Double Trouble

Chapter 17: Road Trip Awkwardness

I get it. I'm trying to bond with my sister. Everyone has told me to try to connect with Jade. But I can't. I just can't. She is Hollywood superficial, catty, and shallow. We can't find anything in common. She's from a glitzy and glamorous world called Hollywood, and I'm from the boring, gray-colored suburban lifestyle. Everytime I try to talk about something, it always ends badly with one of us being jealous of the other over something stupid like starring in movies or something simple like high school. Or Ethan. 

Ethan. He is so wonderful. I do remember the way we used to talk and spend quality time together. I was madly in love with him and for one moment there, I thought he reciprocated those feelings. But then I discovered that he was only smitten with my twin sister, Jade Winters, the golden girl of Hollywood. Typical. 

Then I met Ayden. We have only spent days together but already it feels like we have known each other for years. Conversation flows naturally between us and dates are like I'm walking on air. Being with him makes Hollywood simple and easy. And Hollywood is not easy, believe me, if you know what I mean. 

The car jolts to a stop at a stoplight and Jade and I both lurch ourselves forward in the backseat. Ethan and Ayden are sitting up front, with Ethan driving. We thought it would be best that the boys drive. When I say we, the boys argued heatedly with us that boys are much better navigators. In the end, we lost the fight due to Ayden pointing out to me that us girls need sister bonding time. Psh. How can we bond when there are two boys in the car? Isn't that what sisters are supposed to talk about? Boys and clothes and more boys? 

Jade shifts back into her regular position and grips the door handle tightly. She mumbles to herself, "damn, I wish I  could drive my own car." I dimly remember the first time we met. She fell onto the sidewalk as if she jumped out of a moving car. I watch her closely, making sure she doesn't do it a second time. 

"Looking at my bracelet?" she notices me looking down at her wrist where there is a gold charm bracelet, holding a tiny golden...Oscar. I quickly avert my eyes and she chuckles. "No worries." She twists her bracelet so it comes off loosely. "My grandmother gave me this for my fourteenth birthday. It was for when I won my first Kids Choice Award." I snort. I got five dollars from my grandmother for my fourteenth birthday. And the newest book in the Harry Potter series, thank you very much. Rest in peace, Amy Giggles. And here she is receiving gold in middle school. 

"It's pretty," I ooh. 

"I adore my grandmother," she says in awe, "I trust her completely with anything and everything. I go to her when my parents aren't home." 

"Is she in Hollywood?" I ask. 

"She lives in the hills, Beverely Hills. She used to be an actress. She's mainly the reason I wanted to become an actress," she says, thinking something over. "She's my hero," she adds. 

"She sounds extraordinary," I point out. I stay quiet for the time being as does she. "So when did you become buddy-buddy with my sister?" I blurt out. She smiles and laughs to herself. 

"Madelyn-once you get to know her, she has a lot to say. She's a good listener," Jade explains cautiously, "and she can give great advice." I nearly choke on my next words. 

"Madelyn?" I choke out. "Since when? She barely says two friendly words to me." My sister, on our daily car rides to school, usually keeps her eyes on the road and applying lip gloss. At school, she walks with her friends and stays out of my way-or rather I stay out of her way. We rarely cross paths at school. When we do see each other, I make sure I am on the opposite side of the hallway, away from her eyesight. 

"Well you're friends with the one person that I absolutely hate with all my heart," she spits flatly. ouch. Yes, I have spent time these past days (the time I haven't been with Ayden) with her "rival" Morgan James. To me, she's the Hollywood version of Maggie, my best friend. I look down and twist my hands nervously in my lap.