~AMANDA
It was as if she heard me. Like a magnet, she had also done the same, she had made a double take. Her eyes widened before, then regained her composure. She was sitting between two men. One man had his arm around her shoulders but she seemed more disgusted than uncomfortable. The men were talking to some guys across the table.
“What?” Brenda turned to look. “Hey…that’s Aliah...”
My eyes just remained stuck in hers.
I had not seen my twin sister for a year ever since I left her at our apartment. I was so angry that day that she had decided to go drinking instead of packing and I ended up doing all the packing again.
Shit! I had missed her like crazy.
At first, I was angry because she didn’t call me at all, and later on, I was sad because she ghosted me completely. And yet again, here I was, a few feet from her but my body resisted me from running across this diner to jump on her. Hug her. Maybe it’s because of the meeting that was about to start a few minutes to come, or maybe it’s because of the uncomfortable face she had because of the men around her. The last thing I needed was everyone on that table asking us those tiring questions…
Are you guys twins…who’s the funky one…who’s older…blah blah blah?
“We should go say hi…” Brenda told me.
Urgh! Fuck it! I miss her!
I got up. But before I could make a step, she shook her head slowly, signaling me to stop. I again got back to my seat in confusion.
There was fear on her face. She hid it well but I knew her all too well.
Brenda asked, “Why didn’t you go?”
“I…I don’t know…she told me not to.”
After a while, I saw her get up and head for the bathroom. She shot me a look and I followed. But there was also another woman going to the bathroom with her. This was my one chance to see her and I was not backing out. I needed to know why she’d ghosted me for a full damned year. Where she was, who she was with, what she’s been doing.
I lowered my cap and follow into the bathroom, telling Brenda to sit tight just in case the clients show up before the time
When I got in the bathroom, she was already in the stall and the other woman was standing outside the stalls, busy with her phone.
I looked away to make sure she doesn’t see my face, her face. To avoid those silly, tiring, unending, and unnerving questions that I’d have to smile at all the while they ask. I got in another stall and waited for Aliah to flash and get out of her stall. I waited for a few seconds and also got out of my stall. Aliah was washing her hands and when she looked in the mirror, she saw my reflection. Our reflection.
She kept her composure as I moved to the next sink, where that other woman couldn’t see me. I didn’t talk to her just to be sure we were both safe.
“For God’s sake, would you get done with the hands?” The woman ranted at her.
What’s her deal? Why is she talking to her like that? I couldn’t resist the urge to stand up for her and almost turned but Aliah spoke in time…
“Well, this is a public toilet. You either wash your hands properly or put shit in your mouth and I’m not doing the latter.” she ranted back.
“Well, I’ll show you how.” She stood up straight from the wall she was leaning on.
“I’d like to see you try.” Aliah stood up also to look at her.
The woman just glanced at me and leaned back at the wall. “Fine. Take your time.” It was obvious she wasn’t going to cause a scene in front of a stranger
YOU ARE READING
Tell The Difference
General Fiction* Usually this would be the time that Amanda would say, 'I told you so' and right now I would give anything for her to be here. Maybe she would scold me, but I would take it. Maybe she would scream at me the whole way home, but I would take it. And...
