"Oh, Rider, it's you." I say.

This is Rider Kirkland. He's a really good friend of mine. He's British, and pretty popular. Especially because he looks like a more studious version of someone ELSE I know…

Rider nods. "Yeah. Have you seen my sister around?"

"Emily?" I shake my head. "No, I haven't."

"How about Aria?"

"Same. I only just got out, so, yeah. Why are you trying to find them, anyways?"

"I'm trying to clear up that rumor, of course. I can't have anyone…you mean you haven't heard it?" He exclaimed, reading the look of confusion on my face.

"Heard what?" I ask him.

"I really don't want to-"

"Stop right there, British boy!"

Rider was cut off by (who else)…

"JAMES!" I heard Rider yell. James Jones. He was an American student, also very popular with girls. He's a laid-back kind of guy, and looks like Rider's brother.

I mean, look at 'em! Same glasses, same face, same hair color…If it weren't for James' hair thing sticking up at his forehead, Rider's kinda-thick eyebrows, and the fact that Rider's eyes were green and James' were blue, they would've been twins. They're good-looking, too. There's just one little problem…

"Oh, _, you're here. 'Sup!" James looked at me, and I waved at him in return.

"James, you bloody git, get off me…" Rider said, gently pushing him off his back.

"Alright, alright… Have you two seen Aria?" James asked the two of us.

"Nope." I replied bluntly.

"No, but I've been looking for her. What about Emily, have you seen her?"

"Nah."

"What's the gossip you two are trying to straighten out, anyways?" I asked them.

"Haha…funny you should say 'STRAIGHT'en." James began.

"Uh…I don't get it. What's wrong between Aria and Emily?" I asked again.

"There's a rumor going around the whole school. I don't know who started it, but some people are saying that…well…" Rider trailed off in discomfort.

"They're gay." Typical James. He always spoke with such an upfront answer.

"JAMES!" Rider yelled at him, turning red.

"What? Just saying the truth, is that a crime?"

"Why, you…I'll kill you!"

"Not again…" I started. These two…. though they get along well, they often also get into huge fights. They're so competitive with each other. I guess it's because each one has a crush on the other's little sister. I didn't want to admit it, especially to these two, but I kind of liked Aria and Emily, too…

I held the two apart just in time. "Now, now..." I released them. "Who do you think started that?"

"Started what?" A new voice joined the conversation. TWO voices, actually, speaking in unison. One spoke with an English accent. The other had a slight American slang to it.

"Aria!"

"Emily!"

Aria Jones and Emily Kirkland. Probably the smartest 2nd years in this school. They were both amazing athletes, too. They hang around each other a LOT. Probably more than James and Rider, and that's saying something.

Emily was the Brit. She had long, messy, golden-blonde hair, which she usually kept down. Somehow, despite its length, it almost always stays out of her face. She had shocking green eyes that probably every guy in their right mind could easily find himself lost in.

Aria had a small urban speech. Her hair was around Emily's length, except jet-black, and some of her bangs kept back with four white clips near her forehead, two for each side. Her eyes were a staggering blue that could send just about any boy daydreaming.

"What are you two talking about so early in the morning?" Emily asked, with an annoyed yet curious tone in her voice.

"S' exactly what I wanna know." Aria added on, with an identical pitch.

"Uh…nothing…" James quickly covered. It's amazing how he can switch gears at the drop of a hat when Emily comes around.

"We were just talking…you know, with _." The same goes for Rider whenever Aria comes by.

"Eh? Oh, _. I'm sorry I didn't notice you earlier." Emily turned to me.

Aria put her right hand up in a small salute. "Hey, _."

I returned the gesture with a shy wave. "H-hello, Emily. Good m-morning, Aria." I had failed at trying to cover up the nervousness in my voice. Darn, I was horrible at keeping secrets!

"Well, that proves something." Aria said, turning to the two males. "You lied to us, didn't 'cha?"

"Huh? Nah, what would we lie to you about, right?" James spoke up. Lucky. How does he speak without giving anything away?

"You're still not telling the truth…" Emily said to Rider.

"Emily, I know you have suspicions, but really, we were just having a little chat." And here we find ANOTHER way we can compare James and Rider as twins.

The two girls stared hardly at the boys. Oh, no, what should I do?

I can't keep lying, because my voice will stutter again and we'd be busted! But if I tell them the truth about the rumor, who KNOWS what might happen?

Let's see… Emily and Aria each have their own weaknesses and pet peeves. What are the ones I know?

Emily: Interrupted teatime, bad grades, being called short, hearing someone tell her that she likes James, her 'special ability'

Aria: Heights, bad grades, someone commenting on her slang, hearing someone say that she likes Rider, her 'special ability'

Okay. Most of them are either illogical or impossible…I better go with the special ability. I can only make it work once…now, who should I use it on is the question…

Wait! What if the better choice is to tell them the truth about the rumor? I mean, these two are smart, and they're pretty popular. I'm sure they could clear things up themselves, right?

Uh….

=CHOICE TIME=

If you choose to reveal the rumor, go to chapter 3/1.

If you choose to exploit Aria's 'special ability', go to chapter 3/2.

If you choose to exploit Emily's 'special ability', go to chapter 3/3.