A Familiar Stranger

Chapter 9

Josette frowned, "why? I wouldn't want to bother you and besides I don't want to go"

"Come on! It'll be fun" Jacquline smiled warmly at the twin, "plus you barely leave your house, I've noticed and I live next door!"

They ended up going. Dominique pulled out the location with Google Maps and they went on foot. It was a 10 minute walk. The place in which the art club was taking place was a small brick building at the edge of the street, it was warm and smelled like cinnamons. Jacqueline gave a shriek of excitement when she saw it, the energy the place radiated pleased them all.

"Let's go sit there" said Jacqueline, pointing at the edge of the big, rectangular table. Josie's cheeks flamed up in second hand embarrassment, she had always been told it was rude to point, Jacqueline didn't seem to know that. They went and sat there as the blonde girl had suggested, after grabbing a paper each and some art supplies; the twin took a pencil, eraser, a fine black pen and water colours. Jacqueline's choices were colouring pencils and a black paper, rather than white. Alas, the quiet brunette smiled as she took the oil paints and a number of different sized paint brushes.

Once they sat down, Jacqueline immediately began to sketch out her ideas, smiling a bit as she somehow got lost in her thoughts despite the fact that she was talking. Her eyes were in deep concentration while her mouth was letting out her soft voice, suggesting what the other two should draw.

Josette stared blankly at the piece of paper in front of her, it rudely stared back. Her thoughts were both running and also nothing. Dominique, who was looking at the walls for inspiration, looked over at the twin. "I suggest you just close your eyes and let your hand move by itself."

Josie turned her head towards the girl, who was sitting on her right. "What?" she said, before realising what she'd said, "oh— I don't know I'm just not an artsy type of person.."

"That's wrong. We're all artists. Just try it!"

The twin took the girl's advice and decided to close her eyes and let her hand wander.
A few minutes passed by, and to her surprise, Josie was having fun.

"D?! Jackie?? Wow!" a familiar, haunting voice chuckled. No. No, it couldn't be, there's no way yet another coincidental meeting was taking place between the twin and her ex. "How long has it been?"

Josette's eyes opened in horror, hoping it was just her imagination. Penelope Park stood next to Jacqueline confidently, hand on hip, ignoring the dirty looks the blonde girl was giving her. Josie glanced at Dominique, who seemed to be in just as much horror as herself, except Penelope was having direct eye contact with Dominique. Meanwhile she didn't even realise the twin was there.

"Too long." Dominique smiled at Park, quite smugly and yet panicky.

Josie could've stayed where she was, unnoticed as her hair covered her face. Instead she stood up and muttered something about going to the bathroom. Penelope, just then, caught up with Josie's presence. But the twin was already half way across the room at this point.

Dominique and Jacqueline turned to each other in confusion, "why'd she leave like that?" Dominique asked. Jacqueline shrugged.

Penelope's heart skipped a beat. She'd been hoping to see Josie at least one more time, to explain properly. This was her chance. She hesitated, but then she went after the twin into the small public bathroom.

Josie froze when she saw Penelope enter the messy bathroom. The basins were covered in paint, as was the floor. Josie's eyes were filled with everything and nothing. She had been hoping to see her ex all this week, although she didn't want to admit it. So what now? Now that she was actually in front of her?

Penelope bit her bottom lip and furrowed her brows, she had so many things she wanted to tell Josie, but nothing would come out. Where would she start, anyway? Luckily, she wasn't the one who said the first words.

"What're you doing here? Are you stalking me?" Josie accused.

Penelope scoffed, "stalking you? I'm just as surprised as you are, Josie." The twin stepped forward, as she carried on asking questions, while Penelope stepped backwards. "How do you even know Jacqueline and Dominique? Or what, is that another crazy coincidence?"

"As a matter of fact, it is!" she put her hand on her hip, trying to mask her nervousness with confidence and sass. "And, Dominique is my ex. So who's stalking who, exactly?"

Josie's heart skipped a beat. Oh. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "I'm not stalking you, you're the one who talked to me first and then completely rejected me."

Penelope's attitude faded, remembering the other day. "Josie you have no idea what happened during the past year—"

Josie pushed her ex out of her way and left the bathroom. Why did she think this would be any difference? Excuses, excuses. Never apologising. She made her way back to her seat on the long table, greeted by a confused pair of french best friends.

"Sorry, I- I really needed to use the bathroom."

Jacqueline's eyes brightened a bit, as she forced a smile.

"How do you know Penelope?" Dominique asked.

The twin sighed, remembering what her ex said. Dominique is my ex. "Classmates, before she—" exposed the truth that has been kept from Lizzie and I our entire life? Caused me to almost kill Lizze? Told me she loved me and then left me? "left for Belgium."

"Same. We're classmates at our school.. we also dated" Dominique said. A truth suddenly sparked in Josie's mind, Penelope goes to a witch only school, if Dominique goes there too that would mean she was a witch too.