The Incident

Chapter 1: From the Beginning

My sister and I are fraternal twins. I got my dad's brown wavy hair and she got my mother's strawberry blond curls. We would always get compliments on our blue eyes and how they always looked so bright.Clara and I were very close. Nearly inseparable most would say...Before high school we had all of our classes together and played soccer with our friends after school. Once high school happened and we got assigned different classes, we began to slowly drift apart. We still talked at soccer practice and at home but not like we used to.

Three years ago my sister and I started studying at an American university because we wanted to be closer to where our parents had moved.We had no clue what we wanted to be. Well, Clara didn't but I knew I wanted to be in a field where I could help shape the world's future.I wanted to be a doctor, a nurse, a police officer, or even a teacher.Clara took a few classes with me while she was trying to figure out whatshe wanted to do.

It was our first day of school and Clara had gotten up before me which was unusual. She woke me up with a shake and a smile on her face. She seemed excited for school.

"WakeyWakey endormi."she said and pulled the covers right off my bed.

I grumbled and looked over at my alarm clock. It was 6:30. She woke me up nearly two hours before our first class. I swiped my blanket from the ground and draped it over myself again.

"At least one more hour, soeur.Please?"I said while pulling the covers tighter around me.

"But it's our first day! Don't you want to beat the crowd?"Clara exclaimed and plopped down on my bed.

"More likely to beat the Professors." I said and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Alright douce soeur. Whatever you want." she said and pat my head, "Sleep well."

Clara got up off my bed and then I heard the door slam shut. Soon I was snoring away.

I woke up to a peaceful silence. The only noise in the room was that of the old space heater in the corner making a soft buzzing. I turned over to look over at my clock and nearly had a heart attack! A note sits over the digital numbers that read "Dear soeur, I hope you had a wonderful nap. Your clock is off by two hours or so. Sorry!Your loving sister, Clara."

I tore off my covers and leaped out of bed so fast I almost fell. I knew I never should have believed Clara was up earlier than me. I threw on the first clothes I could find and bolted out the door nearly running over a janitor.

I stepped outside the dorms and was hit by a bitter cold wind and of course I wasn't wearing a jacket. Regardless I hopped on my bike and peddled as fast I could to my second class of the day seeing as I slept through the first. Once in front of my class building I didn'teven bother locking up my bike properly. I dropped my bike just inside the door and sprint toward my class. I swung open the door and everyone's heads turned. I was breathing heavy and probably looked like a mad woman with the way my hair was slowly falling in my face.

I cleared my throat, pushed my hair out of my face and walked briskly to an open seat in the back. I felt my face turn cherry red as the eyes of my peers settled on me. I plopped down in the chair and tried to listen to the lecture the professor was giving as Clara stared up at me with a smirk from the first row. Let's just say I didn't hear the rest of the lecture over my very rude thoughts pointedly about Clara.

During passing period Clara came up to me laughing her head off.

"Oh douce soeur! I thought you would've figured it out before 2nd period! I'm truly sorry, it's just that the look on your face when you came into the class was just-HA!Priceless!" she said leaning on my shoulder.

"That was not funny Clara. Now I look like a faineant!" Isaid and pushed her off of me.

"You'll redeem yourself in like 3 days." she said and leaned back against the wall next to the door.

"Whatever." I mumbled and purposely bumped into her on my way out.

"Ellie! Oh, do not be that way! It was only a joke!" Clara yelled after me.

It was the last class of the day and I was looking forward to going out with my friends after the day was out, but someone just had to get in the way! Clara. There was ten minutes left of class and the room was silent while everyone worked on the assignment that was just handed out. Everyone was working on it, except for Clara. Clara was talking, very loudly, about her ugliest professor with a friend of hers on her phone.

I sat in front of her and was getting really annoyed with her chatter. Five minutes until the class was out. I turned around and tried to get Clara's attention away from her phone.

"Clara," I whispered.

No response.

"Clara," I whispered a bit louder.

Still nothing but a half stifled laugh.

"Clara!" I said a louder.

More laughter and a deliberate glance in my direction.

"Clara! Will you shut up!" I said, unfortunately loud in a silent lecture hall.

I immediately felt my face get beet red as Clara pulled her phone slowly from her face to reveal it was locked the whole time. She smiled as if she did nothing wrong.

"Excuse me? Miss I will not have any more outbursts in my hall. If you cannot contain yourself I suggest you leave this instant!" the professor yelled from the front of the lecture hall.

"But, Sir it wasn't my-"

"Get out of my lecture hall!" he yelled and pointed to the door.

I sat there with my mouth hanging open looking from the professor to Clara. Clara just smiled and waved at me as I grabbed my stuff and hurried out the door, feeling the classes eyes on me like daggers. Iran back to my dorm and buried my face in my pillow, just wishing to forget the day.

Interrogation Room: Present

"Was this behavior usual for your sister, Ms. LeBlanc?" the detective interrupts.

I don't answer right away and instead bite the inside of my cheek.

"This sort of 'pranking' started when we were 19 and just graduating high school. It was less though. Shoe laces being tied together, turning off the television with a second remote, it was all very harmless and never a very public thing, or very embarrassing. When we started to go to the American university though, it suddenly got very public and very embarrassing for me."

"So, am I wrong in believing the incident could've been a prank gone wrong?"

My mouth automatically shuts again. He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms again at my sudden silence.

"Ms. LeBlanc, was this a prank?" he says getting level with myface.

I look him in the eye and shake my head.

"Pranks make people laugh." I say and look back down at my cuffed hands.

We sit in silence for a few moments before the detective leans forward in his chair.

  "Ms. Leblanc? Would you like to continue your story?"