The first week of school went by in one VERY quick flash and I found myself waking up Friday morning, wrenched with dread. The party was tonight. and since Alexis was hosting it, I had NO chose but to take part in the teenage social gathering, whether I liked it or not!

Why did she torment me so? Alexis knew I hated these things, yet she just had to go and tell Kenzie she was happy to have a party! Ugh, I hated having a popular twin, it just ruined my ENTIRE ego!

After prepping myself for the terrible day ahead, I came downstairs and got a bowl of cereal from the kitchen before going and collapsing on the couch with a long dramatic sigh. Usually, my mum would scream at me for sitting on the couch and eating, but she wasn't here right now so what the hell.

As I finished my cornflakes, the sound of high heels clanging against the wooden steps filled the quiet house and Alexis appeared at the bottom of the staircase, dressed in a crop-top and white skirt, both were way smaller then her body was. Honestly, how did my mother not get disgusted at how my sister dressed?

"Riley" Alexis called sweetly as I gave my sister a sour look "Remember the party's on tonight," she said winked at me "And you're not going up to your room, got it, Rainbow"

"WHAT?" I moaned slumping down against the couch "WHY? You can't do this to me!"

"Actually I can" Alexis scorned "I'm older than you by seventeen minutes" well, that was true, but that didn't make her the boss of me, did it?

"And besides" she continued, only glancing at me vaguely while she tapped away at her phone "I want you to talk to people tonight because you can't be a sad antisocial loser all your life. Rainbows are supposed to be fun and social aren't they?"

"Not this rainbow!"

I could sense in her eyes that Alexis was about to give me a good woppin', until our mother walked into the kitchen wearing another one of her bland business suits. I swear I had never seen her wear something colourful in her life!

"Good, you're both up and dressed for once" she muttered clicking one of her bracelets on as she strolled over to the counter and proceeded to make herself a coffee "I hope you're both ready, I don't have time for your shenanigans this morning. I have to meet one of my clients at eight thirty to go over his lawsuit situation so if you wanna get dropped off you better have your butts in the car in less than ten minutes!" yep, typical mum.

"MUM!" I found myself yelling abruptly "Do you know what Alexis is doing TONIGHT?" yes, perhaps if I snitched her out to mum, then the entire party would get blown over and I wouldn't have to worry about anything.

Alexis practically dropped her phone as her eyes shot to me, wide and threatening. My mother glanced back at me, uninterested.

"What Riley?" she sighed "What's your sister doing tonight?"

Alexis continued giving me a threatening stare, but yet I persisted on. "SHE'S HAVING A PARTY!" I exclaimed "On the first week of school! You can't allow that can you mum?"

"RILEY YOU LITTLE SNITCH!" Alexis screamed angrily "YOU PIECE OF-"

"Alexis!" my mother snapped as she brought her hands over her temples "What did I tell you about the way you speak to your brother?"

Alexis scoffed and pulled our her phone before slumping down on a stool at the kitchen counter. For a moment I felt myself jump with joy, YES! Surely the party was cancelled now- but my thoughts were quickly diminished by my mum's voice.

"And Riley, I don't care if your sister's having a party tonight" she continued as I felt my mouth drop open in horror "As long as you two don't drink, it finishes before ten and no one dies then I'm fine with it"

WHAT? I had thought that surely my law-abiding, helicopter-parent, mother would have decided that a party on the first week of school was too much, but obviously, I had misjudged her.

"Oh that sucks doesn't Riley" Alexis smirked at me as she picked up her schoolbag "I guess the party's still on then" and with an evil smile, my demonic sister strolled through the kitchen and down the hall towards the front door. Well, so much for that plan.

We better get going" my mum said as she pored her coffee into a cup before picking up her suitcase "Get up and go out to the car now Riley, and stop snitching your sister out to me. You think I'm not aware of what she does?" I just groaned as I grabbed my bag from the floor and slumped down the hall.

The car ride to school was just as depressing as I felt. Grey clouds filled the sky, homeless and depressed people walked the streets. What a perfect Friday morning.

"Now you two both remember that I'm leaving for my business trip tonight," my mother said as she turned a corner "Hopefully I'll be back Tuesday, if not later in the week. So I expect you two to behave while I'm away got it?"

"Yes, mum" we both groaned in sync.

We pulled up outside the school just like every other day as I grabbed my things and made my way through the entrance of the school, trying to avoid my sister's evil smirk.

I huffed to myself as I came through the main doors. Caden coming to my house wasn't the only reason I was fearing tonight, It was mostly the fact that Alexis and her gang of weird friends would swagger around like they owned the place tonight, plus Zero and his friends would make sure to give me a hard time, they ALWAYS did! They would trash the house and I would be the one clearing it all up!

I got to my locker and threw all my stuff inside, letting out a long sigh as I did so, today was gonna suck!

As I slipped my homework file inside the locker I couldn't help but overhear two girls leaning against the lockers beside me, talking.

"Oh my gosh" one of them whispered "Did you hear Alexis Cain is throwing a party tonight? And she's inviting Caden Grand, that hot new guy? I can't believe it! I'm totally going so I can try to get with him!"

"Oh no you shouldn't!" her friend said instantly "Apparently Kenzie McClain's trying to get with him. I seriously wouldn't get in her way, she's a total bitch!" Hah, that was true.

I found myself chuckling in real life and both girls zipped up to glare at me. Wow, did girls really dislike me this much? Why?

"What?" I demanded "Alexis Cain is MY twin sister, I'm practically throwing the party too!" well that was a lie, but like they'd know. I didn't even know who the hell these two were!

The girls simply glanced at each other, before grabbing their books and walking away. Well, HOW rude. If they showed up tonight I'd make sure that they were not allowed in!

Suddenly I felt two hands on my shoulders as someone did a specky on me, practically slamming me against the locker.

"HAY!" I shouted turning around and expecting to see Zero and his stupid friends, but instead, I saw Sam, with a huge grin on his face. Oh, I should have known, speckys were one of Sam's most famous signatures. (FYI, if you're not Australian then you might not know what a specky is. so go look it up 😊)

"What's up Rainbow?" Sam grinned, leaning against my locker.

"The sky, where I belong" I responded with a long moan "The party's tonight, and speaking of parties, where the hell is the present YOU PROMISED ME?"

"Oh THAAAAT" Sam stretched his words out "I decided I wasn't going to get you anything this year. Sorry mate"

"WHAT?" I screeched "SERIOUSLY? I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!" So much for best friends!

"I didn't get you anything because I don't know what you like, so I got you cash instead," Sam said with a playful grin as he slipped an envelope from his backpack "Happy birthday Riley"

Eagerly I took the envelope and tore the top open to find- 50 dollars!

"WOW" I gasped "You got me 50 dollars? That's so much!"

"Well, your my best friend so- you're worth it," Sam said putting his hand on my shoulder. At that moment I suddenly got a very weird sensation Sam looked at me directly in the eyes as I did to him and for a moment the two of us stood staring at each other until the bell rang.

"Well," Sam said finally looking away "There's the bell, I got biology now, I'll see you later Riley boy!" he swaggered away down the hall, leaving me staring after him.

What was that?

This didn't make any sense, First I felt weird around Caden now I felt weird around Sam? Sam was my best friend, I shouldn't feel weird around my best friend! What was wrong with me?

I shrugged the weird feeling off as I quickly got all my things together. Maybe It was just some weird dream or something, It would go away soon.

I was wrong. The feeling I had with Sam earlier DIDN'T go away. In fact, the more I thought about it the weirder I felt about EVERYTHING. Whenever I thought about it there was a strange shift in my body and it felt like I had butterflies in my stomach. Any time I looked at either of them I got the strange feeling. I was so preoccupied with this problem that I almost completely ignored my friends throughout the day.

"Riley, are you okay?" Suzan asked me at lunch later in the day as I sat with my head down, so I could avoid looking at Sam and Caden, who both sat across from me, talking while occasionally giving me a weird look.

"I'm fine" I answered back instantly "Just- tired, that's all"

"First week and you're already tired?" Beth scoffed "You're in for a long year Rainbow!"

Yes, I was in for a long year.

The end of the day rolled around after what felt like FOREVER and I found myself walking to the last class of the day. Maths, God, I don't know how many more maths classes I could take before I died. One more class with Caden and Zero and I would be done for the weekend, then I could go home and forget all about any of this!

As I made my way towards my maths classroom I heard someone call my name out way too loudly

"RILEY! GET OVER HERE!" screeched Alexis who stood a few feet ahead of me at her locker beside all her goony friends. This couldn't be good.

Timidly I treaded towards my sister, ignoring the judgmental glares of her friends, Especially Zero.

"Hay Alexis" I finally said scratching the back of my neck "What's up?"

"The sky" she scoffed "Anyway I wanted to ask if you have a class with Caden now, do you?"

"Oh, uh, yes. Yes, I do" I stammered, instantly regretting saying yes.

"Excellent!" Alexis said with a grin as she wrapped her arm around Kenzie "Kenzie here wants Caden to come straight to our house after school for the party, so tell him to go home with you or something"

WHAT? NO! this can't be happening! The last thing I want is Caden coming straight to our house from school! This isn't fair!

"What?" I found myself groaning, which I soon regretted. Each of Alexis's friends turned to give me really disturbing stares, Especially Zero, who looked ready to pounce on me right now.

"Yes, Riley. He's going straight to our house" she said giving me a glare "Is that okay?"

"Yeah" I muttered, feeling my face flush "That's- fine" god, how could things get any WORSE?

Maths rushed by quickly as I scribbled ANYTHING that came into my head down on the worksheet. Caden nor Zero disturbed me in class which was good, but that didn't stop them from looking at me. Zero gave me the usual 'I wanna beat your face in' glare while Caden looked at me with a confused and puzzled stare. But whatever he was thinking didn't come out of his mouth as he eventually stopped staring and continued on with the work.

AND FINALLY! After so many years of waiting, the bell rang out. School was OVER! I mentally pumped my firsts in the air as I quickly gathered my things together along with everyone else and made a bee-line towards the door, And I was almost out of the classroom until my voice ran out.

"Riley Cain, Caden Grand. Can you two please come over here for a minute" WHAT? I turned to see Mr Brown ushering me over with a wave of his hand, Caden moving towards him too.

This couldn't be good.

"Now Riley" Mr Brown mumbled flipping through a portfolio "From what I've seen in your homework so far. And from your grades last year- you're..." the giant pear trailed off "...Not doing so well. You're on a D- and you only seem to be getting worse. I could put you in a lower class but I feel like you're trying and you seem to have a lot of potentials. Your classmate Caden, on the other hand, is going extremely well with his work..."

Oh god, I knew what this was and I wanted OUT!

"...And because you both sit next to each other in class, I thought it would be appropriate for Caden to perhaps tutor you in maths" Mr Brown finished with a bright smile "What do you say, Caden? Would you like to help Riley out?"

PLEASE SAY NO!

"Of course," Caden said smiling at me as I felt my heart drop "There's nothing I'd rather do"

***

Hey everyone! hope you had a great Christmas if you follow the tradition! this will be my last chapter until January so I hope you all have a good new year! and remember to vote and comment if you enjoyed this chapter :D