My name is Beatrise Proir, but I prefer to be called Tris. My twin brother calls me Bea, but he's the only one I allow to. My twin is the most popular guy in school, but you'd never know that by looking at me. I'm just his dorky little sister. I may only be younger by 3 minutes, but he never lets me forget it. The strange thing is, at home, Caleb is my best friend. No one knows, but when I stay up crying at night, usually Caleb finds his way into my bed to hold me until I fall asleep.
It's not really my fault that I'm dorky. I've never been allowed to do much through my life. Caleb and Dad are so overprotective of me. But I guess that's what happens when you try to kill yourself. Yeah, I'm crazy. The doctor's call it Bipolar. What's wrong with me has a name, so that makes me feel better. What really makes me feel better is my best friend. To be fair, she's my only friend, but even if I had more friends she'd still be my best. I met her when they sent me away. That didn't help my social stauts, being sent away. I assume being instatutionalized never really does. Neither do the scars. But that doesn't matter because Christina has matching scars. I'm sure walking down the hallways at school would be easier with her but I don't have that option. My dad works in the government so when it came time to pick a place for me to go, only the best would do. That's how I ended up two hours away, in Chris' hometown. Crossroads wasn't the best of all the best, but it was the best within the 3 hour radius my mom gave my dad. She refused to be any farther away because because she insisted on making all visitation visits. Dad's job brought in more than enough money for her to be a housewife, so her and Caleb did make every single one. She loved staying at home when Caleb and I were younger, but now that we have school she volunteers a lot. She was so great with me that she spends most of her volunteer time helping with people like me and Chris.
I'm in what they call remission now. Chris and I both are. We take our medicine at night like good little patients. I hate depending on it, but it's better than the alternative. That's what I'm doing now, taking my medicine and getting ready for bed. School is tomorrow. I can eat Caleb cussing at me from down the hall. I must have used all the hot water again. Oops. I just had a horrible headache tonight and the steaming hot water made it feel better. I never admit that to Caleb. No, these headaches will stay my little secret. For as long as the can anyway.
Gosh I hate that alarm clock. This morning it just confirms that my headache has in fact not gone away. I have to blink my eyes a few times to see the time. 7:00. Most girls would get up earlier for school, but I don't really care how I look, so I sleep in. I throw on my jeans and one of Caleb's old baseball team sweatshirts. It's about two sizes too big. Perfect. I braid my blond hair and put on some mascara. I really only wear it so I don't look dead.
As I make my way down the stairs I can smell the bacon. Yes! Mom must have gotten up early this morning.
"Good morning hunny! How did you sleep?"
"Good." I'm not really a morning person.
"Listen your dad left early today and my car won't start. I'm going to borrow your car for the day. You can ride to school with Caleb."
"That's fine with me, but you know Caleb's not going to like this."
"I'm not going to like what?" Caleb asks as he walks into the kitchen.I'll let Mom handle this one.
Caleb's shirt shows off his muscles. If he wasn't my brother he'd be hot. Yes, my brother is the heartthrob of the school. The girls spend their day aiming for his attention. Sophomore year a girl actually tried to bribe me to switch lockers with her, since mine and Caleb's lockers are next to each other every year. I didn't take the offer.
"Come on Bea, I don't want to be late."
Our ride to school is fairly quite. It's only about a 10 minute ride. The minute we get there Caleb's posy is surrounding Caleb's car. Caleb's guy friends, Zeke, Uriah, Will, and Four are pretty cool. It's third girlfriends who are bitches. Lauren, Will's girlfriend is the ringleader, Shauna and Marene, Zeke's girlfriend and Uriah's crush are more just her minions.
When they see I'm here Lauren immediately rolls her eyes. "Poor you Caleb. Had to give that thing a ride to school?" She spits out disgustedly. Shauna and Marene laugh. I walk away quickly so I don't have to hear more.
I go from one class to the next with little interaction with anyone. I'm good at being invisible. Caleb texts me around lunch to tell me he can't bring me home and that Mom will be picking me up. Great. I'll be the only junior who needs their mommy to pick them up from school. I quickly reply "whatever", roll my eyes and continue with my day.
When I get home my mom leaves again and I have the house to myself. I go upstairs to change into some comfortable clothes. I trade my jeans for booty shorts and skip my shirt altogether. My sports bra is fine since I plan on doing yoga. I have a really nice body, I just hate to show it off when other people are around.
I get so wrapped up in my yoga that I completely miss the front door opening and closing. As I switch positions I hear laughter. Before I have time to make an escape up the stairs, Caleb and his guy friends turn the corner. I'm met with shocked silence, 5 pairs of wide eyes and 4 dropped mouths.
Uriah is the first to speak. "Caleb, you never mentioned that your twin is like really hot." The muttered agreeance coming from his friends brings Caleb back to the present.
He knocks Uriah upside the head, glares at his friends, then turns his attention to me. "Bea, maybe you should put on some clothes."
I had gotten myself completely lost in Four's beautiful blue eyes and Caleb's voice snaps me back to reality. I squeak our two words, "good idea" and race up the stairs.