Silver Linings {Book 1}

Listen. {Chapter 3}

*JASLENE POV*

       "I told you not to go to that stupid party!", I fussed at my sister as I watched her hold the ice pack to her bruised forehead. Vanessa glared at me briefly before rolling her eyes & sucking her teeth. She adjusted herself better on the bed, & looked straight ahead. I could tell she was intentionally staring at everything else but my eyes. "What exactly happened?".

       Vanessa drew in a breath. "I was outside talking & smoking with Travis, then he kept touching on me & I wasn't feeling that so I told him to chill out. He just kept doing it so I pushed him real hard & got up. That's when some girl started cursing at me about some iPod she thinks I stole when it was actually you, so I tried to walk away but then her & her little friend started to jump me so I fought back. After that, I sat outside by Bianca's car waiting for her to come on when the girl came back with like 10 more bitches & they all tried to jump me again, except this time Bianca came to my rescue".

          I excessively tapped my foot, listening to the story. I knew exactly what girl she was referring to. Kady Hyland, the one I stole the iPod from a few months back. She brought it to school everyday since she didn't have a phone, making it easy on my part.

         Kady had some pictures & conversations in that phone that was not for everyone's eyes to see. Let's just say, someone hacked into her iPod, & those pictures accidentally  got posted. Of course, I disposed of any evidence that could get me caught. A few weeks later, Kady accussed me of stealing it after finding out my reputation. She tried to get the police involved, but she didn't have any solid proof I stole it, so they couldn't arrest me.

        I bit my lip. "How could she mistake you for me though? It's not that hard to tell us apart now". Me & Vanessa were completely identical. Now, you could easily tell us apart because I dyed my hair a reddish-brown a while back but Vanessa kept hers dark brown. 

        "I was thinking the exact same thing", Vanessa replied, shrugging. 

        Sitting down next to her, I shook my head. "You should've listened to me. I was born 6 minutes before you for a reason", I joked. Vanessa chuckled a little before looking up at me.

        "You're right. I wouldn't be in this situation now if I wasn't so hard-headed".   

        I restrained myself from clocking my sister in the back of her head, maybe to just to knock some sense into her. After a few more dabs with the ice on her blueish-black bruise , I threw it in the middle of the bed. Jayda stood next to me, shaking her head.

       "How do you plan to explain to this your aunt when she sees that on your forehead?", she asked in her thick New York accent,  eyeing Vanessa suspiciously. 

       "I'll just tell her me & Jas got into a physical altercation again", Nessa replied, waving her hand as if to indicate the end of the conversation. 

       With a huge sigh, I sprawled out on my bed, closing my eyes. I always would sit & truly wonder how me & Vanessa would be if or mother hadn't died.. would we still be this way or would we still be the angels we used to be? Taking a quick glance at my mother's photo on my nightstand, I forced back a few tears. There isn't a day on this Earth that goes by when I don't think about my mom. Whether it's good memories, or whether it's bad. 

      I was pulled out of my deep thoughts by Jayda snapping her fingers in my face, & Vanessa looking at me weird.

      "Are you okay, ma? You don't exactly look too happy..".

      I sadly nodded. "Yeah I'm fine.. we should hit the sack. We've all had our fair share of a shitty day for sure", I replied, grabbing a pillow. 

      Vanessa nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, time for bed".

      Jay told us good night before going to the guest room down the hall like she always does when she sleeps over. Vanessa stood at my door for a few seconds before turning around & facing me.

     "And Jas?", she whispered.

    I looked up at my twin.

    "Mama is watching over us.. just keep your head up".