The News

Beep! Beep! Beep! I am jolted awake by my screeching alarm clock. Turning around I slam the snooze button with enough force to toss it to the ground. Rolling my eyes at my stupid alarm, I guess now I need to get up for the first day of school. I throw my blankets off of me and head to my bathroom. Normally I sleep still as a statue, but today I find to my surprise that my hair has become a bundled, tangled mess. There are bags under my dark sunken eyes, showing the lack of sleep from the night before.

After answering the call to nature I head to my closet to decide what to wear. The lights of my walk-in closet are a little bright this morning and so I dim them down. On each wall are two rows of different assortments of clothes. Straight ahead an archway leads to my mini closet. On one wall a variety of shoes are displayed for me to choose from and on the other wall are designer purses. Everything is designed to match perfectly for every occasion.

I grab my freshly pressed school uniform that's hanging on the hook next to my closet doors and head back to the bathroom for a shower. I feel the warmth of the water run down my body and I instantly relax. Quickly I use my coconut and vanilla-scented shampoo and matching conditioner before washing my body. I dry my body and pull on my clothes before blow drying my hair and pulling it up into a messy bun.

I should probably tell you who I am, my name is Loxley Eretria Jaxson. I am 17 years old and have a twin brother named Kolby. Despite being fraternal twins we share the same sandy blonde hair and golden-colored skin. Our eyes however are different. Where mine is a deep ocean blue, his are an emerald green. Still, there were never two people more different than my brother and me. He was your typical jock born with brute strength but dumb as bricks. I on the other hand am an honor roll student. Drawn to the passion of books and the strength of knowledge.

While my brother is 6’3 I am only 5’8, which is still tall for a woman. My best friend Emily Grace says it is good to have long legs. She says “Men find it sexy”, however, I wouldn’t know. It’s easy for her to say, she’s naturally gorgeous and the perfect petite height. With her ginger hair and dazzling sea-green eyes, she developed early and it was not long before all the boys in our class noticed. I was not jealous though, attention made me uncomfortable. Emily Grace on the other hand flourished in the attention of others. Grace is her middle name and for a long time, she didn't like it because people used to make fun of her for it. However, Emily Grace is not the type of person to be let down. So to show the bullies their words meant nothing she demanded everyone call her by her first and middle name every time they wanted her attention.

I was homeschooled most of my life because my parents found the school’s curriculum to be rather dull. It was not until I turned 15 that I started West Village High School, and as you can guess I did not fit in. Emily Grace, the most social butterfly on earth took me under her wing and brought me out of my shell...to an extent.

I make my way down the stairs to the kitchen where my parents are both talking on their cellphones. My mother is in a red designer jumpsuit, her brown hair twisted back and pinned to her head. My father is wearing a navy blue suit with a silk black tie, his light brown hair slicked back with gel. The smell of aftershave drifting in the air with the scent of coffee. Mmmm coffee... I think to myself.

Pouring myself a cup I read the newspaper on the counter as my brother came bouncing into the room. He shoves me to the side so he can reach the cereal above the fridge.

“Hey watch it!” I say, pushing his arm but he just waves me away. Instead of getting a bowl he just pours the dry cereal straight into his mouth. My mother grabs the box from his hands while he is in mid-chew and kisses him on the cheek before putting it back above the fridge.

“April, let me call you back. I gotta give my kids the news.” My mother says, pushing the blue button on her earpiece.

“What’s up mom?” Kolby asks, plopping down onto a barstool next to our father who was still engaging in his call. Our father ends his phone call after our mom elbows him in the side, he then looks at us.

“What’s going on?” I ask, looking back and forth between my parents.

“So you know the promotion I have spent the last five years trying to get?” Our mother says, a hint of excitement creeping in her voice.

“Yes?” My brother and I say in unison.

“Well, I didn’t get it. Instead, I was offered the chance to run my museum as lead director!” She says, her voice becoming high pitched as she lit up with joy.

“Wow, mom, that's amazing!” I reply, joining her in a mini celebration, “Where is it?”

My mom hesitates and my dad awkwardly clears his throat. Fiddling with her fingers she avoids looking Kolby and me in the eye as she says, “Well...that’s the catch. It's in a small town in Oregon, the town itself is a historical landmark. I have been working in the shadows of that buffoon, Mr. Gagliardi, for too long. Now I get to run the show! We leave in a week to meet the owners of the building we are going to be using. Construction starts as soon as we arrive…”

“Hold on, hold on.” Kolby interrupts. My parents share an awkward look as they prepare for the argument to come.

“So...are we all leaving or is it just you that's leaving? I mean this is my junior year, mom. I don't want to have to change schools when I am only a year and a half away from graduation. What about Emily Grace? I can’t go back to being the odd one out.” I reply to our mom, while my brother is nodding in agreement.

“Loxley, this is your mother’s dream.” My father answers in a calm voice, “This is the chance of a lifetime.”

“But why do we have to give up our lives?” My brother interjects.

“Kolby Bruce James Jaxson, I am surprised by your selfishness. Your mother has been working her entire life for something like this.” My father snaps.

“John…” My mother begins.

“No, Scarlet. Kolby, you have been handed everything you have ever wanted for your entire life. Now is the time for your mom to get her chance to be seen. This is happening and I suggest the two of you get used to it. You have a week to say goodbye to your friends. We leave Saturday after next.”My father finishes his coffee and places his cup down with a thud ending the conversation.

“Whatever.” My brother mutters, “Let's get out of here, Loxley.”

Without waiting for a reply Kolby takes my hand and drags me out the front door. I hear my mother sigh behind me as the door shuts with a click. I pull the keys to my 2017 black BMW out of my grey Louis Vuitton bag clicking the button to unlock the doors. My brother pouts in the passenger seat on the ride to school. I however don’t know what to say, though that didn’t stop me from trying. Every little bit I would start ranting before gritting my teeth and muttering to myself.

“Can you believe…” They just expect us….”What in the hell did they think….”

Finally, we pull up to the school and I say, “This can’t be happening.”

`“I don’t think we have a choice,” Kolby says, climbing out of my car and slamming the door.