Double Life: Half Way

“Address?” read the text that had made Josh pause the video game him and his twin were playing. Aaron was telling him to hurry but he was surprised. Was Nichole really coming? Instead of replying he called her.

“I thought you were ignoring me” he said when the girl picked up after three rings. He´d gone out to the yard

“I was” she said nonchalant but for some reason he knew she was giving him her half-smile and he was right.

“Are you really coming?”

“Only if you give me the address”

“Great! Hey, where are you? We could go pick you up” she didn´t answer for a long while “Nichole…?”

“Let´s meet half-way. Give me the address and I´ll call you back later to tell you where to meet, is that ok?” she said calmly and his eyes went wide, that was more than he´d had expected from her. He´d thought she´d be difficult and told him she could get there on her own. “Is the invitation no longer effective?” she inquired when he didn´t answer

“No! …I mean –he ran a hand through his hair- yes, it´s still effective. I´m glad you´re coming”

“Good. I´ll call you later” she hung up

“Hey!” Aaron protested when Josh paused their video game again to watch his phone “What´s wrong with you?!” Josh only rolled his eyes and got up “Where are you going?”

“Out”

“But we’re in the middle of this game!”

“It won´t go anywhere”

“Boys, I´m running late! –Maggie came down from the stairs- I´m sorry I won´t be here to welcome your friend but… emergency –she made a sad face- apologize to her from me, Josh” she kissed the boys´ cheeks

“It´s ok” Josh said

“What? What friend?” Aaron narrowed his eyes following his twin to the door. Josh took the car keys “Wait!” his twin called after him “Mom, what friend?” Joshua and Maggie looked at the other with a small smile, each opening a door of their respective vehicles, Aaron gasped.

“Nichole´s coming” he stated “I gotta see that” he walked towards the other door of the car where Josh had gotten in “Mom –he said not getting in yet- why I am not allowed to bring my girlfriend to spend the night?” he protested

“Well son, first of all you don´t have a girlfriend and second of all you are not ready to be a dad” she gave him a mischievous smile and drove away

“They love you more” Aaron crossed his arms over his chest once he got in the passenger seat

“Pffft you’re taking your friends to sail with grandpa. I think you´re loved enough, jerk” Josh pulled away of the garage

“How did you convince your girlfriend to come?”  Aaron asked with genuine curiosity after a while of just listening to the music on the radio. Josh chuckled

“You know she´s not my girlfriend and I don´t think I can coax her to do things”

“I bet you could coax her, she and mom were gushing about the beautiful green in your eyes” he rolled his eyes

“She was not gushing, she just said green had been her focus, not that it was beautiful on my eyes, besides, if that´s the case, you have the same green on yours”

“…And… not your girlfriend but I assure you that you stayed in her room the last night we spent at Burgeoys” Aaron stared at Josh as if daring him to say otherwise

“Where do you even take those things from?”

“You never came to my room… besides if you don´t want her to be called your girlfriend you should seriously stop disappearing with her. Everybody at school knows you two are together” Aaron had a raised eyebrow. Josh laughed

“We are not together”

“I mean, come on! Now it´s not only her that´s unattainable but you with her”

“That´s silly, Aaron, and you know it”

“Of course it is but, and I quote the girls, that´s something that increases your hotness points” Aaron made quotation marks and Josh laughed again

“Aaron I never knew you were such a gossip, I bet you compete with the girls”

“Shut up, it´s not my fault that you make gossips possible and it’s not my fault girls are around me”

“Gossip girls –Josh smirked and Aaron grumbled- but hey, you´re my twin, so your hotness points must be higher by association as well” Josh said barely able to continue without laughing

“I’m hotter than you. I´m the better twin”

“You wish”

An hour later they pulled over on the side of a park. Josh took out his phone and dialed

“You got her number?”

“Duh! And you realize this now?”

“Hey! Where are you?”

“Across from the fountain, on the swings”

“Mmmhh, oh, yeah, I see you”

“You brought tweedledee” she smirked once they were close

“Ha! Ha! Ha! –Aaron faked a laugh- you wanted to be left alone with your boyfriend?” Aaron matched her smirk

“Of course, got a problem with that?” she raised her eyebrows. The boy looked at his twin who was just shaking his head

“Ready to go?” Josh asked her

“Yeah” she stood up and bent to pick her duffel bag, suitcase and shopping bag. The boys didn´t let her carry any of her things, instead they carried them to the car for her. She fought a smile that tugged at her lips.

“No driver?” she asked when they got to the car

“Nope, I´ll be your driver today” Josh smiled

“Please don’t kill me” she faked a gasp and took her hand to her chest. The leaves bracelet making a sound as they crashed against the other. They both smiled when their eyes met. Aaron cleared his through in a loud manner

“…And you still deny it” he said to no one in particular