Evanescent

By Kristen Portillo

Brinn Kiernan belongs to the supernatural world but was born into a human body. Because of her mortal exterior and her complete lack of interaction with any immortal, she is completely unaware of the supernatural being she is intended to be. In fact, she doesn’t even know they exist.

When she starts developing strange symptoms and no diagnoses can be found, she travels to find her identical twin, Olivia, who she was separated from at birth.

It is there, in the city of Battle Ground, Washington, that she first realizes that she isn’t just a normal teenage girl. Her symptoms intensify, proving to reach far beyond any medical spectrum. They also seem to be directly connected to Olivia and the group of teens she hangs out with. Then Brinn meets Seth, Olivia’s unrealistically perfect boyfriend, who is as physically affected by Brinn as she is by him.

Brinn becomes friends with these too-beautiful teenagers and she learns they are actually two separate sub-species of vampire; opposing sub-species. While Seth and his family live only to preserve life in all forms, Olivia is set on destroying it and Brinn is her sister’s next target. As if worrying about her half-vampire sister’s vendetta against her life isn’t enough, Brinn’s human body is quickly shutting down unable to cope with the strength of the supernatural symptoms that plague her.

In an attempt to save Brinn from both her sister and herself, Seth escapes with Brinn. It is in their destination that Brinn will confront immortality, her own mortality and her true connection to Seth, as well as the leader of the supernatural world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kristen Portillo
• Release date: Jun 26, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465772473

Kristen Portillo

Kristen Portillo is a 33 year old mom to two girls. Quirky, sarcastic, politically incorrect and religiously committed, she spends her free time writing her books and playing with her children. She lives in Vancouver (not British Columbia) where she derives most of the setting inspiration for her novels. Special thanks to linh.ngân for allowing the use of "Fallen Angel" as Evanescent's book cover.

Book preview

Evanescent

By

Kristen Portillo

This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, and events are fictitious. Any similarity to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Evanescent

Smashwords Third Edition

Copyright © 2017 by Kristen Portillo

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used, reproduced or redistributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Acknowledgements

My thanks go to my sister without whom I would never have had the courage, the strength or the inspiration to finish this story. Thank you for your late hours of hashing out scenarios, role playing and having a great time with our characters! Love you lil’ sis!

I would also like to thank my first readers: My mom, my uncle and again, my sister for the critiques, the praise and the suggestions. Your feedback was invaluable.

And of course I would like to thank my creator without whom, my breath I would not breathe and my heart would not beat. Without whom my thoughts would not form and my fingers could not write. Thank you Lord for the opportunities in this life and may everything I do be for you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PART I

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

PART II

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

EPILOGUE

PART I

Chapter 1

Los Angeles, California

I stand in the short line for the metal detectors with my carryon bag placed in front of me on my Converse. The weight of the backpack distracts me from the numbness in my toes. My plane tickets are damp against my tingling palm as heat descends over me – only me – consuming me in a hot flash I will never get used to. My mother stands to my right fiddling nervously with the strap of her purse, watching helplessly as sweat trickles down my temple. My father pretends not to notice, checking my flight’s departure time on his iPhone.

Are you sure that this is what you want to do? My mother’s anxiety riddled eyes search my face, looking for traces of doubt – or pain. She reaches up with her handkerchief to blot away the moisture accumulating on my upper lip. You can change your mind. There’s still time.

No mom, I have to do this. I inch forward and hand my ticket and ID to the TSA agent. I’ll be fine. I promise!

I hug both my parents, murmuring my goodbyes. After passing through the detectors, I see my mom waving frantically from behind the glass that separates the travelers from their loved ones. I wave until she is no longer visible and inhale deeply, excitement filling me. This is it. I will find the explanation for these damned symptoms and then my life can finally begin.

Battle Ground, Washington

Stepping onto Strong Academy’s high school campus in Battle Ground, Washington is not as life altering as I had hoped. I had imagined more than buildings resembling a massive Lego set flanked by cow pastures. I had also expected to feel different, somehow. After all, I have traveled a thousand miles to meet my identical twin, who has no idea I exist. I thought I might feel at least a connection to this place. Instead, I feel out of place standing on the sidewalk huddled beneath my umbrella. Other students mill around me. A few cast shadowed glances in my direction. I ignore them and flick water from the school map. Cursing the rain I overhear a hushed whisper,

Is that Olivia?

I turn toward the voice and the two girls who have been watching me look away, staring conspicuously at each other, smiling and whispering.

She looks like her, I hear someone else say as they pass me.

They are talking about me. The realization is unnerving. But of course, they are talking about me. How strange for them to go to school with someone and then one day out of the blue, a clone shows up.

I start to walk even though I don’t know to where.

You look lost, a lyrical female voice says near my left shoulder.

Looking up, the girl is my height, wearing a black knee-length raincoat. Her strangely lavender eyes smile at me from under her hood. There is something uniquely hypnotizing about her.

Do you need help finding something?

I realize that I am staring, mesmerized by her features.

I’m just looking for the dorms. I look down at the soggy pink room assignment.

The girl turns so that we are shoulder to shoulder and points at the identical shoebox building that parallels the school. That is Issaquah Commons, the girls’ dorms. She turns back to me and extends her hand. I’m Regan by the way.

Once again I can’t form a rational thought when our eyes meet and I realize seconds after it has become uncomfortable that her hand is hanging between us. I shake it, opening my mouth to introduce myself but am struck silent when heat sears through my skin – a disturbingly familiar heat.

In the span of only a moment, I am taken back to California and the night when my symptoms began. The hot flashes and the cold flashes, the tingling sensations, as though my extremities had all fallen asleep, and the dreams; dreams without images, just sensations. Bottomless dreams of pain. On occasion I would dream of water – the only dream that wasn’t stuck in obscurity; pale-blue water that darkened and lightened with my mood. These dreams were my only reprieve from my symptoms. In these dreams, especially when the water was its palest blue, I found nothing but the purest peace.

Now, the heat that pulses through my fingers and my palm feels like one of my hot flashes, but concentrated, radiating directly from her hand.

. . . You are? she is saying and I am thrust back into the present.

Brinnalyn – Brinn, I pull my hand out of hers. The hot flash subsides.

It’s just a coincidence, I tell myself.

Nice to meet you Brinn. She smiles and walks away before I can respond.

Flustered by the encounter, I turn toward the dorms. Inside Issaquah Commons, there is a small huddle of girls near a desk where a friendly looking woman with short graying hair sits. Her name tag reads, Mrs. Kolt.

How can I help you, dear? The woman smiles and waves me closer.

The girls in the room glance up and several go ashen. I try to ignore their reaction.

I need to get my dorm key.

I avoid the faces of the girls who watch me intently now.

Of course. What’s your name?

Brinnalyn Kiernan.

Ah, yes. Here you are. I’ll take that.

I place the soggy room assignment paper into her hand and she hands me my key.

Thanks.

I feel the eyes of the girls on my back as I walk away and hear the burst of excited whispers when they can no longer see me.

Instrumental music comes from behind the door of my room when I approach. So I already have a roommate. I sigh and turn the handle. My sense of smell and sight are assaulted. Several burning sticks of incense lay on the wooden dresser, the matching bedside table, and atop an antiquated computer screen. They scent the air with cinnamon and pepper. It makes my eyes water. The walls are papered in colorful images of fantasy creatures. They are plastered everywhere, even the ceiling, where I am surprised by yet another human sized poster of a half dressed vampire.

Hot, isn’t he? The voice startles me. My eyes shoot to the girl with spiky auburn hair sitting cross-legged on one of the beds. She flicks her gaze in the direction of the poster on the ceiling and back to me. I’m Audrienne Gotsmith.

I plop down onto the naked mattress. Brinn Kiernan.

I peer warily out the window above my bed as the rain pelts the glass.

Get used to it. It rains a butt load here. Audrienne chews on her lip for a moment while she scrutinizes me.

What?

I’m trying to figure out how you can look so much like her, and so different.

Like who?

Audrienne snorts, Like you don’t know. She rolls her eyes.

Of course she is talking about Olivia. I’m not used to the idea of having a sister yet, let alone an identical twin.

So, why’d you wait until now to come here? Your parent’s too cheap to send you both? She chews on her fingernails.

We were adopted. I haven’t met Olivia yet, I admit quietly.

No shit? Audrienne’s face lights up. Crazy.

I shrug.

And I was all worried that you might want to suck my blood too.

What? My eyebrows furrow.

Is this girl for real?

Let’s just say you are in for a unique surprise when you meet dear ol’ sis. She grins mischievously before continuing. Why don’t we go down and get our schedules and then we can go to the cafeteria for some breakfast. You down?

I nod. What else do I have to do? I can’t stay much longer in this room. I’m nearly suffocating. Audrienne and I will have to have a chat about the incense.

We leave the dorms and make the soggy trip through the rain to the school campus. With drops of water cascading off my scalp onto my shoulders, I curse myself for forgetting my umbrella. Audrienne is halfway to the double doors of the main office when something bumps me to the side. At least, I think I was bumped. I lose my balance and fight to right myself as a spontaneous shower of cool water flows over my skin; like one of my cold flashes. I look around, disoriented and chilled to the bone. The rain has stopped and is only a fine mist on my face. It certainly was not the cause of the weird sensation. I look right and left but only see crowds of people gathering toward the office in each direction. I shake my head to clear it – this is just my imagination running wild – and hurry after Audrienne.

Inside the main office, the entire senior class seems to be crammed in front of one frenzied secretary who is mumbling something about losing her pencil. It is stuck in the wads of curly gray hair above her left ear but no one seems to feel it necessary to point that out.

Shouldn’t someone tell her?

Audrienne only smiles and shushes me with one finger to her lips.

Mrs. Socrates always loses her glasses when they’re already on her face –

Olivvvia! a deep male voice growls behind me, interrupting Audrienne and making my heart jump into my throat.

If I don’t relax these people are going to send me into cardiac arrest.

I’m not Olivia, I finally manage.

I don’t miss the surprised realization and instant recovery in my assailant’s expression. I find myself as mesmerized by him as I had been by Regan. Green irises with gold flecks set in a chiseled face of sun kissed skin. His golden hair is cropped close to the sides of his head and spiked on top. I take a step back to gather my wits, making a conscious effort not to stare. The beautiful guy reaches out to fluff my hair and I flinch at the heat in his touch. Heat, just like Regan’s handshake. I don’t have time to be amazed, though. He is talking again.

Olivia’s a twin, huh? He doesn’t seem to have noticed my response to his warm touch and wears a skeptical expression on his face.

My name is Brinn.

The guy only chuckles, letting the hair that he had wrapped around his finger fall free.

Ok, Brinn. His eyes twinkle and the gold flecks seem to pulse with the sound of his laughter. He winks and clicks his tongue with the arrogance of a boy who knows he’s too good looking. It sends chills up my spine. You need to go out with me tonight.

He reaches for my hand sending heat pulsating through each finger and pulls it toward his lips to kiss it. I yank it back, overwhelmed by the heat that is so much like my hot flashes, but concentrated to my hand, my head – wherever he touches.

No thanks. I exhale the pent up breath I have been holding and spin to face Audrienne.

I’ll see you later then. His breath is warm and oddly aromatic on the side of my face. To my dismay, my heart begins to thud faster in my chest. I watch out of the corner of my eye as he turns and walks out of the office, sighing with relief when I can no longer see him.

Who is that? I ask Audrienne.

Jack McKinley, Audrienne is still looking in the direction he had left.

Well Jack McKinley is arrogant and… Because I can’t think of any word other than gorgeous, I allow my sentence to trail off, unfinished.

Arrogance is pretty much the modus operandi of that group. He hangs out with Seth Cross and Seth Cross, Audrienne winks and pats my shoulder. Is your dear ol’ sister’s boyfriend.

Oh god, I immediately feel intimated.

If Jack McKinley is friends with my sister that means she would surely find out about me before I can introduce myself. Nerves quickly twist my stomach into knots.

When I reach Mrs. Socrates, who still has not found her pencil, she greets me warmly. Good morning dear! It is apparent she thinks I am Olivia.

Good morning. My name is Brinnalyn Kiernan.

She pauses and squints at me as though she doesn’t trust her own eyes.

Brinnalyn, you say? Flustered, she rummages through the alphabetized index of schedules and when she finds my name purses her lips. Well, here you are.

I sigh. Yes, thank you.

Mrs. Socrates looks at me over the rims of her glasses and studies my face. By golly if you don’t look like Olivia.

Ugh! Let’s go already! I’m hungry. Audrienne grabs my elbow and leads me out of the main office.

The cafeteria is a vast and bustling room that smells of stale food and teenagers wearing too much perfume and not enough deodorant. I skim the crowd and see Jack and Regan both engrossed in conversation. They are surrounded by several other beautiful people – for lack of a more appropriate term – with perfect eyes, perfectly sculpted hair, and flawless sun kissed or milky pale complexions. This is my sister’s group, her people, but she isn’t sitting with them.

Those are the blood suckers, Audrienne offers, following my gaze. They’re all vampires, she adds matter-of-factly bringing my attention back to her.

I eye her, laughing aloud at the absurdity. Vampires, huh?

Or something equally fabulous. Audrienne loads a tray with food.

I grab a muffin and follow Audrienne to pay.

Ok, I’ll take the bait. Why do you call them Vampires?

Audrienne takes a large bite out of a scone and motions openly at the beautiful people.

Are you blind? They’re perfect. I think they’re like the immortal dead.

I try to wrap my mind around that and can’t.

That’s an oxymoron. There’s no such thing as the immortal dead.

Audrienne rolls her eyes and takes another bite. I nibble on a nut from the top of my muffin, taking small glimpses of the group. The girls truly are inhumanly beautiful and the guys look as though they have stepped out of a magazine. They certainly don’t resemble your typical high school popular kids, no matter how beautiful or ripped or manicured the typical popular kid happened to be.

I have a theory, Audrienne begins but before she can finish I notice that Jack is signaling someone across the cafeteria. Turning in that direction I feel as though someone has sucker punched me. Immediately a hot flash engulfs me. Sweat breaks out over my eyebrows and my pulse quickens involuntarily. Coming through the double glass doors is the most breathtaking couple – except the girl has my face. Only it isn’t my face. It is my face enhanced a hundred times over. This is Olivia. Her ebony hair is pulled back rigidly at the nape of her neck. The large ringlets of her ponytail extend halfway down her back. Her skin is pale, which makes her almond brown eyes appear even more enormous. The black fringe of her eyelashes extends unnaturally in both directions and her bow shaped lips are as red as the tips of her hair. She wears black jeans and a tight red blouse. I feel inadequate just looking at her, despite the fact that I had been completely confident of myself in my jeans and sweatshirt only moments before.

I watch as Olivia moves through the room toward the beautiful people table. It is difficult not to notice Olivia’s companion also. He is as beautiful as she is. I had been captivated by Jack and his unique features, but the smooth lines and contrasting pigmentations of this guy leaves me dumbstruck. He wears his hair in wavy brown spikes around his head. It reminded me of an unruly brush fire. Even from a distance I can see that his eyes, fringed in lashes that rival Olivia’s, are a shade of blue I have only seen in my dreams.

My dreams.

I suck in a quick breath as they come rushing back to me. His eyes are the exact color in my dreams. They contrast beautifully and dramatically with his sun kissed skin; skin that is just a bit darker than Jack’s. When he smiles, a deep dimple creases his perfectly sculpted cheek and my heart skips a beat. Maybe Audrienne is right. Maybe he is the immortal dead, because only something that doesn’t exist could possibly be as beautiful as he is. He wears dark blue jeans belted at his hips and a black leather jacket that doesn’t hide the outlines of his biceps.

Wow.

That’s Seth Cross. Remember, I mentioned him earlier? He came here midway through the first semester last year and ever since he’s been Olivia’s boy toy, Audrienne pauses. Wow, Brinn are you okay? You’re sweating like crazy!

Oh, I’m fine, I quickly run the forearm of my sweatshirt across my face.

I’m unable to tear my eyes away from my sister and Seth. They have made their way across the cafeteria and I watch in silence as they take their seats with the rest of the beautiful people. Another flurry of hand gestures and finger pointing confuses me and before I can avert my eyes, they catch and hold with those of my twin. Olivia’s deep brown eyes narrow. She stares at me for so long that I think my muffin might decide to revisit me. I try to look away but I am paralyzed. I look for some kind of emotion in her face but it remains completely blank. And then she tears her eyes away. It’s almost painful. I watch, breathless, as she returns to her friends acting as though nothing happened.

Well, she definitely knows you’re here, Audrienne points out and finishes her milk.

Great, I mutter.

I focus on the students sitting around us. One girl sitting against the wall is watching me out of the side of her green eyes. She has a head full of short shaggy black hair, one side shaved to the skin where a skull and crossbones is tattooed into her scalp. Rings line her bottom lip. A steel bar pierces the skin at the base of her throat. I cringe and look away.

So, you wanna head back to the dorm? Audrienne brushes crumbs off her shirt onto the floor.

Yes, please. I stand quickly, grateful to leave this room filled with so much tension. Careful not to look at the beautiful peoples’ table, I follow Audrienne out of the cafeteria.

Back in our room, I try to distract myself with the fantasy paraphernalia that decorates the walls.

You really like all this stuff, don’t you? I ask.

I stop at a poster of a man-creature with skin pale as chalk and pitch-black eyes. Even though he lacks the fangs, something about him screams vampire.

Do you like that one? An amused smile lifts the corners of Audrienne’s mouth. She shakes her head and waves me on, encouraging me to continue looking. I personally love that one, she admits. And no, I don’t just like this stuff. It’s basically my life. If I could just drop all these stupid classes there wouldn’t be anything else I’d rather study. She pauses and adds hesitantly, its true stuff you know. There really are creatures like those. She gestures at the poster of the vampire.

I listen, intrigued by the fact that she really appears to believe what she is saying.

Like the beautiful people? I offer, purposely indulging her narrative.

Who?

I forgot that I only call them that in my own mind.

I mean Olivia and her group of beautiful people. I make quotes in the air with my fingers.

Oh, yes! Audrienne nods, not even flinching at my cynical tone. I have yet to figure out exactly what they are, but I have a few theories.

I follow Audrienne’s intent gaze to the space above the antique computer. There, side by side sit two small photographs. They are the previous year’s yearbook picture of Olivia and a candid photograph of Seth. I am drawn to them. It was taken from a distance and he wasn’t looking at the photographer. He looks content and I wonder what it is that the photographer had not captured for everyone else to see. An unreasonable pang of jealousy squeezes my stomach as my gaze transitions to the photograph of my sister and I realize she is what he must have been looking at.

Who wouldn’t look at someone as beautiful as her like that?

Chapter 2

The following day classes begin. I expect to wake up easily, jump out of bed, shower and be ready to walk to classes with Audrienne. In my imagination, I see the sun shining, like in California, with students flooding the hallways and classrooms. However, when I actually wake it is to the sound of bullets hitting my window, scaring me straight out of bed. It is only as I squint at the glass, horrified, that I realize the bullets are rain. Sleep lingers heavily on my eyelids and grumbling, I struggle not to throw myself back into bed. I shuffle toward the bathroom door, realizing Audrienne is already awake, fully dressed and ready, sitting Indian style on her bed. Her ear buds are in her ears, her eyes closed peacefully and she is humming softly along with the music she’s listening to.

My cold shower – because Audrienne apparently used all the hot water – coupled with my rude awakening does nothing for my spirits.

What had I been thinking when I decided to travel away from the glorious California sun to a place where it rains eight months out of the year?

My sister’s perfect face shimmers into my thoughts. Her dark eyes haunt me. Oh yeah. I haven’t even met her yet and I’m already soured by the brief, silent interaction that had taken place between us the day before. I shake my head, sending small drops of water spraying the bathroom mirror. These are all just sleepy thoughts. Once I am fully awake, I will be more invigorated, and my perception of Olivia will be less terrifying – I hope.

My first class is English literature and I already know I will be alone. Audrienne would have made the morning much more tolerable and I would have had someone to talk to. Alas our schedules do not coincide. Walking into my class, I find it is already filled with students who sit on the desks, talking and laughing. I glance back at the door where Audrienne and I had parted ways but she is gone; already disappeared into the throngs of students milling about the hallways. I weave my way through the rows of desks and take an empty seat near the back. Pulling a book from my backpack, I pretend to read, all the while taking in the other students. I notice quickly that I am not only spectating but the spectacle as well. Many openly scrutinize me. Some avert their gaze when our eyes meet, others stare blatantly and some have the nerve to whisper amongst themselves even as I watch them. I am already tired of everyone’s prying curiosity. It makes me want to dump out the contents of my backpack and pull it over my head until the day is over.

You all right, Brinn? The voice snaps me to attention and I find myself staring into Jack’s sparkling green eyes. My stomach tightens and promptly falls to my feet.

Oh yeah, yeah, I’m fine, I stutter.

You stood me up last night. His eyes twinkle mischievously.

Stood you – What?

We had a date, didn’t we? he jokes and reaches out to touch my hair, the way he had before in the office, and again I flinch at the heat that radiates from his fingers.

Knock it off, I swat his hand away.

Knock what off? He feigns surprise and then insult.

I can’t help but wonder why he seems to enjoy annoying me. I am distracted by a fluid movement at Jack’s side. He notices as well and turns to greet Seth Cross. Seth Cross. The name blurs like a bright red tagline in my mind. I can’t help but stare. Up close his beauty is staggering even with his unreal eyes hidden behind tinted sunglasses. My stomach, still in my feet, flounders like a fish out of water. Drops of cool sweat form on the nape of my neck as a hot flash envelops me. Jack turns back to me, oblivious.

Brinn, he says, holding the last consonant of my name annoyingly.

Hmm? I am mesmerized by Seth.

He hasn’t even glanced in my direction, which leaves me chewing my lip, wondering what he is thinking. He obviously has no interest in who I am or why I look so much like his girlfriend.

Jack is still talking but his words hum indistinctly in my ears. ...Olivia, until I hear her name. My eyes flash to Jack.

What?

Jack laughs and smacks Seth on the arm.

Whatdya think, man? I vaguely notice that he is gesturing at me. Twins!

Seth doesn’t respond. From behind his sunglasses, he seems to stare straight ahead, purposely not looking at me – or jack – but mostly me. It sets me on edge.

The late bell rings at that moment and all the students take their seats, even though the teacher has yet to make an appearance. I keep my gaze carefully in my book, sneaking a glance at Seth through my peripheral vision when Jack isn’t hunched forward in my way. The teacher strides in five minutes after the bell, sets his suitcase on his desk and clears his throat noisily.

This is twelfth grade advanced placement English literature. Not college prep, not basic, and certainly not study hall. If you’re in the wrong classroom or have any intentions of disrupting my teaching or your peers’ learning, now is your chance to leave. He waits a moment, surveying his class and then grabs an erasable marker to scribble on the white board.

Good. Now, let’s get formalities out of the way. He speaks as he scribbles. My name is David Gallagher. You will call me Mr. Gallagher. Not Gallagher. Not David. Not Dave or G. My rules are simple. Productive attitudes, no gum, no food, no drinks except water and, as he turns and looks into the small sea of students, his thick brown eyebrows furrow. He clears his throat again, more loudly than the first time. No hats or sunglasses. I glance up when his little dialogue abruptly stops. His eyebrows are still furrowed and his arms are crossed over his chest. He clears his throat again. Mr. Cross, you are no exception. Remove your sunglasses.

I sneak another peak at Seth who is slumped in his seat, unfazed by being singled out. His response is smooth, as though he knew the teacher would say exactly that.

I’m sorry Mr. Gallagher. My pupils were dilated this morning. His voice is like velvet fog.

I watch closely, unable to hide my anticipation. Sitting up in his desk a bit straighter, with one long fingered hand he pulls his sunglasses from his face. He folds them and places them in the collar of his shirt. He keeps his eyes averted, staring down at his desk so that his lashes brush his cheeks.

Now, Mr. Gallagher claps his hands and rubs them together, making a sound like scratching sandpaper. I know we have a few new students here at Strong Academy.

I groan silently. I hate when teachers play this game.

Brinnalyn, let’s start with you.

My eyes bounce from Mr. Gallagher to Seth and our eyes meet with such a clash that I feel whiplashed. He is not only looking directly at me now, but staring at me. Glaring at me. There is something different about his eyes today also and I realize with a jolt that they are black as ink instead of the cerulean they had been the day before.

How is that possible?

Brinnalyn, Mr. Gallagher coaxes when several seconds have passed and I have made no effort to speak. That is your name, isn’t it?

Brinn, I squeak above the frog that threatens to croak out of my throat. My eyes remain locked on Seth’s in spite of my efforts to look away. It is hard to ignore the collective mutterings of the students in the class.

It is wonderful to have another relative of the Felicitas family join Strong Academy! Welcome to the school and our class!

My eyes still trained on Seth’s, it feels as though goo has settled between the ridges of my brain. I fight to focus on Mr. Gallagher’s words. Thankfully I am not required to give a monologue and he moves on to the next new student. I inhale deeply and lean forward so my nose touches the book on my desk. I close my eyes and concentrate on breathing. I only notice vaguely when textbooks are passed out, reading material assigned and the class outline reviewed. The next thing I know the bell is ringing. I feel tired and my eyes burn. When I glance up, Seth is replacing his sunglasses over his disturbingly black eyes. The he moves quickly – too quickly – out the door.

Am I that out of it? Am I imagining how fast he moved?

I shove my new books into my backpack and swing it over my shoulder. I still feel mildly disoriented as I amble to the classroom door. The cold air that whips my face when I step over the threshold does nothing to numb the assault of a different pair of black eyes waiting for me.

What is up with everyone’s eyes suddenly being black? Hadn’t they been brown before? Does she wear contacts? Or did she have her pupils dilated too?

She stands at my height, and those inky eyes are set in a face so similar to mine it’s like looking in a funhouse mirror, except I’m the one on the distorted side. I stop dead in my tracks. Olivia’s arms are crossed over her chest, one perfect eyebrow raised and her expression antagonizing.

I don’t believe we’ve met. Her voice is velvet edged in a sultry rasp. She takes a step toward me and I instinctively take a step back.

I’m Brinn, I hold out my hand, mortified as it hangs between us. I laugh nervously. And you’re Olivia. I’m sure it’s weird coming back to school to find your doppelganger has enrolled?

She doesn’t extend her hand to shake mine and I drop my arm to my side, the heat of embarrassment flushing my cheeks. She continues to stare at me, her expression slowly dissolving into a blank glare.

What brings you here? When she speaks, I almost heave a sigh of relief. Despite the bored drone in her voice, the silence had spanned too long.

My parents, I lie. They thought I needed a new setting. You know new people.

What a coincidence. A smirk lifts a corner of her mouth. My mouth. Her mouth. Even though our features are the same, hers are so much more refined.

Her reaction makes me realize how ridiculous I must appear to have traveled more than one thousand miles to go to school with someone who didn’t even know I exist. Then I remember my ‘illness’; the vertigo, the sleeping limbs and the severe temperature flashes that have suddenly disappeared – except for the strange instances with Jack and Regan. The truth is that I had come to find a diagnosis and a cure. I thought Olivia would be able to help. Apparently, Washington alone had cured me.

Olivia’s black eyes drop from my face to my feet and trace back up my body. She critically takes in my Converse, my jeans, my hoodie and my haphazard ponytail. I want to shrink into myself and disappear. When her eyes reach mine again, she blinks twice and extends her hand, a look of mild repulsion not escaping my notice.

Well, it was unusual meeting you.

I offer my hand and her fingers close around mine like a vice. Pain radiates through my skin to the bone. I try to yank my hand away but she won’t let me. Then, giving me one more once over, she mercifully releases my fingers. I’ll see you around, sis. She extends the S letting it trail into a hiss that sends the little hairs on the back of my neck shooting up.

I step back and bump into the wall behind me. Yeah, ok.

It is difficult to concentrate the rest of the day. Seth’s black eyes and my encounter with Olivia haunt me. The hand that shook Olivia’s aches.

Did she really have that strong of a grip or is it just my imagination?

I share two more classes with Seth; math and history. In both classes, I spend the time sneaking peaks at him. He ignores me persistently. The one and only class that I share with Olivia is physical education. The girl’s locker room is crowded and noisy as we change out of our uniforms and back into our street clothes. I rinse off quickly in the showers and with one towel wrapped around my hair and another around my body, I make my way to my locker. I hear conversations stop as I pass and wonder what they are saying about me. I spin the dial on my locker and tug it open, pulling out my jeans and sweatshirt.

So, what are you really doing here Brinnalyn? Olivia says from beside me, startling me. I hadn’t even heard her approach.

Omigosh, you scared me! My heart beats furiously in my chest.

When there is no response, I look over to find Olivia staring at me with bored eyes. Her lips are drawn into a thin line and her hands rest on her hips. She doesn’t care that she scared me. That is obvious enough. She is waiting for the answer to her question.

Are you deaf? Olivia steps closer and smirks at my affronted expression. Or maybe you’re just stupid.

We have an audience. Girls stop what they are doing and lean in toward us to listen and watch the scene. I pick up my jeans from the bench in front of me. I can’t make my legs cooperate to put them on.

I already told you, I say softly.

You lied, she accuses loudly.

Disbelief followed by anger send my pulse racing. How would you know?

I smooth and re-smooth my jeans against my torso – a nervous habit. Olivia steps closer and a terrified chill trickles down my spine.

I know a lot more than you think, she hisses.

What do you really care though? I ask, hoping my tone is as flippant as hers is threatening.

Olivia unexpectedly shoves me with strength I never could have imagined her capable of. My back slams painfully against the lockers. I suck in a breath and my eyes go wide from the impact. My back aches sharply where the dial is jammed into my shoulder blade. I wince. Muted gasps, soft chuckles and excited whispers arise from the gathering of girls around us. My eyes dart quickly around the locker room and back to Olivia’s face, which is now only inches from mine. She jabs her fingertips into my chest, provoking the same bone crushing pain I had felt earlier in my hand. Her breath is unnaturally cool on my face.

You need to go back to wherever you came from.

I can barely believe that she’s threatening me.

I’m not going anywhere, I stammer.

Your funeral, She smiles malevolently. And I do mean that literally.

Olivia steps back as if to walk away. I shakily bend forward, away from the lockers, trying to catch my breath. Then she seems to think better of it, and steps close again. I immediately stand straight, not knowing what to expect from her.

You know, I think we need to get a few things straight. Number one, She pokes my already aching chest with her manicured index finger. We may share DNA but we’re not family. We’re not sisters. You and I come from separate worlds and you do not belong in mine. She gestures around her with her free hand. This is mine. She pokes me now with two fingers. I grab them, trying to push them away but fail.

Number two; I will figure out why you’re really here. There is something in her eyes that tells me she suspects I know something I shouldn’t. I can’t imagine what that is. And last, Using the palm of her hand she shoves me with her abnormal strength against the lockers. My breath is knocked out of me for the second time. I grimace. Seth is mine.

Words of retaliation linger unspoken on the tip of my tongue but Olivia has already released me and walked away, the faint fragrance