THERE WAS SOMETHING about today that had mom and Sean in an awfully good mood. Usually, I would be the one waking up early to start on breakfast since mom has been having a bad time cooking lately when the effects of chemotherapy were hitting her hard. But, unusually, I wasn't woken up by my alarm and when I checked to see if I had slept through all of them, they were all turned off.

          As I got ready for this morning, which was me just wearing cargo shorts and sweater because I didn't have anything to do, the smell of bacon and pancakes forced me to stop dead in my tracks when I got out of my room. Walking down the stairs, I heard my mom and brother harmonizing their humming.

          Mom never hums about something unless she's really, really in a good mood.

          I used to remember Mom dancing to whatever she hummed. She was so lively and heathy; her short bob of a dark hair was bouncing each time she jumped in delight and her eyes were bright and shining.

          "What's going on?" the smile creeping on my face was obvious, and I couldn't remember the last time that I genuinely smiled. "And why are the two most dangerous cooks in the same kitchen?"

          "Hey!" They both said in unison, wearing the same sly grin.

          Sean and I are fraternal twins so we didn't look alike. He looked, talked, and walked around more like dad—the blonde hair, round green eyes, long nose, their upper and lower lip are the same size—and me, on the other hand, was like mom with the doe light brown eyes, thin, upturned nose, small lips. The only similar between the two of us physically is we both have square jaws.

          I raised my hands up in surrender. "You know, it's true!" My eyes moved to the plate full of bacon and pancakes on the table. "Okay, maybe you have improved a little."

          "A little?" Sean raised a brow, urging me to say more.

          I pointed at one of the bacons on top. "That one's end isn't even cooked halfway."

           "Shit!" Sean ran to it, grabbing it with tongs and placing it back at the pan while Mom turned to him with a disappointed look and slapped him at the back of the head. "Ow! What was that for, mom?"

          She glared at him and I couldn't do anything but be happy to see that look—that "motherly look" that we all get from our moms. "Language." Then, she walked to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me to a chair, sitting beside me. "Now, let's eat."

          Sean went for the pancakes. I went for the bacon. After he finished taking four of it, I grabbed two and placed it on mom's plate. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head, which usually was a sign that she didn't want me helping her get her own food. But, of course, I went ahead and did it anyway while Sean poured some water on her glass.

          "You kids always take care of me," she smiles weakly. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you, you know."

          I nodded. "I know you do but we're built like this. Besides, isn't that what kids are supposed to do? Make sure that their moms are healthy so they can see their children graduate, marry, and have kids."

          They both stopped, gawking at me. Automatically, I rolled my eyes. "The graduate part was for the both of us. The whole family imagination was for your son. Well, unless somebody gets past the disgusting stink of his feet and his huge ego."

          Right after I said that, Sean stood up, removed his shoe, and threw it at my shoulder lightly.

          "Ow!" I picked it up and threw it back at him. He caught it easily before it dropped at his plate. Stupid sport reflexes of his. "It's true, we all know it's true. I'll continue insulting you, by the way, if one of you tell me what the two of you are planning?"

          "What?" Mom scoffed, incredulously. "We can't just have a happy breakfast?" I gave her a blank look. "Alright, fine. I want you to agree that your brother is going to take you shopping for clothes."

          Did I mishear? Have I gone crazy? Or have they gone crazy?

          "Shopping?" Repeating it, I swallowed hard as mom and Sean nodded. "You do know that I can't exactly change my look in a snap! I mean, I have a disguise because I can't risk—"

          "—being exposed, we know," he finished. "Look, you wear masks to cover yourself. Alex made sure of that. No one knows who you are even if you change your look. It's senior year, Sam. I would like to have a sister who is wearing clothes that she actually likes and who isn't sporting the stereotype of being a nerd—someone who has glasses, braids, knee-high socks, and God-awful black school shoes."

          "Well, why can't I just go by myself?"

          "Because no one's going to tell you if the clothes you pick are horrendous," Mom replied with a smile. "I love you, honey, but I'm too weak to get out of this house and you don't have any friends to help you so that leaves your brother."

          Even if I denied her statement, we all knew that I would be lying. I didn't have any friends who were at my school or at the same of my age because of what I did ever since mom got sick. I made sure to cut off all ties with people who were just a distraction to me and that included my former best friend, Adriana Morales.

          When it spread around the school that our mother was sick, Adriana was the first one to find me and asked to tell her what she could do to help. Without even the slightest hesitation, I nodded and told her to get lost, to never talk to me, saying that I didn't want anyone making me lose focus on taking care of mom.

          She tried calling couple of times, tried to get me to talk to her at school, even going as far as knocking at door and getting a face full of nothing.

          Facing my brother who had a big smug, stupid grin on his face, I glared at him. "I hate you."

"How about this?"

          I swiped it out of his hands and placed it back. "That is a net shirt, which means that it is a see-through shirt, Sean. I don't want going back to school looking like I'm ready to be given money to do floozy things, are you insane?"

          He crinkled his nose. "You're right. People would definitely not want to see that."

          Before I could even slap him in the arm, I stopped when I saw the navy blue denim jacket behind him. Nudging him with my elbow, I walked to the other side of the store, taking the jacket out of the clothing rail.

          "Very... you," he said in agreement. "You should get it."

          "You think so?" I raised a brow. "It is displayed at the Men's section."

          He shrugged when I turned to face him. "So? Even I could see that it will fit you and it is perfect for you. You should buy it before someone else does."

          "You think mom will be okay with this?"

          "Mom will definitely be okay with anything just as long as you stop wearing those weird skirts that's supposed to show off your legs, not your elementary school look."

          With a blank look, I ignore him and place the jacket in the basket. We continue to search for clothes that would look good on me. In Sean's mind, its dresses with a flowy end with flowers designed on it. In my mind, it's everything that's has a plain dark color in it.

          Can you see how this whole idea is definitely not going to end well?

          After at least two hours of walking around with a purchased denim jacket, few plain fitted shirts, one fitted red dress that is four inches above the knees (I made sure to make him happy and buy one of the stupid things he wanted me to buy; I chose the one that didn't look too stupid) and two black jeans, we both gave up and decided to eat at McDonalds.

          We both got ten-pieces of nuggets, two extra gravy, two large fries, and two large cokes.

          "Hey! Sean!"

Our heads both spun to the voice behind me. Riley and Robert "Robbie" Peters, two of the most popular guys at school, were walking towards us with a big smile on their faces. Did I mention that my brother is friends with them because he's popular too? Well, basically everyone who are in the football team of our school are popular.

          There are actually five of them, excluding my brother, which was weird because they never separate as far as everyone in school knows. So that meant that the three other guys were somewhere around the mall too.

          Crap. Now, I have to get out of here.

          As they stopped and my brother stood up to give them a friendly hug, I can't help but notice up close how the two brothers were so much alike—almost passing off as twins even if they were just a year apart apart. The two of them both have black hair like mine, brown eyes, both with the same freckles on the cheeks and nose, and built body that every football team members need to achieve.

          They look more twins than Sean and I.

          Sean sits down and so do they between us without even Sean offering them as I glared at my brother. He shrugs and has that knowing look to not do anything that I would regret.

          "Is this your girl, Sean?" Riley spoke first, glancing at me up and down.

          I almost choked on a nugget.

          Excuse me?

          Sean and I stared at each other with disgust written in our faces. "Ew," he crinkled his nose. "That's my sister, dude. You know, my twin sister?" When the two of them stared at him with confused looks, he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Oh, Jesus fuck, never mind. Sam, you know Riley and Robbie, right?"

          "Unfortunately," I whispered under my breath.

          Sean, with his big ol' brotherly love, kicked me under the table. Great, now my shin is going to need some ice. His eyes move to me then to his two friends who were giving me a weird look.

          I'm forced to give them a smile. "Yes, and I really should get going and get back to mom."

          "Oh, no, stay!" Robbie grinned. "We don't really know much about you except what Sean said and we don't really see you much. Are you from another school?"

          I gazed at my brother. He just shrugs again.

          "I go to the same school as you guys. That's why I know you." I told them, still keeping up appearances. "Anyway," I stood up, grabbing my bags and coke. "I really should go."

          Right as I turned around, the contents of my drink spilled right over my sweatshirt, making me gasp from the coldness and the stickiness of the coke. Immediately, I dropped the shopping bags to the side and gazed up to meet the person who bumped into me.

          And right there, in front of me with gray eyes, was Travis Mason.

          Travis was the type of person that could destroy you in a second when you wronged him. With his eyes, brown disheveled hair, chiseled jawline, and pocket full of money, he could have any type of girl which is why everyone is so in love with him.

          He thinks he's so handsome and rich, he immediately—bam! Owns you.

          "Shit!" He stepped back, raising his feet. "Ah, you got my shoes wet! You should have watched where you're going!"

          "Sam," I could hear Sean's knowing tone. The tone that tells me not to do anything stupid. "It's an accident, Travis. Let it go."

          Like a spoiled brat, he crossed his arms, glowering at me. "Fine. As long as you apologize."

          This guy bumped into me, he only got his shoes sprayed while I got my whole shirt soaked, and now he wants me to apologize of a single accident that was caused by him?

          Oh hell to the no.

          My fist went flying before Sean could even stop me. I had hit his eye and cheekbone, sending him down on the ground with the two guys behind him, Lucas Brooks and Tyler Stone. I couldn't take a good look at the two of them because I was too angry and too focused at Travis who had his eyes widened with surprise.

          "Sam!" Sean pulled me back by the shoulder.

          I jerked away from him. "I'm not apologizing," I muttered, matching that glare of Travis's. "I was the one that was showered with coke. Next time you want to bully someone, remember that you got hit by a girl, asshole."

          As I walked away with my brother following me with several angry calls of my name, the thought about what I did finally sunk in.

          Oh God. I punched the most popular guy at school. Could I be anymore stupid?!

          Jesus fucking Christ, kill me now.