Reflection

I plopped down under the tree just furthest from the cafeteria doors and popped open my juice. It was warm for late November and I was able to sit outside without needing to huddle under my hoodie. I had sent a text to my siblings and Abi to meet me out here instead of our usual table.

I had just bitten into my apple when I saw Jakob and Abi walking over.

“What’s up baby bro?” Jakob asked sitting down.

“Nothing much. Bombed my Geometry test.” I replied.

“Ooh…Mom is going to kill you!” Jakob laughed.

“No she’s not. I’m going to take a makeup test tomorrow during break and she’ll never know.” I smirked.

Jakob just shook his head and bit into his sandwich. A moment later I spotted Sparrow approaching. She looked pissed as hell.

“What’s up dude?” Abi said as Sparrow slammed her backpack down, plopping down beside it.

“That fucking new kid Adrian! He’s in ALL of my classes! He sits beside me every time and he keeps hitting on me! If he doesn’t quit I’m going to start hitting on him but with my fists!” she said tossing her hands up in the air.

“You want Jace and I to take care of him?” Jakob asked.

“No. I can handle him. I mean it’s not like I haven’t staved off other pervs on tour.” I replied.

“You sure?” I asked.

“Yeah I’m cool.” she said as she pulled out an apple and bit into it.

She said she was okay but I could hear the small change in her voice. Call it a twin thing but I could tell there was more on her mind than just the shit with Worsnop’s kid.

“You know I don’t get why we couldn’t be home schooled like Mom was. I’m so tired of these kids around here.” Jakob said as yet another group of people passed the four of us and whispered and snickered.

We’d gotten shit for the longest time now. You’d think we’d get used to it but it was still annoying as fuck to have to sit there and defend yourself time and time again.

“It’s because she never got to go and do the things that kids normally do in high school. She wants us to have a ‘normal’.” Sparrow replied with a dark look.

“And hey think about this. If you had been home schooled you would’ve never met me.” Abi grinned.

“True.” I replied.

We continued to eat and talk about random things until the bell rang. That’s when I pulled Sparrow aside.

“Sparrow what’s wrong?” I asked.

“I told you. Adrian kept fucking with me all day.” she said.

“Sparrow Riley do you realize who you’re talking to? It’s me. Jace. Your twin brother. I’ve known you since fucking conception. I know when shit is bugging you. Now what else is going on besides that?” I asked.

She sighed, “If I told you, you would think I was crazy.”

“Sis…I’m sorry but it’s a little late for that.” I smirked.

She smacked me in the gut but with a smirk identical to mine, “Not fucking funny Jace.”

“C’mon Sparrow just tell me what’s going on.” I said.

I watched as he eyes darted around for a moment before settling on me.

“Not now. When we get home.” she replied.

“Swear?” I asked.

“Swear.” she replied.

The rest of the day passed by quickly and the moment we were home I cornered Sparrow in her room.

“Alright now what’s going on?” I asked.

“Damn it! I thought you’d forgotten.” she sighed.

“Nope now what’s going on?”

She sighed and sunk down on the bed, “You swear on all that is holy that you won’t think I’m insane and get Mom and Daddy to commit me?” she asked.

“Yes. Now what’s going on? You’re scaring me.” I replied.

“I fell asleep in class today and had a dream about Uncle Jimmy.” she said.

“Wait…this isn’t going to turn into some creepy Necrophilia fantasy is it? Because if it is I may have to break my promise.” I said.

“What?!? EW! NO! He talked to me Jace! Just talked.” she said with a shudder.

“Thank god.” I laughed.

“You’re the one that’s sick in the head. Anyhow so he talked to me but not like dream talk.” She sighed.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean like it felt real. Like he was talking to me legit. Like a ghost or something. And the other night I saw him in the mirror behind me. At first I thought it was the alcohol but like…it just felt real.” she said laying back on the bed.

“Well then we’re a couple of peas in a pod.” I replied.

“Huh?” she asked sitting up on her elbows.

“I heard Uncle Jimmy too. But I only heard him. I haven’t seen him like you have. I was in the kitchen the other morning and I heard his voice. I mean he tried to pass himself off as my conscience but it didn’t exactly work. I mean I know his voice.” I sighed.

“And you kids are too smart for your own good.”

Both Sparrow and I jumped.

“What the fuck was that?” she asked.

“Me.” the voice came again.

“U-Uncle Jimmy?” I asked.

“Duh who else? Go look in the mirror.” he said.

I looked at Sparrow who looked back at me and we scrambled off of her bed and over to her dresser mirror. When we got there my jaw dropped and Sparrow’s hand shot up to her mouth. In the mirror between our reflections was Jimmy.

“Please Jace tell me you’re fuckin’ seeing this.” Sparrow said grabbing my arm and digging her fingers into it.

“I’m seeing it. Don’t worry.” I replied.

“Could we both be losing our minds?” she asked.

“No. You’re perfectly sane.” Jimmy replied from the mirror.

“Then why the fuck is our dead uncle talking to us in a mirror?!?” Sparrow whisper yelled.

“Okay well I’m not actually in the mirror. I’m actually a projection from your minds due to the fact that part of my soul is connected to yours.” he said.

“Your soul?” I asked.

“Yeah. It’s a long story but when you were both babies I sort of gave up my angel status and split my soul between the two of you. It saved you.” he replied.

“S-So basically you’re possessing us.” Sparrow replied.

“I wouldn’t put it like that. I mean if I was possessing you I would be making you do crazy shit. Well okay I can do that but I’m not going to.” he replied.

“You’ve been in us our whole lives then? Why are you just now showing up?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve been talking to you two for years. You’re the ones that don’t listen. Maybe you’re just finally listening. Or it could be a family thing. Your Mom and Grandma were about your age when they started seeing me too.”

“Hold on! Mom and Grandma saw you? Did they talk to you too?” I asked.

“Yeah. I’m the one who helped your Grandma get your Granddad Zacky. And I was the one that saved your Mom from your Granddad Zacky’s crazy ex girlfriend.” he replied.

“So if we were to ask them they’d tell us yes?” Sparrow replied.

“Yeah.” he replied.

I looked at Sparrow and she looked at me. Wordlessly we turned and hurried out of her room.

“Where are you going?” Jimmy’s voice echoed in my head.

“Grandma’s. We’re going to check this out and make sure we’re not fucking nuts.” Sparrow replied.

“You heard him too?” I asked and she nodded.

“Jakob! Gimme your keys.” I said as we reached the living room where Jakob, Link and Abi were stretched out on the couch watching Family Guy.

“What? Fuck no! Both of you only have your permits.” he said.

“Jakob give me your fucking keys or I swear I will tell Mom about when you snuck out to see Link in the middle of the night two weeks ago.” Sparrow said.

I saw Jakob pail before turning red. He fished his keys out of his pants and handing them to me.

“Thanks bro. We’ll be back after while. If Mom or Dad calls tell them we went to Grandma and Granddad’s!” I yelled and hurried out of the house.

I hoped that our Grandparents could shine a little light on this situation.