Twice The Trouble

Chapter 13: Soul Sisters

Sophia

The Miss Orion Beauty Pageant 2016.

After Stacy and the other contestants were summoned to the stage, I hoisted my green backpack behind me and exited the fitting room where my twin had vacated just a few minutes ago.

But before leaving the white cubicle, I had removed my gray vest, unbuttoned my white blouse,then folded both garments into proper squares which I plonked into my school bag.

Next, I pulled a white t-shirt over my head, then ran my fingers through my long brown hair tied back into a pony-tail. YOU CAN DO IT, STACY! was embossed on the very center of my tee.

With a cursory glance down at my white tee, a small smile formed on my lips as I exited the dressing room and dashed towards the humongous ocean of red velvet auditorium seats.

Where about six hundred students ranging from freshmen to seniors were scattered.

Oh Holy Night. I was still gobsmacked by how Stacy was able to sift through contests and pageants like this one. She was always impressive, not just as a sister, but as a candidate.

The smile was still etched on my face as I sifted through the large crowd of mingling teenagers and college students. I couldn't help but recall the times Stacy would practice the Q&A portion in her half of the bedroom, and she would use her pink comb as a mic while I was a judge.

Finally, I reached my designated row, where Liam, Matt, Emily, Spencer, and Cole were seated.

"You made it!" Spencer greeted me, and she patted the chair between her and Emily.

I just smiled at her and took my seat, my butt touching the soft red velvet furniture.

"Did you actually think she wouldn't come?" Cole asked Spencer in disbelief.

Emily giggled at my customized shirt and teased me for being a mushy sister.

"Li! Hey," I cheerfully acknowledged my blond friend, who was sandwiched by Matt and Spencer.

Liam smiled at me and said: "Hey, Sop." My eyes dropped to the rolled up banners in his arms.

I asked him: "You have them?"

"Of course," he said, back to his goofy and collected self. "I would never fail you, Sophia,"he added as he forked over the two tall rolls of tarpaulin to me.

Spencer stared at the tarpaulin I was stretching out between my arms. "What are those?"

Being one of the two people who were unaware of my sacred sisterly bond with Stacy, Spencer's jaw fell to the ground when she caught sight of the contents of my first banner.

The capital black letters WE LOVE YOU, STACY were stamped against a salmon background, and a giant printout of one of Stacy's best pictures was inertly on one corner of the banner.

"What the hell is that?" Matthew Rosales exclaimed as he sneaked a peek.

"It's a banner," I said dryly and handed it to him. "Here Matt, you, Cole and Liam hold it up and start waving it in the air whenever the spotlight is on Stacy, okay?"

"Funny," Matt replied wryly, but he helpfully grabbed a section of the upper rim.

Spencer watched as I splayed out the second banner from her side and spread it to Emily's corner.

The second tarpaulin had a different photo of my blonde, blue-eyed twin, but of course, she still looks fabulous and picturesque. This banner read out KEEP CALM AND DO IT, ACE! LOVE, SOP.