No, my life isn’t exactly picture perfect. Let’s say my life is an unfinished picture, although the picture turning out perfect in the end is another thing.

Having your French teacher become your Mum’s boyfriend is bad but what’s worse is having the entire school know. Having a model as a sister is bad but what’s worse is having her as a twin. Having the school dance so close and no date is bad but what’s worse is knowing you might not even have a date. Having your best friend like your sister is bad but what’s worse is having her think my sister was actually nice when clearly she’s evil.


“That’s my hairbrush!” My sixteen-year old twin sister Shantelle growled, snatching a red hair bush from my hand. She’s so groggy in the mornings! “Morning girls.” Henry sang as he knocked on our bedroom door. “Come on in.” Shantelle replied, knowing I was just in my bra. Henry opened the door and gasped as he caught a glimpse of me. “AHH!” I shrieked as I dived under my covers. “I’m trying to get dressed!” “Oh, oh I’m so sorry Monique!” Henry shut his eyes and walked backwards out the door. Can I ever get peace and quiet with my evil sister around? The answer is no. “Thanks a lot.” I yelled as I threw a can of hairspray at Shantelle.

Another knock on the door. Grr!! “It’s Michelle,” My nineteen-year old sister laughed as she opened the door. “Henry is so embarrassed; He’s as red as a tomato!” “Serves him right.” I huffed. “Aw, give him a break Monnie; he’s a nice bloke once you get past the snorting, the French accent, the bug-eyed glasses…” she trailed off, knowing I was annoyed. “Mum likes his French accent. She thinks it’s fun.” Shantelle added. Michelle and I rolled our eyes. I liked Michelle a lot more than my self-obsessed twin! “You’re going to miss the buss!” Mum yelled from the kitchen. “I’m not going.” Shantelle announced. “Let me guess, another advertisement, photo shoot…” I named off all of Shantelle’s modeling jobs. “I’m going to audition for a film.” She beamed. Why did she get to be the pretty twin? She gets the long wavy brown hair and those sparkling eyes to match and most of all, perfect skin. What do I get? Mousy dull shoulder-length brown hair and mud colored eyes. Not forgetting the freckles. Why couldn’t we be identical? “You’re auditioning to be a troll in a cheap movie? Wow! That’s amazing!” I cackled. Being evil was good. Michelle snickered and left the room. “Well at least I get money and boys.” Shan retorted. She was right.











“You spend your money on rubbish and most of your boyfriends treat you like it too.” I snarled. Her eyes bulged and she lunged for me, pulling my hair. She was stronger than me too. “Ow!” I roared, kicking her shin. “I might need that leg for a photo shoot!” She screeched, hopping on one leg. I laughed at her stupidity and ran to the bus stop. See you in school.” Henry waved out of his car window as he drove past. He offered almost everyday to bring me to school but could you imagine getting out of a dusty old car which was older than our grandparents with a stubbly, red-haired, bug-eyed French teacher who happened to be dating your mother? His French accent is so fake by the way! My big sister stuck up for me by telling him I was a teenager and that I needed to socialize. This was true. I’m a loner apparently.




School was even more irritating than home because Shantelle was popular and I was the shy girl who never spoke. I do speak to people just not Shantelle’s posse. Yes, she had her own posse. Typical. “Hey Monnie!” a curly fair-haired girl called as I entered the school building. That was Molly. My best friend. Her curls bounced off her shoulders as she approached me. “No Shantelle today?” One downside to Molly. She liked Shantelle. “No she went back to Jupiter.” I scowled. “Oh, Jonas wants to talk to you.” Molly grinned. Jonas was a really cute guy in our year. “Me?” Probably wants me to ask Shan if she’ll go on a date with him. “Oh come on!” Molly grabbed my arm and dragged me to a classroom. She seemed overly eager. “In.” She ordered, pointing inside a classroom.


“So where’s Shan?” Jonas queried, sitting on a table. “Auditioning for a part in a film.” I sighed. I knew it was about her. “What part?” He raised his dark eye-brows. “An evil-witch or a troll, whichever is best.” I said bluntly. “Troll.” Jonas told me. Did he just call my sister a troll? I raised my eyebrows and smiled slightly. “Want to go to the school dance?” Jonas flushed a bright shade of pink. “With who?” I asked, puzzled. Who would want to go to a dance with me when you could go with a teenage model? “Me.” Jonas looked at me shyly. Since when was he shy? “Yeah, sure.” I smiled and walked out to find Molly.


“Jonas asked me to the dance!” I squealed excitedly. “I know, he let me in on the secret.” Molly laughed. I can’t believe it! I’ve got a date to the school dance. And even better still, Shan doesn’t yet, I’ve got a date first! After school when I got off the bus Shan was waiting for me. Her eyes narrowed into little slits and she folded her bony arms. “Hey, how’d the audition go?” I was bubbling inside but I decided not to tell her about Jonas yet. She seemed angry. “I didn’t get it.” She moaned. That’s a first. “Better luck next time.” I smiled. Actually I hope one day, you’ll get rejected because you’re too pretty! Maybe I could audition then.





“Mum, why couldn’t Shan and I, be identical?” I groaned. “You’re beautiful in your own way, and so is Shantelle.” My mum replied. Yeah, Shan’s beautiful on the outside but poison on the inside. I’m probably fit to be a goblin’s wife. Life’s so unfair! “Hi Mum, Where’s Henry?” Shan asked as she entered the kitchen. “I’m having a conversation with Mum so shush.” I growled. Shan made a face and repeated her question. “How the heck should I know Shantelle?” Mum snapped. Shan and I exchanged worried glances. “Everything okay Mum?” I whispered. “Now what do you think?” Mum sniffed, a fat tear slid down her cheek. She’s crying over Henry. HENRY! Ugh!


Mum cried for a while and eventually told us what Henry did to make her so upset. “He went to a comic book convention instead of going to dinner with you??” Shan burst into a fit of laughter. I threw a spoon at her and she walked out of the room in a sulk. Big baby. She’s lucky it wasn’t a fork! After a few weeks, Mum decided it was best to dump Henry. “Mum, No offence but he is a geek!” Michelle laughed as she handed Henry his last bag and shut the door on him. Wasn’t that meant to be Mum’s job? “Thanks Shelly.” Mum smiled. Shelly? Since when does Mum call Michelle “Shelly”?


No Henry equals no cruel jokes from my school mates. That probably sounds mean but it’s the truth. “You both look beautiful.” Mum grinned as Shan and I came down the stairs. It was the night of the school dance and Shan was wearing a turquoise silk dress which crisscrossed at the back and was wearing white heels, she had her hair tied up in a bun with a white rose pinned to the side of her head. I on the other hand was wearing a black velvet dress with a pretty diamond necklace and matching silver heels. My hair was in ringlets. “You two look as pretty as a picture.” Yeah, but the picture would look better if Shan didn’t steal my dress. I had seen it first!


“Wow, Monnie you look…beautiful.” Jonas smiled, tying the corsage on my wrist. “So did you avoid your mum getting all emotional?” Jonas laughed as he opened the gym’s door. I looked around the gym which was decorated in balloons, streamers, glitter, banners and a few tables were at the back wall. “By the skin of my teeth, she sniffed a bit when we came down the stairs.” I sighed; my mum gets emotional when Shan or I do something “grown up”. Whatever! “Move.” Shan ordered, pushing past Jonas and me. Her long dress trailed behind her so I stood on the end of it. Jonas burst into laughter when Shan’s dress ripped all the way up to her waist, showing her frilly underwear.


“My dress!” Shan whipped round and flushed a bright shade of scarlet when she saw everyone staring at her frilly underwear. Her date’s eyes bulged and he walked slowly away from her. Obviously, he doesn’t want people knowing he was with her. Jonas took my hand and led me out onto the floor where everyone was dancing. Or trying to dance I should say. Molly was prancing around in a pink satin dress with her date traipsing alongside her. Shan was sitting at an empty table, red with embarrassment. A feeling of guilt crept into me. I ruined her night.




“Hey Shan,” I said softly, taking a seat beside her. “What do you want?” She growled. “To swap dresses.” I sighed. “Really?” Shan’s eyes glistened. “Come on.” I smiled, dragging her into the toilets. We swapped dresses and Shan thanked me and strutted out back onto the dance floor. “Need help?” Molly snickered. “Please.” I laughed, knowing she had seen my ridiculous underwear. They were my lucky pants, with sheep on them. “They are quite something.” Molly admitted.


“There you go.” Molly grinned as she shoved her emergency dress repair kit back into her clutch bag. “You’re a lifesaver.” I grinned. I turned to look in the bathroom mirror. “I had to cut it so it was even.” It was so short; I’m surprised my knickers didn’t show. Again. “Jonas will like it.” Molly winked, pulling me back out onto the dance floor. People stared at me in disbelief. “Shan, you look fabulous.” A red-haired girl exclaimed. I look nothing like Shantelle! “I’m Monique. Not Shantelle.” I scowled. “Who?” She asked. “Shantelle’s beautiful twin sister and my best friend!” Molly grinned, pulling me towards Jonas. “I didn’t know you had to change outfits these days. I always thought one was enough.” Jonas teased. “Very funny,” I stuck my tongue out at him “Do you like it?” “Anything looks good on you. Monnie.” Jonas winked.


My life is still not normal but it was getting there. Shantelle was no longer evil to me as I saved her dress dilemma. (She doesn’t know I was the one who caused the disaster in the first place!) Henry was gone and my Mum was even happier without him. I had a date for the dance and for the last bit; I’m glad Molly likes Shantelle because I’m beginning to except she might not be completely evil. My life doesn’t have to be picture perfect because maybe I don’t want it to be. Maybe I like my weird, messed up life because that’s as perfect as it can possibly get.

The End.


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