"Sylvie! Sylvie, we're going to be late!"
Anna banged on the door of the bathroom, an anxious look on her face. "Sylvie! You know what Ms Rosser said last semester - one more late and you'd be in detention! Dad will throw a fit!"
"Okay, okay, I'm ready! Chill out, will you? It's only school." Sylvina pushed open the bathroom door, casting her twin a long-suffering look. "And it's not that late. We'll make it to school on time, so long as you let me drive."
"What, and throw up my breakfast?" Anna demanded.
"I'm not that bad!" Sylvina exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "It only took me three times to pass Driver's Ed and get my licence, thanks very much! Just because you passed first time!"
"Fine, you drive, but grab your books and lets hurry!" Anna begged. "Mom's already headed out - she's gone in search of manuscript for some new song and Dad left for work hours ago. Please - I promised Mom we wouldn't be late and you always spend forever in the bathroom, doing your makeup!"
"And what do you expect?" Sylvina demanded, grabbing her schoolbag and hurrying out of the front door, leaving her sister to lock it behind them. "I'm a junior this year, not a baby sophomore! I have to look hot on the first day of school, just in case any cute college guys are looking the right way! Besides, did you see Jason Matheson at the Roll-o-Rama last night? Sheesh, how hot has he gotten over the summer? Cee reckons he has a real thing for me - and you know, it might just be his lucky year!"
"Sylvie, every guy in school has a major jones for you at some point or another." Anna rolled her eyes, slipping into the passenger seat and watching her sister clamber into the other side. "I hope I have a death wish, letting you drive to school on the first day of term, when you've only been driving properly a couple of months."
"Well, we were only sixteen in April." Sylvina defended herself. "Speaking of which, Anna, isn't it time you availed yourself of the Martescu charm and tried to make a little more of yourself? You're stunning - you look like me, so of course you are! - but you hide away in that library with your manuscript books!"
"Well, not everyone can be the centre of attention." Anna looked amused, not at all bothered by her sister's teasing. She and Sylvina were very different people, but inseperable deep down. Sylvina had defended her sister with her fists in the past, and would always side with Anna over the popular crowd she tended to frequent. In return Anna was always on hand when Sylvina was failing a subject, to ensure that they both progressed to the next stage together, and Sylvina never got kicked off the JV cheerleading squad.
"I'm so gonna try out for the full cheering squad this semester." Sylvina announced, as they roared out of the driveway of the large Martescu home and onto the main road. "Rosa Lang and that bitch with the bad bleach job have left now, so there's totally gonna be an opening for me."
"Yes, and very popular you'll be if you and that girl in your History class come to blows again." Anna reminded her. "Remember, Dad said you couldn't be a cheerleader if you got into any more fights - he'd ban you from taking part. If you're gonna try out, be aware that you'll probably have competition, okay? You'd get my vote, but I'm not the one voting."
"Yeah, I know." Sylvina dismissed it with a shrug. "But I'm better than anyone else on the JV, so they'd have to give me a shot. Besides, how else do you suppose I'm gonna give Jason his perfect chance at hooking me, huh? Didn't you know he's a dead cert to be the number one quarterback on the football team this year?"
"I had heard something about it." Anna agreed. "And well, here we are."
"With minutes to spare!" Sylvina screeched to a halt, indicating the big school clock spire with a triumphant wave. "Come on, worry wart! We can walk to homeroom and still have time to gossip before the bell rings!"
"Since when has the bell ever stopped you?" Anna demanded.
"Yo, Sylve, looking good!" A guy in a letterman jacket hailed the older twin from across the carpark, and Sylvina rolled her eyes.
"Dream on!" She exclaimed. The guy, not noticeably crushed, winked at her, then turned to high five his companion. Anna shook her head slowly.
"You are terrible." She scolded. "And you do realise that they don't grade you on flirting and cutting guys down? You know what Dad said. He wants a good report this year - else he might keep his threat and send you to Aunt Cara's."
"Bah, I'm not going to that prison. I'll pass my classes." Sylvina snorted. "I have you to help me, after all - and you wouldn't let me flunk out and be sent away, would you?"
"No, of course not, but I'm not sitting any midterms for you this year." Anna lowered her voice. "I know I sat Math for you in freshman year, but that was only because you were sick and I didn't want you to fail and be kept down. Junior year is different...okay? I'm serious, Sylvie. You're gonna have to do some of your own work this year, or you'll never get the grades for college at the end of next."
"And who said anything about college?" Sylvina raised an eyebrow.
"Dad. Constantly." Anna reminded her. Her sister rolled her eyes.
"Oh, he needs to change the record." She said dismissively. "Don't sweat it, Annie. By the time I'm done senior year, he'll know that I'm not going to any stinky college. I'm going to be a star, like Mom was."
"Well, let's hope he doesn't blow a gasket over it, huh?" Anna responded.
"Hi, Sylvina, Anna." A young man in a teeshirt and slacks greeted them with a grin. "Good summer?"
"Great thanks, Morris." Sylvina dimpled. "You?"
"Grandparents in Ohio." Morris grimaced. "But you know, could be worse. Plenty of stuff to do." He winked. "Catch you later - gotta get to homeroom before the bell!"
"Bye, Morris!" Sylvina called. She grinned.
"He's getting cute, too." She observed, casting her sister a searching look. "You should jump in while he's a free agent."
"Sylvie, shut up! Someone will hear you!" Anna blushed scarlet. "I knew I shouldn't have told you about that!"
"What? So you have a crush, big deal!" Sylvina shrugged. "Besides, we tell each other everything! And I'm not gonna just go up to him and tell him, am I?"
"No, I suppose not." Anna hugged her folders to her chest. "I just can't seem to speak when he's around, that's all. He always says hi to you and me, and I can't even bring myself to say hi back. Pathetic, huh?"
"Yes, but we'll work on it." Sylvina grinned. "Never fear...Sylvina is on the case!"

"It sounds a lot like you and Annie had a blast in High School." Topaz observed, reaching down to idly stir the pool water into ripples with her fingers. "So what's the problem? I know you'll miss her, but..."
"She's got a boyfriend, too." Sylva grimaced. "Not that I begrudge her it, but you know, this is Annie. It just seems strange that she's grown up so much."
"Well, you're both twenty one. You've grown up - why shouldn't she?" Topaz shrugged. "If she's got a decent guy, Syl, you and I both know that she needs to hold on to him. They're not easy to come by."
"Too true." Sylva acknowledged. "I know. I'll get used to it." She sighed. "Besides, we've enough changes to come here this Christmas as it is, and I've a keyboard solo to learn. Guess I'll catch you later, huh? I'm going to go bash some keys into submission for a while!"