Chapter 5

Clara's POV

"Pardon?" I gazed straight into his eyes and met the first weird connection of my life. Almost the first, I never had such with any guy before. He stared back into me so intensely that I was almost forced to back down but I'm a trouble. I wouldn't. Who does he think he is?

I would rather subject it to hastiness and blame it on him.

The fact that he was Zara's guy thrusted boredom upon the night's drama and then I looked my eyes down and slowly in disgust.

"Uh... what's your name again?" I asked, pretending like I didn't care to have forgotten.

"Look! My family consists of three. my father who checks on us I don't know every hour of the night and my twin sister who needs only one roll to realize that I'm off the bed. So if you're gonna cut the crap and make things snappy, I already got into trouble today and this could be an.."

"My name is Richard" he echoed, blinking away to give his eyes a break. Wow, He cut me off like he wasn't listening to any of the things I'd been saying.

"Mhh-mhh" he cleared his throat openly and sighed. watching his gaze come at me again, It was hard but I could tell that he was smiling even in the dark.

"I don't think you get it but...it's okay let's sit"

"Alright," I sighed looking at my watch. It was already 11:30. Eyy...What the hell did we spend the 30 minutes doing?

I brought up my wrist and shone my phone's light, folding my elbow just to show him the time. I didn't care if he had his watch but I'm showing him mine.

"I get it you're late but this is not something I could jump into telling you. Just like that" he said bobbing his head like it was the best thing for me. Meanwhile, the best thing for me was that I went back home without Dad noticing.

"What!?" I yelled.

"I'mma chicken out? You and I know I don't do that"

"Okay... fine"

"You're a werewolf"

#############################

Zara's POV

Our birthday becomes tomorrow after we spend that night. The night that I beamed and pulled out my cell phone to talk to the love of my life before I sighted Clara. Sitting in thoughts of what I didn't know of. Feeling lonely even though she was under the sheets with me. She kept on watching the ceiling like something new. She was being vastly thoughtful and I didn't like her that way. I know Clara always behaves unpredictably lonesome and I'd always dislike the way everyone thinks it was ok. No, they don't think it was ok. They think it couldn't be helped.

I want to change that sometimes.

"Hey.." I said, slowly and realized my voice was lower than I wanted. She didn't respond to it.

"Clara.." I caressed her hair down to her cheek before she noticed me. She stared tersely at me, scarfed down saliva, and turned right back to stare at the ceiling.

"Do you want it off?...the light?" I asked even though I knew the light wasn't the problem. It was the best thing I could think of starting that conversation. Clara would find her way to push me out if I just jumped right to it.

She turned back to me sheltering her lower lip. She looked speechless except that she looked more like she didn't want to talk. She brightened her face and nodded slowly. I dropped off the bed and turned the light off before I lay back on gently.

"Clara.."

"Hm?" She voiced, turning completely toward me. I struggled with the little that wasn't enough to contact her eyes which had darkened with the night. I was amazed by the way she replied. I stretched my arm and touched her face sooner than I expected.

"Could you please be in my shoes?" I asked, tousling her hair.

"Just for tonight"

After a grave silence, she sighed moving her head up for a bit and making me feel like she wasn't comfortable with my hand on her hair.

As I expected, I got no reply.

"Will you? Clara?" I asked again.

"I beg your pardon!" She got up and shouted in my ear.

"I am ok!"

I didn't expect that she'd treat me with such a cold voice that night even with the light off. I was only showing care. Just like me, I would've stopped talking for the main time. I would let her drown alone in her despair caused by God knows what until she was alright. But no! I wouldn't do that anymore. She'd changed her ways and I'd better adapt to it.

"I am your sister!" I heard myself creaking up angrily.

"you f*ckin twin. What do you think of me? That I feel okay seeing you like this? Each time you were mean to me, I gently waited for my twinny to show up out of you again so I could get on her good side.

This isn't...the Clara I grew up with.." I cried just before I wanted to stop myself. I was surprised that Dad wasn't in yet but I thought it was better. It hurts me that she's to blame most of the time.

"I'm sorry..."

Something unexpected happened again.

She apologized. I turned to her in surprise before she slowly dropped her arm on my shoulder. Her hand, Why is it so cold?

"I didn't...want to yell at you Zara," she said chiming in the better voice she could make.

"It just...it just"

I grabbed her arm and embraced her while she wanted to keep talking.

" I'm sorry too, we both owe ourselves,

I can't...stop thinking that you don't understand how bad it hurts when I see you depressed and hurting inside. I'm the closest person to you on earth. I just feel like.. perhaps, you don't value our relationship as twins"

"I promise... henceforth I would" she fondled my back.

"I promise...I promise" Her voice kept on echoing in my head as she patted me to bed. It almost became a lullaby to me.

********

"Zara... Clara..." Someone was calling us to see the morning light. I opened my eyes and at first, it was blurry but the voice that I heard was kind of familiar.

"Hurray!" She pushed her way into our room and as I suspected, it was her.

"Daisy!" I beamed up.

"You know I don't miss the day to the dayy" she laughed. I jumped off the bed and clasped her.

"Oh my Gosh...I thought you wouldn't make it" I shifted backward and

"Zara...I presume"

"Yay," I smiled. Clara rolled from the noise and woke up eventually. She scrutinized Daisy and turned away like she wasn't any excited. She looked up at us again and scuffed.

"Hi," she smiled.

I was glad it went better. Today is the day before our birthday and Daisy, our best friend always comes by because we go shopping together. She was my best friend until she became our best friend when she had no choice for our identicalness. That was the month she went to see her mom from the States and none of us knew she'd make it back just that time. I was more than cheerful.

I didn't realize we were so late in bed until she came to wake us up.

Clara didn't put on her depressed face either. She smiled at the morning at least. Every day that falls on that day was almost extensively better. They almost made my favorite days.

After we three had greeted Dad, we prepared and took off.

***

As we walked up the stairs to the main mall, Daisy told us about Venessa's marriage that would be coming up the following week.

Her elder step-sister who had just graduated from College. She also wanted to pick a dress for that day.

"Wow look at these dresses!" Daisy exclaimed as they were all really beautiful.

Just yet, my eyes already fell on the perfect dress I wanted to try. It was a gorgeous Alencon wine lace.

"That one" Daisy pointed at a red, sleeveless, floor-length dress.

"I'll try this," she said, unstocking it.

"I'll take it!" Clara objected.

"Oh come on Clara, there are a thousand more dresses like this, you just have to check" Daisy smiled as she went to try it on.

"No...I'll take that!" Clara stood her ground and followed Daisy's back.

You've got to be kidding me. I rushed behind them just to meet Clara dragging it with her until she finally pulled it and as a result, rolled Daisy down the stairs.

"Clara! What have you done!" I rushed down to check on Daisy and she wasn't getting up.

"Daisy!" I pulled her hand but she kept on falling it back to the floor. The Mall's attendant rushed in and observed her breath.

"Oh my God She's... not breathing, we need an ambulance!"

"What?! Daisy!!" I grabbed her pulse.

I kept on screaming until I jumped off the bed. It was all dark and scary.

"My God, it was a dream" I turned to the light switch and turned it on. I got wet from sweat, trying to maintain and exhaust my breath at the same time.

I was breathing very hard before I realized I was the only one sleeping in the room.

What time is it?

Where is Clara?