Twinsies: Double Trouble

Chapter 1

The shrill ring of an alarm clock pierced the morning silence, echoing through the pink-and-purple bedroom. Two identical groans followed, muffled by pillows and tangled blankets. Valerie Creel, her fiery red hair a mess of curls, reached out blindly and slapped the snooze button with practiced precision.

"Five more minutes," she mumbled, burrowing deeper into her comforter.

From the other twin bed, an equally sleepy voice replied, "Val, we can't. It's the first day of school."

Brittany Creel, Valerie's mirror image save for the neat braid containing her red locks, sat up slowly. She blinked, her bright blue eyes adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the lace curtains. The calendar on the wall caught her attention, a red circle marking today's date: September 1, 1993.

"Come on, sleepyhead," Brittany urged, throwing a stuffed animal at her sister's huddled form. "You know Mom will freak if we're late."

Valerie's head emerged from the blankets, a scowl on her freckled face. "Ugh, why did summer have to end? I was just getting used to sleeping in."

Despite her protests, Valerie dragged herself out of bed. The twins moved around their shared room in a well-choreographed dance, grabbing clothes and dodging each other as they prepared for the day ahead.

"What are you wearing?" Valerie asked, eyeing her sister's conservative outfit choice – a knee-length floral skirt and a crisp white blouse.

Brittany shrugged. "It's practical. Besides, I have library duty after school."

Valerie rolled her eyes, pulling on a pair of high-waisted jeans and a cropped t-shirt that showed just a sliver of her midriff. "Britt, it's high school, not a convent. Live a little!"

"Says the girl who spent three hours deciding what to wear yesterday," Brittany teased, tossing a hairbrush to her sister.

As they finished getting ready, the smell of pancakes wafted up from the kitchen. The twins shared a grin before racing down the stairs, their earlier sleepiness forgotten in the face of their mother's famous blueberry pancakes.

The Creel family kitchen was a whirlwind of activity. Their mother, Susan, stood at the stove, expertly flipping pancakes while simultaneously packing lunches. Their father, Robert, sat at the table, hidden behind his newspaper, occasionally reaching out to grab his coffee mug.

"Morning, girls," Susan called out, not turning from her pancake duty. "Sleep well?"

"As well as anyone can when they know school's starting," Valerie grumbled, sliding into her usual seat.

Brittany, ever the peacemaker, smiled brightly. "It wasn't so bad, Mom. Thanks for making pancakes!"

A grunt from behind the newspaper caught their attention. "You two better not be late on your first day," their father's voice warned. "I don't want another call from the principal like last year."

Valerie rolled her eyes. "Dad, that was one time, and it wasn't even our fault! How were we supposed to know that putting dish soap in the fountain would cause such a mess?"

"Valerie," Susan said, her tone a gentle warning as she set plates of steaming pancakes in front of the twins. "Your father's right. This year is important – colleges will be looking at your grades and extracurriculars."

Before either twin could respond, thundering footsteps announced the arrival of their older brother, Brad. At nineteen, he was home from college for the summer, working at the local diner to save up money.

"Morning, brats," he said, ruffling Brittany's hair as he passed. "Ready for another year of torment?"

Brittany swatted his hand away. "Shouldn't you be heading back to campus soon? I thought classes started this week."