Milestones: Teenagers

The start of the school year was just days away. For everyone, that is, except Michelle DiBenedetto. Instead of joining her sister and the rest of the school populous, she would begin her home schooling lessons for the sixth year in a row.

Back when she and her twin sister, Valary, had been ten years old and just out of the fifth grade, their parent told them all about how home schooling worked, and let the girls decide which they would at to do until they either graduated or changed their minds. Valary, being rather social, decided she wanted to stay in school with all her friends. Michelle, on the other hand, had learned through grade school how nasty and mean some kids could be, and decided she'd rather spend her time at home with her mother, who was her home schooling tutor.

The two girls were very different, but that was how they liked it, and as they grew older it became more apparent. Val spent a lot of time out with her friends and the boyfriend she had gotten with, and Michelle stayed in, keeping to herself. But despite their differences, both Val and Michelle were good friends with each other, and Val's boyfriend, Matt, viewed Michelle as his sister.

And as the start of the academic year loomed closer, no one knew the changes that were about to take place, or how they would alter the futures of the two sisters. Especially Michelle's.

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Michelle walked down the stairs on the Saturday before school would be starting after her morning routine of getting ready. Once in the living room she noticed her sister Val and her boyfriend Matt lounging on the couch, watching T. It was the usual situation for the couple: either Val would go to Matt's, or he would come here.

"Hey Matt, Val," Michelle greeted as she walked straight through to the kitchen to have breakfast.

Watching her sister walk past them, Val thought of what she and Matt had been discussing over the past few days and decided now would be as good a time as any to bring it up.

"Michelle, come here for a second," Val called out, and Michelle paused her rooting through the cupboards to join the other two, bringing the glass of orange juice she had just poured.

"What do you want?" Michelle asked her younger sister (though it was only a difference of a few minutes).

"Do you know what would be really awesome?" Val asked, a sly smile on her face. Michelle could tell already, just by the look on her sister's face, that she was about to be asked for a favor of some sort.

Rolling her eyes, Michelle answered. "No. Why don't you enlighten me," she said, her voice void of all enthusiasm. Matt picked up on it and let out a slight laugh at the tone she used, which caused Michelle to smile in return. Being as close as they were, she and Matt always got on well together.

"Well, Matt and I were thinking it would be really fun if you came to school with us for our last year," Val suggested, leaning into Matt a little more as his arm was around her shoulders.

Not being quite the thing her sister would ask her for, Michelle scoffed. "Public school? Isn't that where the losers go?" she asked, her voice light to show she was only joking.

"Hey, I highly resent that," Matt said, feigning indignance while pointing at Michelle.

"Well, you should,' she countered. "But really, guys, public school isn't my thing," Michelle said with a sigh, taking a sip of her juice.

"How do you know if it's not your thing? The last time you went to school with kids your own age, you were ten. I really think you should give it a try." Looking at her sister, Val made the best pouting face she could, hoping it would be enough to help persuade Michelle. "It'll be fun, I promise!"

"From the way you two whine and complain about it all the time, it doesn't sound like so much fun," Michelle pointed out, looking between Matt and her sister.

"That's only the school part," Val replied, waving off the fact Michelle had brought up. "The fun part is the social part. You'll get to meet new people, and let me tell you, some of the guys there? I'd even go for them."

"Whoa... Don't be saying shit like that in front of me, I may just get jealous and beat someone up," Matt warned, looking at his girlfriend who just laughed.

"Oh be quiet, you know I'm only picking. You're the only bitch I've got."

"Oh really? Last I knew, you were the-"

"Okay!" Michelle cut in, not overly wanting to hear where the conversation may have been heading. "Val, really... I'm not going to fit in at your school. I don't know anyone," she tried to reason, hoping the subject would be dropped, allowing her to get back to making her breakfast.

"You'd hang out with us and our friends. We have plenty to share, and Matt's friends are the hot ones anyway." Val giggled when Matt shot her a dirty look, causing her to kiss him. They started to get all cute with each other, so Michelle took that as her cue to leave. Completely forgetting about the food she had come downstairs for in the first place because of the displays of affection between her sister and Matt, Michelle headed back up the stairs.

As she passed by her parents' room, she looked in and noticed suitcases open on the bed. Stopping, she looked on, feeling confused. As she entered, her mother, Debbie, came out of the bathroom with her arms full of things When Debbie looked up, she smiled, although there was a hint of sympathy in it as she dropped the things into one of the open cases.

"What's up, 'Shelly?" Debbie asked her daughter, using the nickname Michelle had picked up when she was younger.

"...Are you going somewhere?" Michelle asked as she sat down on the bed.

"Yes, actually. I'm really sorry, honey, but I'm afraid I won't be able to teach you at home this year."

"What? Why not?" Michelle asked.

"Well, your grandmother has fallen ill and there's no one to take care of her. Your father and I are going up to San Francisco for awhile, at least until she gets better," Debbie explained as she continued to pack.

"So who's going to teach me?"

Dreading the answer she had to give, Debbie sighed. "I'm afraid you're going to have to go to public school with your sister this year. It's the easiest way."

"Please, tell me you're kidding," Michelle said in shock.

"I'm sorry honey, but I'm serious," she apologized.

"Well when do you leave?" Michelle asked quietly, looking down at her nails as she felt her spirits fall.

"Tomorrow afternoon, which is why we're packing today," Debbie answered. Michelle sat there for a moment before she stood and decided to go downstairs to reveal the news to her sister.

"It looks like you're going to get your wish, Val. Mom says I have to go to public school," she said sullenly, and Val smiled, clapping her hands gleefully.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

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Monday morning, Val walked her sister through the school after picking up their schedules. She pointed out the rooms Michelle would need to remember before taking her to the lockers, finding the one that had been designated for her sister, spinning the combination, and opening the door.

"So, where's your locker?" Michelle asked as she put her backpack into the locker.

"It's downstairs. Yours would have been next to mine, but since you enrolled on short notice, you got this random empty one. Matt's is right down there, though," Val explained, pointing down the hall to the left.

"Where is Matt, by the way?" Michelle asked as she shut the metal door. She found it uncanny that the two weren't attached at the hip for once.

"He's off with the guys. They're probably still outside. You'll meet them sometime soon," Val answered, and the two sisters began walking down the hall to Michelle's first class, where Val would drop her off. The two received some peculiar looks from other students, who obviously knew Val but had no idea she was a twin.

"What classes do I have with you?" Michelle asked, looking down at her schedule.

"Let me check," Val said, pulling out her own schedule and comparing it to her sister's. "We have Creative Writing and Multimedia, but I think that's it. Looks like you're on your own for lunch, which sucks because you have second lunch and there's never any food left," she said, and Michelle hoped she was only kidding. "Alright, you have Chorus first. This way," Val commanded, taking a right down the hall opposite the main high school staircase, which led them back toward the front entrance of the school. "Have fun," she said, waving her sister off as they stopped at the correct room and Michelle went inside.

Once the class was over, Michelle made her way back down to the high school end of the building. Stopping in front of the large stairwell, she looked down at her schedule to see she had AP English. She turned to the left and as she was walking down the hall toward the room, she looked at all the people around her. None of them really seemed to take notice of her, except for a boy with black hair. He looked at her with a smile and a nod, saying hi to her. Michelle thought it was a little weird, but she shrugged it off, thinking maybe he was just being friendly because she was new.

Getting to the English room, Michelle took a seat in the only open desk. To the right of her was a dark-haired girl, and to the left was a boy who head bleached hair, though it looked slightly orange. She caught him studying her, and she had to admit she felt a little creeped out with how intense his stare was.

The boy had seen her before, or rather, he had seen her sister before. "Val?" he asked, though to himself, and Michelle could see that he was realizing she wasn't Val. He could tell there was something different about her.

"No, you're not Val," he said quietly, though he still eyed her suspiciously. "Twin?"

Smiling shyly, Michelle nodded. "Yes, Val's my twin sister." The boy nodded in return at her confirmation.

"Why have I never seen you before?" he asked.

"I was home schooled since the sixth grade," she replied.

"Ah, that makes perfect sense. I'm Zacky," the boy said with a smile, reaching out a half in greeting.

"Michelle," she responded, smiling as well as she shook his hand. "Are you one of Matt's friends?"

"Sure am," Zacky nodded as he looked down at his desk for a moment. As Michelle looked him over, she thought back to something her sister had told her: Matt's friends are the hot ones anyway. She laughed to herself. Val was right so far; this Zacky guy was quite good looking, especially with his bright green eyes that almost seemed to have a blue hue to them.

Hearing Michelle's quiet laughter, Zacky looked up. "What?"

Shaking her head, she quieted down. "Nothing," she said, dismissing him with a kind smile. He grinned back at her and then put his attention on the teacher, who was beginning the lesson.

After class had finished, Michelle headed back upstairs to her locker. She passed by that same boy with black hair, and he smiled at her again as he passed by. Turning to him after he had gone past, Michelle furrowed her eyebrows, wondering just who this person was, before she turned forward and continued down the hall.