String of Fate

Chapter Twenty Seven

I yelped when the bag was pulled from my shoulder. I grabbed the strap as I turned, seeing JJ there instead of someone I didn't know. Her long red hair tied back away from her face as she had just finished her squash practice. "I can carry my bag myself, you know. How was practice today?"

"Long as usual. Sometimes, I think that I should just quit because the teacher is annoying and spends way too much time talking, but then I realise that I have too much fun playing." She replied, falling into step beside me as we headed home from the leisure centre together like we usually did. "How was practice for you, though?"

"It was fun. I beat my time today. That's the first time in a month that I've done that but my time before was already good. Coach thinks that I can go to the Olympics. Not yet, of course, but maybe by the time that I'm twenty. People think that I'm at a disadvantage since I'm short but I'm still pretty fast. The coach has told me that I'm the fastest on the team." I rambled, stretching a little as the two of us walked together. "Sorry. I know that you probably don't want to hear all this boring stuff about swimming."

"It's not that bad. You probably have no idea what I talk about when I spout a bunch of squash terms during a conversation anyway." JJ answered. It must be bugging her to walk so slowly to match pace with my short legs. She quickly rummaged in her bag for something and put a hat on my head. "Artemis, how many times have I told you to dry your hair before you come out? You could catch a cold. It's only the beginning of the year and it won't be good for your career if you come down with a cold, especially at this time of year."

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Arty?! I hate my parent's stupid Greek mythology addiction and my stupid name. I mean, do I look like a Greek goddess!" I grumbled, still, I liked the fact that she worried about me. I'd forgotten how many times she'd given me her hat to guard my short hair from the cold. "Thank you for the hat, though, JJ."

"If we're going to be complaining about names, it's less of a mouthful than Joanne-Jennifer. I don't know what my parents were thinking when they named me. It's like they couldn't decide what name to give me so they just decided on both." JJ replied. We continued walking for a little bit. "You're welcome for the hat, too."

We both fell a little quiet as we continued walking in the direction of our homes, which were lucky enough to be on the same street. It meant that we always walked home together from our practices at the leisure centre. I liked how the two of us always walked back together and it meant that the two of us were close even in our group of friends.

"So, are you looking forward to your birthday tomorrow?" I questioned, thinking of the stuff that I had bought JJ for her birthday. There was a bag that she had liked while shopping a few days ago, a wrist-sweat band that had a cute little heart and would suit her girly side, a necklace with a seahorse charm (she loved seahorses) and a purse covered in her favourite dog breed. Well, it looked like they were pugs, and the receipt said pug, but sometimes I wasn't so sure. I really hoped that she would like all her presents from me.

"A little, but I'm also a little nervous. I'm going to finally be sixteen. I kind of hate the fact that I'm younger than you by nearly four months. Everyone always thinks that I'm the older one just because of my height." JJ explained. Since she was so tall compared to me, she did look like the older one – and she acted way more mature than me. I didn't mind. I didn't really want to grow up yet. Growing up was not a thing on my 'To Do' list just yet. "Have you got a string yet?"

"Nope. Not yet." I answered instinctively, checking my left hand out of habit. It still hadn't appeared after four months, even though my twin brother's string had appeared after less than a month. It was weird to think that I would be the older one in the relationship. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't worried. There was actually a part of me that was hoping that JJ was at the end of my string, but I didn't know if it was possible.