Chapter 10: The Twins

I was currently at the park, seated on a bench. After taking a quick stop at a restaurant to fill my stomach, I somehow ended up here.

The park, one of my favourite places to study or take breaks back in California. The park was outside of the neighbourhood I now resided in, which I concluded was a neighbourhood for the extremely rich. 

To me there was no difference between California and Montreal. The parks look alike, the restaurants look alike, the houses look alike too. So there was literally nothing special here 

I saw a group of girls my age conversing happily with each other. Each of them having a smile on their faces. It made me remember California. I wasn't like these girls who were social butterflies. You'd only ever see me walking in the park with Courtney, or by myself. I wonder if I will continue with that pattern here.

'Speaking of teenagers, I should start searching for nearby high schools.'

 "I need to find the perfect school." I said out loud. I brought out my laptop from my bag and started searching.

Since I've already been around the neighbourhood, I knew that there were no schools within me. So that meant that I had to search outside Vanity neighbourhood.

'You could just ask Karla, she's a teenager and should be going to school.' My mind told me.

It wasn't that much of a bad idea, it's just that I don't know her from anywhere, and she just arrived at my front door with a bubbly smile. Although she seemed sweet, I just can't trust people so quickly.

As I typed furiously, I noticed someone blocking the sun from my view, looking up I saw Karla.

'What a nice surprise'

"So nice to see you here, new girl." She chirped.

"Hi." Was the only thing I could bring out. She then sat next to me.

"So, you were done touring the neighbourhood so you decided to stop here, right?"

"Actually….Yes, that's what I was doing."

"I understand. So how's Montreal? Falling in love already?" She asked with a smile. I just shrugged.

"It's the same as California."

"Hell no! You just haven't been to the breathtaking parts. I mean, the beach is just perfect! And so many other things I can't remember." She said with scrunched brows

"I know, but seriously there's no difference."

Karla let out a sigh. "If you say so." 

I continued to type away on my laptop. I felt her piercing stare and I almost shrinked in size. 

"What can you tell me about the highschools here?" I asked.

"Searching for schools already huh? Well there's no highschool in the neighbourhood, you must have realised that. Most of the teenagers in Vanity neighbourhood and the whole Crown's estate goes to one particular school."

"Really? Which school?" I asked curiously. 

"Hawthorne High."

"Private school?" I questioned.

"Yeah. It's very popular. In terms of academics and sports. You should totally come. You already have a friend attending." 

'Friend? She's already considering us as friends?'

"Yeah, sure I guess." I said skeptically. I wasn't going to a school unless I had every detail about them.

"You're not very social are you?"

"Is it that obvious?" I asked with wide eyes. She just laughed out loud, wiping an imaginary sweat off her brows.

"Very obvious. I thought Americans were usually…"

"Outspoken, pompous and bratty?"

"I was only going to say outspoken and free." 

"Yeah, not all of us are outspoken." I told her. She nodded immediately.

"Yeah I guess you're right. I'm not being a racist or anything like that." She said, her voice going to a pitch.

"Relax, I understand." I said with a small laugh. After a few minutes of silence, I heard someone yell Karla's name. I turned to my right to see a guy with blonde hair taking giant steps towards us. He's about 6 ft tall and has charming looks. 

"Jesus woman, I've called you over a hundred times. Why do you have a cellphone if you won't use it?"

"Stop whining and say what you want." His eyes then suddenly moved to my side, as if he had just noticed me. I immediately faced my laptop.

"Oh, I didn't realise you were with someone." He said. I felt him looking at me from top to bottom, just like Karla did about two hours ago.

"Never seen you before. I'm Carl, this hot-headed girl's elder brother." His hand was stretched out and he had a weird smirk on his face.

"Umm, Emily." I reluctantly took his hand and he didn't let go instantly. I could see Karla from the side of my eyes roll her eyes.

"Elder? For goodness sake Carl, we're twins! And stop looking at her like that. You're making her feel weird."

"Oh sorry, my bad. I haven't seen a pretty face in ages!" He plopped between us and I almost jerked away, but I controlled myself. 

'Pretty, he called me pretty!" My mind yelled at me.

"Carl, don't embarrass me." Karla pleaded. I just stared at the two siblings who were twins. For your information, they looked nothing alike. The only thing they had in common was the same hair colour.

"How I'm I embarrassing you now Karla? I didn't say my lame jokes, or did I call you by your nickname. So how in heaven's name I'm I embarrassing you right now?"

"You're flirting with my friend." Karla stated. I found it to be extremely awkward that they were arguing about me.

"So? I have a right to flirt with girls I find attractive." 

'Once again, he complimented me.' My heart was racing fast. And not because I was flustered, but because I was nervous.

"Well can't you just tone it down and stop being an asshole? I mean, you know that we're talking and you just barged in and started flirting with her."

"I think I should get going." I said, cutting into their intense conversation.

"No no no. I am so sorry for making you uncomfortable Emily, it wasn't my intention." Carl apologised.

"Emily, please don't go. My brother might be a pain in the ass, but he's not so bad."

"Thanks for the compliment." He appreciated with a grin.

"It's ok, I actually have to get going. It was nice meeting you Carl."

"The pleasure is all mine senorita." He said while taking my hand and pressing a kiss onto it. My cheeks immediately turned to a bright colour of pink.

"Jesus Christ Carl!" He flinched and left my hand. Karla had an exsperated look.

"Emily, let's get out of here." She then dragged me away from her brother. I turned to see him waving ecstatically at me and I just gave him a smile.

When we got to my house, Karla once again apologised for Carl's behaviour.

"It's ok, I'm not mad."

"He can be a weirdo and a big flirt. But like I said, he's not so bad."

"Yeah."

"So Emily, I'll see you next time. And try not to stay out too late. Especially when heading towards the mountains." The whole of this neighborhood was surrounded by enormous mountains and a vast land of trees. Though it was far away from residential areas.

"Why do you say that?"

"There have been attacks recently, wild animals living in the forest going feral. Just be careful." And she walked off, leaving me completely stunned.