The Twin

by Natasha Preston

  I squirm in my seat. “Are you two practicing after school today? Coach is letting me use the pool.”

  “You get an extra session in the pool again this week?” Sophie presses her thin lips together like she spoke before she could stop herself.

  I drop my chicken salad wrap back on my plate. “Not to myself, Sophie. Anyone on the team can use it as long as you let Coach know, and I’m asking if you want to come too!”

  Haley raises her dark eyebrows. “Sophie knows that. It’s just that you seem to be in the pool a lot.”

  “What, is that a problem? I’m not stopping anyone else from using it.”

  “You kind of are, Ivy. Some of the girls…” Sophie looks away, rubbing her lips.

  I tilt my head toward Haley. “Some of the girls what?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Nothing? Come on, Haley, what’s going on?”

  She sighs harshly. “People are concerned. You’ve changed a lot, and it’s making them feel uncomfortable.”

  That’s not right at all. “I haven’t changed.”

  “You don’t usually shout out in class.”

  “So I do one thing because I was provoked, and you all think there’s something wrong with me? Why is no one asking why I snapped at Iris?”

  “Because she tapped the table,” Sophie says, her voice monotone and bored. “Then there’s the Ty thing.”

  I shake my head. “You don’t get it. She is always disturbing me in class, and she knows that geography is my weakest subject. Can you not see that she was trying to irritate me? And what happened with Ty is no one else’s business!”

  “Why would Iris do that?”

  I throw my hands up. “Why would I make it up?”

  “I don’t think you’re making it up. We just think that you’re overreacting,” Haley says.

  Nice to know my two best friends have been discussing me again.

  Ty sits down at the table. He looks at me and then at them. “Everything okay?”

  Nope. The tension around the table is so thick I feel it choking me. I press the ache in my stomach.

  “Fine,” Sophie says.

  “I heard you were speaking to Logan this morning,” Ty says.

  God, can we not do this right now?

  Sighing, I look over at him. His jaw is tight, eyes narrowed. “He wanted to know who sent you the picture, and I told him I don’t know. That’s all.”

  But I have a pretty good idea. I would love to know how Iris found it and who took it.

  “Does it matter who sent it?”

  “Yeah, it does. Why did they take that photo and why send it now?”

  Ty shrugs. “Someone wants to cause trouble for us.”

  Yeah. Iris!

  “Who do you think that could be?”

  Haley and Sophie are listening to our conversation. I hope they read between the lines here too.

  It. Was. Iris.

  He exhales and shakes his head. “I don’t know. Look, I’ve got to go. I need to speak to Coach.”

  “Ty…”

  Standing, he leaves without looking back at me. He doesn’t need to speak to his coach.

  I slump back in my seat. Iris has succeeded in causing a rift between me and Ty. He might believe that I didn’t cheat, and I pushed Logan away, but he certainly hasn’t forgiven me for not telling him.

  What can I do about it besides wait for him to cool down? Oh right, nothing.

  Doing nothing sucks.

  “I’m not hungry anymore.” Rising to my feet, I pick up my half-eaten lunch and head out.

  * * *

  • • •

  I wrap a towel around myself and sit down on the bench. Today has been rough, so I’m more than happy to have extra time in the pool. But I had to get out because Coach needs to leave to go to her nan’s birthday dinner.

  “You okay, Ivy?” Coach asks, gripping the strap of the handbag hanging over her shoulder.

  “Yeah, I’ll let myself out when I’m dressed,” I tell her. “No need to wait.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Nodding, I stand up so she doesn’t worry that I’ll stay there forever. I don’t want her to know that anything is wrong because I don’t want to talk about it.

  “Okay, see you tomorrow.”

  The janitor doesn’t lock up until much later in the evening, knowing there are extracurriculars going on most days after school. I have plenty of time to get out.

  Keeping my eyes on her, I watch as she leaves and the door closes. I’m alone. I close my eyes and inhale. My happy place is the pool, so I picture myself a few minutes ago, flying through the water like I was made to swim.

  A loud metal thud echoes through the changing room.

  Gasping, I grip the towel in my fist and swing my head in the direction of the noise. What was that?

  “Hello?” I call. “Coach?”

  My heart races, thudding in my chest so hard I can hear the whoosh of my pulse in my ears.

  Someone is in here. I’m not alone.

  “Coach, is that you?”

  She would have answered. She knew where I was getting changed. If it was her, she would have come straight to me and told me she was back because she forgot something.

  So if it’s not her…who is it?

  Oh God, I’m naked under this towel too.

  Okay, calm down, you’re not going to have to fight.

  It’s probably someone on the team grabbing something from their locker.

  I tiptoe toward the end of the first row of lockers and peer around the side.

  A light tap comes from the other side of the room, like fingertips hitting a locker. The sound is barely audible over the pounding in my chest.

  I didn’t hear wrong the first time; there definitely is someone in here, and whoever it is wants me to be scared.

  “Who’s there?” I demand, forcing my voice to be loud and strong.

  I make my way back in the other direction, sticking close to the lockers. My palms clam and I tighten the grip around the towel. This isn’t funny.

  “Iris? I-is that you?”

  She’s supposed to be home; Ellie was giving her a lift. But I never saw her leave school after class because I came straight here. There is no reason for her to play a prank on me, though. I thought we cleared the air earlier. Why would she be in here trying to scare me now?

  “Iris!” I snap.

  I freeze. The sound of light footsteps tapping on the floor steals my breath.

  What if it’s not Iris?

  I need to get out of here. I glance over my shoulder to the door. There are two rows of lockers between me and the exit. I can make that.

  Metal clinks across the room, echoing loudly. I press my back to the locker and wince.

  Who is in here?

  It has to be my sister. No one else would want to scare me.

  Unless…

  No. Haley and Sophie are angry with me, but they wouldn’t do this. No way.

  Iris wouldn’t actually hurt me. I could walk toward the noise and find out who it is.

  That’s what I should do. But what if it’s not Iris? Ellie? She didn’t like me before, so I dread to think how much she hates me after finding out that Logan tried to kiss me.

  I can take Ellie, though. She’s not a threat.

  I take a ragged breath.

  Suddenly, someone hammers on a locker over and over. The deafening tinny thud of fists pummeling metal pierces my eardrums. Whimpering, I shove myself off the locker and sprint toward the door.

  I hold my arm out and slam into the door as I shove it open. I run straight into something hard. A person. A scream rips from my throat and I leap back.

  “Jeez, Ivy, what’s wrong?”

  Ty.<
br />
  My eyes widen, and I sob.

  “What happened?” he asks, stepping toward me.

  I fall forward, my legs giving way. Ty catches me, his face twisted with worry. My breathing is rough. I grip Ty and look back behind me.

  “Ivy, talk to me,” he orders.

  “There was someone in there with me,” I rasp.

  “Who?”

  I take a breath, trying to get it under control, but my heart is thumping, adrenaline coursing through my veins. “I don’t know. I was alone and then I kept hearing noises.”

  “Coach?”

  “No, I watched her leave and she didn’t come back. Besides, she wouldn’t keep making noises and she would answer me. Someone else is in there.”

  Ty steadies me and holds me at arm’s length. “Wait right here.”

  My mouth falls open as he goes into the changing room. I’m still only in a towel. If a teacher comes past now…

  I bite my lip while I wait but the changing room is silent. Using my free hand, I wipe the damp tears under my eyes.

  The door flies open and Ty smiles. “There’s no one in there, babe.”

  “There was. I heard them multiple times. They were banging on the lockers. You didn’t hear?”

  He shrugs. “I heard a bang and then you ran out. Whoever it was, they’re gone now. It was probably someone from the team playing a prank.”

  “Who would do that?” I don’t want to be all dramatic and look super weak in front of Ty, but I was scared. I can’t imagine anyone on the team taking it that far. They would have laughed or said something after a minute.

  “I don’t know, but don’t worry. If we find out, we’ll think of some revenge prank, okay?”

  Looking into his eyes, I search for any sign that he’s taking this seriously. He’s not.

  My heart plummets. He thinks I’m overreacting.

  Maybe I am.

  I do have a track record of it.

  Forcing a smile, I reply, “It better be a good prank.”

  “It’ll be the best. Do you want me to come in with you while you get dressed?”

  Smirking, I walk past him and shut the door, keeping him safely on the outside.

  I can tell immediately that no one is here anymore. It feels empty and silent.

  My hands tremble as I drop my towel and tug on my clothes as fast as I can. I catch my foot inside the leg of my jeans and pull hard at the waistband to get it through. Once I’m dressed, I pick up my bag and scuttle out of the changing room fast. I never want to be in there after hours without Coach again.

  Ty is still waiting for me. Our fight is paused for the minute.

  “All right?” he asks, staring into my eyes.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  We walk back to my car. My hands twitch to get in Iris’s room. If people are going to believe me about her, I need to find evidence that she sent the photo to Ty.

  And I’m pretty sure it’s in there somewhere.

  30

  I’m so doing this. Biting my lip. I tiptoe past my door and toward Iris’s room like I’m escaping prison.

  Dad is downstairs watching football, but I don’t think he would question me even if he caught me in Iris’s room.

  Yeah, I’m snooping.

  She’s out and I’m tired of being one step behind her. My last snoop was cut short and I finally have another opportunity.

  Reaching out, I push her door with the tips of my fingers and step inside. Her room is decorated with light, neutral colors and she has about nine throw pillows on her bed. That would drive me crazy.

  Her closet door is full of clothes and I don’t think I’ve seen her wear even half of them. Why buy them all, load your closet to bursting point, then borrow your sister’s stuff? Her stuff is trendy and bright, while I’m much more…boring.

  What is she up to?

  I stay close to the wall, as far away from the window as I can get in case she comes home and sees from outside. I’m paranoid like that.

  As I cross her room, I notice a drawer open a centimeter. For someone who has nine scatter cushions and a bed runner perfectly placed like it’s in a show home, she sure has left the closet and her drawer out of place.

  Iris doesn’t leave things lying around or forget to close something. She makes every move and speaks every sentence with careful planning.

  Did she have to leave in a hurry? Looking over my shoulder, I sidestep to her desk and reach my hand out. I run my finger along the lip of the drawer and then tug.

  There is no noise outside the room, and I can still hear football downstairs. Dad would have paused it if he’d gotten up.

  My eyes drop to the drawer. She has a collection of makeup brushes, a small flashlight, and an old black flip phone. I didn’t even know you could still buy them. I remember Nan had one and used to let me play with it.

  My fingers curl around the phone. Maybe she’s a hoarder. She has a lot of things at Mom’s still. The house was left to me and Iris. I don’t know what we’re going to do with it yet because Iris won’t talk about it.

  I dig my thumb between the screen and keypad and flip the phone open. It’s turned off. I hold down the ON button, but nothing happens. No battery and I can’t see a charger. Like the great meddler she is, she keeps the two separate. I could buy my own for it; there are probably some on eBay.

  Placing the phone back in her drawer in the exact same place, between the puffy pink makeup brush and a stack of Post-it Notes, I push it almost closed.

  “Ivy?” Dad calls.

  Jumping, I tiptoe very quickly out of Iris’s room and clear my throat. “Yeah, Dad?”

  We’re still not great, but I don’t want to be in a fight with him too.

  “I’m going out with Ken. There’s cash on the side table for pizza. Have you done your homework?”

  “Yeah, all done. Have a good night,” I reply.

  I wait for him to leave the house because I’m pretty sure I look guilty. When I hear the front door open and close, then hear his car start, I head down.

  As I reach the bottom, the doorbell rings.

  I’m not expecting anyone. I pad over to the door quietly and peek through the hole. Ty.

  Opening up, I say, “Hey, everything okay?”

  “I didn’t want to leave you alone after what happened today.”

  I step to the side and let him in. “Thanks, but I really am okay.”

  “Does that mean you don’t want me to stay?”

  I wasn’t done being sneaky, but I need to make things right with Ty more. Plus, if Iris is going out more often, I’ll have plenty of opportunities.

  “No, stay,” I reply a little too quickly to be cool. I’m not cool when it comes to Ty, though, especially not at the minute when things are a little tense between us.

  Chuckling, Ty kicks off his shoes and heads up to my room. I follow.

  “Have you eaten yet?” he asks as he lies down on my bed.

  I pull the door half closed. “Nope, but Dad left cash for pizza. You want our usual?”

  He throws his arms over his head and smiles. “Sure.”

  I sit down next to him. “Are we okay, Ty? I hate it when we’re fighting.”

  “We’re not fighting.”

  “Maybe not right now, but things are off.”

  With a sigh, he sits up and replies, “We’re okay. I’m trying.”

  Trying to do what? Believe me?

  “I need you to trust me, Ty. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”

  “I do trust you. That’s not what I’m struggling with. I wish you had told me.”

  I dip my head. “I was scared to. Neither of us wanted to hurt you, so we agreed to put it down to a dumb mistake and move on. I don’t know why someone took a picture of it, an
d I don’t know why they waited until now to send it.”

  “You have a theory.”

  “I don’t know who originally took it, but I do think that Iris found it on their phone.”

  He bites his lip. “Can we forget about this for a while?”

  “Yeah. Movie and pizza?”

  Smiling, he throws his arm around my shoulders and replies, “Sounds good.”

  Ty and I watch Iron Man and eat a stuffed-crust BBQ chicken pizza. Halfway through Iron Man 2, Ty wraps his arm around me and pulls me onto his lap. I sink into his embrace, feeling safe for the first time in a while. Right now, there is no sister or distance between me and Ty, and I love it.

  Ty kisses me and I curl my fingers into his hair. My heart is racing for the second time today but this time I like it. I pull away from his lips and grin. “My dad will be home soon.”

  “We’re not doing anything wrong.”

  “You want him to catch me lying half on you?”

  He narrows his eyes. “My hearing is good. I’ll chuck you off when I hear a car.”

  Giggling, I press my lips against his again.

  “Oh my God!” Iris’s shrill voice makes my heart stop. Ty leaps off me, and I look up at the doorway. Where she is.

  Great, she’s home.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” I snap, scowling at her.

  “What are you two doing?”

  “Kissing,” I reply like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. I mean, she could see that.

  Ty sits up and sighs. “What do you want, Iris?”

  “I want you to get your grubby hands off my sister!”

  “Hey!” I shout. “Back off and calm down!” I say, folding my arms. “You’re overreacting.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  I turn to Ty. “You should go while I deal with this.”

  He rolls his eyes at Iris and kisses the top of my head before leaving my room.

  “What would have happened if I hadn’t come home, Ivy? You and Tyler were clearly not thinking straight.”

  What is wrong with her? I get off the bed, push past her, and walk downstairs.

  She follows.

  “Come on, Ivy, what would have happened if I hadn’t come home?” she repeats. “He was all over you. Literally.”