"You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough."

1. Two is Better Than One

"Olivia, come on!" My friend Vanessa shouted from the exit of the book store in the Mall. I stood their trying to decide if I wanted the book but of course my girly-girl-love-shopping friends were rushing me so we could leave. They were tired from all their shopping. I sighed and headed toward my friends so we could go.

I guess I'm kind of a push over. I'm the type of person who can't say no, nice to everyone and likes to help people if they have a problem. People say that I'm two different people because I can be that quiet-book-loving-shy type of girl but when I get to know people I'm the outgoing-joking type of girl. I guess that why I'm friends with everyone.

As I head toward my friends I see them sending flirty looks at the boys sitting in then food court. That's another thing that's different about us: I hate attention and they love it. Their wearing short skirts with tight tops and I'm wearing my typical skinny jeans with a regular shirt. My friends say I should wear my skirts but I don't have there long legs so whatever. There is something I have they don't though I don't even want them. I have a C almost D breast and I hate them. I mean try talking to guy who is talking down. That's why I always wear loose t-shirts or hoodies.

"Come on!" Shelby said waving me over. We head outside as they wave bye to the boys.

"Aww crap! I'm sorry Olivia, I forgot to tell you we couldn't take you home because Vanessa and I have to meet our mom at this restaurant for an important dinner. I would drop you off home but we are already late." Shelby said with a pleading look of understanding as we stood in front of the mall.

"Okay well I'll just call my mom to pick me up." I sighed.

"Okay good We'll make it up to you." She shouted over her shoulder as her and her sister ran to the car.

I pulled out my phone to call my mom and of course got no answer. I didn't think she would pick up. You see, my mom is always working and never has time for her daughter. It wasn't always like that though. I remember when my mom and would talk and joke around but that all stopped when she got a job at my cousins Josh's big company. I guess I should explain my life, well I guess it's more of my moms life leading up to this point.

So the story is my mom, Claire Dellamora, went to visit her friend (she won't tell me where or her friends name) for summer vacation. On the first night of her stay they went to a house party. She started dancing with this guy (again wouldn't tell me his name) and they talked for most of the party. Well, they ended up having sex. For the rest of her stay they where friends with benefits. They both know she was leaving at the end of summer so they didn't see a point in becoming at couple.

They became really good friends and would talk for hours. It turns out that he was the one throwing the part, it was his house. His parents had died when he was 16 so at the age of 18 he had a large amount of money and big house.

It was only when my mom returned home did she find out she was pregnant. She didn't tell anyone when she first found out, she didn't even go to the hospital. She was confused and couldn't believe it. She knew she had to tell someone when she started showing. Her parents (my grandparents) where furious and wanted nothing to do with her. They told her she could live with them until she gave birth but after she had to leave.

When she finally did go to the doctors she found that she was having twins. She was not thrilled neither where her parents.

My mom didn't know if she should tell my father or not, thinking he would reject her. In the end she did tell him and he wanted her to come live with him. She told him yes, she would go live with him and for him to send tickets she could fly back to him. He sent her first class tickets and extra money.

To this day I don't know why she didn't go. Instead of getting on the plane she sold her ticket. With the money she had saved up and plane ticket money she had just enough to rent a small apartment five hours away from the place she grew up. She dropped put of school and got two jobs to support herself. She never contacted her parents or my father again.

On June 21, 1994 Claire gave birth to a healthy baby girl and boy. She named me Olivia Dellamora and my brother, Brandon Dellamora.

When my mom first told me her story she wanted me to understand that she loved us both very much but she knew by the first month of our birth that she couldn't keep both of us. She never explained to me why she chose to put Brandon up for adoption and not me, I don't even think she could. She said she made sure he went to a good and safe home. She told me that she kept in touch with the family that adopted him the first year but that stopped when she bumped into one of her cousins.

She hadn't seen any of her family in almost two years. They decided to catch up and went out to eat. Her cousin Josh could see she was struggling. Its turns out he was opening a company in town so he offered her a job and she has been working there ever since. Anyways back to Brandon, she was working so hard at her new job because she knew she couldn't afford to lose it that she stopped responding to the adopted family letters and phone calls until they lost touch.

The only reason I know all of this is because I found a picture of a baby boy when I was fourteen as I was unpacking our stuff into our new house. I could tell my mom didn't want to tell me about the picture but that only made me more curious.

My mom said she would only tell me if I promised to never bring it up again and no question so I promised. That was a mistake because at the end all I had where questions but we never did bring it up again.

When my mom was telling the story, she never really told me how felt when she met my dad or when she got pregnant, not even about giving up Brandon. She was saying it like it was facts she learned from a book.

As I continued to walk away from the mall and towards home, I thought about the letters I found in our closet of junk last year and the events that followed. I was moving boxes around and trying to make sure the boxes on the top shelf didn't fall on me but I found what I was look for in the box in front of me so I didn't notice the box on the top tip over. It fell but I jumped out of the way before it hit me. As I picked up the box I noticed letters had spilled out of it and I didn't recognize the address it came from so I just decided to open it.

The letter said:

Dear Claire,

I wanted to let you know Brandon is doing very good. He is still healthy and strong. His personality is starting to show with every passing day. He laughs and loves to talk. He is likes to crawl everywhere.

My husband and I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. How are you? How is Olivia? I hope you are all well.

I'm sorry this is so short but it's the most busiest time of the year. I can't thank you enough for giving us this wonderful blessing. We will make sure Brandon has the best first Christmas like you wanted.

With much Love,

The Smiths

After I read that letter I read all the others. They were updates on how Brandon was doing and just friendly conversation between my mom and the mysterious Smiths.

A few days after I decided that I wanted to know who my brother really was and that I would write him a letter. By then my mom stopped being my mom that I could laugh and joke around with and more of a serious workaholic so I didn't exactly feel bad about going behind her back. I didn't even know if the address on the letter was still there current address but it was worth a shot. I remembered my mom told me that the Smiths where going to tell him he was adopted so I didn't have to worry about that.

I wrote:

Dear Brandon,

I'm not sure if this letter has reached you but my name is Olivia Dellamora and I'm your twin sister. I don't know what to say because I've never had to write a letter like this. I found letters that where sent from your adopted parents….well I guess your parents and just decided to that I wanted to know who you are. Please write back soon.

-Olivia

Three days later I found a letter in the mail for me. My heart was pounding as I looked at it. Different emotions where passing through me, hope and excitement being the most but also kinda nervous. I carefully opened the letter and read.

Dear little sister :)

HI! I'm Brandon Dellamora, your big brother (I love saying that) and I am older just incase you didn't know by three minuets. I'm really glade to talk to you, I've always wondered about you. Boy do we have a lot to talk about! I guess I should tell you some things about me.

My parents names are James and Jennifer Smith ( I never say adopted parents because they are the only parents I've ever known and I love them). I have a little brother Gabriel (also adopted but has the same last name Smith) and he is really hyper kid. My favorite color is red and favorite sport is football. I'm on the football team at school. Well you already know my age and birthday.

So what about you? Favorite sport? Color? Any other siblings? Besides you know your favorite, ME :) Do you have a boyfriend?, umm on second thought I don't want to know. Write back soon!

-Brandon (Big Brother)

The whole time I read it I couldn't help but smile at how excited and goofy he seemed. After we wrote each other all the time, its been year since I sent that fist letter. He never asked about mom or anything about the adoption, I don't think we were ready to get into that serious stuff. I never told my mom about how we were talking. The Smiths would also write to me sometimes in Brandon's letters and I became very fond of them.

I was lost in thought that I didn't notice how dark it had gotten. I wrapped my arms around me tight against the cold night air. I was walking past a ally and I heard the most terrifying scream in my life. You could say this is where everything changed.

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Summary for the story is on my Hompage!