Falling In Love With My Identical

Chapter One: Was It the Pep Rally Gaze or Graze?

Lucy Nash

The pep rally nears the end, announcing the commencement of the annual track and field event between the various houses of Regius Academy, the secondary school in which I am in the first form. I'm sitting on the bleachers watching the cheer squad from high up, when the movement of a body catches my eyes. The caramel skin tone, like mine, identifies who it is. "Lucy?" Shakar says taking a seat next to me. "Hey!" I say a little too pitched, showing my insincerity without meeting my eyes to Shakar's.

After hearing the news of Shakar's little crush I've been trying to avoid him, not that it was hard since I barely see him anymore. But before my obliviousness, Shakar was one of my close friends.

He really is cool for his nerdy appearance and I came about knowing this because he sits next to me in class. He would always let me borrow the highlighters he gets from his mother's stationery store every time I forgot mine. I would always notice the little things, like when I often catch him glaring in my direction with his delightful, dampened smile.

Wait! You didn't think Shakar liked me, did you? Cute. That would be less of an issue. Shakar however, had done the one thing I warned him not to and that was to fall for Tracy Cartier, my best friend, who sits in the seat to the other side of me. That explains the constant glances.

"I know that Cameron told you that I like Tracy the other day."

The three days that passed seems so long ago. I was surprised that Cameron told me that after our previous messages. My brain is still trying to stir up a decent reason behind his actions, but I push my thoughts back, focusing on Shakar.

"But I don't-I mean-I did but not anymore." He clarifies. He opens his mouth to speak but closes them again and opens it once more saying rather quickly, "I should've listened and been honest to you when you first confronted me"

"I can't tell you how to live your life. I was just trying to save you from getting hurt. Yes, this sounds like some quote from a movie but it's factual that no matter how flirty Tracy is, she won't be able to stop liking him." I say before he gets another word out. Not for now at least, my sub conscious adds as if I should say that statement out loud to soften the blow. I decide against it for the sake of not giving Shakar false hope.

Shakar looks embarrassed and hurt as he bounces his forefoot, creating an effect as if in attempt to sooth a baby. "Rejection is a pain when it's inevitable." He sighs slouching forward.

His woeful words confuse me, leading me to ask, "She knows?" But when he shakes his head no, I continue, "You were so transparent though, now that I think about it."

"Exactly."

The sound of the intense pep rally is drowned out by the ear-piercing silence between me and Shakar. The echo of the loud sound emitting from cymbals startles me and I notice that the marching band has already made a lap around the track.

"I gotta go to where my house is." I say getting Shakar to raise his head from the video game he was now lost in.

"I might as well do the same." He replies standing. His Indian accent thicker than usual and a smile tugging at his lips.

The houses carpet the stands and as I arrive where everyone stands in garments colored lavender, a voice immediately attacks me.

"Get over to the starting line, Lucy. The relay race is first" Addie, short for Addelyn says. She's the captain of one of the seven houses of our school, my house, and is very serious when it comes to sporting events. "I'm going. I'm going. Jeez lad." I say to mock her posh but subtle English accent. Since I am new and they need athletes of my age group, my house signed me up for a few races, probably because I look all hale and hearty.