Painful Smiles

Clara smiled, her game did work.

A rich French guy somewhere could actually be having her in mind.

Well by tomorrow, she’ll change her act and act powerful but nice. He shouldn’t think of dating her. He could but he shouldn’t act on the thought. She was a queen to all.

She inspected the hoodie and searched its pocket maybe for a phone number or fat cash but nothing. Just a gift of teddy and hoodie.

So not typical. Maybe he was a learner.

She quickly dashed to her room with the gifts, it was her last attempt to hide her gifts from her mother before it gets given away.

She passed by her twin’s room and heard Claudia and Paul saying something about avoiding a fight. It sounded interesting.

Deep down, Clara was always glad when ever her sister fought with a student.

One, she gets scolded after.

Two, it makes more people hate her.

Three, it somehow adds to her power as people would avoid daring her as they’d think she was as tough as Claudia.

She could be, though she’d never fight in school. It was all ways embarrassing.

‘Oh really. Can’t you overlook? I don’t even know how you fight with boys. The guy just said you have a bad taste in people. Which you do, somehow’ Paul retorted.

Claudia rolled her eyes, ‘I guess you Frenchies think alike’. She frowned at her words and rephrased it, ‘I guess you boys think alike’.

She nodded, the new guy wasn’t Frenchie. Frenchies are nice, little angels who deserved all the love in the world to avoid suicide. It was more than being a French born.

‘But if you get into another fight, you’ll be grounded. And for the upcoming sport competition which you’re taking me too, don’t be grounded’ he clasped his hands to beg.

She nodded and patted his head, ‘I’ll try. Pray to the universe to help me’.

He bent his head and began making whispers like he was praying. Claudia laughed at his cuteness.

Clara shook her head and went away from the door. If her sister was thinking of who she thought she wanted to fight with… the new French guy.

Then, that will be better as the guy would hate her.

But she shouldn’t, she could get into major injuries and warrant hospital bills. Clara didn’t want her parents ever telling her ‘no money to shop’.

Also, the boy could hate her if he finds out their siblings. She stopped walking and reflected.

Her twin was much a pain and disgrace in her life. Majority of the classmates that knew she’s a twin to Claudia, knew since their junior grade. She had to keep hiding that information, save herself the embarrassment.

Paul ran out of Claudia’s door and stopped when he saw Clara outside it. ‘Hey, free? Want to play with me?’ he asked eagerly. Clara sighed and walked away.

Of course, Paul wasn’t expecting a better answer, just wanted to try his luck. Maybe she ate ‘good mood’ for a bit.

He continued his run down the stairs to get the phone Claudia had asked him to get.

When he swiped to unlock her phone, he saw thirteen missed calls from someone named Wright.

He knew his sister was usually offended when someone called her more than thrice. He wasn’t sure to give the phone or not.

Suddenly, he heard her coming down stairs and hid her phone behind him.

‘Felt like strolling. Want to come?’ she exhaled as she came to the last step. He nodded and hopped to her. They both left the house.

Not after Claudia yelled a ‘Will be back in forty-five minutes, nothing more, nothing less. I’m with Paul’ to her mom before leaving the door. Her mom made an ‘hmm’ sound not audible enough.

She smiled to herself. At least she had one daughter who would tell her about her outings and who would time herself in them.

Paul was having the time of his life. He always did on those kind of strolls. Ice cream, Parks and Swings. What more could a four year old want!

His mood changed when Claudia asked about her phone. ‘Don’t tell me, young man, that you left it at home?’ Claudia rubbed her head tiredly. He slowly brought it from his back pocket.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

‘Think of the ice cream we just finished before checking your calls please’ he pleaded. She looked at him suspicious and checked her call logs.

‘Wright called?’ she exclaimed. Paul noticed that she didn’t sound angry not merely surprised.

‘Should better call back then’ she added and began dialing Wright’s number. Paul was shocked.

Did she just overlook the thirteen missed calls or was that Wright one of the seniors she couldn’t he at? Wait, wasn’t she the senior?

And was she calling back? She never did. She always said ‘if the call was important, they’d call again’.

‘Your house now? Sorry, I’m with my little bro now. And I got barely sixteen minutes to go back home’ she complained on the phone.

Paul swallowed his remaining hamburger and stared blankly at her. He was in for more adventure, if she didn’t mind.

And he also wanted to meet the young man who his sister acted more nicely to.

‘We can spare some minutes then. Hurry’ she ended the call. She smiled at her little brother, ‘So we’ll wait for a bit. My friend is coming with his brother to talk about some big news. It won’t take long. Promise’.

Paul just shrugged. Claudia assumed he was displeased for having to stay longer and thought on a way to please him.

She glanced at the hamburger shop, ‘Ham for bribe?’ she asked.

He grinned, ‘Sure. Anytime’. She went over to get him some. Personally he didn’t mind waiting for her friend but sure, hamburger anytime.

‘So is he my lucky guy?’ he took a bite from his hamburger. He’s been meaning to say that.

‘Who?’ she took a bite from hers.

He took more bites from the snack and kept his mouth full before stating his allegations.