Good girl, bad boy

CHAPTER ONE: PART ONE

Julia grumbled, walking into Emily's room as she flipped her long hair back. She noticed that Emily was still asleep. Frustrated, Julia hurriedly uncovered the sheets, only to see Eugene, her young brother and Emily's twin soundly sleeping with his head on the opposite side of the bed. He looked so peaceful with his charming face that Julia almost felt bad that she was about to disrupt his peaceful sleep.

"You spent the whole night playing games....?!" Julia yelled, rolling her eyes angrily as the twins awakened; confused and startled. Julia was a tigress; having the fiery eyes of her father with her long straight hair complementing her looks. Nonetheless, her beauty, intelligence and maturity always made her stand out and lovable.

Emily and Eugene scampered in opposite directions, trying to escape from her but, Julia was too quick, cornering them at the door as they tried to run out.

"Where are you going?. Come back here!". She shouted, pulling each one by the ear. "Mother told you to sleep early, didn't she?"

"Julia, it hurts!" they told her as they desperately struggled to embrace freedom.

"Struggling, are we? How dare you... after disobeying mother's orders?. I'll go and tell her immediately"

"...we acknowledge our mistake; right, Emily?" Eugene pleaded endlessly.

"Yes, yes, we do". Emily muttered, rolling her eyes impudently. Emily was usually reserved, calm and respectful; the complete opposite on this particular day. She looked at Julia brazenly, her eyes glistening with anguish and deviance, making Julia even madder.

"Are you giving me an attitude?" She asked Emily with wrinkles of anger emerging on her brow as her eyes widened but, Emily undauntedly held her gaze, making Julia tighten her grip on her ear mercilessly that Emily flinched with teary eyes.

"I acknowledge my mistake. Please forgive me". Emily finally gave in. "Eugene and I are just nervous about going to a new school. Why did we transfer... ?. We had lots of friends at our former school".

"The new school is a bit too much for Mum to afford...." Eugene added, signalling her to let go of their ears as Julia suddenly calmed down and sat on the bed.

"Oh, so you' re afraid you won't fit in and make new friends?". She asked, understanding her siblings' insecurities well. How could she not understand them when she too had a similar experience back in High School?. The girls at her school always taunted her for being smart, calling her a nerd while, the boys disliked her; avoiding hang outs with her because she wasn't pretty or popular. Perhaps this was the reason why she didn't have many friends back then; always keeping to herself and her worst regret was that she couldn't go to Prom with Jeremy, the handsome boy she had a crush on since tenth grade. Julia often thought about Jeremy's whereabouts and how much she wanted to see him again.

"People love you even though you have an intimidating demeanor" Eugene told her, interrupting her thoughts about Jeremy as he sighed deeply and flopped himself on the bed simultaneously.

Julia chuckled as she sat down beside Eugene. "Are you complimenting or insulting me?" She asked as a smile spread on her face.

"He means it in a nice way" Emily chipped in, sighing deeply as she thought of how bad her first day in Junior High was at her former school. She had struggled greatly to climb up the ladder of stardom and popularity back then and now she had to do it all over again.

Sensing her despair, Julia pulled Emily closer, helping her sit down. She placed her hands on each of her siblings and caressed their hands gently.

"Every teenager has that fear but, we all grow out of it with time. What matters is being yourself always; not losing your identity to things that don't matter like seeking approval from everyone. That is highly impossible because opposition is inevitable" Julia told them confidently.

"Nothing makes me more courageous than talking to you" Emily told Julia, pulling her in a tight embrace.

"Group hug, Eugene?" Julia asked.

Eugene nodded his head in approval, smiling heartily as he leaned into the embrace, making Julia proud, grinning as she ended her pep talk with kisses on each of her siblings' foreheads.

"Time to get ready.... I'll be waiting downstairs". Julia said as she walked out of the room.

"Go and prepare for school". Emily also told Eugene, picking up a towel and walking to the bathroom.

"Whatever you say, your highness". Eugene muttered to himself as she grinned, walking out of the room.

The drive to Chestnut High School ended as Julia abruptly pulled over at the parking lot of the school, startling the twins. Turning to them, she laughed heartily, amused by their timid facial expressions.

"We're here, Wilson twins!" Julia said as Emily and Eugene marvelled at the gigantic structure with a long stairway in front of them.

"Aren't you going to pep us again?". Emily asked as her face turned pale. Apart from being reserved, calm and respectful; Emily was also frightful and easily lost her confidence whenever she felt intimidated.

"I'm running late for class"Julia told her. "Just remember what I said".

Emily nodded her head and opened the door, getting off the car with Eugene following suit.

"This is it" Emily said as she took a deep breath, bracing herself.

"How could a school be this huge?" Eugene asked in awe

"Just go in. You will thank me for suggesting this school..."

"You suggested this school?!" They asked at the same time.

"Yes, I did. Let's talk about it later. I'm late....". Julia admitted as she started the car, excited about having a wonderful day at the University.

"We will soon join your University" Eugene shouted after her confidently.

"I will be in my senior year by then" Julia thought to herself, laughing as she sped off, leaving a coat of dust behind.

Eugene and Emily grumbled as they turned to make their way into the gigantic school and halfway through the stairway, Eugene noticed that the other students were staring hard at them and turned to Emily, shaking her arm meticulously.

"Um, Emily; why is everyone staring so hard…?" He asked blankly as Emily flinched, suddenly overtaken by anxiety. She held onto her brother's hand, tightening her grip on him as though her life depended on it.

"I was going to ask the same thing, Eugene?" Emily answered, unable to hide her nervousness.

"It's fine, Emily. I'm here... right?" Eugene reassured her, squeezing her hand gently.

"First day at school..?" Someone behind them spoke. It was a girl's voice; sweet and soothing that Eugene and Emily turned to look at her instantaneously. Eugene's eyes widened as he set his eyes on her. She was beautiful and tall with long curly hair tied into a high pony. She smiled warmly and extended her hand to Eugene.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kendall" She said. Eugene hesitated, eyeing her from head to toe. He couldn't help but, notice her entrancing appearance, stopping to admire her attractive long pair of legs.

"Oh, I'm Eugene and this is Emily" Eugene replied, accepting her handshake."Is this your first day too?"

"Yes, it is. I'm so excited" Kendall replied, smiling heartily.

"This is great!" Eugene said hastily. He was looking forward to spending more time with Kendall.

"Your girlfriend? She is not only prettier than me but, she also has your heart. I hate her already" Kendall said, rolling her eyes.

"You are mistaken" Eugene tried to explain, chuckling but, Kendall interrupted him, raising her hand to stop him.

"You can't fool me. The ambience between the two of you is wild and rosy but, not for long" Kendall replied as she hooked her arm into Eugene's and pulled him away, making Emily lose her balance. The latter yelped, grabbing onto the pillar that held the stairway to avoid a great fall. Eugene tried to turn back but, Kendall tightened her grip on him, pulling him forward.

"There goes your first day at school, Emily" Emily muttered to herself, following Eugene and Kendall behind but, she lost them on her way as Kendall managed to sway her off the main hallway that led to their class.

Exhausted, Emily finally found her class after half an hour of wandering around; Sighing with relief, she walked in as the teacher, Mrs. Poffert looked up at her through her spectacles, studying her for a while before speaking to her.

"Are you Emily Wilson? I am Mrs. Poffert, your class teacher". She introduced herself. her voice was stern but, clear and concise.

"Yes, Mrs. Poffert. I am Emily Wilson"

"Your brother arrived early and you are late. Do you need me to shake off the junior high school vibe for you?"

Emily shook her head vigorously as she fiercely looked at her brother seated next to Kendall before replying to Mrs.Poffert. She was unable to forget his perfidy of leaving her behind earlier. Eugene mouthed a sorry to her and shaped his hands in a heart, making Kendall frown with jealousy. Emily smiled and turned to her teacher.

"Apologies, Ma'am. I had trouble finding my way here" She said.

"All you had to do was ask someone for directions" Mrs. Poffert remarked.

"I will keep that in mind next time, ma'am"

"There won't be a next time unless your mind hasn't grasped the way yet. Please take a seat, Emily"

"Thank you, ma'am" Emily replied. She looked at her brother who signalled her to a seat next to him while Kendall watched, frowning as she rolled her eyes at Emily.

"Why is she still acting jealous when it is clear that Eugene is my brother? How annoying can one girl be? She just met him" Emily thought to herself as she sat beside her brother.

***

Classes went by so quickly and luckily, Eugene and Emily were as smart and intelligent as Julia, grasping lessons faster. After the last lesson, Mrs. Poffert stood up and clapped her hands.

"Alright class. It's time for gym and sports class. Let's all make our way to the gym and later, the sports arena"

Shrivelled, Emily raised her hand up, shaking as anxiety took over her.

"Mrs. Poffert, can I not attend these classes?" Emily asked, stammering.

"Why not, Emily?" Mrs Poffert asked, concerned.

"Are you a princess too, Emily?" Someone shouted from behind as the class went into an uproar except Eugene, Emily and the teacher.

"Silence!" Mrs. Poffert said. "Emily, please go on"

"She has a fracture on her right leg ma'am" Eugene chipped in, holding Emily's hand to console her. "If you can excuse her, I will do the required activities for her"

"Eugene and Emily, I understand your concerns but, don't worry. Emily has come to the right school. The gym instructor can help her recover from the injury through physio activities since he is also a certified Physiologist. How is that?"

"I don't know. I'm so scared, Eugene" Emily pouted as the memory of her bicycle fall into the drainage during the junior high school cycling contest came back to her, tormenting her mind and robbing her of the little courage she had to face the day.

"I can't stay here anymore" she added.

"Perhaps, it's time you got over that nightmare. You were good at cycling. One accident shouldn't ruin your chances of starting over" Eugene said, squeezing her hand fondly.

"I will be with you...." he added, stroking her hair.

Suddenly, the whole class was silent as they waited for Emily's response. They all wanted her to get better after hearing her story. Emily looked down for a while, avoiding her brother's gaze. She had the desire to relive her dreams but, she was still cumbered by fear. Contemplating on Eugene's words, Emily finally came to an understanding that the past should be forgotten. She looked at Eugene, her eyes glistening with tears and nodded her head approvingly.

"If you're with me, I have nothing to worry about"

"Good…" Eugene grinned, suddenly pulling his sister in for a hug. Their classmates ululated as Mrs. Poffert smiled subtly, nodding her head in approval.

"Alright Class A, let's race to the gym now. If you find me there, you are in trouble. Eugene and Emily, walk your way to the gym and take your time"

"Thank you, Mrs. Poffert" the twins replied to her as she walked out of the class. Soon there was a stampede as everyone run out of class. Meanwhile, Kendall was hesitant; attempting to make a decision between staying behind with Eugene or running to the gym. Eugene grinned before looking at her fondly. His countenance was warm.

"Go on...I will meet you there" He told her. Kendall smiled and looked at Emily apologetically before running off as well.

"That girl is really something trying to take you away from me. Doesn't she know siblings are inseparable?"

"She didn't know we are siblings but, now that she does, I hope you can be friends"

" Why is that?" Emily asked, curious for her brother's response.

"Just now she was willing to stay back with us even when the teacher said she will be punished...isn't she a good person?"

"She just wanted to stay and keep me away from you like she did earlier today. Besides, who wouldn't want to take a walk with me. I'm pretty you see" Emily joked.

"Of course....your head is as beautiful as a pumpkin"

"Eugene Wilson; You must apologize!" Emily said, mimicking their mother and they both broke into laughter.

***

Evening came like a flash of lightening, bringing the Wilsons together for the evening meal. Their mother, Prudence gave a prayer and mealtime began.

"Pass me the bowl of soup" Julia told Eugene.

"Me too" Emily told Eugene smiling at him as put soup on her plate.

"You should eat more..." he said

"I asked first" Julia pouted.

"Sorry. Julia. Emily is nearer so, I thought of starting with her" Eugene told her calmly.

"I am the elder sister here" Julia complained.

"Mother, what is your soup's secret ingredient? I don't understand why Julia is willing to pick a fight over it" Eugene laughed as he teased his elder sister.

"Mother, did you hear that?" Julia was relentless.

"Eugene Wilson; Julia is older than both you and Emily. She deserves to go first. That is the rule" Prudence cautioned her son.

"I know mother. I was just trying to be logical. Besides I love Emily" Eugene teased, chuckling as he stood up to save Julia himself. "But, I love Julia more"

"You are a terrible liar, I can see through you" Julia said. Although she knew he was lying, she couldn't help but blush repeatedly.

"How was your first day at school?" Their mother asked.

"Eugene met a girl!" Emily tattled, giggling uncontrollably.

"And why are you acting like you're the one who met the girl instead of him?" Julia giggled too.

"I had a rough day but, Eugene did great" Emily replied, lowering her gaze as she tried to avoid the topic any further.

"What happened... Emily?" Prudence asked concerned..

"Well, I-." Emily began.

"Emily will start physiotherapy. It will help her get back to cycling" Eugene spoke for her after sensing her reluctance.

Prudence grimaced; she put her spoon back on her plate shakily as her thoughts took her back in memory lane, bringing to life her past nightmares when she almost lost her daughter to death when she fell from her bike.

"...who made that decision for her? "Prudence asked, furious. Her children kept silent, hoping for their mother's anger to subside but, it didn't and clearing his throat, Eugene spoke first.

"I know we're all worried about Emily but, it's time to laid our fears aside and let her live her dream"

"I agree with Eugene...." Julia supported him.

"You too, Julia?" Prudence chuckled, unable to believe that her children were making major decisions without talking to her first.

"Your word remains the final law. I just wanted you to know what Mrs. Poffert suggested" Eugene chipped in to ease her pain.

"I'm your mother. I ought to make these decisions. I have to talk to Emily about this"

"Yes, mother" Eugene told her as Prudence stood up and took Emily's hand, leading her to her bedroom.

"I pray that mother listens to Emily. She hasn't been herself ever since......" Eugene commented, sighing deeply.

"I didn't know" Julia was flustered.

"Yes but, i dared not tell mother. I suppose your suggestion of transferring to Chestnut was a blessing in disguise"

"You're all welcome then" Julia grinned, taking pride in herself.

"Look at you feeling exulted" Eugene laughed.

Back in room, Prudence sat down with her daughter Emily.

"When you fell and hurt your head and leg, I felt lost. I was told that your fractured leg can get better but, i decided you shouldn't cycle anymore" Prudence admitted, sighing heavily. "I thought changing schools would help you forget about it"

"Fate, can it be changed mother?" Emily suddenly spoke. These words came out of her mouth so suddenly, flustering her but, they were her words after all and she owned them.

"Sometimes, we must dare to change it with our actions" Prudence replied confidently, although her mind questioned the value of her opinion.

"And that is the greatest sadness of men; Changing what cannot be changed and trying to control destiny which is already written" Emily told her.

"My children are all grown up now. It seems you've become mature like your sister....."

"Julia has been a good inspiration in our lives" Emily assured her mother.

"Alright....you can start your physio and we can talk about cycling later".

"It's a great start. Thank you" Emily said as she threw her arms around her mother, leaning her head on her warm chest, wishing she was a child again.

***