"Name?" I asked, looking at the scarlet-haired girl in front of me. She was chewing on a piece of gum and eyeing me as if she knew me.

"Laura Hearst." She wore a deep blue dress with white polka dots scattered all over it. Her jacket and a bag was slung over her shoulder. I knew that last name too, William Hearst was some bigshot lawyer.

I looked back up at her. "You're Jennifer's friend."

She raised an eyebrow, looking up at me, before nodding in realization. "And you must be Anthony Higgins. Her brother," Her voice took on a more reproving tone. "She told me about you."

I blinked in surprise, looking over at Jennifer, who was waiting in line just behind a boy who was talking to Spot. What had she been saying about me?

I pulled out a sheet of paper, and I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. Just my luck, of course, we were locker mates. "I guess we are locker mates."

I looked back over at Jennifer again, she was talking to Spot. Albert was gaping slightly. She must've proved him wrong. She glanced over at me and winked. She knew exactly what she was doing then.

Laura took the paper from me, and I stepped out from behind the table. "Follow me."

I lead the way down the hallway, Laura looking around. Thank goodness I had a clean locker. I spun the lock and opened it for her. She shoved her stuff in, glancing once at her schedule before grabbing an English textbook.

Curiosity rampaged me before I finally asked. "What sort of stuff does she say about me?"

Laura raised an eyebrow. "I don't think it's my place to say."

I turned, spotting Jennifer and Spot walking down the hallway together. Of course, they'd get paired together. I would need to have a conversation with the three of them later.

~

I could see Laura from where I sat with Spot, Albert, and Jojo in the cafeteria. Something about the way she said my name with disdain bothered me. I knew Jennifer had secrets, but she wouldn't be trash talking me, would she? There were other things about Laura that bothered me too. She openly flaunted her family's money, if the pearls were any indication. She was still chewing her gum. She laughed at something Jennifer told her and pushed a boy, Frankie Gaudio, out of her face.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the boys, poking at my lunch. The cafeteria seemed so much smaller with five hundred more kids crammed in. It was bad enough our classes were bursting at the seams. It seemed most kids had left for lunch, but it was still suffocatingly full.

Albert leaned forwards. "So Race, I know I shouldn't ask this, but I'm going to anyway," I raised an eyebrow, pretty sure that I knew exactly where this was going. "Your sister. Is she single?"

I glanced back over at the table, where that same boy from earlier had an arm around her waist. "I thought she was, but I'm not so sure now," I wasn't so surprised to see the somewhat disappointed look on his face, but the one on Spot's was more shocking. "She's off limits though. I don't care if you think she's hot. She is my sister, and I won't have any of my friends with her. Understand?"

Jojo laughed. "Jeez man, I figured that was a given. She's your sister. We have enough respect for you to abide by that."

I nodded in response. "Whatever you say."

~

"How was school?" I asked Jennifer.

She shrugged. "It isn't Queens, but it's good. My lockermate, Spot, he said you were you his friend?" I nodded. "He's nice. How was your day?"

"Good, I am sharing a locker with Laura, your friend, and I found out you had a boyfriend."

"I have absolutely no idea what you mean." She glanced up at the sun, squinting.

I laughed. "You know perfectly well what I mean. Don't worry, I've had a couple of girlfriends over the past while too. I'm going out on a date with Darla later this week, I won't tell mom or dad."

"Promise?"

I linked our pinkies, obliging to our silly little tradition. "Promise."

"Marty Tylers."

I cut her off. "You're dating the baseball captain?"

She shrugged. "Guilty as charged."

"That is where you got the letterman jacket?"

She nodded.

"So you're going steady? How long?"

"Yes, we've been going steady for a couple of months now, and before you ask, no, I have not done any sort of petting. It's making him mad actually."

"Don't do anything you don't want to."

She gave me a sarcastic look. "I already know that. I can knee a guy if I wanted."

I laughed, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "That's my twin."

~

"How was school?" My dad asked, looking between me and Jennifer.

I looked over at Jennifer, who was flopped on the couch, flipping through an old magazine. She made eye contact with me and made a face.

"Fine," I responded. "I'm sharing with Laura."

"Jenny? How was your day?"

She shrugged. "Same old."

"Who are you sharing a locker with."

Jennifer rolled her eyes behind the magazine. "Spot Conlon."

"Race's friend?" I nodded at my dad as he looked at me. "I expect him to act properly."

Jennifer sighed heavily as I raised an eyebrow. "He will."

"Good." He turned, leaving the two of us alone in the sitting room. "I'm heading out to the office for the evening."

I whistled between my teeth. "That was intense."

She hummed. "You get used to it."

I sat on the arm of the couch before a thought occurred to me. "What have you been telling Laura about me?"

Jennifer blinked in surprise. "What makes you think I would tell her anything about you?"

I shrugged. "It's just something she said earlier. She doesn't seem to like me."

Jennifer laughed. "Laura doesn't like anyone she hears me complain about, and you're my twin brother, of course, I'm going to complain about you, but we are still family, so don't take her seriously. She's great."

I could still see Laura's distasteful look. "Whatever you say, Jenny."