Life of Illusion

“Oi! Mum!” I heard a voice shout faintly in my sleep, as if it was far away. “Is there any particular reason there's a strange girl in my bed? Did you forget to lock up the back again?”

“No, Oliver, and stop shouting, you'll wake her up.” Susan scolded affectionately. “What are you doing back, dears?” She said after a short pause.

“Well, we wanted to surprise you, but it seems you've already replaced us.” A voice similar to the first voice said, though it was a little deeper.

“I always knew you wanted a girl instead, mum.” The first voice, I'm guessing Oliver, sounded. By the sounds of it, they were coming back into the room.

“She's an old friend of mine's granddaughter, just moved in next door and I wasn't about to let her sleep on a cold hard floor!” Susan explained to them, tired and flustered, but obviously glad to have her sons back.

Finding it impossible to get back to sleep, I stirred fully awake. “Morning, Goldilocks!” The two boys greeted simultaneously. I sat up, the book falling onto my lap, losing my place, and reached up to rub my eyes, finding my glasses still perched crookedly on my nose.

“I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd be back this...” I looked around for a clock, wondering whether to call this time 'late' or 'early'. “Early.” I finished, giving up on the clock.

One of the ginger haired boys jumped on the bed next to me, “It's okay, we'll just cuddle up together.” He smirked. I smiled a little, still too tired to laugh, and pulled the blankets off me.

“I'll just head back over, thanks again, Mrs. Phelps.” I yawned, scooting to the foot of the bed, the only other exit blocked by one of the twins. “Sorry, again, for sleeping in your bed.” I turned to who I assumed was Oliver, who was pulling off his sneakers.

“Wait a moment, I could just go sleep on the couch, I'm not going to let you sleep on the floor.”

“Your mother told me you've been away, I'm sure you're looking forward to resting in your own bed.” I reasoned, Susan had dragged James down to the kitchen for food or something like that.

“The sun's almost risen, I don't think I'll get much sleep.”

“Sunrise?” I asked, now getting off the bed for sure, “Oh, I forgot!”

“Forgot what?” The twin said, confused.

“The sunrise! This would be my first one in England!” I exclaimed, running out of the room and back to my new house for the camera I had tucked away in my carry-on bag I had yet to unpack. I hadn't unpacked much of anything for lack of place to put it. “I slept through the one yesterday, so it doesn't count.”

Climbing up onto the roof from the balcony for the best view, I waited excitedly. There was something about a foreign sunset that was just...mystical. Exciting.

“Oi!” One of the twins shouted up at me, “Are you metal? You're going to fall and get yourself killed.”

I just laughed at him, “But it's so pretty up here!” I shouted down to him.

“It's just Birmingham.” He looked even more confused at me.

“Which I've never seen before. I'm American, darn it! I get all tourist-y in new places.” I said, “Now either pipe down or join me, you're waking the neighbors.”

“How are we supposed to get up there?” The other twin appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to join his brother.

“Climb!” I instructed, the two boys didn't move. “Fine, chickens, I'll be down to lead the way. Un momento!”

“You're bonkers, you know that?” One of the two told me, as I smiled at them both, “You're decidedly insane, and we don't even know what to call you!”

“You can call me anything you'd like, but I only answer to Aline.” I led the upstairs and on the balcony. I don't know whether it was because the boys were so handsome, or the fact that I was still so tired, but I was feeling extra flirty. And that hardly ever happened. “Which brings me to my question, who is who?”

“I'm James.” The twin on the left said, and pointed to his left and said that the man standing next to him was Oliver, “He has a birthmark on the right side of his neck, so that's how you can tell us apart.” He explained, pulling on the collar of Oliver's shirt, showing some dark freckles or something.

“Yeah, like I'm going to check your neck every time I speak to you.” I shot back, “You maybe be twins, but nothing is truly identical. I'll figure out a way to tell you apart. As it is, James, your face is a little rounder.”

We sat down together on the roof and watched at the sun climbed its way up into the sky, and I took several pictures of the brightening city you could see from my roof. “It's so pretty.” I sighed, smiling.

“Hey, Aline, what are you doing?” James asked as I went to the edge of the roof.

“I promised your parents breakfast.” I jumped down onto the balcony. “The sun's risen already, so might as well start the day. I'll make some breakfast for you guys, too, since you're here and everything.” I added.

I heard two more thuds as they followed me off the roof and out of my house. “Do you have any requests?” I asked as they opened the door to their house and went in, me following.

“Nope.” They said in unison.

“Okay!” I smiled, going into their kitchen, where Susan was working around. “No!” I exclaimed, “I was going to make you breakfast!”

Susan just smiled and backed away, seeing my persistence, I asked her for an onion, eggs, green pepper, mushrooms, and a large frying pan. They didn't have any green pepper, apparently not too keen on the idea, and I set off on making the omelet. “You're humming.” One of the twins mentioned right in my ear, I jumped, startled.

“Gah!” I said, with my hand over my heart. “That was just...worse than the toaster!” At that moment, the toaster popped, causing me to jump once more at the loud noise. Both twins busted up laughing, throwing their heads back and everything.

“That's not nice.” I pouted, turning back to the pan, I was almost finished, the eggs just needed to cook and the cheese needed to be put on it.

“Looks delicious.” One said, leaning over my shoulders.

“James, Oliver! Stop pestering her. She's trying to get breakfast done.” Susan scolded and shooed them out of the kitchen.

I gave her a smile and spread the cheese over the eggs, letting it melt a little. “Ta-da!” I said with flourish, “It is finished!”

We all sat and ate at the table, the twins causing a ruckus and talking about their friends. Someone named Daniel, Rupert, and a bunch of other people. I wasn't really paying attention, I had once again pulled out my book. It was rather rude, sure, but I figured since they just came back and everything, they should be able to talk together as a family.

“Well, I figured I have bothered you guys enough, I will be going back to my house now. I better go to the grocery store and get some food for my own house.” I smiled, getting up from the table.

“Don't be silly, you're always welcome here.” Susan waved her hands. “Besides, the markets don't open until nine.”

“Oh.” I said, “I guess I'm just so used to walmart being open 24/7.” I laughed, getting mildly weird looks.

“Anyway, stay here for a bit, it's better than that empty house.”

“All right, but I'm just going in the living room to read.”

I sat cross-legged on the loveseat, head bent over Shakespeare for a few moments before looking around the place. In the corner opposite from the television sat a bookcase. Curiously, I got up and went to it.

I browsed the titles, seeing some familiar and some I had never even heard of, and some of my favorites.

Dickens, Bronte, Poe, and even Tolkien and Rowling. It was varied and wonderful as far as collections go. I pulled out the Great Gatsby and started to leaf through it.

I gave a big yawn as I settled back down on the couch with Gatsby. Fitzgerald did a good job in summing up the 'American Dream'. Money, girls, fame, success. Briefly, I wondered what this book was doing in a British home, but then I was sucked into the book.

Any book that makes you hate a character so much is a good book, in my opinion.

I was started from my daze when Oliver and James sat leisurely on either side of me. “You're frightened easily, do you know that?” James chuckled.

“Maybe you should stop appearing from nowhere.” I shot back. The twins smirked secretly at each other, apparently getting something I had missed. “Anyway, shouldn't you guys be really tired, wanting to go to sleep?”

“We're zonked.” They said together.

“Then go to your rooms.” I suggested.

“Yes, mother.” They said, getting off the couch and going up the stairs. Feeling rather beat myself, I slid lower on the couch, shutting my eyes.