4 Page 4: Cherry's Twin

Here I thought Cherry following me in TeaDiaries was already an earth-shaker, now I am introduced with news that her brother is in the same school as I am? And not just any brother⁠—AN IDENTICAL TWIN. It still freaks me out how horrifyingly replicated they are in appearance. I mean, even identical twins have at least a few physical differences.....right?

"Earth to Eve?"

I look up from my seat to see who was calling me and I see Miya who looked upset, pouting at my face.

"Miya." I absentmindedly reply.

"You've been like this since we got back from the opening ceremony, E. What's going on?" worry emanating from her voice.

I was not prepared for interrogation. I don't suppose I can tell her how bothered I am that I'm in the same school as my rival's twin brother. I also cannot phrase it that way since it would mean I know Cherry. There is no escape! Think! I stare at her for a little while longer as she kept on glaring at me. I look for something to notice.

"You're awfully silent now, E."

And there it was, a tiny group of hair escaping from behind her bob, "Miya, what is that?" I said pointing at the difference of her hair from underneath and the one at the surface. She yelps, tucking it back in.

"Ack! I can't believe it was noticeable!" she whispered.

"Miya...care to explain why you have purple hair underneath that chestnut head of yours?" I smirk playfully at my panicking best friend.

She laughs shyly, "Truth is...I colored my hair over the break. But then I know my dad will kill me if he sees another one of those unusual colors like last time so I had them color only the ones under."

"Coloring is such a hassle. Maintaining it is going to be a pain." I said.

"But that's what makes it fun! Being able to express yourself in colors!" Miya said with stars on her eyes.

Miya has been obsessed with coloring her hair since she started Junior High. At first, it started with a regular light brown shade. Then she had it permed. Then she decided to balayage it. She had this ultimate makeover every week and it was hilarious. Her father, the principal forgave her at first, but it got worse when she decided to color her hair green by the summer of last year. You might be thinking like it's a dark shade of green like the color of algae⁠—NO. It was the shade of bright lime. She was a walking light post in broad daylight with hair lighter than the grass. It was such a scandal that her father had to put her on detention for two months. But that did not stop Miya's addiction to hair. Every now and then she secretly dyes her hair in different colors depending on the occasion. And I believe the first day of school is one of those special occasions of hers. I did suggest that instead of coloring her hair so often, she should just get a bunch of wigs so her hair could rest from all the chemicals. She said maintaining wigs are too much of a hassle and she wouldn't want to be wearing other people's hair. Thinking about it, I'm no different from her, am I?

"I noticed you changed your frames." Miya grinned acknowledging my new glasses, "It suits you."

I giggle, "It's a gift." I said.

"Hmmm..." she raises an eyebrow, "And who do we owe the pleasure of making Eve smile this sweetly?"

I pause. I was smiling sweetly? "Oh, you don't have to read too much into it. It's from my guardian."

"Mr. Kim? Cause he sure is a man of chunks. A dessert to be exact." she said with fantasizing eyes.

Oh god, if only she knew how much of a slob Mr. Kim is. I shake my head, "No, the other guardian who lived with me before."

"Oooh! That Dave guy! Mmm..that too sure is yummy."

Where is this girl getting her ideas??? "Will you stop treating my guardians as if they're snacks? I know you've met Mr. Kim but I don't believe you have met Dave."

"Oh, I have." she snapped her reply, "He came here to talk to the principal of your whereabouts when you were gone for a month. The whole school was in an uproar with a handsome young man entering the building in a suit and tie all groomed up. He's husband material." Miya's voice was filled with endearment.

More like mother material. I'm going to have to scold Dave for not telling me this. And here I am desperately trying to keep him away from the public's prying eyes.

I roll my eyes, "Look, Miya, let's not thirst on men so early in the morning." Especially on men who you think are so manly, but let's not ruin her image of them yet.

"You're just saying that because you don't know how lucky you are having two hot men looking out for you, E." she pouted looking away.

Oh my god, if only you knew how that's the total opposite of it.

I laugh, leaning on the desk, "Let's not talk about this shall we?"

Miya glances at me, suspicious, "You still haven't answered my first question though..what has been on your mind? I don't even get a single message from you ever since you left for a month and now you're thinking about something so complicated, it got you so spaced out." Miya mumbled, eyes locked on mine,

"You know, I'm responsible for your social studies and I really want to help you adjust yourself to the world before you graduate Junior High."

Now she's pressuring me to talk? I thought this was done? Okay, I read this in a novel somewhere that girls respond this way on the first day of classes. Let's try it.

Smile. "I was just worried about the arrangement of seats." I chuckle.

Miya blinked, "The hell? That was it?"

That worked?!

"I doubt the teacher would separate us as per the orders of my father! You have nothing to worry about, E." she said slamming her hands on my shoulders. Painfully comforting.

I smile awkwardly, "I worry more of your secret purple hair, Miya."

"SSSHHHH!!!!" she violently covers my mouth.

Miya became hysterical. Despite being the daughter of the principal, Miya has a habit of rule-breaking for the sake of her addiction. She yelled at me getting, worked up that I should just shut up or the secret will definitely reach her dad. I just laugh at her as she hits me with her small fists. The room was pretty noisy a while ago, but the chatter suddenly died down. I looked behind us and everybody looked like they saw a ghost. I glance at where they were staring at and caught Miya's fists in response to the utterly unimaginable scene I just saw. I sensed Miya caught up when her banter turned to a gasp.

"It's him." I hear a whisper from behind.

"You're kidding!" another gasped.

Some of the students in the room were as shocked as we were, but some seemed to have welcomed the idea that this person just came in as they were flocking all over him. The tall blonde, the second placer of Langley International Academy⁠, twin brother of Heiress's top model Cherry—wait...I don't know him.

"Miya..."

"Yeah..?"

I look at her and she stared at me, "What was his name again?" I said.

Miya's face turns to disappointment, "How can you not know his name? He's literally a rank below you."

"Errr...Miya, I'm not really interested in rankings.."

SLAM.

A hand crashes on my desk, shocking the whole classroom. I look up to see who was the rude one to startle me. The tall blonde boy stood in front of my seat, staring me down, with some of his friends(?), tailing behind him. The spot I was sitting on was the one at the center of the room, which makes Miya and I somehow in the limelight where everyone can see what's happening from every angle.

"So you're the famous top notcher who bailed on the finals after taking all the exams and not even coming back for the closing ceremony." he said, with his slightly deep voice, his tone awfully sniping.

"Uhh..yeah. Nice speech you had earlier." I said, courteously, something I'm not good at. Why is he even in this class?

Wait...he's in this class?? WHY?

He scoffs, "Nice?" he laughs, and his friends laughed after him. What cult is this?

He leans in closer to me, with eyes going in for the kill, he whispered, "Thanks to you, I had to be known as some replacement for the top 1. Do you even understand how much of a slap that is?"

Okay this is getting annoying and tiring. I'm really not liking how this guy is talking to me. I stand up from my seat, itching to talk back. I saw the boy take a step back. I bet he wasn't expecting me to respond. I study him top to bottom and realized this boy was just the same height as me. What the? He's nothing special, yet he talks as if he's the king of the world.

I could hear whispers from all over the room, "Oh no, here comes the two giants with brains." they said. I grin, liking the ring to it.

Miya was even frantically making me sit down. Sorry, I'm not sitting this one out.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said crossing my arms in a tone of playful dismay, "It seems like you went to me so I could hear your tantrums. Go on, I'm not stopping you, little boy." I hope he hears in my tone how much I loathe him right now.

I could see in his face how he did not like the way I responded. More like he did not expect me to stand up to him. His friends were not a bit delighted with the situation and slowly backed out with every exchange of ours.

"How rude of you miss Ishioka," he said, eyes seething in anger despite his smile, "I can't believe you don't remember the name you've always pushed to the second place since the first grading."

"I only remember people of significance." I said checking out my nails.

He looks like he's about to punch me, but then, of course, I don't think he has the guts.

"Niko Iosif Stepanov.," he said as I stared at him, uninterested.

Stepanov? What a weird name.

The bell rings, rattling everyone to their seats. Stupidanov over here doesn't seem to be going anywhere though.

"Well, aren't you going to find a seat?" I sarcastically said, grinning at his irritated face.

I hear him click his tongue, walking pass by me as he threatened me with his words.

"You better remember me, Amazon Woman," he said, kicking my desk.

I roll my eyes thinking of how much a jerk that Stupidanov is. If this is what they call bullying, it is definitely not my cup of tea.

Homeroom ends and we finally get assigned to our seats. For the first semester, our homeroom teacher gets to choose where we're seated. The second semester will be based off on our class standing, and the final semester will be chosen through a 'fishbowl'. I was placed at the furthest of the room, as expected of my height. The teacher might have known of my physical conditions as he was able to foresee that most of my classmates are shorter than me, making me the big boulder if I were to be placed somewhere in front. I am grateful though that he placed me at the window seat. At least I can gaze upon the clouds when the class gets boring. And as expected, Miya is seated in front of me. She did say that she was destined to be placed wherever I am since she is my societal formation. The seating arrangement was perfect. Clear view, window seat, and near my best friend. But then I spoke too soon when the person who sat at my right was that one person I never wanted to share air with.

"Cat got your tongue, Idiotshioka?" he greeted the moment his ass met his chair.

Ohoh? Playing that game, aren't we?

"Oh no, I was just worried that I might catch your stupidity, Stupidanov."

I grinned, gritting on my teeth.

In my fourteen years of life, I had always thought that there was a limit to a person's personality. Surely, the gods above thought about making their creation likable enough to get along and reproduce. But then meeting Niko Iosif Stupidanov was a total game-changer.

This guy might just be the worst person on this planet. Grrr.