CHAPTER 14: THE OTHER TWIN
THE GIRL WHO CAN’T DATE
By Eleventh
CHAPTER 14: THE OTHER TWIN
PRESENT
Raine leaned on the table, resting her head on her arm. Staring at the window, she enjoyed the view of the birds flying across the sky. Yet, she would feel drowsy each time the cold wind blows on her face.
She closed her eyes for a minute and recalled what Usher told her the other day when she asked him about what happened to her mom when she was five.
“Well, all I know is that Ares and Eros with our Mom’s brother went out looking for her that night. It was the two who found her whimpering at the beach located nearby the amusement park. On that same night, they discovered that Mom was sick, that she had dementia and it was on a nearly severe stage. And d’ya know what’s the most heartbreaking part? Tsk! Ira and Orion were the only ones Mom cannot recognize. Orion was still a baby back then so it didn’t affect him not as much as Ira did.”
Then, she opened her eyes because she almost fell asleep.
“Forgotten, huh?” she whispered.
It must have been painful and confusing for a 5-year old kid to be forgotten by her own parent. With one disease, gone are the precious memories. Gone are the morning kisses. No more water plays. No more bedtime stories. Cuddles and hugs. Sweet I love yous. And sweet assuring smiles.
It’s like she never existed in someone’s life.
Her deep contemplation was then disturbed when suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear, “Hey!”
She straightened up, twisted her head, and looked up to see a young man wearing a dark blue cap and a white lightweight shirt underneath a checkered blue polo. He was smiling at her amiably.
“Hey, Miguel!” she whispered back. Her eyes were droopy.
The young lad grabbed a chair and sat next to her. “Waiting for the next class?”
“Yeah! You?”
“Just hanging out.”
“Good for you.”
All the girls were looking at Miguel the moment he walked into the library. It’s impossible not to notice his strong charm but Raine doesn’t seem to be interested in talking to him though. She leaned her head back on the table and stared at the window again.
Miguel sat closer to Raine and whispered once more.
“Hey! Do you own a café?”
“No, we don’t!” she answered drowsily.
“Aaah. I thought that was your father I saw at Coffee Works.”
Raine sat up straight and faced Miguel with a startled face. With creased eyebrows, she confronted him.
“Are you mocking me? Or do you seriously did not know that my father is long dead?”
Miguel blinked a couple of times.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Then he pondered for a moment while staring at Raine’s pretty face. “But weird though. The owner of the café looks like you. Same set of eyes, nose, lips… You’re like his carbon copy or maybe a male doppelganger. I actually thought I was staring at you.”
Oddly, Raine was more interested rather than angry.
“Are you sure?”
Miguel shrugged his shoulders. “Nah! Forget it! A lot of people nowadays look so alike but totally not related.”
“Who knows he could be… a distant relative,” Raine mumbled.
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2017 JOURNAL
WEDDING DAY
“There! You look perfect!” The make-up artist grinned widely, satisfied with how he magically transformed Ira into a stunningly beautiful flower.
On the other hand, Ira seemed very pleased to see the girl in the mirror. It was her first time to have her eyebrows trimmed and shaped, wear false eyelashes, put on full make-up, and curl her hair.
“I look odd. But I like it. Thank you!” Ira muttered to the make-up artist.
“You look pretty, Ira!” Mandy complimented.
All the other girls in the room agreed with Mandy as they look at Ira with amused faces.
“Thank you!” Ira said feeling flushed. “Should I change clothes now?”
“Yeah, sure! But I don’t think your outfits are here.” The make-up artist answered.
“It’s in the other cabin, Ira!” Sandy, Mandy’s sister, answered her.
“Alright! Will it be okay if I go ahead?”
“It’s actually better so we won’t crowd in the room later.” Chel, Seah’s sister, replied.
Ira stood up from her seat and rushed to leave the cabin. As soon as she shut the door behind her, she deeply exhaled some air. She wasn’t too comfortable staying in a room full of people she’s not close with. Looking around the quiet beach, she sighed again when she realized that she forgot to ask for the room number.
“The weather looks good today!” Ira muttered as she gazed at the white cumulus clouds.
She could have stayed a little longer to watch the waves but she got distracted by a man struggling as he walked unsteadily with his arms full of packed food. She couldn’t even see his face because of the mountain load.
“Excuse me, sir! Do you need help?” she shouted.
The man did not hesitate to stop walking and accepted the offer.
“Oh yes! I’ll be glad to accept your help. If you may, can you please pick up the packs that are blocking my view? I can’t see the way!”
“Sure,”
The man bent a little lower so Ira can reach for the packs on top. She took at least 6 packs and carried them for him.
“Aaah! That feels so much better! Thank you!”
Ira could finally see the cheery face of the man but she stood there staring at his face with creased eyebrows and pursed lips. She knew that face from the strands of his hair down to the shape of his lips but she got a gut feeling that he’s not the same person.
He noticed that Ira has been staring at him like a dork so he confronted her.
“Is something on my face?”
“You! You’re not Skye, aren’t you?” Ira asked examining his face.
The man smiled amusingly. “Wow! How can you tell?”
Ira chuckled. “Simple. You’re very friendly. That twerp doesn’t even know how to smile. Only when he’s teasing.”
“HA-HA-HA! You’re right about that.” Claude cracked. “Waah! You’re so good at recognizing people, you know. Our family can’t even tell us apart. I’m Claude, by the way, his twin brother.”
“I’m Ira. Mmm, I assume this food is for the entourage?”
Claude nodded as he walked closer to the cabin where Ira went out.
“Do you mind?”
“Oops!” Ira opened the door for the struggling Claude.
After greeting everyone in the room, he placed some packed food on the table and left. His hands were lighter compared to earlier.
“Thanks for your help.”
“Can I still come with you? You still got a lot in your hands though.”
“Do you mind?” Ira gently shook her head. “Great! Cabin 5, done. Next should be, mmm… Cabin 6!”
The two strangers stride on the sandy beach as they look for Cabin 6. It was an unusual scene. Claude was nothing but a stranger to Ira but oddly, she finds him comfortable to be with.
She kept staring at him as they walk to the next cabin.
“Do you mind if I ask you some questions?” Ira asked while walking beside Claude, striding her feet on
“Here’s Cabin 6!” Claude announced when he saw the lit cabin. It was bigger than the other. Then he looked at Ira and said with a chuckle “You’re already asking. But no, I don’t mind!”
Seah greeted her cousin when he opened the door.
“You must be Claude. Am I right?” Seah guessed with peering eyes.
“How did you know?” Claude answered, placing the food on the table.
“Because your brother should be in the other cabin.” She sniggered.
“Right! Anyway, here’s the food for the beautiful bride and your glam team!” he said with a wink.
“Thank you for doing this!”
“Tsk! Anything for my beautiful cousin.”
And the two exchanged grins.
Claude is such a charmer. He may look exactly like Skye but he is way different from his brother. His smile never seems to leave his face each time he speaks. He has this unspeakable warmth that makes Ira feel comfortable with him though he was a total stranger to her.
Just when Claude was about to close the door, Ira popped her head in to ask a question.
“Hey, Ira! You look beautiful!” Seah complimented.
“Thanks! Uhm, I’m looking for the room where we can change clothes.”
“It’s in this room. You can change here.” Seah replied.
Ira checked the room. It was pretty big. At the corner, she saw the rack where their dresses are and thought of going in to change. But she remembered Claude.
“I’ll be back.” Ira closed the door behind her and faced Claude. “Where to go next?”
“Are you still gonna come with me?”
“I think it’s too early for me to change clothes though. Can I still come with you?”
Claude chuckled at the sight of Ira trusting him like he was an old friend. But he didn’t mind. “Okay! We’re off to Cabin 8!”
“Alright!” Ira said with a smile leading the way.
“You said you wanna ask me a question.”
“Hmmm… I was just wondering why you weren’t part of the entourage. That’s all.”
“Aaah! That’s because your brothers are all in it already. I thought it would be too crowded if I join in so I told Seah to count me out.”
“Is that ok with you? I mean, for all I know, it matters to people to be part of the ceremony.”
“It doesn’t matter to me. It’s just a ceremony. I’m still gonna be invited to the wedding anyway. Aaand, I prefer doing this.”
“You mean this? Bringing food?”
“Doing errands.”
Ira pursed her lips, feeling amazed. She believed that most people wanted to be part of the grand entourage and here’s a simple man who just wanted to work behind the scene.
“We’re here!” Ira announced.
“Lunch for everyone is here!”
Claude declared the moment he opened the door. He went inside greeting everyone in the room with his beaming face with Ira following behind. Everyone looked pretty ready and dressed except for Skye. He was still in his white inner shirt when they came in.
Speaking of Claude’s twin brother, he doesn’t seem to look pleased seeing him. With annoyance painted on his face, he stood up from his seat and snatched the food from Claude’s hands.
“Why do you go around smiling like that? What are you? A celebrity?”
“What’s with that attitude, twerp!” Ira remarked as she stood in between the two brothers. “Ugh! I wonder how your family can’t tell you apart. I can easily tell who you are the moment you opened your mouth.”
“You came in with him?” Skye asked.
“Yeah. Any problem with that?” Ira grimaced at Skye feeling irritated at his attitude. Then she went around giving food.
“Thank you! But who are you? You look familiar though.” Eros joked when Ira handed him the food.
“Cut it out! You’re making me feel conscious. Do I look bad?”
The three Pardillas laughed at their agitated sister.
“You just look different but it’s not bad,” Eros reassured.
“You look human. Congratulations!” Orion laughed while sitting backward on his chair.
“They did a good job on your face. You look pretty!” Ares added.
“Prettier! You're already pretty without make-up.” Joey praised. That made Ira red-faced.
“T-thanks!” she mumbled. “You look good with your tux too. Y-you look dashing! I mean everyone looked dashing.”
“Including my brother?” Claude teased Skye who has been squinting at his colleague with impatience.
“Everyone except him,” Ira remarked with a straight face.
“Would you mind leaving now? I need to change.”
Ira walked out rolling her eyes at Skye and bidding farewell to her brothers. Before Claude closed the door behind them, he glared at his brother who was clenching his fist and gave him a satisfied smirk to tease him even more.