Headbands and Pleated Skirts

I left as she called my father into the living room. Why did they have to leave me out of everything?

It had been about an hour since I had been sentenced to my room. I was starting to get a little nervous. It was just a small package! No bigger than my text book, which, by the way, I was getting tired of looking at. Finally I heard a noise from the dining room. It sounded like dishes and cups clinking as if they were getting set up for dinner. I decided to break out of my room and maybe do a little eavesdropping. I knew it was wrong, but what the hell. I was tired of waiting.

I came up behind one of our book cases and started on my adventure. I could just hear what they were saying.

"...Must tell her eventually. We can't keep this from her." It was obviously my mom.

"But she was so mad last night. How can we tell her that he is coming next week! School won't even be over yet for her!"

"I know she will still have a week left, but she won't have any homework or extra stress..."

"She will now! Shit, Mary, what are we going to do?"

"I guess we just tell her the truth."

"I guess."

I didn't want to hear anymore. I had definitely heard enough.

I had just gotten to my room when the 'rents called me out. I walked into their presence reluctantly. Too bad I already known what they were going to say.

"Honey, we need to tell you something," my mom started, "It's about that package that I, we, received this afternoon." She shot a nervous glance at dad. She was about to continue, but I cut her off.

"I bet he is coming early."

"How did you know?" my dad asked as he eyed me curiously.

"Lucky guess."

"Well there is more." I looked at my mom like she was insane.

"What?" I was dumbstruck. I bet my face at this point was priceless.

"The package contained of three things: a book, a letter, and a picture." My mom said this while looking at the tile floor, like she was looking for something that she couldn't find.

"But I thought you already had a picture of the boy that was coming to visit."

"Please let your mother finish." At these words I looked at my mother and waited to embrace the worst. And it came.

"He has a twin. A twin sister actually. That's who the picture was of. The letter explained all of this. They are both your age so you should get along just fine. She will stay in your room with you and he will stay in the living room. Our couch folds out, so I am sure he will be fine."

There was silence for a moment after this. I wanted to speak, but nothing was coming out.

"Honey, are you okay?" My dad was concerned. Shoot, they better be concerned after dropping a bomb like this one.

"She doesn't look good."

"Oh..my...god."

That was the last thing I said or heard before I blacked out.