Seeing Double

Chapter 1 - Junior Year Begins

Ugh. First day of junior year.

 I trudged out of bed and dragged myself to the shower. The summer holiday morning sleep-ins are finally taking its toll. Still half asleep, I pulled on some light blue skinny jeans, a loose white graphic tank top and an army green utility jacket over it. I decided I didn’t want to deal with curling irons this lousy morning in fear of accidentally burning myself, so I braided my long, dark brown hair into a side braid. After painstakingly applying some eyeliner, mascara and my favourite strawberry-flavored lip balm, I was ready to go. Grabbing some random bracelets and my messenger bag, I ran down the stairs just in time to hear Daniel blowing his horn outside my house.

Gah. Damn him and his punctuality.

“Morning, Andrea!” Mom chirped from her position in front of the stove. Mmm, pancakes.

“Morning, Andromeda,” Dad greeted from behind his morning newspaper.

I groaned internally at his use of my real name. Trust him to name me after a constellation and some princess from Greek mythology.

“I have to go, Daniel’s already waiting,” I informed them, grabbing a piece of pancake and stuffing it in my mouth.

            “Here,” Mom tossed me a milk carton to drink on the car ride to school. “Good luck!”

            I sent her a muffled reply from the pancake in my mouth and hopped out of the front door still trying to put on my ankle booties. I nearly tripped over the curb, but steadied myself in time against Daniel’s car.

            “Whoa, chill girl,” Daniel called from the driver’s seat. “It’s not like we’re going to leave you,” he chuckled at my state of hurry.

            “Is that pancake in your mouth?” Ian asked in disgust from the backseat as I opened the passenger door with my cheeks stuffed with food like a greedy chipmunk.

 I grinned at him and resumed chewing as Daniel drove away from my house. The three of us were still sporting identical tans from our joint family holiday in their family’s beach house in California. It was a blast! We were practically living on the beach 24/7. We learned to surf, something Daniel and I figured out to be Ian’s weak point. It was hilarious to see him getting washed overboard over and over again.

            “Do you think we’ll have the same classes again this year?” Daniel asked me once I was done chewing.

            “Don’t think so,” I mumbled as I opened my milk carton. “I’m taking some AP subjects,”

            “Aww,” he groaned. “It’s much more fun when it’s the three of us,”

            “Is that chocolate milk?” Ian asked, suddenly appearing at my side, eyes gleaming.

            “Yep, and its mine!” I warned him sternly before taking a long, exaggerated sip just to tease him. I gave a dreamy sigh as its chocolatey goodness filled my ravenous stomach.

            “Aww, come on!” he pleaded, giving me his puppy dog look and pouting his lips.

            “Nope,” I stuck out my tongue at him.

 If the other students at school saw Ian Whitley, the school’s resident bad boy and player, giving me the sad puppy dog face, his reputation is going to the dogs. Sure, he acts all tough and cold in school, but when it’s just the three of us, he’s like a hyperactive, mischievous little boy.

            “Dude, don’t lean over, I can’t shift gears,” Daniel complained at his twin, elbowing him in the gut.

            “Oh yeah, why aren’t you taking your bike to school?” I asked Ian, who grumpily leaned back in his seat.