The Difference Between You and Me

Chapter 3

Ammie walked up to her house and sat on the highest step. Somehow, she didn't feel like going into the house just yet, so instead she just sat there staring out at the scenery in front of her. She watched as Mr. Henry, her neighbour washed his car as if it was his most prized possession, and Billy Bobs chasing his dog down the street as he always did. But what held her attention were Mia and Sia Collins, the ten year old twin sisters who live across the street from her. She saw how happy they were playing with each other, bonding with each other and neither of them seeming to get tired of the other.

An outsider looking on would never have guessed that they were twins because they looked so different from each other. Mia is olive skinned with long straight dark hair and brown eyes while Sia has chocolatey-brown skin, deep curly, kinky, medium length, brown hair and hazel eyes. But they both share an ever so spirited personality and were inseparable.

Ammie suddenly felt a tinge of something deep down inside, a feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't sadness, because that was a feeling she had long since numbed herself against. But as this feeling came so did the memory of the week in summer five years ago. The week she spent with her twin sister whom she had seen that week for the first time since she left at three years old. But despite knowing that it was her twin, her other half and seeing the distinct resemblance she remembered thinking it was all so surreal.

She had wondered why this girl, or her new family didn't try to contact her and why after nine years she turned up to meet with her and her mother. But then Ammie thought about all that her sister had told her and how immediately she had forgiven her. She had never thought that she could've had such a wonderful time with someone. But thinking about it now, she realized that it wasn't the person that made that week so undeniably unforgettable, but the bond they both shared despite the opposite personalities.

Ammie smiled at the memory of when they had tried to outsmart one of her friends as to who was who because both Ammie and her sister looked exactly alike. But they failed at this friendly play because her friend knew Ammie by her sarcastic, mean personality and her sister was the complete opposite, she was a sweet, kind soul. Their week together had lasted forever but ended soon after and so did her joy ever since.

Realizing that it was getting late and she had to prepare dinner for herself and brothers, Ammie got up from the step, taking her book bag along with her and went inside the house. As soon she opened the door, she was greeted by a heavy waft of barbeque steak and baked sweet potatoes.

What?

She thought to herself following the scent to the kitchen where she saw her mother in a white apron tied around her work clothes, with her back turned and bended over into the oven turning a piece of sweet potato and whilst humming to herself.

Why is mom home so early? Ammie asked herself as she sat on a chair around the table and placed her bag on the floor. It was probably to some, senseless that she would ask these questions and have these conversations in her head instead of talking with actual persons but to her it made perfect sense.

And, why does she seem particularly happy?

"Oh. Hi honey", Katy piped up upon seeing Ammie, "how was school today?"

"Uh...it was okay. Why are you here and...happy?" Ammie asked, sounding completely weirded out as if being happy was the worst and most alien thing a human being could do.

"Well I'm here early because I have big news for you and your brothers and I was too excited to wait so I wanted to come home and celebrate," Katy squealed.

"Oh," Ammie simply replied, took an apple from the fruit basket and began munching on it as she scrolled through We Heart It on her phone not seeming to be any more interested in what made her mom so happy.