I dropped the last box off in my room and wiped the sweat off my brow. Moving all of the material possessions I'd need for the next year of college in a single day was hard enough. Doing it on the hottest day in August made it even worse.
Out in the combination living room-kitchen, Emma stood in front of the fridge with the door open as she gulped from a bottle of water, cooling herself from the inside and out. Her brown hair was pulled back, and her sweat-soaked black tank top clung to her torso. I'd rarely seen her like this. She was much more likely to be inside with a book or an essay than outside working up a sweat in sports or exercise. Not that she wasn't in shape, quite the contrary.
She apparently noticed me looking, and she turned to me, lowering the bottle and frowning. "Need something, Ben?" I felt like I'd been caught with my hand in the candy jar. It was odd to stare like this at your twin sister, I supposed.
But I did my best to compose myself. "No, sorry Em. I guess I just zoned out. The heat's messing with my mind."
She walked over to me, and reached up to gently knock her knuckles against my temple. "You're telling me there's a brain in there?" She grinned as I rolled my eyes. Before I could sling an insult back, she handed me the cold water bottle. "This'll help."
I nodded appreciatively before pouring it into my parched mouth. Emma and I weren't attached at the hips. We weren't the kind of twins that did everything together. But we had a friendship. We'd rib each other, but we were always there for each other.
I think that's why Mom and Dad suggested we get ourselves an apartment together just off-campus, rather than getting shacked up in different dorms in the freshman housing the school provided. For the first time in our lives we wouldn't have our parents nearby (or even in the same time zone) to rely on, but we'd be able to rely on each other.
We had no complaints, as almost any off-campus housing would be nicer than the barely-above-prison-quality housing the school provided, with bunk bed and communal bathrooms.
We'd be taking our own routes in classes. I was a psychology major, while she was a biology major. Which wouldn't be a problem. We'd forged pretty different paths in high school. My role as quarterback on the fairly successful football team provided me with a very full social life, and pretty busy dating schedule. I was notorious at school for never sticking with one girl for too long. A few girls even let me date more than one of them at a time. Rumors were rampant at school about my sexual exploits, most exaggerations. But I didn't mind. I was having the time of my life.
Emma on the other hand, was part of the math club and chess club, and was studying literature in her spare time. She'd read a couple of books from the wrong side of the shelf, too, and would get all red when I'd ask her how she liked Fifty Shades of Grey or something.
She was definitely a nerd, but not a loser. She was charismatic and popular at school in her own way. But when it came to a social life, if it didn't involve some kind of study group or academic competition, she wasn't often interested.
In addition to having us take care of each other, I think Mom and Dad were hoping this living arrangement would make us rub off on one another. Me helping bring Emma out of her shell and get the full college experience. And Emma helping me knuckle down and get the most out of a top-shelf (and expensive) education.
That night, our parents took us out to dinner, our last meal together before they'd fly back home.
It was nice. But after an awkward good-bye, where they made us promise to be careful, take care of each other, and not miss them too much, we headed back to the apartment, and started unpacking.
The next day orientation started. Most of our fellow freshman had already started to get to know each other in the dorms, so we had a bit of catching up to do. But everyone seemed friendly and welcoming, so soon we were swallowed up in a group of strangers all introducing themselves. Activities started up, and Emma and I stayed together throughout.
At least until I saw Sydney. We'd all been divided up into groups of about ten to do some kind of craft exercise, just an excuse for people to chat and get to know each other while their hands were busy. Emma and I were in a group together of course. But at one point I looked up and saw this incredibly beautiful girl. Short blonde hair, steely blue eyes, a tiny sloped nose with a dusting of freckles, and adorable pink lips that were currently curled into a captivating smile.
I couldn't take my eyes off her. Without looking at Emma, I muttered, "I'll uh... be right back."
Like a moth to a flame I made a beeline for that girl. I came up to her group and they all turned to me. All of a sudden I realized I had no plan, no approach. I'm sure I looked like a dumb fish for a moment, but then I spoke. "They uh... they told me I should join your group." I gestured vaguely at the RAs who were running orientation.
That seemed to satisfy the group, and I made sure to sit down next to the blonde who quickly introduced herself as Sydney. I couldn't tell you the rest of their names, because I wasn't listening. I laid down all my charm, and I think it worked. Sydney and I chatted as we idly contributed to the group project. She told me about growing up in the big city. I talked about having a twin. I noticed something I hadn't seen from across the quad: she had a cute little nose piercing, with a silver stud. A little twist on her girl-next-door look. Eventually she told me she'd heard about a party an upperclassman was throwing off-campus later that night and told me I should come and bring my sister. I got her number so we could meet there, and triumphantly returned to Emma and the rest of my original group.
Emma raised her eyebrow and smirked at me. "Met your flavor of the week?" she asked, referencing my reputation to love 'em and leave 'em.
I shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not." She rolled her eyes. I told her about the party, and she seemed reasonably interested.
That night, we went to the party. It was crowded and loud, and Emma immediately looked like she regretted coming. But I'd promised her it wouldn't be a big deal, and she'd be able to go home if she didn't enjoy herself.
But I was having a great time. Sydney was there, and the alcohol was flowing. I tried to keep Emma by my side, but eventually Sydney and I ended up in a corner, talking at first, and then kissing. She tasted better than she looked. I lost track of time, and then realized I hadn't seen Emma in a while. I figured she'd bailed on the party, but I sent her a text to make sure.
"Everything ok?" I sent.
She just reacted with a thumbs up.
That was good enough for me, and Sydney and I were back to tonsil hockey. She was tender but surprisingly aggressive. I was used to girls in high school that wanted me to take the lead, but Sydney was no wilting lily.
Eventually I asked her if she'd want to come back to mine. She smirked.
"Nice try hotshot. But I think you've gotten everything out of me that I'm willing to give on a first date."
I raised my eyebrow. "So this has been a date, huh?"
She chuckled and waved the red solo cup full of cheap beer. "Damn straight it was. And the next one's gonna have better drinks, and you're paying."
"Deal." I walked Sydney back to the entrance of her dorm. She gave me one last kiss, a deep, penetrating one for me to remember her by. I was grinning like an idiot for the rest of my walk home.
That grin was wiped from my face as soon as I opened the door to our apartment and heard a female voice cry out. My blood went cold, and I ran in. I moved towards the noise, and another cry made it clear it was Emma. But it sounded vaguely sexual. Still, I wondered if she was ok. Maybe it was the lecture on consent that ended today's orientation activities, but I couldn't help but wonder if some slimeball from the party was taking advantage of my sister.
I was about to reach for the door handle when that notion was put to bed with one more yell from inside her room, this one verbal. "Oh, FUCK! Do that again." I'd never heard her talk like that, but that was Emma's voice. And if that wasn't enthusiastic consent, I couldn't imagine what was.
So with a breath to settle my nerves, I silently stepped back away and retreated to my own bedroom. Through the apparently thin wall that separated our two rooms I could hear pretty much everything. The smacking of lips, moans, grunts, the clapping of skin against skin. I put on headphones and cranked up some music and even that couldn't completely drown it out. I made a mental note to ask for noise-cancelling headphones for Christmas.
Eventually I fell asleep. The next morning I woke up and Emma was already in the kitchen. Her new friend had apparently already left. We ate breakfast. At first neither of us acknowledged anything. Only a thick silence, briefly interrupted by the chewing of cereal. But as I was heading out the door to go to class, she stopped me. "Hey, uh, Ben. About last night. Um. I..."
