Taboo

Chapter One

     "I think you're in over your head." Alessa said, dropping her book bag on the floor as she slid into the chair beside her twin. "You always think that." Elena muttered, not looking up from her book. A little annoyed by being ignored, Alessa plucked the book from Elena's hands and closed it before hiding it behind her back. "You're not listening to me." Alessa sighed. "You only say the same things over and over anyway. You said I'm in over my head." Elena sighed, turning in her chair so that she faced her sister. "Yeah, but you don't know why." Alessa argued, handing the book back to Elena. Elena sighed again, resting her head in her hand and looking at Alessa with big olive-green eyes that Alessa envied. "Okay, humour me. What am I in over my head about this time?" Elena asked, a playfully coy smirk on her face. Alessa envied that smirk.

     "You copied your homework. Don't you think Dad will find out?" Alessa asked, crossing her legs over her private school uniform. "Why would he find out?" Elena asked, raising her eyebrows. She didn't seem genuinely curious or worried about it, though. "Because he didn't see you doing your homework all weekend, and he knows you don't get the concept we're covering." Alessa answered. Elena had cheated and copied other classes' homework, sure, but to copy homework in the class that their father taught? It seemed too risky, even for Elena. "So? Maybe I did my homework this morning on the bus." Elena still didn't seem phased by it all.

     Alessa opened her mouth to protest, but someone interrupted them before Alessa could actually say anything. "Hey, Elena, did you do your homework?" Their friend, Alma Beckman, asked as she walked closer to the two of them. "Yeah, this morning on the bus." Elena answered smoothly, just as their father came into the room, straightening his tie. "Mind if I copy?" Alma asked, her blue eyes brightening with the flicker of hope. "Sorry, but I can't. That's wrong." Elena said in a voice that was too fake to be believable. Alma looked behind her quickly, noticing Mr. Marino, and nodded quickly at Elena. "You're right, sorry." She said, taking her seat behind Elena. Elena cast a grin at her sister, who just rolled her eyes.

     The sisters couldn't be any different, both physically and mentally. Elena was more outgoing and headstrong, with olive-green eyes and curly brown hair, usually wearing things their father didn't approve of generally, and always getting in over her head and biting off more than she could choose. Alessa was the level-headed and calm one of the two, with plait-straight brown hair usually worn in a ponytail and eyes a deep chocolate brown, always following the rules and never doing anything she shouldn't. Together, they were the perfect balance, and they got along amazingly. They didn't really need anyone but themselves. 

     "Everyone, please pass your homework up so we can get started on today's lesson." Mr. Marino said, eyeing his daughters from his desk. He knew they acted out whenever they were together. "Good morning to you, too, Mr. Marino!" Simon Brancato yelled from the back of the class. This was laughed at by most of his idiotic friends, two of which were in the same gang as Elena and Alessa's brother, Romano. The gang was called The Aces, and they were easily spotted by their matching fedoras - which, of course, were not allowed to be worn during school hours. "Shut it, Simon, before I send you to the principal's." Mr. Marino snapped. Simon didn't say anything more, but him and his friends were still laughing. Alessa rolled her eyes.

     No sooner had she rolled her eyes, a note landed on her desk, folded up into a neat little triangle. Definitely from Elena. Elena added her own personal flare to everything she did. Alessa loved it. Making sure not to be seen or heard, Alessa quickly unfolded the triangle with a little bit of trouble before finally reading the note. Donnie looks cute today. Alessa's eyes widened a little, wondering if she and her sister were thinking of the same Donnie. Not Donnie Williams, surely. Elena was crazy, but was she really crazy enough to like a colored boy? You're crazy, Alessa wrote, tossing the note back to her sister and praying she hadnt been seen. Elena picked up the note as quickly as she could, giving a slight frown when she noticed it wasn't folded back up into a little triangle the way it had been sent. 

     Passing the small collection of papers to the person in front of her, Alessa grabbed the note when it was dropped back onto her desk. You didn't fold my note back up, Ale :( and yes, I'm crazy, so what? You have to admit, he's cute. Alessa raised her eyebrows, refraining from shaking her head the way she always did when Elena said something crazy or did something that Alessa would never think of doing. Glancing quickly at her father to see if he was looking, Alessa scribbled the hasty response He's colored, Elena! He isn't cute to me! before tossing it back, not even thinking of folding it. Elena looked down at the unfolded note and read it, and was about to write a response when someone clearing their throat captured her attention. Elena looked up from her seat in the third row and grinned up innocently at her father at his desk at the front of the room.

     "Elena, where's your homework?" Mr. Marino asked, questioning eyebrows raised. "I turned it in." Elena answered with complete honesty and sincerity. "I didn't see you working on it over the weekend." Mr. Marino countered, his eyes squinted slightly. Alessa felt her throat go dry, but she knew Elena wasn't worrying. Elena never worried. "I did it this morning on the bus." Elena answered just as calmly as before. Mr. Marino was quiet for awhile as he analyzed Elena's face, as if looking for a tell. Everyone in the room was silent, knowing that when Elena was infuriated, she'd yell at anyone, even a teacher. "Next time, do it at home. That's why they call it homework." Mr. Marino muttered, giving up and turning to the chalkboard, hastily writing down different calculations. Elena turned to her sister, grinning arrogantly. "Told you I wouldn't get caught." She mouthed, giving Alessa a wink.