Lena's POV

I was a rather peculiar San Francisco kid. If the kids on my school would talk about their social media updates, hang out on the nearest ice cream parlor or get online for nonstop MMORPGs, I would do the opposite.

My routine everyday would go like this: get up every morning, take a small rinse in the shower, take my breakfast to my room, make one doodle while multitasking eating my breakfast and listening to either the latest indies or The Clash, rush to school on my bike, dodge the hall monitors, make it on time for class, then go home to either finish the paperbacks that my dad would give me or doodle again. I just love doodling.

Everyone would look at me as a strict nerd. They cannot seem to understand the words I was saying. I mean granted I geek anything from Middle Earth, Firefly, doughnut outlets, the timeline of the Renaissance, high school algebra and even slam poetry. But they could have at least shared their thoughts about what they geek about. Sadly, that makes me a loner. And everyone mocks me for that. Some bullies would even tease me for my full name – Lenora – since it was also the name of the gross lunch lady in school. Though, I have one friend who was an extreme Star Wars fanboy. But he moved out before I reached 11, since he complained the school for not having a vegan-friendly menu.

But no one else should blame me for being geeky. Blame that on my parents Craig and Lauren. Dad was a certified fan of The Beatles, Stephen King books and 80's cop shows; I think the latter is where he gets his vocal talent as a motivational speaker. Mom was a Jem and the Holograms fan, as proven by her collection at her place. (Though she hated the 2015 movie reboot.) They were both geeky, and would often exchange nerd-ridden lines like in one conversation in the kitchen:

"Craig, where's the salt?" my mom asked.

My dad, in his old messy curly hair and thick mustache and dressed in a medieval peasant costume, replied, "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

At first, I didn't get it. My mom didn't buy in to it but she did eventually. "Craig, you look ridiculous. I just need the salt, servant."

"As you wish."

"Please understand I hold you in the highest respect."

"Where I come from, there are penalties when a woman lies."

"Inconceivable!"

"That does put a damper on our relationship."

"Inconceivable!"

"You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."

"I'll use small words that you'll be sure to understand, you warthog-faced buffoon."

They did play mock sword fight with kitchen spoons, and that's where they got too in love.

"You seem a decent fellow. I hate to kill you," my mom said.

"As you wish," my dad replied, then went on to kiss mom. But she suddenly noticed me watching them.

"True love, all it can do is delay it for a while." Then mom went back cooking.

"As you wish," dad responded. Then he approached me and patted my head. "Mawwiage, sweetie."

Yeah, I was ten when I saw and they did exchange geeky lines. It was awkward. But it was cute for them. I even liked Hook anyway.

But who cares? I am a proud geek anyway. I let it sink in when my dad would play vinyl records of 80's music compilation, and me and my sisters would dance to it.

Then, I fully realized that for my knack on vintage items, old school songs, movie and TV universes, art history, intermediate algebra and doodling, I was an outsider. My twin brother Lyndon would really realize this, since he often checks me out before and after school.

At one Saturday morning, he officially introduced me to the 'hipster culture'. When I woke up, I spotted a white T-shirt with the print withered lying on the floor. I always that it belonged to Lyndon since we shared the same room, and he would mess up his belongings on the floor. But the shirt felt like it was mine. So, the first instinct that came to me was doodling. I retrieved my marker, then start drawing over the white space on the shirt.

But surprise, surprise, Lyndon showed up at the door and told me, "Lena, that's my shirt! What are you doing?"

"Sorry Lyndon. I thought it was mine," I defended, "Didn't mean to draw on it."

But to my surprise, he praised me, "Lean, this looks cool. Your doodles look go this shirt."

"Really?" I replied.

"This is a design I like. How are you able to…?"

"I just love doodling. I even doodle some of our old history books."

"Hey, wanna see something cool?"

That afternoon, we rode on our bikes, then Lyndon took me to this café where a large mural of doodles was placed. It was so cool that I could stare right at it for a decade, just examining every look and expression of every magic marker-penned doodle. And I tell you, there is truth why a Domo-like doodle monster would puke rainbows that kids would enjoy.

That café had also fine vintage items and had mellow Electric Light Orchestra and The Killers at the same time on the background audio. This was a place where I belong. And that is when I felt that I have a best friend whom I can share my passions with.

Me and Lyndon went through many misadventures in San Francisco. We would swing on the bars while riding on the cable cars. We would sneak in tryout some exotic Chinese food. We would ride along with bikers in the city. We would take part in rock concerts and parades. We would go hopping on every obscure coffee shops in the city. And we would geek on our own fandoms, and rant on everything mainstream. We were very inseparable. That is why Lacy would berate us for being "twins". Well, duh. It was then that I finally embraced my hipster self.

After I finally embraced my new identity, I met this cute guy at class. His name was Wes. And he is as eccentric as I am. Being all to strict with his symmetrical stuff, even in his position in class. I try to woo, based on my learnings from a Woody Allen movie, an episode from How I Met Your Mother, a Looking Glass song, and my parent's experiences. I was a clueless 10-year-old then. And I liked Animaniacs and Breadwinners at the same time. That is messy.

So, I try to capture his attention by appearing out of nowhere, wherever he goes. Ultimately, I asked advice from the more popular girls, who of course despise me. I asked how to get beautiful, and they just told me to "overload my face with makeup". Of course, I did it to make myself "beautiful".

And unsurprisingly, he got scared of me, and never noticed me. Such unrequited love. But that's not worse, as my whole class laughed at me more.

It was then that I went depressed and Lyndon rescued me from being ever so lonely again.

(An excerpt from "The Other House" - Chapter 13)

Lyndon arrives at his room with a cupcake box. There, he sees a blanket fort that was set at Lena's bed. As seen, Lyndon and Lena are in the same room together since they are twins. Usually, he and Lena set up blanket forts as part of playing. So, it's a surprise for him that Lena set up one herself. He approaches it to see Lena crying, with her knees covering her face. He moves her legs to see makeup messed on her face.

"Hey Lena, what's wrong?" Lyndon asks.

"Twinnie, do you think I am beautiful?" Lena asks.

"Of course you are," the twin brother assures sympathetically.

Holding her tears, she answers sobbingly, "I was trying to impress this cute guy. So, I took the advice of the cool girls there to put me makeup him notice me. I tried my best, but they laughed at me. Now, my entire class just laughs at me, like that didn't happened to me before."

"Lena, you're beautiful just the way you are. Never mind those kids who bully you and who think you are not worthy. They don't mean anything," Lyndon encourages her as he wipes away her tears, "Look, it's hard, I know. But you shouldn't look down on yourself. You are Lena, one of the most beloved people I know. And the coolest hipster I know. And you have a lot to show. Don't be put down, just because others or other times put you down. Instead, be strong and show them love."

"Why? Weren't you the one who told me that bullies are pests?"

"They are. But they are still people who need love. So, show them…"

"I don't know. You know me."

"It's okay. Look Lena, you are beautiful, just the way you are. It's okay to be yourself, but do it out of love. How about this? Think of your classmates as Leonard the Bear. He may be mean in the cartoon, but in reality, he's cute." He then takes out a baby blue plush teddy bear, which the twins got from a claw machine.

In response, Lena embraces her brother in tears. "Ohh Lyndon, what would I do without you?"

"It's okay, Lena. I love you too."

After taking a moment to sink the emotions in and let it subside, Lyndon then gives the last blueberry cupcake from the box to Lena. "Here, something to cheer you up. I got that from that café downtown. It has this great display of 80's items. Awesome."

Lena accepts it, and then slowly chews a bit. Delighted, she embraces her brother back, "Thanks brother! I love you…"

After that, Lyndon thinks of another way to resolve Lena's worries through play. "Hey! Ranger Lenora, I cannot seem to intercept any signal from this cave. Can you read? Over…"

Realizing what he is doing, Lena follows along, "Ranger Johnson, it's too dark in here. Can you hear my voice? Over…"

"Hold on Ranger Lenora! I think there's a beast in the cave. Over!"

Then the twins take all night of playing as cave explorers. There are a lot of moments between them. And this is just one of them.

And of course, the rest was history on what happened to my twinnie.

Normal POV

Lena continues to narrate to the readers, "That's not really all my story though. There's more with my fun sisters. But that would come at the right time. Right now, I wonder what's happening with Lincoln."

Back at Lincoln, he is currently watching with Lori as they go to the part where Ryan Reynolds' and Isla Fisher's character crossed paths in the airport.

"Man, they sure look adorable," Lincoln comments.

"Literally, but don't use the language," Lori asserts.

"Yeah, I just wondered why you find this 'the most adorable'."

"Well, it's the exchange. They know each other, so the way they finally meet again is...charming."

"I wonder how will that look like in real life."

Ironically enough, the doorbell rings. Lincoln goes to answer it, and to his shock, he sees Ronnie Anne.

"Hey Lincoln!" Ronnie Anne greets him.

But Lincoln shrieks, "Ronnie Anne!" And he knows her presence is just the start of more hi-jinks.