Are We Friends?

Chapter 4: Curiosity Killed the Cat

Mum and dad had dropped us off at the airport nearly 2 hours ago and I was dying of boredom. Stupid airports and having a ‘please arrive 3 hours early for an international flight’ policy, and to top it off the customs official actually laughed at my passport photo! I WAS 12… how was I to know that side fringes would be out of fashion so quickly!

To say that Jake was hot was an under statement, he was captain of the school footy team, was ridiculously tan (even though its winter!), had washboard abs, piercing blue eyes and short blond hair that sticks up at just the right angles. Watching the girls in the Singapore airlines lounge flirt with him was hilarious; they had absolutely no chance with him.

Although he won’t admit it he has been in love with Kate for the past 3 years and vice versa but the pair are just too stubborn to see it. His girlfriend, Melissa, is a total airhead (I would actually be surprised if she could pass school) he is only dating her to boost his popularity and it annoys be so much. Anyway I'm getting sidetracked, because Jake is quite an attractive human being and we are twins I have inherited some of his ‘hotness’ I myself have long luscious blondy brown hair that falls in soft curls down my back, my legs are nicely toned from years of netball. Overall to say that I am happy with my body is an understatement but it can also get annoying about 5 boys have come up and attempted to give me their number it is actually getting beyond frustrating now.

“Boarding Call for Flight 228 to London at gate 12” the speaker announced.

“Oh thank heavens we are getting out of this hell hole!” I screamed at nothing, people were staring wide eyed at me but I held my head high and walked out with Jake in tow.

“Did you really need to scream that out to the world?” he asked, looking slightly amused by the thought.

“I deemed it necessary” was my only reply.

At this he just laughed, we continued to walk in a comfortable silence until my curiosity was getting the better of me.

“Jake?”

“Hmm?”

“Do we know anyone called Elliot?” at this he tensed, I could see him grind his jaw, something he hasn't done in years.

“Where did you hear that name?” I was not expecting that answer, and I am an absolutely horrible liar.

“U-uumm… No where, forget I even asked.” He seemed to visibly relax at my reply, which leaves me even more confused than before.

“Well it looks like neither of us are willing to answer the others question, so we should just leave it for the time being.” Wow, I was not expecting such maturity from him.

“Aha, yeah sure big brother.” Now I am just getting more and more frustrated, our family has never kept secrets from each other and it’s absolutely killing me.

“So are you excited about our forced vacation?” he was trying to lighten the mood after the instance discussion where I learnt absolutely nothing.

“Umm, yeah sure. I guess. I'm looking forward to the weather. Melbourne weather sucks!” at this he chuckled but I wasn't finished.

“Jake who are we staying with?” After the accident I had no memory of the years before this. The only people who knew about it were my immediate family and some kid that I apparently grew up with but I haven’t seen him since the day I woke up from the coma.

“Just some old family friends, you wouldn't remember them it was before it happened” he was really conscious of my feelings in trying not to upset me.

“Oh” was my only response. I was still really curious but I had been up since 4am and I was ready for sleep.

As we were lining up my brother pulled me aside and gave me a bone-crushing hug, whilst mumbling into my hair. “Please forgive me” but I was way past tired and didn't bother to respond, only hugging him back and boarding the plane.

As I have said my family isn’t poor in fact we are quite well off so I was falling asleep in the comfort of the first class cabin of Singapore airlines ready to sleep for the next 26hrs.

~

Well I was wrong, apparently there are rude hostesses who through hot towels at your face to wake you up. Jake, who was sitting next to me, was stifling a laugh whilst the hostess glares at me almost in disgust.

Feeling self-conscious I got up and went to the toilet to check out what she was talking about.

“JACOB XAVIER NEWTON COLE!” I whisper scream at him still earning some glares from fellow travellers, however I was too angry to care.

He abruptly stopped laughing and glared at me for using his full name, he hated it. Our parents were nerds in high school and they thought it would be a cool middle name for their child.

“Don’t you dare call me that!” was he for real?!

“YOU DREW A MUSTACHE AND A MONOBROW ON MY FACE IN PERMANTENT MARKER!!!” at that he cracks up laughing again, I see the tears of joy that were streaming down his face.

How was I going to get this off before we land in London? Which coincidently is only 30 MINS! As if on cue an announcer over the loud speaker told us that the captain had turned the seatbelt on and we were to get ready for landing. Great, just great.

~

As we were waiting for our bags to come out I was getting more and more nervous (I had ignored the looks people were giving me about my face, and I had threatened revenge on my idiot of a brother), I had noticed that even Jake couldn’t stand still which is unusual as he’s usually the more chilled one of the 2 of us. I spotted our bags and we made our way to collect them.

We wheeled them out of the airport in anticipation of what was to come, and there standing in front of me was a face I had not seen in almost 10 years.

The searing pain throughout my head was unbearable; all I remember seeing before I blacked out was Jake rushing over to catch me.