The brunette twins walked down the street, nearing home. School was over, and it was a beautiful Friday afternoon. They both had the whole weekend to look forward to, and were all smiles over the prospect. They both possessed poker-straight black hair, bright green eyes, and slender, nubile young frames, but beyond that, they were anything but TV-stereoptype twins. One of them, Lila Gibson, wore her hair long. Today she sported a long, flowing pair of pigtails that gave her an innocent, almost childlike look despite her age of eighteen. She wore a swishy blue skirt that bared her smooth calves, a white blouse that was buttoned nearly to her throat, and a pair of plain white tennis shoes. Her twin, Lola, projected a startlingly different image with her own style. Her hair was cut into a short bob, and her pretty face was framed by a set of Betty Page bangs. She wore a snug red t-shirt, a denim jacket, and tight, faded blue jeans that showcased her firm bottom and long legs. She wore ankle-high, black leather boots on her feet that clomped as she walked. Turning the corner onto their home block, Lola sighed with relief.
"Finally, almost home. I hate breaking in new boots." Lola said, trying not to wince at the soreness of her feet. "I think, if you don't need the bathroom right away, I'll take a bath and soak my feet."
"That's fine. I need to call Ian anyway. He promised me we'd go out for dinner tonight." Lila said with a nod, a visible skip in her step as she neared the door and opened it. "Okay, walking wounded first!" she joked, patting her sister on the shoulder as she entered the house.
"Ha, ha. Very funny, Sis. You know, we have the same shoe size. Why don't you try my boots on and walk around in them all day, and then I can pick on you?" Lola asked with a raised eyebrow as she balanced on one foot, then the other to tug off the boots.
They thumped to the floor, and she walked away slowly, wiggling her toes in the thick carpet of the living room. Lila rolled her eyes at her sister's back and bent down to put the boots aside neatly on the mat by the front door, then closed the door.
"You know I don't mean anything by it, Lo. It was just a joke." Lila said, her tone apologetic. When Lola turned to look at her over her shoulder, Lila had her lower lip stuck out in a cute pout that the whole family was well familiar with.
"Uh-oh! Here comes the lip!" said Lola, walking back to Lila and wrapping her in a warm hug. "I know you're not trying to be mean, but I'm just a little cranky for jokes right now. I promise I'll be my usual charming self after my bath." she said, rubbing Lila's shoulders gently.
"Okay. I should get myself ready for my date anyway." Lila replied, accepting the embrace and giving Lola a warm smile. "You just relax, and let your feet heal up. And don't worry about me, I know Ian's a nice guy. He'd never try anything nasty."
"That's how all guys come off when they want something from a girl. And they all want the same thing, you know." Lola said with a skeptical frown on her face. "I still don't trust them very much. Not after Brandon."
Lila nodded and gently released Lola, giving her a soft pat on the shoulder. "I guess I can't blame you, after what he almost did to you. I was so scared that you'd gotten either hurt or pregnant..." she trailed off, her eyes lowering at the memory of her twin sister's near-rape.
"Hey, forget about that. I have, almost. Even if I don't trust guys very much, at least I'm not out on the streets at night, playing Jane the Ripper. And besides, he didn't get what he wanted from me, and he didn't hurt me bad." Lola explained, her voice calm and her green eyes friendly again. "Now, you go pretty up. I hear a bathtub calling my name." she said, giving Lila a swat on the bottom and turning to head upstairs.
Lila yelped softly at the swat, and giggled. She waved to her sister as she went up the stairs, then headed into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out a can of Mountain Dew. Cracking it open, she gulped it down thirstily, then licked her lips. Leaning against the fridge, she sighed and pitched the can at the recycling bin in the corner. It bounced off the edge and hit the floor.
"And she blows the free-throw! The coach can't be happy about that!" a deep voice boomed from behind her. Lila started in surprise, then turned with a wide smile.
"Daddy!" she chirped happily as she hugged her father tightly, nuzzling against him. He was a tall man with thick, brown hair and a solid lumberjack's build. He still wore his overalls from his construction job, and Lila didn't mind the smells of plaster dust and sweat that she took in as he held her.
"So, how's my little angel today, besides not ready for the WNBA?" her father joked, hoisting her off her feet and turning a quick circle with her. She giggled and held on for dear life, until he set her on her feet again.