Let's Pretend It's Love

“Ooh sweetie! This is so exciting! I’m so happy for you!” Mum exclaimed, her face practically bursting with excitement.

If it weren’t for the very expensive looking centerpiece in the middle of the restaurant table, I’m quite certain she would have jumped across it just to attack my sister in her famous big, long hugs.

Penny smiled brightly while starting down at the sparkling, almost obscenely huge ring on her finger.

“Oh Mum, I can’t even begin to explain how happy I am. I never thought this would happen to me.” She beamed.

Please, Penny knew damn well she could easily snag a husband. No need to act modest. I didn’t know whether to roll my eyes or congratulate my sister so I just stuffed my face with the remaining amount of pasta left on my plate so that I didn’t have to say anything.

I wasn’t the type of girl to loose my cool over weddings.

“I can’t wait till the wedding plans start getting arranged. Your father and I will do anything to make this the wedding of your dreams.” Mum declared as she and Penny resumed eating their salads.

My sister smiled.

“That means so much, Mum!” She exclaimed tossing her dark brown hair over her shoulder.

Penny then turned to face me, her doe brown eyes starting at me as if I were the last biscuit on the plate. I know that look. She wants something from me.

“Now Pres, I know you’re not too keen on weddings but I really want you to be apart of mine. Since I knew you probably wouldn’t be up to handling the maid of honor duties I decided to make you a bridesmaid! What do you say to that?!?” My sister squealed.

My mind immediately screamed “hell no!” but I forced myself to smile and nod. I felt I owed it to Penny to do something this big for her. After all, she was my sister whom I’d spent nine months in the womb with. I think I could spend a day in a hideous dress and heels amongst snobby people that I didn’t like all for the sake of my sister’s happiness. After all, she might haunt my dreams with that wicked twin telepathy I’d heard about if I didn’t .

“As long as I don’t have to wear pink and there’s free booze involved, I’m game.” I replied casually before sipping my lemonade.

Penny giggled. “I just knew you’d say yes.” She squeaked clapping her hands together.

“Pen, you’re going to be my first to get married!” Mum exclaimed before forking lettuce in her mouth.

Penny smiled. “Presley shouldn’t be that far behind. Twins usually follow the same patterns.” She replied in a sing sing voice.

I nearly choked on my lemonade. Me get married anytime soon? I suppose hell will freeze over, the world will stop turning and Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston will get back together before that happens.

Although Penny and I were twins, we were quite different. The most obvious difference between us was that we were fraternal. We looked no more alike than regular siblings. Most of the people we’d met were perplexed as to how we were twins. I’d explained several times sometimes even going into a biology book worthy explanation mostly to no avail. They’d just continue to go on about how we looked absolutely nothing alike. I didn’t know whether take this as a general observation or an insult.

And despite the fact that we were twins, we didn’t connect. We didn’t finish each other’s sentences or feel each other’s pain and we didn’t always know when something was wrong with one of us. Penny and I were two separate people with totally different personalities. She lived her life, I lived mine and it was better that way.

“Oh no, I highly doubt it. Pres has been single for well, for absolutely forever. She can hardly keep a boyfriend.” My mother replied matter of factly.

I could feel my blood boiling. I’d always been pretty obvious which child was my mother’s favorite. It was always Penny she talked about. Penny this and Penny that. Penny, Penny, Penny. Penny was everything my mother had dreamed her daughters would be : beautiful, intelligent, responsible, poised hardworking. And then there was me the antonyms of every word previously listed.

Mum never failed to express her pride in Penny and her disappointment in me. Some times I hated Mum for it but most of the time I just resented Penny. Mum thinks I’ll never match up to Penny and just once I’d like to prove her wrong.

“You know what, Mum? You’re actually wrong about that.I do actually have a boyfriend. We’ve been dating for three months now.” I retorted curtly hoping to shut my mother up once and for all.

Her eyebrows raised and Penny smiled brightly.

“That’s absolutely great, Pres.” She exclaimed.

I grinned. My boyfriend was as real as the tooth fairy but just once I wanted to make them believe that I was just as capable of having the same things Penny had. That I wasn’t going to be the lonely cat lady they all thought that I’d become.

“It’s strange, you never mentioned a boyfriend before.” Mother declared, a perplexed expression engraved on her face.

“I didn’t want to rush things. We’re just taking it slow right now.” I replied playing along with the idea of my imaginary boyfriend.

Penny’s face then lit up the way it always does when she gets one of her bright ideas.

Oh shit.

“You know what, why don’t you invite your boyfriend to the wedding! In fact maybe Liam and I can find a way to incorporate you and him in the wedding, yeah?!? And we can go on double dates! It’s a genius idea!!” She exclaimed.

A mass of nervousness formed in my stomach and the cocky and brash attitude I’d had earlier was slowly beginning to fade . I took a sip(more like gulp) of my lemonade. If only it was liquor.

“I’ll have to talk to him about it but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” Penny’s grin grew wider if that was even possible.

“I have to get started on planning on the wedding right away. I’m too excited to wait! ” She shouted whipping out her mobile whilst typing away about something. Mostly likely bombarding her fiancé with the news.

Mum turned to me, an indifferent expression on her face as she tossed about the remaining lettuce on her face plate. A smile formed on her thin lips but I could tell it was forced. “Well, Presley. I can’t wait to meet this boyfriend of yours.”

Neither can I.