Perfect Twins

Chapter 3.

Samuel's first week went smoothly, but there hadn't been a second where the twins didn't cross his mind; how could they not after they've been bullied in every class he had them in? They were bullied for stupid things like their clothes or their hair, which Samuel found normal. They were bullied for things they used to do, like hide in the toilets  or always tuck their tops into their trousers or skirts. In every class he watched them carefully, looking at their reaction in detail, they always moved their heads away when they were being teased, they prevented eye contact, they would stiffen in their seats, Samuel could imagine them thinking of something else to prevent them from crying.

Samuel couldn't help but notice how different they were. They were never with anyone else; they were never seen in the lunch hall, or in the classrooms. He once decided to go in the library again, but pretend to not go for them. He saw them in their spot again, at the far corner, reading or drawing, or even chatting sometimes. It made him wonder what was it that was so special or unique about them?

"What's so different about the twins?" Samuel asked mike.

Mike bend down to catch his breath after running around the school field playing with other classmates. He looked up at Samuel, his face red and sweating, "what do you mean?"

"How did all this with the twins start?"

Mike stood straight and sighed when his breathing went back to normal, "I don' know." He said quickly, frowning as he tried to bring back his memories, "the earliest memory I have is..." His eyes opened wide and a smirk grew in his pink cheeks, "oh. I wasn't there when this happened, but I heard that once, they cut up this boy so bad, but apparently they didn't even touch him. They're freaks all in all."

At first, Samuel was shocked and his heart beat quickened, he didn't think he'd ever look at the twins again, but now that he thought about it, he smiled and shook his head disappointedly, there was no way they would ever do that to someone. He couldn't even imagine them hurting a fly, at least he knew Lucy would never do that. Janet on the other hand... He wasn't sure. 

***

Something strange had happened in Math's class. Samuel just stared at the twins the entire time. They shared a table at the front since the back of the class was where all the bad kids were. In his mind, the teacher's voice was just white noise. So many questions crossed over his mind about them; like-

One of the twins stiffened and shrunk in her seat. He still couldn't tell the difference between them, didn't know if that was moody Janet or sweet Lucy. The other twin whispered to her worriedly, he guessed that was Lucy. Janet trembled a little. Lucy put her hand on her back and rubbed it gently.

"J-Janet." Samuel called. Everyone stopped talking, even the teacher stopped, they paused and perhaps for the first time ever, the class was in utter silence. He felt like he was on stage and the spot light was shining directly on him. Nervous? Why would the class suddenly shut up when he called one of their names? Ah, that's right, no one called the twins by their names.

Lucy and Janet turned in shock... why would they be shocked?

"A-are you feeling okay?" He said a little less confidently.

Janet snapped her head away and Lucy's eyes widened even more.

"Do you want to go to the nurse?" Mrs. Jackson asked suddenly.

Janet hesitated and glanced at Lucy. Lucy nodded to her and Janet quietly whispered, "yes" to the teacher.

"Samuel would take you." Mrs. Jackson said.

What? Samuel opened his mouth in surprise, if there were anyone he wouldn't mind to take to the medical, it would be Lucy, definitely not Janet.

"U-um." Janet stuttered. The students started giggling.

"What is it carrot head?" Mike mocked, "can't leave your sister for two seconds?" He puckered his lips and made kissing sounds. His crew bursted into laughter while the others giggled amongst themselves. 

"Enough Mike." Mrs. Jackson demanded, she then turned to Janet "don't question me."

Samuel lazily got up from his chair followed soon after by Janet as everyone else started giggling and snickering behind their backs. The corridor was empty and quiet. The only things they could hear were their footsteps or the sudden shouts of teachers from the classrooms. Samuel glanced back at Janet to see her head low and her walking pace was slow. He knew she wasn't normally that slow, as soon as class finished, he saw how quickly the two would walk to the library. He sighed.

"You're awfully slow." He complained. But she didn't reply. He couldn't take this silence, "and you're awfully quiet." He stopped to wait for her to catch up, but she stopped in her tracks as well. "Something wrong?"
She slowly looked up at him, her hazel eyes finally meeting his, but her eyes were filled with concern and hurt. "How did you tell?"

"Tell what?"

"How did you tell the difference between Lucy and me? You couldn't possibly see Lucy's beauty spot... so how did you tell?"

"Well... I think it's because you show less emotion, and I just guessed."

She sighed and lowered her head, "why do you treat us like this?" Her voice was barely audible.

"What?"

"Why do you treat us like this?" She said louder and more aggressive.

"I-I don't..."

"You treat us like we're normal to you!"

"But you are!"

She tensed up a little, "w-why don't you just listen to the other kids?"

Samuel paused and looked away, "I'm not the type of person to listen to rumors, Jan. I don't quickly make assumptions, not when I don't see for myself."

Janet sighed and walked to Samuel, "you continue being this nosey it would only make you regret it." She walked passed him, her feet dragging with her.

"Mike told me that you and Lucy hurt a boy without touching him." Samuel said, making Janet stop. "Is it true?"

After a few seconds of eerie silence, Janet turned to him, "people make all types of stories about us just so they could have something to talk about."

That didn't answer his question, but he took it as it was, and they started to walk together now, feeling a little more comfortable in the silence.

"It seems like we're here." Samuel sighed in relief. They reached the end of the corridor to open the doors, but Janet stopped him.

"Sam." She said, her head down. Samuel still had his hand on the door handle, ready to open it.

"What is it?"

"Don't feel like we're becoming friends. Stay away from us, I'm begging you. I'm not even saying it for myself, it's not because I'm a loner or anything, it's just...." Samuel waited for her to finish her point, she looked up, her eyes a little red and glistening, "it's just... I don't want the same thing that happened to that boy to happen to you or anyone else."

He froze, but before he could say anything, Janet disappeared to the other side of the door and went to the reception desk. So many... so many questions formed in Samuel's head at that moment.