about why she quit Sibuna, but she wouldn't budge. She was certain that it was her fault Alfie was in the hospital, and she wanted nothing to do with Sibuna anymore. The rest of Sibuna was equally as confused as I was, this wasn't like Nina to give up when things get hard. And things got even harder when she left. It'd been two days since Nina quit, and we hadn't made any progress on the clue. We were distracted, if not by my sister than by the situation with Alfie.

At breakfast, Victor announced that two people could go visit Alfie in the hospital today. Of course, Jerome was one of them, but now Amber and Patricia were arguing about which one of them should get to go. Nina was sitting on her bed, reading a magazine, and trying not to listen. I would've suggested we had the conversation elsewhere, but Nina didn't seem to mind with her head buried in Amber's pony magazine. Fabian was pacing the room, trying to figure out the clue.

"The only place where yesterday follows tomorrow," he mumbled.

"What if it's not a book?" I offered, speaking over the sound of Amber and Patricia's squabbles.

"Nina, who do you think should go?" Amber interrupted.

"Guys, I'm out, remember?" Nina answered. "Besides, I'm busy reading 'Pink Pony Parade.'"

"Alfie needs someone to cheer him up, not to shout at him," Amber continued after Nina didn't offer any advice.

I rolled my eyes and tried to focus on the clue. Fabian was still pacing throughout the room, no doubt trying to work overtime to compensate for Nina's departure.

"That's why I wore this lip gloss." Amber pointed to her shiny lips.

"Who's gonna be shouting?" Patricia refuted, her voice echoing through the room.

Amber gave a pointed look at her.

"I won't be shouting, Amber," Patricia said in a lower voice. "Just asking him a few questions is all."

"Maybe Lizzie should go" Fabian interrupted, taking a break from pacing to aid their argument.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Why would Lizzie go?" Amber's brows scrunched in confusion. "I'm the one Alfie's in love with."

"And I've known them longer," Patricia noted.

"Lizzie wouldn't shout at Alfie as she asks him questions," Fabian pointed out. "Right?"

"Right," I confirmed. "Because I'm not going."

"See," Amber exclaimed. "Even Lizzie thinks I should go."

"No," I halted Amber's excitement. "I agree with Fabian that neither of you should go, but I have to be at rehearsal today."