Strange Magic

Twin Trouble

"Ssssssaave meeeee....."

She had to cover her ears now. She saw the red eyes shimmer. When she looked closely, she realized they were actually burning. Orange and blue flames began to spread from the eyes. It quickly spread to the dead woods and the hut caught fire. She choked and gasped from all the smoke. She suddenly felt very hot. Her face burned from the heat of the flames.

          * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jenna Hunter watched her replica putting on make up on her face in front of her vanity. She watched her impatiently as she applied another coat of bright red lipstick. Almost thirty minutes had passed since she sat there altering her look. The point about her heavy make up is that she wanted to look as different from her sister as possible.

"You know what Rose," Jenna snapped. "I'm done waiting for you. I'm not sticking around for your make up frenzy. I'm off."

Rose merely turned her head. "Go ahead if you please," she replied as she powdered her face to glory.

Frustrated, Jenna grabbed her backpack and stormed out of the apartment. She decided that she was better off alone than with her annoying twin who thought she could control and boss over her just because she was a few minutes older than her. Still seething, she took the elevator down and got out.

The bright sunlight momentarily blinded her. She stood there undecided, watching the cabs pass by. It was to be their first day at a new school and Jenna had no sense of direction in the new city. Even though it meant swallowing her pride and backing down, she just had to wait for Rose. Cursing under her breath, she sat down near the apartment door and waited miserably.

After an agonizing ten minutes of waiting, Rose emerged out from the building, dressed to kill. Jenna stared down at her own T-shirt and jeans and wished she'd dressed better to match her sister's standards, but as quickly as she wished for it, she dismissed it haughtily. Why can't she be herself?

The twins were identical as far as twins went, no strangers could tell them apart, that is, when Rose had no make up on. They had same green eyes, same pointed face, same pale skin, same shade of brown hair, same everything. Sometimes it annoyed both of them for being so alike. However, they were strangers when it comes to character. Rose was everything anyone could want in a girl while Jenna, not exactly simple, had a carefree character in a it's-my-life-mind-your-own-business kind of way.

Rose passed Jenna without seeing her. Her head scanned the area looking for Jenna. Jenna meanwhile quickened her pace to keep up with Rose. Fuming silently, she walked beside Rose without a word.

"Thought you said you were leaving," Rose smirked at her.

Jenna grunted in reply, as they hailed a cab.

One look at the new school and the students, Jenna knew it was gonna be a hellhole for her. Rose beamed at everyone, trying to get into everyone's favour. She knew it was better to be outgoing and charismatic than be a stuck-up loner like Jenna, who was following her around like a faithful pup.

"Hey girls," a guy called out to them as they were looking for their class.

He had a killer smile, silky blonde hair and warm blue eyes and the kind of look who gets every girl he wanted. Jenna was suddenly put into cautious mode. He was with a black guy, who kept grinning from ear to ear. What the hell is he grinning about? And then there was a girl who looked Chinese with short black hair like Cleopatra's who was staring intently at Rose without an expression. Jenna concluded she didn't trust the group.

"You look lost," the cute guy smiled. Even Jenna admitted to herself that his smile was so infectious, she had to look away. "Can we help you?"

Rose opened her mouth to say something but Jenna suddenly cut in. "Are you scour guides or something? No thanks, we're okay."

The guy cocked an eyebrow at Jenna's haughty answer. The black guy's grin got even wider and the girl's stare was now fixed upon Jenna. And Rose's face looked like a tomato.

"Well, okay," he replied casually as they backed away.  "See you around."

"Hopefully not," Jenna muttered under her breath as she dragged Rose away. Once out of sight, Rose tugged her arm roughly from Jenna's grasp.

"What the hell was that about?" She demander angrily.

"Do you know what outcome extra nice people bring us? And you should have seen the black guy grinning like something mischievous is up and the girl, I don't like the way she stared at you, like she was jealous or something. I don't trust those guys," Jenna defended herself.

Rose's mouth hung open in unbelievable exasperation. "Wha...I know you have trust issues Jenna but how can anyone be so narrow minded? I-

"Excuse me," Jenna snapped. "Trust issues?"

"I hate your attitude Jenna," Rose growled.

"Well that's your problem," Jenna half screamed. A few heads turned to their direction.

Rose blushed visibly from embarrassment.
"Why don't you grow up for once?" She hissed ferociously. "You are embarrassing me."

"Oh so now I'm an embarrassment," Jenna said. "Fine. I'll leave you alone. Bye."

With that, she turned angrily from her and began to walk away.

"Jenna..."

She turned her head and gave her a contemptuous look and added, "And good riddance."

She smiled alone to herself as she walked away from Rose. A smile of hopelessness and frustration.

Rose and Jenna Hunter, the fighting twins, were always like that. It was hard for them to get along with each other since their attitude towards life varied so widely. Jenna felt that if Rose thought the way she does, there would be no misunderstandings. Likewise in Rose's case. However, they have one trait in common. A stubborn attitude. Neither of them were ready to be the soles of each other's shoes.