Identically Different

Identically Different 4

James’s POV

I awoke, hot breath on my neck and soft hair tickling my torso. My partner’s chin rested tiredly on my shoulder, the fingers of her left hand lightly tangled in my hair.

My arms were already around her, just where I felt they should be.

I glanced to my brother who’d moved away from me to be on the other side of the bed to be near Samantha, thus trapping the identical girls in the middle. They were still both sleeping, Evan on his back with Sami’s left cheek on his chest, her long blonde hair covering  most of his upper body. His arm caressed her waist gingerly and her left hand was carefully gripping his right shoulder. 

I felt Nikki shudder under my touch. I suddenly felt protective, but she smiled serenely, tranquilly as she let herself sink closer to me. I sighed, glad she was ok.

I wanted to see if I could send her thoughts, like she does with her sister; like my brother does with Sami. If my twin brother could send them to his partner, why wouldn’t I be able to? But, then again, I can’t even send my thoughts to Evan.

‘James? Are you awake?’ I felt Nikki pull away from me as she rubbed the sleep from her vibrant eyes.

I nodded trying to send one back, not sure what I was supposed to do.

She grinned at me. Her smile was so beautiful, ‘That’s cute, James.’

So she could already hear me.

‘If you just think and send it my way, I can hear you.’

Nikki turned her attention on Evan and Sami, still sleeping exceptionally close to one another. She looked mad. Almost territorial.

Her face scrunched up in thought and concentration. “Why can’t I send them to him?!” She yelled ferociously. “Come on, Evan! That’s my sister, let up!”

I went to the bathroom, meaning not to be a part of any of this.

I watched them carefully as through the door that I’d purposely left slightly ajar. Nikki glared at them both, getting nowhere.

Sami opened her eyes. A smile crept on her face and she winked, her face flushed. She pulled herself out of Evan’s unconscious hold and walked to her sister, to hug her. She still had scars and sores from our battles for partners.

“How’d you sleep?” She felt at one of Nikki’s cracked ribs. The doctor had slipped me some medicine to give to her, so it should be healing almost painlessly.

“Surprisingly well,” she answered, still glowering at Evan.

Why was she so mad?

I knew that Evan didn’t like Nichole, he made that known, but until now, he hasn’t seemed to get to her. I didn’t understand what it could have been.

The girls’ gazes changed often and I was sure that they were exchanging thoughts. If only I could hear them, I might gain some idea of what was going on.....

I walked out of the bathroom brushing my hair, catching Nikki’s hard, scornful glare.

New as I was to this place, I didn’t understand my thoughts and feelings, but I was worried about Nichole, and that I knew.

Nichole’s face was flushed bright red, her eyes puffy as tears streaked her face. Sami dabbed her sister’s face dry with her pajama sleeve.

What about her made me want to hold her when she cried?

Everything about her is so complex. She’s like a book that’s hard to read and harder to understand but even so, you can’t  put it down.

I want to get into her head, to know her.