DOPPELGANGER

Doppelganger: Chapter Eight

Torrie grabbed A2, who chuckled from the supposed bravery.

"Best friend, I like you."

"What do you mean that you want your life?" Torrie asked.

"Am I not speaking the same language? I want my life--I want a chance to live in this world and bring something into it that everyone else is afraid to do."

"But you and I cannot exist at the same time," I reiterated.

"Good memory. You've been studying," A2 praised.

"So, how can we give you your life back?" Torrie kept her grip on A2's arm. However, it didn't seem to mind.

"Sacrifice."

"Wasn't Laura's baby enough?" I asked.

"Laura's baby died?"

"You didn't know?" I questioned. "She freaked out after your prank, and it was enough to cost her the pregnancy."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"Quit playing with us," I warned.

"Oh, I'm serious. I may be somewhat mischievous, but I'm no liar. And if the baby was the intended sacrifice, I wouldn't be here right now."

"It's right," Torrie sighed, letting go of A2's wrist. "You'd be off the hook."

"It's up to the both of you to figure out what to do with my request. I'm not going to tell you how to handle it," it explained. "Oh, you poor babies, good luck figuring things out."

A2 hopped to the closet and Torrie was about to check on what she was doing.

"Don't even bother," I said, "It's not like Narnia. I already checked."

"You know, I've always thought about what it would be like to have a twin, but now, I think I'm good without one."

"Torrie, what are we going to do?" I eyed Being Doubled on my desk.

I took the time to read it cover to cover, but it didn't tell me how to fix the situation. I just had more questions.

"Tomorrow, we should go see Mr. Williams, and he can tell us about his brother and everything else."

"Do you think we should tell him everything?" I asked.

"It's our only chance," Torrie said, "Unless you want A2 popping up for the rest of your life."

"If I even have one after all of this is over."

"Ava, don't say stuff like that."

"It's true, though! That thing is going to take over."

"Not seamlessly, though. I'm sure everyone will see a difference," Torrie replied.

"Yes, a difference, but they would never know."

"I would know," she said.

"Any chance you can stay the night?" I asked.

"Yeah, if it's okay with your Mom."

"On second thought, just meet me at school tomorrow. I don't want to bother Mom with anything else tonight."

"Gotcha," Torrie said, "I'll meet you in the lot at 7."

"What if this is all a dream?" I sighed.

"That would make for a really annoying ending," Torrie laughed.

"It certainly would be easier," I said.

"How anticlimactic," she stated.

I walked her to the front door and waved goodbye as she drove away. I found Mom and Maia having hot chocolate in the dining room.

"What? I wasn't invited?" I asked, taking a seat.

"How's Torrie?" Mom asked.

"I told her everything that's going on, and she's worried, but it's all good," I assured her.

"Your father just called me."

"What did he say?" I inquired.

"He wants the divorce papers signed by tomorrow," she said.

"And he said that Mom is not fit enough to parent us," Maia said. "He's crazy."

"If that happens, I'm going to be emancipated or something," I stated.

"You're almost eighteen," Maia complained, "You're not the one who needs to be worried. I am. I don't want Laura to be my new step-mommy."

"Neither of you are going anywhere," Mom said. "I will sign the divorce papers eventually because your father is being completely unreasonable, but I refuse to let go of custody. I do not want him or Laura to influence you more than they already have."

"Did they say anything about the incident earlier?" I raised an eyebrow, awaiting a response. Mom just kept sighing.

"They did," Maia explained, "Laura said that what Mom did was uncalled for, and that's why she's not right to be a parent. And then she went on a rant about how you and I would be better if she was our mother because she could talk some sense into us."

"Yes, because we totally want a cheating backstabber to be our mother. How lovely would that be?"

"I'm sorry." Maia and I looked at our mother.

We asked in unison, "For what?"

"For bringing Laura around our family so much. For not treating your father well enough. For...every single shitty thing I've done that could cause all of this. Whatever's happening is my fault."

"You're not to blame for the circumstances," I said, "You did nothing wrong."

"I feel like it," Mom admitted.

"Well you didn't," Maia said bluntly, "So get over it. Get over Laura and Dad and move on because you're too good for either of them."

"I just don't get why people do these things." Mom took a sip of her hot chocolate. "You know, sometimes I wish I had an evil twin. I'm too much of a pushover sometimes."

I rubbed the back of my neck, nervous about what she just said. I let out an awkward laugh."

"Yeah, I don't think you want that," I said.

"Why not?" Mom asked.

"Just trust me. It seems like it would be annoying."

There was a low snicker, that only I seemed to hear. I looked up and saw Ava 2.0 peeking from behind the doorway.