NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This was a ficlet inspired by the Sweet Valley High book The Evil Twin. I wrote this about five years ago because the idea of Elizabeth Wakefield's doppelgänger actually getting away with killing Eliza and taking her place in the Wakefield family was too fun to resist.
BTW, I gave Margo the last name of DeValle in this story, because I didn't know it when I first read The Evil Twin. I gave James a last name as well.
Stolen
By Debwood-1999
Elizabeth rushed into the pool house, shivering in the cold rain. What a weird place to pick for a talk, she thought. Fowler Crest has plenty of rooms to sit down in and have a conversation. Why'd Jessica pick this place?
The door to the pool house was open, but no lights were on. Odd, thought Elizabeth, Maybe I heard her wrong. She nudged open the door and walked inside. "Jess?" she called out. "Are you here?"
Just then, the door closed, and Elizabeth heard the click of a lock. A cold feeling slithered up her spine as she turned around.
A girl stepped out of the shadows. An involuntary gasp escaped Elizabeth's lips as she stared at what looked like her own reflection. But the girl took another step forward, and Elizabeth realized that she was flesh and blood, like herself.
The girl wore a strapless magenta dress, like Elizabeth's. This wasn't Jessica-she was wearing cobalt blue. And what disturbed her more was that every detail on the girl's face was identical to hers…even down to the dimple in her cheek.
Elizabeth's eyes went wide with shock as she stared at the strange girl. She had been expecting Jessica, but this wasn't Jessica. Her face went white. "You aren't my sister," she whispered.
"Damn straight," replied the girl, as she smiled. The smile didn't reach her eyes. They remained cold and hard. "I'm not Jessica. I'm Elizabeth."
Suddenly, the girl produced an enormous butcher knife.
Elizabeth's heart pounded wildly. Frantically, she scanned the room for another exit. There was none. She reached behind her and realized that she had just backed herself into the wall. She was trapped.
Lightning flickered across the sky, catching the knife blade and making it flash white.
The girl stepped forward, but she didn't make any effort to lash out with her weapon. Elizabeth stared at the girl, transfixed at the image.
It was her face, but it wasn't her face. Elizabeth realized what was different. It was the eyes. Elizabeth looked into them and shuddered at the pure evil she saw there. "Who are you?" she whispered.
"You heard me. My name's Elizabeth. My name used to be Margo DeValle, but now it's Elizabeth Wakefield. It's my turn to be you, which means it's time for you to go."
Elizabeth glanced out the window, hoping that there was an off chance that someone had gone outside to look for her. No luck. All her friends were in the house, and they wouldn't hear her if she screamed for help.
"What do you mean, time for me to go?" asked Elizabeth, stalling for time. "And your turn to do what?"
"Well, it's my turn to have the kind of life I should have had in the beginning," answered Margo, her expression pensive. She ran her finger along the side of the knife. "One that's got friends, a real family, and a promising future."
A pause. "You know, I spent sixteen years of my life in foster homes. And they all sucked," Margo spat, her expression darkening with a slow-boiling anger. "I got treated like dirt. I was the little kid nobody really wanted, but was taken in just for the money. And nobody really treated me decent. If I wasn't yelled at, I was beaten, or starved, or molested, or raped! And I had to pretend that I was grateful for the roof over my head.
"I envied lives like yours. Ones with parents who loved their kids, and would never beat them or hurt them just for the hell of it. Ones where the kids had lots of friends, every material thing they wanted, and a future that they could look forward to. I saw yours, and I knew I had to have it." Suddenly, a heartless smile replaced the snarl on the girl's lips and she said, "I'll make the most of your life, Elizabeth. I'm gonna love every second of it."
Suddenly, Elizabeth realized the true meaning of Margo's words. It was no accident that the girl looked and sounded like Elizabeth. A cold horror spread through her body. Margo wanted to kill her and take over her identity!
"You can't do this!" Elizabeth whispered.
"I have already! I've fooled your friends, your family, and even that tall, handsome basketball player you've got such a yen for," Margo laughed. "Come on, Liz. Just think. With me at the helm, you'll be next year's Prom Queen for sure. And you can forget about being staff writer for the Oracle. Penny Ayala's been the editor long enough, hasn't she? You don't have the nerve to unseat her. But I do.
"Liz, it won't take that long. Just a second or two, and it'll all be over. Besides, I've got a real nice place picked out for you. Nice and quiet, out in the woods. And nobody will ever know. What happens out here will be just between us."
Margo's tone was almost cheerful, and it made Elizabeth dizzy with fear. She fought back the temptation to faint, and tried to remain alert, in case Margo let her guard down for a second. "But they will know. Everyone. My friends, my family. You won't get away with this!"
Margo tipped her head back and laughed riotously. "You are soooo dense! Look, Liz-I've studied you like an actor studies a plum role! I've got you down pat. I've studied you for nearly six months! I've been to your house, I've been to your school, and I've even checked out your bedroom. I've worn your clothes-and boy, you've got the most boring taste! I've read your books, and even read your journal."
"You read my journal. I thought it was my sister, who else could I have blamed? I mean, for weeks, I felt like someone was watching me. I thought I was being paranoid, but someone was watching! It was you!"
Elizabeth slumped against the wall, her fear getting the best of her. "I can't believe this! You did this all by yourself."
"Not quite. I had some help. You know the guy that your sister had such a big yen for? James Evans-does that name ring a bell?"
"He was in on this?"
"I just paid him to hang out with Jessica and give me information about both of you. But the bastard fell in love with your sister, and he was ready to blow my cover! So I had to do something to shut him up."
The realization dawned on Elizabeth. "The night James fell from the pier. There was another guy there, named Josh. He said something about some girl who actually killed him. We thought he was crazy-but he was telling the truth, wasn't he?"
"Yeah, but I took care of him. Nobody will believe him. And yes, I was there that night. I got rid of James, framed Josh, and nobody knows the truth except you and I. But that will change in a moment. Yes, Liz, I've been everywhere. I've fooled everyone. Your mom-"
"No!" Elizabeth sobbed.
"Yes! We talked, she hugged me, and she's accepted me as hers. I've fooled your brother, your twin sister, and even your boyfriend."
Elizabeth placed her hands over her face.
A triumphant smile crossed Margo's face. "I've been with Todd, you know. I've touched him, I've kissed him, and he didn't know the difference."
Elizabeth shook her head, too devastated to cry.
"He didn't know, and he will never know. And nobody will know that you're gone." With that, Margo took one more step towards her prey, the knife raised high. "So it's time for you to say your last good byes. It ends now."
~~~Stolen~~~
Margo DeValle stood over Elizabeth Wakefield's cowering form, the butcher knife raised. It was nearly midnight, and at last, the fateful moment had arrived. She was about to become Elizabeth Wakefield, once and for all. Do it! Margo commanded herself, as she white-knuckled the knife handle. Right in the heart! Do it!
But for some reason, she couldn't move. She was frozen, immobilized by a strange sense of...
Conscience?
The other murders had been easy. Her little foster sister, Georgie Smith, the old woman at the bus station, the hit-and-run victim, James Evans...Margo hadn't thought twice when she left her foster sister in that firetrap of a house, when she held Georgie's head under the water, when she pulled the scarf tight around the old woman's neck, when she stepped on the gas pedal, when she shoved James off the pier. She'd never imagined it would be this hard to kill Elizabeth Wakefield. This was supposed to be just another piece of business.
But it isn't! Margo realized. This is almost like killing myself!
Margo stared at Elizabeth's pale, tearstained face. But that's the whole point, she reminded herself. I'm her, which means she's me. I'm just killing off the old Margo-I'm killing my past. Her death is my rebirth! Do it!
Still, Margo hesitated. She heard the shouting at Fowler Crest getting louder and more frenzied. "Two!" the kids bellowed.
Oh, screw this! Only cowards have a conscience! I didn't come this far to drop the ball now! Margo thought, joy and power surging through her and strengthening her resolve.
"One!"
Her eyes on Elizabeth's body, Margo slashed downward with the heavy blade.
~~~Stolen~~~
"Happy New Year!"
The kids at Fowler Crest screamed and shouted and rang in the new year. Confetti flew like colored snowflakes. The live band played "Auld Lang Syne." Noisemakers were being sounded off at full blast. Partiers gave out hugs and backslaps. It was a scene full of merriment and fun.
Jessica Wakefield wanted no part of it. She tried to elbow her way to the patio and to the poolhouse, where she'd last seen her twin sister. She had wanted to apologize and confess to her role in the accident at last year's Jungle Prom. Now, she sensed that Elizabeth was in mortal danger, and she struggled to get outside.
But the throngs were too caught up in the holiday spirit to even notice her.
Before Jessica could take another step, Lila Fowler burst out of nowhere to throw her arms around her best friend. "Happy New Year, Jess!" she screamed, above the din.
Jessica had to peel herself away from her best friend's grasp. Just then, an icy blast of terror gripped her by the heart, rendering her speechless and, for a moment, motionless. She stood gasping, her hands on her chest.
Lila pulled away slightly. "Jess, what's the matter? Are you okay?"
Jessica hadn't recovered the power of speech yet, so she remained helplessly mute. Something's wrong with Elizabeth! she wanted to shout. Something's happened to her! I've got to get outside! Let me go!
"You don't look well, hon." Lila guided her friend through the crowd to the nearest chair. "Why don't you sit down and rest a minute."
Jessica had never experienced such an overwhelming feeling before. Her twins' intuition had never been half this intense. Elizabeth was in grave danger, and all she could do was allow Lila to guide her into a chair she didn't want to sit in. She wanted to scream in frustration.
~~~Stolen~~~
Like a sleeper waking from a long dream, Margo DeValle stepped back and let her senses return. Every fiber of her being thrummed with energy. Now, she could step through the looking glass like Alice and enter Wonderland. In killing Elizabeth, she had killed her own past. She had set herself free.
I've accomplished what I set out to do months ago, she thought, coming down from her high. I have a new life and a new identity. I have everything now!
Elizabeth Wakefield lay crumpled at Margo's feet, stabbed in the heart with a butcher knife. Her blonde hair covered her face, and her eyes were half-open and lifeless. Margo touched her own golden hair, amazed at how well she had altered her appearance so that she looked just her victim.
A brief shadow passed over Margo's pretty features as she recalled the long, hard road she'd traveled for sixteen hellish years. Abandoned by the parents she'd never known, shuffled from one foster home to another, neglected and abused by foster parents and brothers...
Margo had seen Elizabeth's picture in a newspaper at a bus terminal restroom several months ago, after she'd strangled a nosy old woman and stole her wallet. She was on her way to California to start a new life for herself.
To escape a dead-end life in New York, Margo had burned down the house of her foster parents and made it look as if she and her foster sister had died in the fire. Her travels took her to Cleveland, where she was hired as a nanny for the Smith family. At the Smith house, she stole jewelry and money, and drowned eight-year old Georgie before he could snitch on her. Unfortunately, Georgie's older brother, Josh, had followed her to California, thirsting for revenge.
You're never gonna get it! Margo thought, running the events of the past few months through her mind one more time. Once she was in Sweet Valley, Elizabeth Wakefield's hometown, Margo had dived into the project of learning everything about Elizabeth and Jessica, her twin sister. She had run over a young catering employee in order to secure a job at a wedding that the twins had attended. The twins had become Margo's homework; she'd studied them intensely, perfecting their walks, their speech, and their mannerisms. She'd even paid James Evans to spy on the twins, before he fell in love with Elizabeth's twin sister and screwed everything up.
Everything had culminated in Elizabeth Wakefield's murder.
Luring Elizabeth to the Fowler poolhouse had been easy. Stabbing her had been easy. Now was the hard part-getting rid of the body.
The sooner I bury her, the better, thought Margo, a small, tight-lipped smile on her face. She could almost feel her dimple flash in her cheek. Her now-turquoise eyes glowed. I am Elizabeth! she told herself. Margo DeValle no longer exists.
She sighed and thought, Girl, you are one smooth operator. Now, it's time to get rid of this body.
Margo bent down and grabbed the body by the armpits. Quickly, she dragged it out of the poolhouse. The partiers were still at the house, ringing in the new year. Nobody was outside, and the rain had stopped for a brief time. What luck! Margo thought, gleefully, as she pulled Elizabeth's body into the woods and toward the grave that she'd prepared.
~~~Stolen~~~
The grave was fifty yards away from the poolhouse, deep in the woods that surrounded the mansion. Margo had dug it the night before to save herself time.
Quickly, she rolled Elizabeth Wakefield's body into the deep hole in the ground. Distant thunder rumbled-the rain was going to fall again, so she needed to hurry and cover the grave.
Before she did, though, Margo needed to take care of something important.
She fingered the gold lavaliere around her neck, feeling a pang of regret. It was risky wearing the necklace back to the house. The row between Margo and Todd Wilkins, Elizabeth's boyfriend, lay fresh in her mind. If Margo wore the lavaliere back to the house, Todd would know that she wasn't Elizabeth. She couldn't take that chance.
So, Margo snapped the necklace off her neck and dropped it into the grave. She bent down to view Elizabeth Wakefield's body one last time. The body lay on its side, mud-splattered and crumpled, like a child's doll left out in the rain.
Before she picked up the shovel, she said, "Rest in peace, Elizabeth. I'll make the most of your life."
With a sigh, Margo began refilling the grave. The ground was soft from all the rain and easy to work with. With more rain at hand, the grave, Margo's footprints, and any other evidence would mix into the landscape. No trace of the murder would remain.
~~~Stolen~~~
When she was finished, Margo hid the shovel in a thick cluster of bushes. Burying Elizabeth took less time than expected, but she still wanted to hurry back. She wanted to make one more trip to the poolhouse to make sure that she'd removed all traces of her gruesome handiwork.
She turned to go back, and a sudden flash of lightning blasted across the sky. The thunder boomed, and Margo had the sudden urge to laugh at the storm. I've beaten you! Everyone! I've won! she thought, jubilant. You weak, spineless, puny idiots! I've crushed you under my heels now! And nobody can destroy me!
Triumphantly, Margo strolled across the lawn to the poolhouse. She opened the door and...
...saw Josh Smith standing next to the window.
Margo's heart nearly stopped.
Josh looked like a drowned rat in the drenched prison guard outfit and wild hair. He was pale and thin and unshaven. His eyes blazed with determination, shock, recognition, and fear.
Josh had to do a double take. The girl in the doorway looked like Elizabeth Wakefield, with the fair hair, perfect face, and strapless magenta dress. But he couldn't see any lights of compassion or kindness in her blue-green eyes. They were cold, steely, and without soul.
Josh's blood turned to ice. The only word he could squeeze out was, "Margo."
She struck a hipshot pose and smiled, flashing the dimple in her cheek. "The one and only." A pause. "What's the matter, Josh? You so hell-bent on avenging your bratty little brother, that you couldn't let a jail cell hold you back?"
You framed me for murder! You killed James Evans and set me up!" he spat. He looked at Margo, and suddenly, he knew! "No! Oh, no! You've killed Elizabeth!" Josh's voice was a near whisper. "You pulled it off!"
"Give the boy a cookie!" Margo's voice dripped sarcasm. "Josh, friend, you were a bit too late to play hero. Now, I am Elizabeth Wakefield. Loving daughter, beloved sister, and model student. As for you, you're nothing but Josh Smith, an escaped nut case."
"You're the nut case!"
Margo's eyes snapped and flashed fire. "Shut up! Nobody will know the difference! You wanna know why?" Just then, her face underwent an astonishing transformation. A slow, gentle smile, like Elizabeth Wakefield's, spread across her lips. In Elizabeth's voice, she purred, "Because I've beaten you, Josh. I've won."
Josh screamed, as if his heart was being ripped from his body. Several innocent people had been slain by Margo's hand. He'd tried to warn Elizabeth Wakefield and her twin sister, Jessica, but his words went unheeded-and he himself had been framed for the murder of Jessica Wakefield's boyfriend. Now, Margo could add Elizabeth's name to her murderous list.
All Josh Smith could do now was destroy the monster that had destroyed them.
He charged at Margo and grabbed her by the throat. All he wanted was to see Margo's face twist in pain and watch the light leave her eyes. He wanted her to suffer and die like the others she had killed.
Margo's hands flew to her neck. She choked and spluttered, fighting the darkness that threatened to engulf her. She and Josh struggled and knocked things over. I can't let him get away with this! she screamed silently. I've come too far to end it this way!
With a strength that was almost inhuman, Margo tore Josh's hands off her neck. The next move she made was one that she had made just a few days earlier. Placing her hands on Josh's chest, she shoved him with all of her strength-right into the window overlooking the swimming pool.
Josh tried, in vain, to regain his balance.
Margo dropped to her knees in time to see her enemy crash through the glass with his arms outstretched. A bloodchilling scream pierced the storm-swollen sky, and Josh's face twisted into an expression of pain and horror. It was quite an impressive show.
Suddenly, the scream stopped. If the scream had been a string, someone had just cut it. The only sounds in the poolhouse then were the rain on the roof and Margo gasping and coughing. That was close! she told herself. He almost killed me!
Margo looked up at the gory scene in front of her and smiled. "Good-bye, Josh. Now you can tell your brother how sorry you are about not getting your revenge."
And with that, she lay down on the floor and waited for someone to find her.
~~~Stolen~~~
"Lila!" Jessica leaped out of the cut velvet chair she'd been sitting in. Her speech came back, and words rushed out of her mouth like a power surge. "I'm fine! I have to find Elizabeth-something's wrong with her!"
"Wait, Jess-" Lila started to say, but Jessica was gone before she could finish.
The crowd had thinned out slightly, giving Jessica a chance to make some headway. She reached the French doors, yanked them open, and escaped from the house.
Kicking her shoes off, Jessica bolted across the wet lawn to the poolhouse. She burst in, just as a bolt of lightning cracked across the sky. The sight in front of her eyes nearly made her scream.
"Liz!"
Elizabeth was huddled in the corner, shaking and pale. There were marks around her neck that were beginning to turn color. She looked up at Jessica, a stunned look in her eyes.
"Jess...he tried to kill me," she said, before she dissolved into tears.
Jessica's intuition hadn't failed her. Her sister had been in danger! She embraced her twin and tried not to look at the shattered window.
Josh Smith lay on his back, in a pool of blood and rainwater. His eyes were open and staring, and his mouth was open in an expression of surprise. A huge shard of glass had landed on his neck. It had nearly decapitated him.
~~~Stolen~~~
What sounded like crying was really suppressed laughter.
Margo lay in the arms of her new sister, amazed at how well everything had worked out. Josh Smith was dead, and with him gone, she could finally rest and enjoy her new life.
I have been reborn, she thought, contentedly.
~~~Stolen~~~
Half an hour later, the police arrived, along with the county coroner and an ambulance. Word of Josh Smith's attack on Elizabeth had spread like wildfire, and the party guests, understandably, decided to call it a night early.
Elizabeth sat in the same velvet chair that Jessica had sat in against her will. As she spoke to the police officer to her left, her voice was very soft. "I went out to the poolhouse, to get away from everyone. I was feeling claustrophobic. The rain had stopped, and I thought it was okay to venture out for a few minutes.
"I went out, and Josh was in the poolhouse. He had this...crazy look in his eyes, and this weird smile on his face. He kept calling me Margo." Tears sprang from Elizabeth's eyes, and she trembled.
The officer nodded gently, his pen moving quickly across his notebook.
Elizabeth continued. "He put his hands on my neck and tried to strangle me. I don't know how I did it, but I broke free. Then he stumbled and went through the window."
The officer closed his notebook. "Miss Wakefield, you are one very lucky young woman. This looks like a clear-cut accidental death."
Jessica, who had been holding Elizabeth's hand, asked, "You aren't going to press any charges?"
The officer shook his head. "After the incident at the marina, and the escape, it was easy to figure out who Josh's next target would have been. Any jurisdiction would conclude that Josh's death was an accident. And even if someone had suspicions, he'd conclude that any action would be self-defense." He looked at Elizabeth and said, "I want you to go get those marks on your neck looked at. You could have a fractured larynx, or something more serious."
"I will," replied Elizabeth. "Thank you."
~~~Stolen~~~
Margo leaned back in the chair, her emotions concealed with a bland expression. I can't believe I fooled a police officer! she thought, and wanted to laugh.
Jessica squeezed Margo's hand, and Margo squeezed back.
Just then, another officer appeared. "We had another near miss upstairs! I think Smith went after this kid, too!" Todd Wilkins walked down the stairs slowly, a patch of dried blood marring his temple. The second officer filled him in on what had happened outside.
Margo, in the guise of Elizabeth, rose from the chair and threw her arms around him. "Todd! Are you all right?"
"I don't know," he said. "I just remember taking you to the party. After that, everything's a blank."
Margo wanted to jump for joy.
~~~Stolen~~~
It was two in the morning when Jessica drove her sister to the hospital. The doctor looked Elizabeth over and gave her a clean bill of health.
"I had this weird feeling that something was wrong, Liz," Jessica said. "I just knew you were in trouble. I tried to get to you, but I couldn't. If only I'd gotten to the poolhouse sooner-"
"Jess, don't blame yourself," answered Elizabeth, her voice reassuring. "Josh probably would have gone after you too." A shudder ran through her. "And who would imagine that he'd go after Todd?"
Todd was being checked out by another doctor in another part of the hospital. The cops had concluded that Smith had sneaked into Fowler Crest earlier in the day, waited for Todd, and then knocked him out.
Jessica sighed. "He must have been really obsessed with you." A pause. "And who is this 'Margo' character?"
"Who knows?" Elizabeth said. Just as she said those words, the twins' parents, Ned and Alice, and their brother, Steven, walked in. They all looked tired and haggard. Mrs. Wakefield was on the verge of tears. No words were exchanged. They simply hugged the girls and cried, grateful that they were alive and okay.
What they didn't realize was that their affection and gratitude was being showered on a total stranger.
~~~Stolen~~~
"This will be a night I'll never forget," said Jessica, as she and her sister walked upstairs to their bedrooms. It was three-thirty, and the Wakefields had just arrived home. "For all the wrong reasons."
Elizabeth said, "It's not everyday that a psychopath goes after you. I thought for a moment that I wasn't going to make it."
Jessica nodded and plunked herself down on the couch. She and Elizabeth were identical in every physical detail. They were both five-six, with size six figures, deep tans, flaxen blonde hair, and clear, blue-green eyes. But, the similarities ended there. Elizabeth was more studious and ambitious, and Jessica was more outgoing.
Until a few months ago, the twins were the best of friends. They had both signed up to work on the Jungle Prom committee last May. It had been fun at first, but small spats turned into major differences too quickly. The only thing they had agreed on was that they both wanted to be Prom Queen. It was a rivalry that had turned deadly.
To knock Elizabeth down a few pegs and to sway votes in her direction, Jessica had spiked Elizabeth's punch. Unfortunately, Elizabeth got drunk, danced with Jessica's boyfriend at the time, Sam Woodruff, and went out driving with him. The resulting accident had killed Sam instantly.
Guilt-stricken, Jessica blamed her twin for Sam's death, even though she knew she was partially responsible. On the verge of being convicted of vehicular manslaughter, Elizabeth was cleared when a young man confessed to the accident. The sisters were almost ready to reconcile when Elizabeth found a letter written to her from Todd Wilkins hidden in her sister's room. Jessica, who tried to steal Todd away from Elizabeth because of her own loneliness, had intercepted it.
Jessica, yearning for the closeness that she and her sister had shared, had vowed to confess to Elizabeth before the new year. Now, it was three hours into the new year, and the slate still was not erased.
"Liz," she said. "Sit down on the couch. I have something very important to tell you."
Once the twins were situated, Jessica sighed. The only sound in the house then was the tick-tock of the clock in the kitchen. A long, uncomfortable silence passed, then Jessica said, "Liz, I know we haven't been ourselves the past few months. I blamed you for Sam's death, even though it wasn't your fault. I tried to steal Todd away from you. I did so many awful things to you, Liz, and I'm sorry. But it was all because of one thing."
Elizabeth tilted her head.
Jessica pressed her lips into a tight line. "The night of the Jungle Prom, when you got drunk. You said you didn't know how you got drunk. But I do. The punch you drank was spiked."
She paused. How's Liz gonna react? Will she find it in her heart to forgive me? Or will she hate me forever?
There's only one way to answer that question.
"I know your drink was spiked..." Tears came to Jessica's eyes.
Before she could say another word, Elizabeth interrupted. She nailed Jessica with eyes that burned with intensity and asked, "Did you spike it?"
Jessica sighed, half-grateful that she didn't have to say the words first. "Yes," she whispered. In a voice so tiny, it didn't sound like her own, she said, "I spiked it."
There. The truth was out.
Jessica threw her head in her hands and sobbed. "Liz, I'm so sorry! I wanted so badly to be Prom Queen, that I spiked your drink so you'd look bad! I didn't think you'd go out driving-I mean, I never expected things to get so out of hand. I didn't expect the accident. I couldn't live with myself, so I blamed you for Sam's death. I stole Todd away because I was so lonely. I know you're gonna hate me forever now, but I'm sorry! I let you go through that trial. You took the rap for both of us! I didn't take responsibility for my actions, and look what happened. Liz, I'm sorry!"
Jessica shook with painful sobs, and tears splashed from her eyes into her lap. She was so caught up in her grief and terror, she didn't realize that Elizabeth had put her arms around her.
Then, Jessica realized what Elizabeth was doing. She looked up in surprise. Never did she expect a reaction like that! Relief, anticipation, uncertainty...several emotions coursed through her at once.
Elizabeth's voice was soft. "Jess, what you did was really stupid, and very mean-spirited. But I guess I went overboard with the whole Prom Queen rivalry, too. And how would you have known where it would lead? You couldn't have imagined how the night would end. You were just being typical, thoughtless Jessica." She paused, then added, to reduce the sting of her words, "Look, everyone makes mistakes in their life. Some are bigger than others. You must have gone through the wringer, too."
"You couldn't imagine," whispered Jessica. "Do you forgive me?"
"I've gone through too much not to."
Jessica hugged Elizabeth, blissfully unaware that she'd just confessed to a monster.
~~~Stolen~~~
Margo climbed up the stairs to her new bedroom. Trying to look tired and slow took a lot of effort-inside, she wanted to sing and shout and do gainers off the stairs. Her mind whirled with emotions. The one that overrode all the others was surprise.
Jessica, her own, beloved twin sister, had just confessed to spiking the punch at last year's Prom. Quite a bombshell! Margo thought, pushing open her door and flipping on the light. I'm impressed. I didn't think she was capable of something like that. Jess, you are a work of art.
And you've just earned my undying respect.
Her bedroom was as neat as a pin, with shiny, well-kept furniture, and a cream-colored carpet so thick, it felt like Margo was walking on marshmallows. Her bed was covered with throw pillows and stuffed animals, and topped with a blue and white striped bedspread. Next to the window sat a chaise lounge covered in soft blue velvet. Also in the room sat a desk with three drawers and a rectangular table with a computer, typewriter, and reference books on top of it.
Mine! thought Margo, unzipping her magenta dress and stepping out of it. All mine! This was much, much nicer than the cots she'd slept on as a foster child, a far cry from the closets she'd been locked in when she was very little. This was what she'd deserved.
Margo nearly dropped the dress in a heap on the floor, but remembered that she was now Elizabeth, and Elizabeth would never throw things on the floor carelessly. Besides, she had "borrowed" it from Jessica. She draped the dress over her chair, deciding to give it back in the morning.
Quickly, she undressed, placing her undergarments in the hamper inside the walk-in closet. As she threw on a flannel nightgown, Margo took inventory of the closet. Overhaul! screamed her mind like a battle cry. Now that Margo was in charge, Elizabeth was getting a much trendier-much hotter-style. She walked out of the closet and shut the door.
She opened the door to the bathroom she now shared with Jessica. Thankfully, Jessica wasn't in there, and her door was closed. No lights shined under the door. She must already be asleep, Margo thought, removing her contacts. Holding them in the palm of her hand, she reached for the lens cleaner on the counter. She cleaned her lenses thoroughly and rinsed them twice. Quickly, she put them in a white carrying case and set them aside. Margo kept her lenses scrupulously clean. Her original eyecolor was gray-without the lenses, she was in serious trouble.
Margo savored her time in the bathroom: she lavished Noxema on her face and washed it twice; she brushed her teeth twice and used a mouthwash; she pressed a warm, clean towel to her face, glorying at its softness.
I should have had this stuff long ago! she thought, wiping off the counter. She picked up her lens case and hairbrush and left the bathroom.
Margo sat on the bed, brushing her hair. She watched her silky blonde hair catch the light in the room and glisten with pale highlights. No roots yet. She reminded herself to pick up hair bleach soon and do her hair when nobody was home.
It was almost four o'clock. Time to turn in. Margo turned off the light and climbed into bed. The clean, soft sheets felt almost sinful. She leaned back and let her head touch the pillows, replaying New Year's Eve in her head. Josh Smith was dead. Todd Wilkins, her handsome, loving boyfriend, had no memory of the encounter at Fowler Crest, when Margo had hit him with the brass knickknack. To him, she was the same Elizabeth he'd taken to the party.
This has been a wonderful night! she thought, before closing her eyes and falling asleep.
~~~Stolen~~~
The morning sun was high in the sky when Alice Wakefield poured herself another cup of coffee. Ned was still sleeping, and so was Steven.
She splashed milk into her cup and stirred it. The trip back from San Francisco had been nightmarish, and the trip itself had been a cruel hoax. At least we made it back! she thought, gratefully. Her intuition hadn't failed her-a murderous psychopath had stalked her daughters, and had killed James Evans, Jessica's boyfriend!
Alice sipped her coffee, remembering the conversation that she and Elizabeth had had at the hospital. "I didn't want to scare you and Dad," she'd said. "If I'd told you what had happened, you'd have caught the first flight out of San Francisco. We thought you were enjoying yourselves, and we wanted you to have a nice vacation in spite of everything."
We've been through so much this last year, she thought. Maybe we can make a new start.
Alice eased herself back into one of the kitchen chairs, just as Elizabeth appeared in the doorway. She smiled at her daughter. "Good morning, Honey."
"Good morning," Elizabeth started, before a yawn squeezed her eyes into slits. "Jessica's still down for the count. I couldn't wake her if I tried." She got a coffee cup out of the cupboard and filled it. "You just made this. Wonderful."
"I can fix you a bagel if you want."
"Sure. Just let me wake up first."
Alice smiled. "Take your time." She paused. "Our trip back was a nightmare. Our flight got canceled because of the weather, so we took a train that got stopped due to fog, and rented a car that broke down on the way home. San Francisco was nice-if you liked the rain and fog!"
Elizabeth cracked a smile.
Alice continued. "And the trip itself was a cruel joke, did I tell you? Kotkin, Grenier and Burns does exist, but our contact, Michelle deVoice, doesn't. And the letter itself was a forgery-no letterhead, no return address!"
"How awful!" Elizabeth sipped at her coffee. "Do you know who could have done such a thing?"
Alice stood up and got a package of bagels and a tub of cream cheese out of the refrigerator. "Unfortunately, no. The letter and the envelope are long gone, so we can't have it dusted for fingerprints or anything like that. I'm sure it was some nut doing it for thrills."
"We're all glad you're home, though."
Alice dropped two bagel halves into the toaster. "Your father and I are glad we're home, too. One thing still bothers me, though. Why didn't you tell us that James got killed the first night I called you?"
Elizabeth knitted her brows together. "I told you. I didn't want you worrying about Jess, Steven and I, on top of all you were going through."
Alice sat down, across from her daughter. "I can understand that, Elizabeth, but your father and I do have a right to know about these things, especially something this traumatic. You, Steven and Jessica needed our support-"
"That's the point, Mom!" Elizabeth shot back, unexpectedly. She paused, and a dark cloud passed over her eyes. "You want to know the real reason why I didn't tell you about what happened? Okay-I didn't because I figured you'd say, 'Oh, everything will be fine,' like you did during the trial."
Alice sat down, her expression shocked. "Honey, I wouldn't have done that-"
"Why not? You have for the past several months. It's like I've lived in a DMZ since Prom Night last year. I couldn't talk to Dad, or Jessica. Dad was too busy trying to defend me to support me. Jessica hated me. And you acted like Donna Reed, pretending everything was fine, when it wasn't! Everything was falling apart!" Tears sprang from Elizabeth's eyes. "We were so close, Mom. Almost like sisters. After the accident, you were gone! I wanted support from you, and you just turned your back on me. And that hurt!"
Alice felt tears spring from her own eyes. The manslaughter trial was over, but the fallout would last for a long time. Elizabeth's right, she realized, sadly. I did turn my back. To protect herself from the horror of the trial, Alice withdrew from her family, turning her back on them when they needed her most of all. As a result, she had come perilously close to a nervous breakdown. Have I alienated myself so much from my children that they feel they don't need me anymore?
She reached across the table and took her daughter's hand. "Elizabeth," she said, regretfully. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I turned away from you. I thought that by keeping the day-to-day things in order, I could support you. I thought that was enough."
"But it didn't work, Mom. You don't know how many times I wanted to hear a word of encouragement from you, or get a hug from you, or have one of your shoulders to cry on."
Alice sighed. The bagels popped out of the toaster, but she didn't get up to get them. Her daughter was more important.
"Sweetheart, I wanted so badly to say something that would take away your fears when you were on trial. But I couldn't. By trying to keep the household running, I thought I could be there and not be there. Please try to understand."
Elizabeth nodded. "I'll try. It'll take a while to understand everything, but I'll try."
"Thank you for listening." Alice rose from the table and gave her daughter a hug. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too," Elizabeth answered back.
A strange feeling passed through Alice. It felt like a stranger had touched her. She shrugged it off, dismissing it as Elizabeth feeling distant. The feeling had hit Alice before, but now she understood it.
Or so she thought.
~~~Stolen~~~
Margo sat at the kitchen table, her body tingling from the hug given to her by her beautiful, loving new mother. Keeping her emotions in check was an Olympic-size feat, but she managed.
Alice spread cream cheese on the bagels and placed them on a plate. "Here you go, Sweetheart."
Margo gave her new mother a bland smile. "Thank you." She crunched into one bagel half, giving herself a mental pat on the back. That was an Academy Award-winning performance! she praised herself. Since she knew every last secret of Elizabeth Wakefield's heart now, it was quite easy to dredge up past events such as the manslaughter trial. The precious journal that she'd read before she took Elizabeth's life had given her insights, quotes, private thoughts...everything she needed to know about the person she'd just become.
Speaking of journals, she thought, I think I'll start a new one tonight. And maybe I'll renovate my closet. I'll ask Jess to help me. And maybe I'll get in touch with Lila Fowler, my soon-to-be best friend. Boy, I've got so many things to do today, I don't know where to begin.
Sweet Valley's NEVER gonna be the same.
~~~Stolen~~~
From the pages of "Elizabeth Wakefield"'s new journal, dated January 1:
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
This, as that old, tired cliché goes, is the first day of the rest of my life. Boy, I've only been Elizabeth for less than 24 hours, and already, I feel like I've been her for sixteen years! I have everything about her down pat. The physical details. The walk, the talk, the smile, and the laugh. Every last mannerism. Even every secret from the depths of her heart and soul.
And, the neat thing is, they're my secrets, my mannerisms, my smile and laugh, my walk and my talk! Because I am now Elizabeth!
Okay, I need to calm down. I'm getting worked up here. Anyway, let me write down what I did today. I had a "spat" with my new mother today (I need to start thinking of her as "Mom") about her behavior during the trial. She asked me why I didn't tell her about James (that double-crossing bastard!) being killed. I'm so amazed at how well I steered the conversation in a different direction. What an awesome display of acting!.
Jessica (my twin sister, no less!) helped me overhaul my closet. I took all the stuff that I thought was "too cute" and gave them all to Goodwill. Well, except for a few things. I gave her a tuxedo shirt with matching bow tie, pants, and vest, as well as a black skirt and red V-neck top. Jess gave me a truckload-I'm not lying, she has way too many clothes, including stuff she only wore once-of her old clothes. A bunch of brightly-colored T-shirts and tank tops, tight jeans, oversized sweaters, leggings, short skirts, tailored pants, and a few Spandex dresses.
When I look at the closet now, I get butterflies the size of condors in my stomach. I can't wait to show everyone Elizabeth Wakefield's hot new style! It was high time she got a makeover.
Afterwards, we went over to Secca Lake and burned my copy of the arrest warrant, as well as Jessica's Prom Queen sash and miniyearbook. Speaking of Prom, what she did-spiking the punch-gave her my undying admiration. I may have to file that away for future reference.
I even have my Prom dress picked out. It's dark blue taffeta, off the shoulder, with a full skirt and low bodice. I read about it in Elizabeth's-er, my-old diary. Can't wait for May. And this year, there will be no doubt who the Prom Queen will be!
We had grilled chicken for dinner, with steamed veggies, baked potatoes, and chocolate mousse pie for dessert. It was fantastic. I can't remember a time when I actually enjoyed setting the table and washing the dishes. At dinner, Steven announced that he was leaving tomorrow-his classes are starting up again on the 4th. I'm going to miss the heck out of him-he's so handsome! It's a shame his girlfriend, Billie, has first dibs on him.
My homework is finished, so I have two days to kick back and fine-tune my act. Got two phone calls this evening. One was from Lila Fowler, my soon-to-be best friend. She wanted to know how Jess and I were doing, and said that if we needed anything to give her a call. I really like Lila-she's a million times more fun than that drip Elizabeth used to hang out with. What a goofy name-Enid?
Then, Todd, my boyfriend, called me. He's got a nasty concussion and a knot on his head the size of a grapefruit! Guess I hit him pretty good. Anyway, the doc said no classes for a week, and no driving. I wouldn't mind driving him from place to place. I just need to get the license back-the one Elizabeth lost because of the DUI charge.
Well, time for bed. The contacts can be a pain sometimes-at least my eyes can take them. I have considered extended wear ones, but we'll see.
It's my turn to make breakfast tomorrow. Maybe I'll make bagels and cream cheese.
Well, since Margo DeValle no longer exists-except in my thoughts, I'll just close this journal entry with my new name:
Elizabeth Wakefield.