Chapter Forty-Three

Cat

I'm staring at my reflection in the mirror when Alice wakes up. Stretching her arms above her head and yawning, she asked, "Why are you pulling weird faces in the mirror?"

"I'm taking a moment to appreciate my stunning good looks," I replied, tapping the rubber end of the pencil I was holding on the dresser in front of me.

Her brow furrowed as she pulled her duvet over her head. I couldn't blame her for hiding, it was still early, and I'd cracked the curtains, so light was spilling into the room, making it somewhat blinding for anyone who had just opened their eyes.

I needed the light though and I couldn't wait all day for her to wake up, I wanted to get this rough sketch done before school, so I had something to work with in art club later. "How was the parent meet and greet?" I asked her duvet.

Alice groaned and shuffled under her duvet, rolling over onto her side. She didn't answer me.

"That bad, huh?" I'd been expecting it to be a breeze for her, she was always the friendly one of us, people loved her. Parents loved her. I knew this for certain because I'd spent my entire life being compared to her.

Why doesn't Cat have many friends like Alice does? Why is Cat always so moody, Alice isn't like that? Why does Cat keep to herself so much, Alice is so friendly it's strange that they aren't more alike?

I didn't blame Alice, I couldn't blame her, I blamed everyone else. Just because we were twins didn't mean we were the same person.

"Are you at least glad you got to meet Owen's parents finally? I know you've been hoping. It's a big step forward in your relationship. You must at least be pleased he's taking your relationship so seriously?" I urged. Personally, I thought he was an angry sack of shit, which I'd seen in play so knew was accurate, but who was I to tell my sister who to love. If she was happy, she was happy.

Alice didn't even groan this time, maybe she'd fallen back asleep. I'd have to wake her up soon to get ready for school, but there was no reason to bother her just yet, besides I still had more sketching to do.

At breakfast, Alice barely said two words when she walked in and sat at the kitchen table. She just sat there, spooning cereal into her mouth whilst I talked to mum about getting a lift to school. Mum acquiesced, she usually did if I applied enough pressure.

"One day I'm going to have you drive me around like I'm the Queen," said mum, grabbing the toast out of the toaster and coating it with strawberry jam.

"Today I am the Queen," I said winking at her as I sipped my tea. "You'll have your time, but it is not this day."

She came over to the kitchen table and slid into a seat, taking a bite of one of her toast triangles. When she'd swallowed, she looked between Alice and me. "It's nearly your birthday," she began.

Alice looked up, suddenly coming to life. "We have plans," she said. There was no energy behind her words like there usually was. She may have come to life, but she wasn't really acting like she was alive.

Mum waved her toast at her. "Yes, yes I know, but your party is in the evening."

"We still need time to set up," Alice interrupted. "Beach parties take a lot of planning."

"Will you let me finish please. I was going to say let's go somewhere for breakfast, get some pancakes or whatever you'd like. Your dad and I would like to at least spend a little time with you on your birthday, even if it's just breakfast." She raised a single brow at Alice. "Does that fit with your plans?"

Alice tapped a finger on her cheek thoughtfully. "I think that won't get in the way of my plans."

I stole a piece of toast from mum's plate and launched it at Alice. "Liar, you're just thinking with your stomach." Alice caught it, but not without squishing her thumb in the jam.

"Mmm," said Alice, shoving the whole thing into her mouth and grinning at me through stuffed cheeks.

"Hey, my toast," said mum, narrowing her eyes at me. "More of this thievery behaviour and you'll be getting nothing for your birthday."

I shrugged and offered her my best smile. "I don't need material things; your love is sufficient."

Alice spoke through her mouth full of toast, spraying bits of crumbs onto the table. "She doesn't speak for me."

"How is your party prep coming along?" Mum questioned, finishing off her toast and taking her plate to the sink to wash.

I looked at Alice, I'd not been involved at all, just like I wanted. However, Alice hadn't been pulling punches when it came to her showing her displeasure over my lack of involvement. Which wasn't exactly fair, I didn't even want to have a party, it wasn't like I had a pool of friends to invite like Alice did.

"Rach and Tia are going to help me with some of the final prep tomorrow." Alice caught my eye and a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. It was small, but it was definitely there. "Cat has a new friend she's bringing."

My mum spun around, her soapy hands dripping on the kitchen floor. "You have a new friend Cat?"

I shot Alice a look. "Maybe," I replied, carefully.

"Who are they? What are they like? When can I meet them?"

"She's just a new friend, mum." I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know what to tell you."

"I can tell you she was worried about how she looked before she went to meet her the other day," said Alice, staring into her cereal bowl.

My mouth gaped at her. What was she doing? Why was she telling mum all this? What about the sister code? "Alice!"

Alice looked up, surprise on her face. "What? You were." She hadn't even realised what she'd done, the cheek of it! "I've never seen you like that with anyone before. It was weird."

"If I'm weird, you're weirder," I replied, turning away from her in a huff. Sure, I'd been like that before, I cared what people thought about how I looked. Sometimes. Ok never, but that was not the point here.

"I'm glad you've found another friend Cat," said my mum, giving me a meaningful look. "I worry about you sometimes, that you don't have as many friends as Alice. I was worried about what would happen when you go to college, but this shows I clearly had no need to worry."

"I'm just picky about the friends I keep," I said dismissively. Addie was just special. No, she wasn't, she was just Addie, not special to me. I shook my head, bewildered by my own thought process. Addie was a new friend, and she was a good friend, that was it. "Can we not talk about this anymore please," I said, marching out of the room.

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