"I think Simon and Baz like each other." Young teenager Cath said with a sigh, as she closed the lastest installment of the Simon Snow Series. She moved up from the floor to the couch with a little bounce, Wren was next to her, one earbud in, chatting with a friend on their shared laptop.
It was the weekend, their dad was barricaded in his room, working on a pitch for a fast food restaurant.
"What?" Wren said, pulling out the earbud, raising one sceptical eyebrow at her twin.
Cath clutched the book to her chest, "I think they like each other, Simon and Baz. You've got to admit that Simone is obsessed with Baz, always following him and stuff."
"You just have a crush on Baz."
Cath shook her head, "No. I mean yes, I do. But that's not the point. I mean Baz could have killed Simon and he didn't."
"No spoilers!" Wren growled.
"Sorry."
Wren put the earbud back in and said in a tone that meant she was done, "It's an interesting idea Cath."
Cath looked at the cover of the book, running her hands over it, "It's too bad, Gemma T. Leslie would never make them get together."
Wren was bored with the conversation now and hoping to make her sister go and do something else she said, "Well then you should write it."
"What? How would I do that?" Cath's hands stopped massaging the book.
Wren rolled her eyes, "Cath you write lots of stories."
"Yeah, but those are just copies of the games we make up. This is different. These are people I love."
"They aren't people Cath, they're fictional characters." Wren was using her mom voice again.
"They seem like people. They're better than people." Cath said under her breath.
"That's besides the point. The point is, so what if they're Gemma T. Leslie's characters? You wouldn't publish the stories. It would be for fun. You and I could read them. It would make you happy. Think of it, Baz and Simon would be happy."
"I wouldn't do them justice. It would be different."
"Right. Exactly."
Cath pushed her hair out of her face and took a deep breath, "But I could read them to you."
"Yes."
"And it would be fun."
"Yes."
"And no one else would ever have to know?"
"Exactly. Yes. Now go, I'm busy."