Twin Brothers

by Mia Ford

  “Reese, Duh. He just bought a killer new sound system for his car and wants to show it off,” he said.

  “Where does he get the money for stuff like that?” my mom asked.

  It was a question that had occurred to me, but one I never really pursued because it really didn't matter all that much to me. But I had thought about it briefly given that my brother worked at the same club and couldn't even afford his own toilet paper – he made our parents buy it for him.

  “I dun no. Side jobs and stuff,” Luke said, not meeting our gaze. “What's it matters to you? At least he's making a living, right?”

  “Unlike someone we know,” I muttered under my breath.

  “You're just jealous and you have a massive crush, Maya,” Luke said. I turned bright red. “But keep dreaming. There's no way he'd ever be into a nerdy little high schooler like you.”

  “I don't have a crush,” I lied, looking down at my textbook as if mitochondria and nuclei were the most interesting subjects on the planet. “I would never have a crush on one of your loser friends, Luke.”

  “Ha. Yeah, right. We both see the way you gawk at him every time he comes over,” he sneered. “You're not fooling anyone.”

  “Enough!” My mom shouted, putting her hands up between us. “Stop it already. Just stop arguing. I'm trying to watch my movie.”

  I glared at Luke and he smirked at me. He knew he was right. And even worse, I knew he was right. He knew I had a crush on Reese, and no matter what I said, there was no denying it. And now that Reese knew, well, that would make running into him even more awkward than it already was.

  I picked up my textbook, slammed it shut and walked toward my room. The tears were fresh in my eyes and stung, but I couldn't cry in front of Luke. I couldn't give my obnoxious brother anymore reason to smirk or laugh at me than he already had.

  Only a few more weeks until graduation, then I was off to college, I reminded myself. I'd be going to North-western, so not terribly far – but far enough that I would be able to avoid my brother and his friend. I'd meet other boys at college and forget that Reese even existed, I was sure of it. I was going to meet more worthy boys, not boys who worked at nightclubs and likely sold drugs on the side to live an expensive lifestyle that he otherwise shouldn't have been able to afford.

  It was hard being eighteen and a virgin still, but I'd survive. One day, I'd find the right boy and we'd have sex and it would be magical. Reese would be a distant, shameful memory. And sooner or later, he'd wise up and drop my brother, the wannabe gangster. Then I would be the one laughing at Luke.

  But until then, I'd hide away in my room, do what I needed to do to get ready for college, and escape from it all. I'd watch from my window as the two of them played basketball, laughing to myself as Reese obliterated my brother every time. Luke sucked at basketball – most sports, really. He only played so he could look cool next to his new friend from the city. The basketball hoop attached to our garage was just beneath my window, so sometimes they'd catch me watching. Luke would flip me off, Reese would roll his eyes and pretend I wasn't there.

  But I could always find some measure of escape in my room. And by escaping, I, of course, meant masturbating, because God knew, I was still very much a young, warm blooded woman with needs and desires that needed to be met.

  And yes, I often imagined Reese while I touched myself. Because I knew that he was just the right type of bad who could talk me out of my panties. He'd let me do all the dirty things my heart desired – and I wouldn't have to feel guilty about any of them. Not with Reese.

  Not that it would ever happen, of course.

  Which is why they were called fantasies.

  A Few Months Later

  Allie poked her head into my room with an overzealous smile. “We're all going to a club downtown, wanna join us?”

  Inwardly, I groaned and stared down at the textbook in my lap. I was studying for a test, my first one in my chemistry class and I wanted to ace it. But there was some small spark of desire in me to get out and have some fun.

  “Come on, the test isn't until next week, Maya,” Allie said, rolling her eyes at me. “Don't you want to get to know your sorority sisters?”

  Yes, my sorority sisters. Me, of all people, had pledged a sorority – though, it hadn't been my choice. No, my mother had insisted I pledge. She'd been a Delta Lambda back in her college days and wanted her little girl to be her legacy. Even though sororities were so not my thing. I got in – thanks to my mother being an alumna – but I never really fit in. The girls – and my mother – kept trying to get me to come out of my shell, but it hadn't taken very well.

  “You're a smart girl, Maya. Smarter than most people I know,” my mother had once told me. “You don't have to study all the time to do well. Go out with your sisters, make some memories. Heck, maybe meet a good man like I did with your father.”

  I tried telling my mom I wasn't interested in meeting a husband, not while I was in college. Not with medical school on the horizon. I didn't want that to deter me from my dreams. I could meet a husband afterward, once I'd gotten settled into my career. I had plenty of time and wasn't in any hurry.

  And as far as the sorority went, well, I wasn't thrilled to be a sorority girl. Though, I had to admit – if only to myself – that it was nice to have friends and feel like I was part of the cool crowd for a change. I knew my mom was right about getting out and creating memories with my newfound friends. I didn't want to look back at this part of my life twenty years into the future and remember that all I had were books and tests in my life. There was a part of me that wanted some fun and some wild stories to tell. And Allie seemed cool enough – so did a few of the other girls.

  “What club? You know I can't get into most clubs because I'm not twenty-one –”

  Allie held up what appeared to be an ID – an ID I knew had to be fake. “We have you covered, girlie. And we're headed to the Neon Dragon – that hip place downtown.”

  The Neon Dragon. Why did that name ring a bell? Then it hit me. My brother worked there. At least, he had once upon a time. Not that long ago really. He'd not so surprisingly managed to get himself fired for drinking on the job. His good friend Reese still worked there, though. If I was going to go – and I was leaning toward going – I knew I would just have to avoid the DJ booth since he knew I wasn't twenty-one.

  “I've never been to a club before,” I said, biting my lip. “I don't think I even know how to dress for it.”

  Allie squealed with delight, as if I'd already told her I was going. I hadn't given her an affirmative answer yet, but she heard one anyway.

  “That's fine, you can borrow something from me or my roomie – you're about the same size as Lauren, I think. You have some curves on ya, girlie – you can totally look sexy, you know. In the right outfit, with the right makeup – you'll be a sex kitten in no time, doll.”

  I cringed. “I'm so not a sex kitten.”

  “Don't you worry, we can change that,” Allie said with a wink. “Come on, let's get you dressed!”

  Allie took my hand, yanking me from my bed and onto my feet. My textbook fell to the floor with a clatter and a rustle of pages as she dragged me down the hallway to her room. When we entered, Lauren – a stunning blonde girl with crystal blue eyes – gave me the stink eye. She was sitting at her desk, staring at herself in the mirror as she meticulously applied her eyeliner – acting for all the world as if she was painting the Sistine Chapel. Maybe in her mind, she was.

  “She's going?” Lauren asked, not bothering to look up from the mirror.

  “If we can get her the perfect outfit, yes,” Allie said with a smile. “Won't this be fun? A makeover for Maya!”

  Yeah, fun. Right. I sat down on Allie's bed nervously. “Well if she doesn't want me to go, I can –”

  Lauren turned around, one eye finished, the other makeup-free. It was sort of odd – yet magical – how she could do so much with makeup. Her eyes looked like they belonged to different people
.

  “No, I think it'll be fun,” Lauren said. “She needs to loosen up a bit, anyway.”

  “Loosen up a bit?” I scoffed.

  Both Allie and Lauren looked at me, eyebrows raised. They didn't need to say a word; I knew what they were thinking and knew they were right.

  “I'll pick out the outfit,” Allie said, opening up the closet door and rummaging through it, tossing skirts and sparkly items I couldn't make out onto the bed next to me. “You get her makeup, Lauren.”

  “Can you do that to me?” I asked, motioning toward her eye.

  “Do what?” she asked, cocking her head to the side, confused.

  “The thing – with your eyes.” I moved my finger around the corners of my eye. “The eyeliner, I mean.”

  Lauren laughed, turning toward the mirror and getting to work on her other eye. “Wow, this is really going to be interesting, Allie. What a nice little project this one will be.”

  I wanted to argue that I wasn't a project or a toy – but again, I knew they were probably right. I hardly ever wore makeup. Maybe a little lip gloss or powder, but that was it. I just didn't spend as much time dolling myself up as some of the girls.

  As I stared into the big mirror across from me, my auburn hair was pulled back in a messy bun, my pale white face was covered in freckles. I had a hard time imagining myself looking like either of them – both Allie and Lauren were the perfect cheerleader types and every man's fantasy. Blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect makeup and hair, clothing and accessories not unlike what you'd see on a runway.

  And there I was, messy hair, freckled face, in penguin pyjama pants and an old grey t-shirt. The exact opposite of the girls in front of me.

  So yeah, maybe I was a bit of a project.

  Allie picked out an outfit for me - a black skirt that hugged my hips and fell just below my butt and a sheer long-sleeved red top that showed off my black bra clearly. I stared in the mirror and gawked at my reflection. Sure, I had a nice figure from having parents that scrutinized every little thing I ate, but this was showing it off a bit too much.

  “Lovely,” Allie said, beaming with pride. “What do you think, Lauren?”

  “I think that top looks better on me, but whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes. “She looks awesome though. Can't even tell she's a bookworm.”

  “Now for the hair...” Allie said, pulling my messy bun loose. My auburn waves fell over my shoulders and Allie looked impressed. “Nice. I'll just clean those waves up and that should work.”

  Lauren pulled me over and applied makeup, but wouldn't let me look in the mirror until I was done. Allie stood over her shoulder, watching and commenting as she worked. I'd never had someone apply my makeup before, so it felt weird – as weird as wearing fake eyelashes and eyeliner, both a first for me. My eyelashes felt heavy, the makeup felt thick on my face. I almost felt like a clown, like these girls were playing a joke on me, but when Lauren turned me around – I didn't recognize the girl looking back at me in the mirror.

  “What do you think?”

  “It's – or rather, I'm – beautiful,” I said softly, touching my cheek. It was powdery soft.

  My eyes were larger – almost too large for my face. The green in my hazel eyes shone brighter than before, thanks to the eyeshadow Lauren used. My lips were supple and red, but there was no sticky lip gloss in sight.

  “You like?”

  “I love it,” I said, a note of awe in my voice.

  The two girls smiled proudly behind me. “See? There's hope for her yet.”

  I wasn't sure what Allie was talking about, but it didn't matter. They rounded up the other girls, all of whom were surprised by my transformation, and we headed downtown to the Neon Dragon.

  Even though it had been months since I'd last seen Reese – and I doubt he'd remember me anyway – I had to wonder what he'd think of me now. The new me. The prettier, less nerdy me.

  I couldn't wait to run into him and see what he thought – see if he regretted missing out on this new me. As we rode in the Uber, all of us crammed together in the car, I couldn't help but wonder if that was my motivation for doing this. After everything my brother had said, all the mocking and teasing about my crush on his friend and him telling me that Reese just thought I was weird, I was going to show them once and for all.

  I was sure this wasn't what my mom had in mind when she told me to be social, but hell, I was doing exactly what she wanted me to do.

  And I'd show them all.

  ooo000ooo

  The first thing I noticed upon entering the club was that no one – and I mean no one – was sober. Most of the people around me looked stoned or high, staring off into space and dancing like they were off in their own little world – which, they probably were. Electronic music blasted through the speakers, drowning out any potential conversation you might want to have, and the place reeked like booze and vomit.

  Very glamorous indeed.

  We pushed our way through the crowds, headed to the bar. I had a wristband that was given to me at the door saying I was, indeed, twenty-one. Even though I wasn't.

  “What'll you have, beautiful?” The bartender asked. He was a good-looking guy, so to hear him call me beautiful made me blush.

  And I continued to blush as I tried to think of what to order. There weren't any menus like at restaurants and I'd never ordered a drink before, so I was at a loss. I stared, wide-eyed at the bartender and then turned to my friends who laughed at my naiveté.

  “Let's do shots!” Allie shouted. “Together, as sisters, come on!”

  She ordered the shots and the bartender – his name was Chad – poured and passed them out to us. I had no idea what I was holding, but it smelled like death. It was clear, and once Allie gave the word, I followed the lead of my sisters and drank it down. It burned my throat and for a second, I feared I might throw it all back up.

  “What the hell was that?” I asked Allie.

  “Vodka.”

  “Straight?” I said.

  “Yeah,” she smiled. “Good stuff, huh?”

  Not really – it tasted like ass, I thought to myself. I decided to take it easy from there on out, and told Chad to surprise me with something yummy. He smiled as he put together some mysterious concoction and then passed me a brightly colored drink with an umbrella poking out the top.

  “Sex on the Beach. It's a good beginner's drink,” he said with a wink. “Think of it like the training wheels of the drinking world.”

  “What do you –”

  “I can tell it's your first time,” he said with a smirk. “I can always tell when it's a girl's first time.”

  The double entendre wasn't lost on me. I thanked him and turned away, blushing, as I sipped the fruity concoction, which was actually pretty good, I was surprised to find. The girls started dancing, yanking me to the floor with them. I started dancing – or tried to at least – but I was terrible at it. While they all looked graceful and sexy grinding against one another on the dance floor, I was positive I looked like a hippo with two left feet trying to work it out on the dance floor.

  As I stood there, unsure of what to do, my eyes fell on the DJ booth. And that’s when I saw him. Reese Williams. My brother's best friend. He was working the booth, focusing on what he was doing – except when someone walked over and talked to him. A beautiful Asian girl walked over to him and handed him some cash. He handed her something in return and flashed her a smile that could melt hearts – or the panties right off some young, horny girl.

  It was all so curious to me.

  I turned to find Allie and Lauren, but found that they were gone. While I'd been busy watching Reese, I'd lost them in the crush of bodies on the dance floor. Nearing panic, I pushed toward the booth, hoping to find my friends in the process, but had no such luck. Of course, I didn't. One of my other sisters though – Ashley – was busy making out with a guy. Other than her though, I saw nobody else from my sorority.

  I kept moving though, and before I knew what I
was doing, I found myself at the DJ booth. I stood there awkwardly, looking up at Reese who didn't even notice me – typical. I started to turn and walk away – the heels killing my feet – when I heard his voice behind me.

  “Need something, sexy?”

  Nah, he wasn't talking to me. I kept walking, but was stopped by a couple who'd stopped to make out – right in my path. I couldn't get around them as they were groping at each other, so I turned back around, only to find Reese staring directly at me.

  “I asked if you needed anything,” Reese asked, shouting down from the DJ booth.

  “Uhh what?” I asked, walking toward him, not sure I'd I heard him correctly. “Need something?”

  “I guess not,” he said with a smile. “I was just hoping a pretty thing like you –”

  He stopped and stared for a moment before jumping down from his spot at the DJ booth and got right up in my face. His eyes grew wide as recognition crossed his face.

  “You're Luke's sister, right? Luke McConnell?”

  “Uh yeah, my name is –”

  “Maya. Yeah, I remember,” he said. “Though I don't remember you looking' like this. Damn.”

  His gaze moved all over my body as he undressed me with his eyes.

  “Damn indeed,” he said, returning to look me in the eye. “Wanna step away for a bit?”

  “What?” I asked. “Step away? Aren't you working?”

  “Yeah, but later, I mean. Hang out for a bit.”

  “Hang out?” I felt my knees wobbling beneath me. Reese wanted to hang out with me, the nerdy, seriously uncool sister of his friend?

  “Yeah,” Reese said, scratching his chin as he smiled at me, a charming smile that had won me over time and time again. He was smooth, that was for sure. “Just you and me, if you know what I mean.”

  “You and me,” I muttered.

  I only had a second to decide what to do. I could turn him down, sure, which was the right thing to do. Given the fact he was nothing but trouble and I was on my way to medical school, I knew there was no way anything could work out between us. He was a baller – into drugs and basketball and hanging out on the streets. And I was a good girl. Totally opposite worlds.