The One They Kept
Laini sat quietly at the dinner table, avoiding everyone's desperate attempts at eye contact. She pushed mushy peas around her plate, but hardly ate. To be quite honest, this was the last place she wanted to be. But she had nowhere else to go, so here she was.
"So, Delaney," her mother said, "how do you like La Push so far?"
She shrugged, pushing some tasteless potatoes into her mouth so she had an excuse not to answer. She also didn't bother to correct her use of Laini's full name. She hadn't been called Delaney since she was four, when the kids in school made fun of it and she (for whatever reason) decided that Laini was a better choice.
"Delaney," her stepfather tried, "have you been down to the beach yet?"
Laini shrugged again, though the answer was no. She hadn't seen much of anything outside of the Walkers' home since she arrived. She'd been in such a foul mood that she hadn't even tried.
"If you like, I can show you the school tomorrow," Kim said sweetly. "That way you'll be all ready to start next week."
Kim smiled hesitantly at her, a warped mirror image of Laini. She was Laini's identical twin sister, and the only one Laini felt conflicted about ignoring. She'd been nothing but sweet since Laini's arrival a few days prior, and it's not like it was her fault or anything… But she was the one they kept.
That fact made it hard not to resent her, at least a little.
"Whatever," she said finally. Kim's smile dimmed a little, but she nodded.
Before a week ago, Laini didn't know she had a sister, let alone twin. It was still absurd to look to her right and see a version of herself looking back. But Kim had the same sweetheart face and apple-round cheeks, the same brown doe eyes, and the same full lips. Her hair was even the same length as Laini's— mid-back and straight as a board— but Laini's hair was styled more to frame her face.
There were only two obvious differences between the two of them. One— their sense of style. Kim seemed to prefer knee-length skirts and demure cardigans, while Laini lived in her leggings and oversized T-shirts. And two— Kim seemed have a permanent smile on her lips, while Laini thought she might never smile again.
Dramatic, yes. But still true.
Kim bowed her head for a moment— regrouping, possibly— and then started regaling them with the tale of how she'd managed to get a 95 on her latest Algebra test. A real feat, given everyone else's responses and congratulations.
Vaguely, Laini wondered if she would be more like Kim if they'd been raised together.
Scowling to herself, she threw her fork down on the plate and left the kitchen without a word, as if she could leave such a traitorous thought behind.
The Walker house was small, but two-leveled. Laini's bedroom was the only one on the ground floor— the former guest room. Laini wrenched the door open, but refrained from slamming it.
The room didn't look much like it belonged to her, no matter how much her mother insisted it was all hers now. When Laini had been thrown out of her adoptive parents' house, she'd barely been able to grab any clothes at all, much less anything that was decorating her room back home.
For a brief moment, she wondered if they'd thrown all that out yet. Her posters, her books, her rocks from Mackinac Island… all the remnants of her life with them.
They'd probably just chucked it all in the bin and called it a day.
Laini slid down to the ground, the wood of the door the only thing keeping her upright. Hot tears burned her eyes, but she blinked them away. She wouldn't cry for them— she wouldn't! They weren't worth her tears.
She grew up in a sizable town in Michigan, adopted by two middle class white people who'd always been good to her. When she'd come out to them as bi, she'd been so nervous, but it had never occurred to her to feel worried. Never occurred to her that her parents might not want her how she was. They'd told her they loved her, and she'd believed them.
But that love dissipated in a heartbeat.
Sniffling, she reached for the backpack sitting next to the bed. It contained the only possessions she had left— the four outfits she'd managed to shove inside while her adoptive mother yelled, her cell phone and charger, and an empty wallet. She dug through the dirty clothes until she found the phone, and pulled it out.
Her mother— Anna— had already transferred her phone to their cell phone plan. The one thing Laini could begrudgingly be grateful to her for.
She knew she should be grateful Anna allowed her to move in so quickly, but it was hard.
It was an act of desperation— fear of living on the streets of Detroits, mostly— that led to Laini hunting down the adoption agency her parents had used and getting the information on her birth parents. She'd thought it possible to forgive them for giving her up if they stepped up and took her in now— had hoped for it, even.
But then she found out about Kim.
Her twin sister. Her twin sister that they'd kept, while giving her up without a second thought. It was like the most twisted version of The Parent Trap.
God, her life was such a joke.
Sure, she'd heard the sob story the night she arrived in Port Angeles. Anna and their bio dad, Steven, had fallen pregnant at the tail end of their junior year of high school. They'd tried to step up, to make it work and be good parents, Anna said. But twins were hard for even the most prepared of parents— let alone for two teenagers with minimal parental support.
Steven left a few days after the twins had been born, and within a week Anna's mom was trying to convince her to give the twins up for adoption. But Anna couldn't bare giving them both up, so she kept Kim. Purely random selection, she swore.
So, that was abandonment times three, if Laini was counting correctly. It didn't matter, really, that it was "the hardest decision I've ever had to make" or that "I regretted it as soon as I signed the papers".
It didn't matter that Anna bent over backwards to bring Laini back to La Push, insisting she "come home" as soon as she'd called. If Laini had seen literally any other option, she would have taken it.
Her phone was a familiar weight in her hand, but she wasn't in the mood for scrolling through social media. It was full of friends from back home, who didn't even know her life had been turned upside down. She couldn't stomach it. Not yet.
She tossed the phone back into her bag, wrinkling her nose at the clothes. She'd have to do laundry soon. And get a job so she could buy more clothes— four shirts and three pairs of leggings were not enough to live on.
There was a soft knock at the door. Laini's eyes fell shut for a moment and she sighed. This had to get easier, right? #ItGetsBetter and all that.
She pushed herself up from the floor, gave herself one moment to swipe at the residual tears under her eyes, and opened the door.
Like a funhouse mirror, Kim stood on the other side with a hesitant smile on her face. She held a plate— Laini's plate, from dinner.
"What?"
Kim held the plate out, the plate shaking slightly— just enough to make Laini's stomach twist.
"I thought you might still be hungry."
It was truly the most unappetizing plate of food Laini had ever seen— Anna was decidedly not a good cook— but Laini was still hungry. And her anger at the world wasn't going to fill her stomach.
She took the plate. "Thanks."
They stood there awkwardly for a long moment. Kim shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Laini tapped at the ceramic plate with a nail.
What do you say to your long-lost twin sister? To the person who, by all means of fate, should have been your very best friend, and yet is a complete stranger who has the life you wish you'd had?
"Mom suggested you come to school with me tomorrow," Kim said finally. Laini raised an eyebrow. "I can show you around before you start on Monday. And then, I could show you around La Push after?"
She sounded so uncertain it was almost painful. Laini bit her tongue, holding back any remarks that might slip out. It wasn't Kim's fault— she just needed to keep reminding herself of that fact. Still, it was hard not to take it out on her.
"A whole day of school?" Laini said finally. "Sounds kind of awful."
She shut the door in Kim's face.
Great. Maybe Laini had to work a bit more on the "not blaming Kim" front.
The next morning, Laini was woken as the ungodly hour of six in the morning. She was curled up tight in the too-thin quilt on the guest bed, face burrowed in the decorative pillows that scratched at her cheeks.
The knocking at the door was insistent and loud. Laini groaned.
"What?" Her shout was muffled by the pillow, but loud enough.
"Kim's going to show you around the school today, remember?" Anna asked through the wood. "We weren't sure how much time you need in the morning, so we thought an hour was a good spot."
Blearily, Laini forced her eyes open. The room was still mostly dark— the barest amount of light filtering in through the clouds and through the window above the bed. She pulled herself out of the bed and over to the door, swinging it open to face Anna.
Anna was a full head taller than Laini, but otherwise they looked scarily similar. Enough to warrant the stupid "is this your mom or your older sister?" questions she was sure Kim had been plagued with her whole life. Anna smiled brightly, clearly trying to put a positive spin on a six AM wakeup call.
"Good, you're up! The bathroom downstairs is free so you can get ready."
"I'm not going," Laini said gruffly.
Anna frowned, eyebrows furrowing. The pout made her look even younger— too young to be the mom of teenagers. "It'll be good for you to see the school before you start. And besides, some time with Kim would be good for you both."
Laini grimaced. Good points, both of them. Her gaze dropped to her bag and— "I don't have any clothes to wear," she said quickly. She gestured to herself, illustrating how she'd slept in yesterday's clothes. "Everything I have is dirty."
Anna paused, and her stupid emotive eyes made it easy to see the cracking of her heart at that. "You only had one bag when you got here," she murmured.
"I didn't have much time to pack anything," Laini said shortly, her tone making it clear to not broach the reasons why. "So, I can't go. Nothing clean to wear."
"You can borrow some of my clothes," Kim said from the end of the hallway. She was still in her pajamas, a steaming mug of coffee cradled in her hands. "We've got to be similar in size."
"That's a great idea, Kimmy!" Anna said, clapping her hands once. Her eyes brightened as an idea struck her. "And maybe, Mama can pull you two out early and we could sneak to Port Angeles for some shopping?"
"That's really not—" Laini protested, but she was cut off.
"It'll be so fun! Go on, hurry up and get changed," Anna insisted, pulling Laini out of the guest room— her room, she reminded herself— and pushing her towards Kim. "I'll make you some breakfast for the road."
It was too damn early to argue, Laini decided as she stumbled down the hall. She wasn't a morning person on the best days, and this certainly wasn't one of those. So, she let Kim lead the way up the carpeted stairs and down the hall to her bedroom.
Kim walked inside easily, heading over to her vanity and setting her mug down. Laini halted in the doorway, eyeing the room almost suspiciously.
It was so Kim in a way Laini's room back home had never encapsulated her. The walls were painted a pale purple, matching the fluffy rugs thrown over the carpet. The white-painted vanity housed a plethora of makeup, the mirror lined with polaroid photos of her and her friends. The bookshelves were stuffed with books— the one thing Laini could see they had in common, though Laini preferred fantasy and romance while Kim clearly veered towards historical fiction and memoirs.
Kim sat down in the matching wooden chair and grabbed her brush. She flashed Laini a smile in the mirror. "Feel free to pick whatever you want from my closet."
"Uh, thanks," Laini muttered, suddenly feeling embarrassed to still be in the hall. She stepped inside and walked over to the foldable doors, opening them with a yank.
She bit her lip to keep from grimacing. Kim's style really wasn't hers.
Kim hummed to herself softly as she brushed through her hair and put on some light makeup. Laini dug through all her options, pulling out a couple for a better look.
"I think you'll really like La Push High School," Kim said finally. Laini snorted.
"Why, are the guys hot?" she asked sarcastically, sparing Kim a glance. She raised her eyebrows when she saw Kim's cheeks darken in a blush.
"Some of them."
"Anyone you have your eye on?" Laini asked lightly, choosing one of the few pairs of jeans Kim owned and slinging it over her shoulder. "Or are you dating someone?"
It wouldn't hurt to get to know Kim a little, right? Laini was determined to hate everything about La Push, but Kim was like a little puppy— so sweet and eager that it was practically evil to be mean to her.
"Oh no, I'm not dating anyone," Kim said quickly, shaking her head so fast her hair got stuck in her pink lipgloss. "I mean— there is this one boy I like. Jared Cameron."
The corners of Laini's lips quirked at the dreamy tone Kim's voice took on when she said his name.
"But he doesn't know I exist," Kim added with a sigh.
"Have you ever talked to him?" Laini struggled not to make a face at all of Kim's shirts— she liked to be a lot… dressier than Laini did.
"… No," Kim admitted reluctantly, shoulders drooping.
"Well, that's your problem," Laini said baldly, finally settling on a baby pink tunic top that was probably the most casual thing Kim owned. "You just gotta talk to him."
Kim turned to face the closet, making a noncommittal sound in the back of her throat. Laini didn't push— honestly, how much did she really care about Kim's love life, anyway— and thanked her for the clothes.
The bathroom downstairs was fully stocked, which was a relief. None of it was the brands Laini preferred, but it was better than nothing. She took the world's quickest shower, shimmying awkwardly into Kim's clothes— they were not the same size, if the tightness around Laini's middle was any indication.
The brush Anna had left in this bathroom pulled painfully on every knot in her hair, but Laini didn't have time to go about it carefully. She left her hair to air dry and dumped her clothes in the guest room.
Kim was sitting in the kitchen, leg bouncing as she wolfed down her breakfast. Laini slowed in surprise when she saw the amount of food Anna had cooked in a short amount of time. It was kind of a nice gesture…
No! Laini pressed her lips together, willing away any soft thoughts she might have for her mother. If anyone deserved her ire, it was Anna. Quietly, Laini sat next to Kim and pulled a paper plate to her place setting. She picked up some toast, scooped some eggs, and grabbed a couple strips of bacon.
Definitely trying too hard, she decided as she chewed on the bacon. Too much for breakfast before school.
"We have to leave at seven," Kim said softly. A roundabout way to tell Laini to eat quickly.
Laini ate as quickly as she could, but she was naturally a slow eater. Kim was finished, backpack on her pack and leaning against the front door. Laini half-wished she would actually say that they needed to get going, but Kim clearly wasn't comfortable doing so.
Not for the first time, Laini imagined what this morning would be like if she'd grown up in this house next to Kim. Kim ragging on her to hurry up, her snapping that Kim could leave without her. Normal sister things.
It sent a painful pang to her chest, but she choked the rest of her toast down dry and threw her plate away.
It was five after seven and Kim was clearly on edge, hurrying out the door with a "Love you!" tossed over her shoulder. Laini followed behind, only to be stopped by Anna.
"You didn't drink your coffee," she said, grabbing Laini by the arm. Laini blinked.
"I didn't…" She shook her head. She hadn't realized there was any for her. "It's fine. I'll be fine, Anna."
Anna wilted a little at the use of her first name, but still insisted on digging out a travel mug and pouring the coffee in for her.
"How do you like your coffee? Milk? Sugar?"
"Black is fine," Laini said, just to hurry her up. She accepted the mug and left without a word. She didn't want to name the feeling bubbling up inside her right then.
Kim was at the end of the block, practically pacing by the time Laini made it to her. They hurried along side by side.
"I've never walked to school before. It's kinda weird," Laini commented lightly. She took a sip of her coffee, making a face. It was so bitter! God, how did anyone drink this stuff?
"Not a coffee fan?" Kim asked, her lips quirking into a smile. Laini rolled her eyes.
"Lattes, yes. Coffee, no," she admitted. "I need the sweetness. Want it?"
Kim hesitated, but accepted it with a thanks. She took a deep sip, eyes closing for a moment as she savored it. Laini took a moment to look around— the little bit of La Push that she was seeing really was beautiful. All trees and greenery— homey. That was the word. It was like the very image of home.
She scowled at the thought.
"Sorry I made us late," Laini said after a minute. Kim shook her head, her hair blowing a little in the wind.
"We won't be late. Just not… as early as I like," she said. Laini snorted.
"You nerd."
La Push High School really wasn't all that different from Laini's high school back home. There were less people, for sure, but it was just as loud, rowdy, and full of cringey aspirational posters interspersed with red lockers.
Laini clung to Kim's side, feeling weirdly out of place without a backpack or textbook. Her phone sat in her back pocket, but otherwise she had nothing on her. Absolutely nothing school-related— how blasphemous.
Kim led their way to her locker, pointing out the front office and the auditorium on the way. There were definitely stares, but Kim resolutely ignored them. Laini just kept her head down, feeling more embarrassed than she should.
God, was she going to have to explain her life story to everyone she met? Because people were definitely going to ask how Kim magically had a new identical twin. That was going to be mortifying.
They didn't have time to stop and look at the sights, or even to talk to anyone. Kim waved off a friend more than once as she dragged Laini from her locker to her first class of the day— English. Laini looked straight ahead, ignoring the whispers and the looks.
Kim's English teacher took Laini's presence in stride— Anna must have called before they got there and given the teachers a head's up. He gave her a huge grin.
"Welcome to our school," he said, way too heartfelt. "You can sit next to Kim for today. I'm sure you'd like the stick close, yes?"
Laini gave a fake smile and nodded, feeling more and more embarrassed the longer they stood there. She could practically feel the eyes boring into her back.
"In Jared's seat?" Kim asked, disappointment evident in her voice. The teacher— what was his name?— nodded ruefully. Kim pursed her lips, but thanked him and led Laini down the middle aisle to her seat, pointing where she should sit.
"Your Jared?" Laini asked as she sat, setting her cell phone on the fake wood of the desk. Kim blushed fiercely, shushing her before anyone could overhear.
"He's not mine!" she hissed. Laini laughed at her, head rolling back as the giggles wracked her. Kim whined a little, holding her palms against her flaming cheeks. Laini's giggles eased as the bell rang, loud and shrill.
The teacher launched into his morning spiel, pulling the class's attention to him. Kim hunched over as she took notes, her leg bouncing. Laini tuned the lecture out out quickly, leaning forward and rest her chin in her hand.
The class was fairly boring, and Laini really wondered why she'd been roped into coming. She wasn't even enrolled yet! How much of a help would it be for her to follow Kim around like a puppy for half a day?
Laini's mind wandered some more, until the door opened. Everyone turned to watch a tall, handsome boy walk into the room. He moved with ease, not appearing to be bothered that he was showing up halfway through the class.
Kim sat up straight, eyes wide.
"Mr. Cameron," the teacher said in surprise. Genuinely, he added, "So glad you could join us."
The boy grinned, and Laini's traitorous stomach did a little flip. No boy should be allowed to have such a nice smile.
Laini berated herself silently. She was not in a place to be getting interested in anyone— boy or girl— no matter how nice their smile is.
"Sorry I'm late," the boy said politely. He turned down Laini's aisle, frowning when he saw her in his seat. She met his gaze for a moment, then turned to see if there was an empty desk she could move to. There wasn't, but she stood anyway.
"You can sit here," she told him lowly, gesturing awkwardly to the seat. The boy just— stared? Laini's cheeks flushed. She stepped back.
"Is there a problem?" the teacher asked.
"Just a little seating mishap, I think," Laini said quickly. She moved backwards down the aisle "It's fine."
"You can go get a chair from the front office, Ms. Walker," the teacher said kindly. He frowned at the boy's back, who still hadn't moved. Murmurs erupted throughout the classroom. "Jared, take your seat."
"It's Hayden," Laini corrected, then winced. "Laini Hayden, I mean. And I'll be fine on the floor, it's okay."
The boy— Kim's Jared, it seemed— finally lurched forward and settled into the seat, but he kept stealing glances in Laini's direction. Wishing a hole would open up and swallow her out of existence, Laini slid to the ground by door. She sat, cross-legged, and prayed for the bell the ring soon.
Jared looked at her again.
A/N: Some quick notes about this story:
1. It's a modern AU— it won't be over the top, but this is very much set in the late 2010's, okay.
2. The plot of New Moon/Eclipse/BD will be so background it'll be practically nonexistent. This probably won't be very canon compliant.
3. Please give me a couple chapters to actually bring Kim out of her shell— I promise she's not going to be a dormouse forever.
Anyway, please drop a review if you like it so far! I think it'll be a fun story to try. Something different, at least :)