Opposites Attract

Chapter 1

"Jade! The new neighbors are here!", my mother shouted up the stairs. "I need you to take this cake to them!" I was laying on my bed, just waiting for something to do, anything. 

"Yeah, I'll be down in a second!" I yelled. I looked out the window to where the new neighbors were unpacking their things and their children were running in the front yard. I ran down the stairs and took the cake from the counter.

"Don't forget to smile and introduce yourself" my mom was always worried about our appearance to other people.

"Yes, I know, don't worry" I bolted out of the front door, I couldn't stand to be near her. She angered me and worried me and worried so much about how we looked to other people, I hated it and I hated the impact it had on my sister. We were twins and she was perfect, she always worried about what she looked like, her hair, her makeup, her friends, her grades. She knew everything. Her name was perfect, Emerald. I wished for a name like Emerald. I'm jealous of my twin sister who my parents adore and my school loves.

Ding dong

I hate introductions, what will they think of you, Jade? Are you presentable? Are you smiling?  The door opened and I was greeted with a small woman.

"Oh hello! Please come in, the house is a bit messy right now," she stumbled over her words a few times, she seemed a bit startled.

"It's alright," I flashed her a smile, "My mother baked a cake to welcome you and your family to the neighborhood." I handed her the cake.

"That is too kind of your mother, is that her over there?" she gestured over to the door, where, lo and behold, my mother was standing. 

"Jade! There you are, I see you gave the new neighbors the cake I made." my mother gave a smile to the lady I was sitting with. "Hello, I'm Emily Baxley, and this is Jade. We live to the left of you."

She sounded so fake. I hated it.

"She is a delight! I have three kids, Eric, Iris, and Ryan, I think Eric is around your age, he's 15."

"Jade and Emerald are both 15, they're twins after all."

"Twins! What a handful."

"Yes they are," she added this part quietly, pretending I couldn't hear her, "and so different"

She laughed and said, "I imagine, you should bring both of them around tomorrow night so that all the kids could bond in time for school on Monday!" 

"That would be wonderful, everyone could get to know each other"

"I'll see you then, Emily and Jade."

"We'll see you tomorrow,-"

"Heather, Heather Sams." she finished. Heather Sams finished.

"Yes, see you soon!" we left. 

My mother had a look in her eye, I think she was getting an idea.

"How about I take you and Emerald shopping tonight, we could pick something out for you to wear tomorrow night!" I mentally groaned. I didn't want to be the black sheep of the family and I knew y mother was going to take me anyways. 

"Yeah. Sure." 

"I'll just check with Emerald."

I've spent my whole life living in Emerald's shadow, pressured to be just like her, questioned why I wasn't her, why I wast better than what I am now.

"Actually, I was wondering if it could just be us, you know, some mother daughter bonding." the words stung my throat. We haven't had a proper conversation in years. 

"That's a great idea! Emerald has enough clothes in her closet for herself. It should just be us two at the mall."

"Yep, when are we leaving?"

"I'm going to need one hour, I need to tell your father about our plans tonight. Look in your closet for what you want and we should be good to go"

She opened the door for us. US. As in mother and daughter. I wanted this school year to be different. Please be different than last year. 

I ran up to my bedroom and scanned through my closet. I had so many neutral colors, I wanted to surprise my family and make a new name for myself. I made a note to find more room for neon and pastel colors for my bland wardrobe. This year is going to be different. I know it is.

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P.S. 

I'm writing these for my personal enjoyment, I wrote in elementary school and middle school, but I gave it up. I want to improve my writing and I know this is shit, I'm sorry.