Seeing Double

Prologue

            “Mommy! Ian took Mr. Abu again!” I wailed, on the verge of tears as I ran around the house looking for my mom.

            “Ian! You heard her!” I heard my mom yell from the kitchen. I quickly made a dash for the kitchen where the heavenly smell of her cooking originated.

            “Mommy?” I peered around the kitchen door.

            “Andrea, honey. Don’t cry,” she cooed as she brushed away my tears using her fingers. “Go find Daniel, he’ll help you catch the baddie,” she ushered me out of the kitchen door into the backyard. “Mommy’s busy right now,”

            I squinted against the hot, afternoon sun and spotted the twins playing on the seesaw. One of them was waving my favourite rag-doll bunny in his hand, laughing. I immediately recognized him as Ian.

            “Ian!” I screamed shrilly and ran over to them. “Give Mr. Abu back!”

            He merely laughed and waved Mr. Abu higher in the air. “Come and get it!”

            “Ian, give it back! She’s going to cry!” Daniel urged when he saw me getting teary-eyed.

            “Nu-uh!” he taunted and stuck his tongue at me as they bounced up and down rhythmically.

            “Please? Mr. Abu’s scared,” I begged, holding up my hands just in case he dropped him.

            “Mr. Abu’s scared? He’s just a doll, Andrea,” Ian chuckled in amusement.

“Come on, Ian, don’t be mean,” Daniel added, stopping the seesaw’s movements.

            “He’s scared of the seesaw,” I confirmed in all seriousness. “Please give him back,” I pleaded one more time.

            “Crybaby!” Ian taunted, laughing meanly as he waved Mr. Abu out of my reach.

            “Meanie!” I retorted angrily, tears starting to fall.  

            “Look at what you did! You made Andrea cry!” Daniel exclaimed, making a move to get off the seesaw.

            “Wait, Danny, – Oomph!”

            He landed on the grass with a muffled thud. I gaped at Ian’s purplish face as he crouched on the ground next to the seesaw. His face turned a ghastly shade of red as it crumpled up in an expression of utmost pain. A grin began slowly forming on Danny’s face as he realized what happened, and within seconds he was rolling on the grass laughing hysterically at his twin.

            “Mr. Abu!” I squealed in horror as Mr. Abu was thrown to the grass face-first.

            “I hate you!” Ian hollered in rage at a still laughing Daniel, hot angry tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes.

            “Ian?” I asked him worriedly, once Mr. Abu was safely in my arms. Ian may be a meanie sometimes but seeing him cry makes me sad too. “Are you OK?” I crouched next to him, peering into his face.

            “I’m fine,” he snapped angrily as he surreptitiously wiped away his tears.

            “Who’s the crybaby now?” Daniel hooted, causing Ian to send him an angry glare.

“Daniel, stop laughing at him!” I scolded, standing up and putting my hands on my hips the way mommy does when she’s angry at the twins.

“OK, OK,” Daniel conceded, and walked over to Ian who was sulking and seated facing away from him. “Hey, I’m sorry,” he apologized sincerely.

“Fine,” Ian nodded grudgingly.

“But it was soo funny!” he blurt out, laughing once more.

I sighed and shook my head at the two of them.

“Kids! Its snack time!” Mommy called from the kitchen just as Ian was about to seriously hurt Daniel.

“Cool!” Daniel gushed and quickly scrambled off the grass. “Let’s go, Andrea!” he called to me, offering his hand for me to take.

I shook my head at him and beamed at Ian instead. “I’m going with Ian,” I announced, grabbing his hand and dragging him indoors after me.

“So I’m guessing you and Ian made up?” Mommy asked, smiling as we entered the kitchen still holding hands.

“Yep! And Daniel made Ian cry!” I told her, shooting Daniel who was already stuffing himself with mom’s homemade cookies a glare. He returned it with wide eyes, acting all innocent.

“I didn’t cry!” Ian protested defensively, yanking away his hand and glowering at all of us.

“Kids,” I heard mommy mutter under her breath.

So what do you think guys? This is a new story I’m trying out. I got the inspiration from my own childhood best friends who are twins. No, they are not in any way like Ian and Daniel; they are actually a lot like the Weasley twins, lots of fun! Comments please! Don’t worry for those who are reading Betrothed to Trouble, I’m still working on it!