Two Souls Collide

"Welcome to our new home!" Papa gives us his classic grin. This grin fits his cheeks, but fails to reach his eyes. His 5 O'clock shadow looks rough, and his bright green eyes show no crinkle of happiness. My sister and I know what this means. Papa believes Claire, his wife, is here.
Claire is our biological mother. The woman that got up and left when Lacey and I were only one, and Lucas six years old. That night Claire packed her belongings, and left with only a note saying how she went to find herself. Papa waited four years, barely surviving emotionally. When he got word that she was in Paris, he moved us from Lille, France to Paris, France. When he got word she was in Marseille, we moved there; Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulon, and our last home Strasbourg, which sits right between France and Germany.
There we stayed three years, the longest place we've ever stayed at a city. I had a boyfriend there, Avery, who is two years older than me. We were together for a year and a half. Avery was handsome, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He worked at a bookstore when we were together, which worked out well since I'm a book nerd. Imagine my sorrow when Papa told us we were leaving the country. Now we're in Hamburg, Germany, right outside the major city district.
It's always been emotionally exhausting with all the moving. We don't make friends that well, because we know we won't stay long. We're use to having short term friends. Lacey, Lucas and I have learned to only rely on ourselves. It makes me appreciative that I'm not an only child; I can't picture how lonely I would be. Although, Lucas was all too happy to leave as soon as he could. He had a valid excuse, college in America. He emails us and calls us every now and then. Him and Papa aren't close, they're both too stubborn.
Our grandparents have never approved of Papa's way of life. His parents always criticize him for not letting us stay in one place. We see them every Christmas though, either they come here or us to Paris where they live. Papi and Mimi (grandpa and grandma), constantly bicker about the littlest matters. Papi is old fashion and stern, but loves a good sense of humor. Mimi is stubborn and proper. You can imagine their shock when Lacey and I dyed our hair and got piercings.
Our father speaks German, thank the heavens. When we were younger we took lessons in German, but mostly English. We're not fluent in German, and we do better hearing people speak than speaking ourselves, but it will do for now. Lacey and I like focus on perfecting our fluent English. I'm sure Papa will get us a tutor now that we are here.
Papa is a good man. From any outside perspective he would appear like a regular Papa with three kids, (well, two really, Lucas left us and is now attending an American college on a scholarship.) Papa tells us to eat our vegetables, keep our grades up, (which can be difficult when you move so much), stay healthy and so on. Our Papa just happens to be extremely lovesick. His lover of eight years left him out of the blue without any valid explanation.
I blink out of my haze and stare at the house in front of us. It is white with dark green trimmings, two stories with a large basement and small attic. The porch covered the entire front side of the house, with a large window on each side. A single, large tree grows on the right side of it, where a window above the porch's roof sits. There are two, tall outside lamps near the first three steps leading to the porch. On the right is also a driveway with a garage at the end.
"It's casually sophisticated." I say meaning to break the silence.
"Isn't it?" Papa nods. "Alright, let's see inside! I had the movers set up every room but the bedrooms."
We walk up the steps; Papa opens the large heavy wooden door with a decorative thick square glass. We're greeted to narrow steps leading to upstairs; the large living room connects with Papa's small office on our right. On our left is a small carpeted area with blue walls, another small office for Lacey and I. Past our small study is the kitchen, which is a fairly nice size. From the right of the kitchen lead into the living room. I walk past it to a door with a large window on it, showing a small pantry with a washer and dryer. On my right is a small bathroom with only a sink and toilet. From the pantry leads to a door which shows the backyard, and the side of the garage.
When Lacey and I walk upstairs the third, and last step up creaks. The bedroom on the left is Papas, while mine is on the right near the bathroom, and Lacey's is the one near mine with the window that shows the front yard. Looking out my large bedroom window I notice that if I were to climb down at an angle, I'd land on the garage roof.
"The house is a good size." I say as Lacey walks up behind me.
"Means we're going to stay here awhile."
"Do you think we'll stay as long as Strasbourg?" I ask.
"That's up to 'Claire'." She replies. "Let's unpack, Alice." She leaves my room to her own leaving me alone.
Our Papa comes in and sets up our bed. I have mine two feet from the window against the wall of Lacey's room.
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My bed is my absolute comfort object. In-between my bed and the wall with the window is my small red bookcase. Across my bed is my black wide 6 drawer dresser with my red, orange, passion pink, and black lava lamps. Across from the window next to my sister's wall is my steel computer desk with my laptop, lamp, and speakers on it. I added more details to my new room such as glow-in-the-dark stars, red curtains, and so on. Unpacking my Pokemon plushie collection is a pain in the ass, but I eventually settle for having them in the right side of my small walk in closet all on a beanie bag.
The total time of unpacking takes about three days of backbreaking work. Once everything situates, we all start feeling at home. Papa begins working, while we prepare for school.
Papa is an accountant, a damn good one. He sets off for work at 7:30am, and confirms he'll be home around six.
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I eat a bowl of vanilla yogurt and cheerios mixed. My dyed white-blonde hair with blue streaks is up in a high ponytail, and I'm wearing zebra print pajamas, black tank top and bright green furry slippers. I've been up since seven in the morning; my sleep schedule is still slightly off…then again it's always been off. Lacey always sleeps until noon.
When I finish my breakfast I go upstairs and take a shower. I dress in casual clothes, dark hip hugger jeans, black "Self-Rescuing Princess" shirt, Adidas sneakers, and my ultimate blue micro fleece hoodie that has about a gazillion pockets, in one of them I stuff my bright green iPod, and cherry flavor cigarettes and lighter in another. I let my hair down, and put on basic make up, which consists of very thin eyeliner around my eyes, mascara and clear strawberry lip gloss. I change some of my piercings, each ear, which is pierced two times, with the exception of the tragus on my left ear, and my right anti-eyebrow. I head out after eight, determined to come back knowing my way around our neighborhood.
It's March, and the weather is bright, but cold. I hug myself and walk faster, hoping to warm up. All the houses are two stories, some brick some not. I hear no children, only a few cars passing by and a lone bird chirping. The sky is a bare pale blue, and so many dark green trees surround me I can only view the pretty blue by looking straight up. The road slowly goes uphill as I walk farther away from my new home.
I know I've been walking for awhile because my legs are numb, jeans don't really offer protection from cold. I've walked far enough to a park outside the busy side of the city. An old couple is walking over a small bridge, and a runner moving on the outer edges of the park. I check my iPod and see that it is 10:11am.
Pulling out my pack of cherry flavor cigarettes, I light one and inhale.
I'm too busy looking around at the strange place, that I don't notice something tangle itself in my feet.
"OHLA!" I instinctively know it's living, and move my feet so I don't hurt it, causing me to lose my balance and fall on the cement pathway. My hands stop my face from smacking into the ground, but my chest, particularly my breast, and hands hurt. My cigarette burns my palm making me cry out. I hear a bark, and something wet comes to my forehead. I look up and receive a lick on my nose.
"No, no." I sit up seeing that it is a dog, a dachshund mix, about slightly smaller than a medium size dog. It's a dark brown and black mix with curls. "Aww, are you hurt?" I ask leaning towards it. The dog comes up to me in my lap wagging its tail. I check the burn on my palm, a nasty red stains my skin. The burning feeling makes me bite my tongue. The dog nudges me, and I pet it with my good hand, and rub its head cooing and snuggling to it for a few minutes. I learn that it's a girl.
Then it hits me, this dog must belong to someone. The coat is soft, she looks so healthy, which means she must belong to someone here. I instantly look around seeing if anyone is coming or noticing her. A few more people are at the park, but no one takes notice of me or the dog. I look down at her as she stares at me with huge brown eyes.
"Who do you belong to?" I feel around her neck seeing if I missed a collar…nothing. "Your owner must be missing you." I stand up wiping off dirt. She jumps up, her paws reaching my knees. She was slightly bigger than a regular dachshund. I feel a sting in my hand, and sigh. I have to go home and clean this…but what about the cute dog? Once again I take a look around, no one takes notice. No one looks as if they're looking for something precious.
My heart tugs as I look at her. Maybe I should stay here until-
"If I was standing on the balcony, and you were walking down below," I fumble with my pockets trying to find my blue cell phone as Fuzzy Blue Lights play, Lacey's ringtone, "I'd feel rather depressed and out of place, and lonely just to watch you go-"
"Allo-"
"Where are you?" Lacey asks in a serious tone.
"At a park."
"Are you okay?" Her voice asks softly. "You've been gone awhile, come home."
"When did you wake up?"
"A few minutes ago. Are you okay?" She asks again. I've learned never to ask her weird ways of knowing when I've done something.
"I burnt myself…but I'm fine. I'll be home soon."
"How bad?"
"Not bad, I'll be home soon."
"You said you were at a park? Isn't there a park a few miles away?" I hear movement in her background.
"Um, I think. I did a lot of walking before I turned here."
"Is it that Rosen Park?" I look around and notice a sign far off.
"Yes." I hear a door open.
"I'll meet you coming home."
"What are the odds we'll walk the same way?" I ask.
"With us, pretty good." I look down to see if the dog was still with me, she was. She sits calmly, her tail wagging.
We hang up and I begin walking. I can hear the dog trot with me, right beside my left leg. I look down every once in awhile, and she looks up. My heart has already opened up to her. I can't possibly let her be alone. As I walk, I try to wonder what her name is…so I say random names wondering if I'll get recognition from her.
"Ariel…Lucy…Lumiere…Cher…Chantel…would it be German names possibly?" So I speak a few names I know are German. Nothing really spikes her interest as she looks at me. We walk in silence for awhile, and I wonder what would happen if she just leaves me. I frown and look down at her; she shows no signs of leaving me.
"Perhaps when we get home…I will set up lost dog papers everywhere. You're so friendly and adorable, what owner could leave you?" I look ahead and see me.
"What is that?" Lacey asks coming up to me.
Lacey's hair is colored exactly like mine, but with purple streaks instead of blue, and currently up in a messy bun. Her make up is on heavy, and all her piercings in. She has snakebites, and her ears are pierced three times, plus her tragus piercing on her right. Lacey is an inch taller than me and about three pounds heavier, not that it shows. Her skin is as pale as mine, her lips pouty like mine, button nose and big light green eyes like mine. I can see her beauty mark on the lower base of her neck through her silver chain necklace. She wears ripped jeans and a dark green guy's hoodie.
"It's a dog; you know like ruff, ruff." I reply.
"I know that, why is it near you?"
"We have to find her owner." Lacey sighs and rubs her forehead with her right hand.
"Alice…" She says my name. "It could have diseases."
"Look at her, she's clearly pampered."
"We could get sued."
"She was all alone, who would sue someone taking care of their dog and willing to give it back after they lose it?"
"And if she has no owner?"
"Lace." I put my arms on my hips.
"Liss." She imitates.
We stare straight into each other's identical eyes. I hold my own, seeing my older half sigh and look away.
"Thank you!" I hug her tightly, the dog barks.
"Don't get too attached." She warns.
"I won't."
"I mean it Alice, you always fall for stuff you can't have."
"I wonder who she belongs to." I ignore her comment. We walk off to our home.
"Probably someone just as spoiled as it looks." Lacey shrugs. "We'll see." I smile, purely happy.
It's just a cute dog, what could go wrong?