Identical to the Eye

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon and Lucy hated to spend the day indoors. It was such a waste with the Sun shining so brightly, offering its rays of warmth to those below. She imagined she was outside, listening to the birds sing, but instead she felt a strange resemblance to a bird cooped up in a cage. Her cage was the dorm room she would be staying in for a week, courtesy of her sister.

“Hey, Miss Poutyface,” calling Lucy’s attention to herself, “Will you get over here and help me move your stuff?”

Being overly dramatic, Lucy trudged to the door where her sister stood. Reluctantly, she grabbed one side of the load and pulled while Claire pushed.

Claire let out a heavy sigh. “This is ridiculously heavy. What’s in here?”

Opening the case, Lucy showed her. “It’s my Casio.”

“Well, I’m not helping you move it when the week is over,” mumbling through her gasps of air.

“You know, for a dancer you’re not very fit,” she grinned, teasing her older sister.

With her panting down to a minimum, Claire scowled at her sister. “I’m very fit. I’m fitter than you. You’re not the one who carried this all the way from the car,” accusation in her words.

Unable to keep the smile off her face, Lucy countered, “True, but you are the one who suggested that I wait in the room while you bring up my stuff because you didn’t want anyone to see the both of us together.”

Regardless of knowing better, Claire couldn’t resist the urge of sticking her tongue out at her sibling. Lucy giggled and thrust her tongue out as well, but she didn’t mind that the act was considered immature.

Rolling her eyes at their silliness, Claire pulled out a paper from her bag. “Here, this is your schedule.”

Lucy grasped it in her hands, scanning the words on the page.

“The first four classes are all my required classes, but after that you have the two you chose,” fanning herself while she explained.

“Do you normally take six courses?” a look of horror in Lucy’s eyes.

Claire nodded her head. “Yeah, four required and then two dance courses.”

“You’re crazy,” shaking her head. “I’m only pretending to take six courses and I still think that’s insane.”

“Maybe. Or maybe it’s just you,” laughing at her sister’s inability to juggle several courses.

Lucy smiled as she watched her sister laugh. Her behavior was different. Now that she was going off for a week to pursue her dream, she was happier. It wasn’t like Claire had been severely depressed or anything, but she was more alive than she’d ever been.

Claire’s laughter died down when she noticed Lucy smiling at her. “What?”

“You’re happier,” she answered with a grin.

Understanding her twin’s words, she smiled back in reply. “Luce, thank you for -” she started, but Lucy cut off the rest of her sentence.

“No, stop right there,” holding a hand up as a sign to halt.

Beaming at her younger sister, Claire felt grateful that she had Lucy to rely on. Of course she had their father, but he didn’t understand. Her father had thought of ballet as nothing more than a childish hobby that ended when she was ten. The truth was it had never ended. Claire continued on with her dreams of becoming a ballerina, but in secrecy. No one, aside from Luce, knew that she had taken private lessons. Guilt swarmed her, but she pushed it back down, reasoning that she couldn’t tell her father because it would only disappoint him. Neither of the twins wanted their father to be disappointed with them.

“You’d better call Dad,” Lucy stated, interrupting her thoughts, “he sounded pretty hurt when I told him that you didn’t need help moving in.”

Claire nodded her head. “We don’t want him to do something rash like drive here. He’ll figure out our plan before it’s even gone into effect.”

Chuckling, Lucy agreed, “My thoughts exactly. The whole twin telepathy thing must really work. Okay,” squeezing her eyes shut and placing the tips of her fingers on her temples, “try to read what I’m thinking.”

Huffing out a breath for exaggeration, she took a crack at it, “You’re thinking that I should leave you to your unpacking while I go call Dad.”

“Not even close,” she groaned. “I was thinking that we should order Chinese.”

A smile tugging at Claire’s mouth, she replied, “I’ll order after I call Dad.”

Grinning in return, Lucy gave her a thumbs up. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

Claire nodded her head, walking out of the room to make a call to their father before he did something foolish. Standing at the top of the stairwell, she slipped her cell out of her pocket and pressed the number two, speed dialing her father’s phone. The number one person on her speed dial was, but of course, Lucy.

The phone rang twice before Richard answered his phone. “Claire?” he asked frantically.

His eldest daughter smiled at the tone of her father’s voice. “Hi, Daddy.”

A sigh could be heard on Claire’s end of the call. “Hi, sweetheart. How’s the unpacking?” Richard worried, he wanted to be there helping his daughter settle in for her sophomore year of college.

Claire fidgeted on the other end, a frown twisting her face. “It’s going well. Lucy’s not much help, but I knew she wouldn’t be and I asked for her help anyway,” attempting a laugh, but it came out airy and more forced than she wanted it to sound.

Her father heard the hitch in her voice and became anxious. “Is everything okay, Claire Bear?” using her childhood nickname. “Should I come over and help?”

Smiling at the term of endearment, she made up an excuse. “No Dad, I’m fine. Luce and I are practically done. You don’t have to drive all the way down here, it’s okay.”

Nodding his head to himself. “Well, if you say so. Have you girls ate lunch?” feeling the need to ask like he used to when they were little.

A real chuckle left Claire’s lips upon hearing her father’s question. “Dad, we’re not seven anymore, you don’t have to remind us to eat lunch. We’re going to order Chinese,” tacking on the sentence to reassure him.

“I know, I know,” admitting even to himself, “I just worry about the two of you.”

“Dad,” Claire droned, knowing her father was starting to get emotional.

“Yes, you’re right,” sniffling on his end of the call. “Okay then, I guess I’d better let you go. I love you, Claire bear. Tell Luce juice, I love her too.”

Nodding her head, she replied, “I will, Daddy. I love you too.”

Hanging up the phone, she pushed the number nine button to speed dial her and Lucy’s favorite Chinese place. She didn’t allow herself time to contemplate what they were doing behind their father’s back, in fear of changing her mind.

-

Unable to go further into the airport, they stopped at the security point. Facing each other, Claire smiled from ear to ear, but Lucy couldn’t pull the corners of her mouth up. She felt horrible, she wanted to be supportive of Claire, but she couldn’t wipe the frown from her features.

Concern overriding her joy, Claire inquired her sister. “Luce, what’s wrong?”

A quick shake of her head, trying to put Claire’s happiness before her own, she fibbed, “Nothing, I’m just worried about your flight.”

Claire wrapped her arms around Lucy, hugging her. “Don’t worry, the flight will be fine. I’m not afraid to fly like you.”

Hugging her older sister, Lucy nodded feebly. “Yeah, I guess,” but in truth, Lucy wasn’t worried about Claire’s flight. She was worried that she would be lost without Claire’s guidance.

Releasing her younger twin, Claire prompted, “Don’t forget that class starts at eight o’clock.”

Huffing at Claire’s constant reminder, Lucy murmured, “I won’t.”

“Remember to set your alarm earlier than ten minutes before eight,” she impelled. “I want you to eat breakfast in the morning, even if it means having to lose extra sleep time.”

Lucy frowned, but agreed to the nonsense. “I will.”

A wide grin smack dab on Claire’s face, she hugged her sister one last time. “Oh Lucy, thank you so much for doing this. I swear I’ll never ask you for anything ever again,” she exclaimed, letting her sibling go.

Lucy smiled at her sister, a real genuine smile. “It’s nothing, really. And stop thanking me already, you’re making me feel like I’m some kind of saint or something,” her face scrunching up at the comparison.

Lucy knew Claire would never ask for anything after this. Claire had never asked anyone for anything, which was why Lucy wanted to grant Claire this one thing. If this was what Claire wanted, then Lucy would be there for her every step of the way. It was the least she could do, considering all the things Claire had done for her. Now, it was Lucy’s turn to help her sister.

“Well, I’d better get going then,” sighing at the thought of saying good-bye, even if only for a week.

Not wanting to bid farewell, Lucy sighed. “Yeah, you don’t want to miss the plane.”

“Bye, Luce. I’ll see you in a week. Love you,” Claire stated, managing a small smile.

Lucy grinned, attempting to lighten the mood. “Love you too.”

One last fleeting look, Claire headed towards the security check point.

Mustering up the strength to encourage her sister, Lucy hollered, “Go get ‘em, Claire bear! Knock ‘em dead!” cupping her hands around her mouth to project her voice.

Grinning at her sister’s encouragement, Claire nodded her head and waved before crossing further into the airport.