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A terrified, high pitched scream reverberated throughout the house. A soothing, but stern voice followed,
“Süsse .”
“Nooooo! I don’t wanna!”
Gilbert looked up from the t.v. in the direction of the scream. He stared for a few moments trying to decide if he should check on them.
“She’s fine. Your sister is just being difficult.” His father says as he enters the kitchen.
“Why is she screaming like that? What’s Mother doing?”
“She’s trying to cut Marie’s hair.”
“Why!?” Gilbert quickly stood. “Those girls already cut off most of it!”
“Your mother is trying to even it. Don’t go in there. Let your mother and sister be.”
Gilbert growled. He was about to go to the room anyway before his father spoke again.
“Put on your shoes.”
“Why?” Gilbert continued to look in the direction of the hallway. He could hear muffled voices and his mother shushing his sister in German. “Where are we going?”
“To the store.”
“For what?”
His father’s face pinched and he ignored the question, bitingly responding, “Put. On. Your. Shoes.”
Gilbert obeyed, if only because he knew his father was grumpier than usual with everything that happened to Marie. He was upset too, and as soon as he found out who had cut his sister’s hair...
As he got into the passenger’s seat, Gilbert repeated his earlier question.
“You’ll find out.” Was his father’s response.
The ride to the store didn’t take too long. When they pulled up in front of the place, Gilbert scrunched up his nose.
“Why are we here ?” The purple sign Claire’s stood out in bold letters. “This is where Marie likes to buy those girly glasses.”
“Come on. We won’t stay here any longer than we need to.”
“What are we buying?” Gilbert looked on in distaste at the rows of highly effeminate items.
“Some of these.” His father stood in front of a short display filled with bows and other hair accessories. "I want you to pick out a few things you think Marie would like."
Gilbert picked up a pink hair tie and turned it over in his hands.
"I'll be over there. Once you're done, meet me and we'll pay. Get things she likes, understand?"
Gilbert nodded and briefly watched as his father wandered off to another part of the store. Looking back at the display, his eyes wandered over the wide assortment of hair things.
Gilbert wasn't good with hair. On most days he would rake his fingers through his hair and that would be it. On others, a comb or brush was needed. Beyond that, he knew nothing. He would sometimes watch Marie fix her hair, though he would quickly get bored and do something else until she was ready to play.
What was he supposed to get her? Anything pink should be fine, right? Marie likes pink, and blue, and red… But what was he supposed to get? Some rubber bands? Or… scrunchies? Is that what it was called? Or…
Gilbert looked at several different colored hair clips. Upon seeing a dark pink bow with silver hearts printed on it, he grinned widely. Within a few minutes, he had picked the best, most awesomest (he knew that wasn't a word, he didn't care), hair thingys for his sister.
“They’ll regret picking on her.” He gave a satisfied hum and collected his items.
His father waited for him by the register. Upon Gilbert's approach, his father’s eyes narrowed.
"I told you to grab a few things, Gilbert."
Gilbert placed his assortment of items on the counter.
"But you never said how much."
His father sighed and paid for the items. When they got in the car, as Gilbert was looking through the bag, he noticed an extra item that he didn't pick up.
"What's this?" Gilbert asked as he proceeded to open the small box.
Two red earrings lay inside. On a small card stuck in the top read Garnet .
"You got her earrings? Doesn't she have plenty of those?"
"Your mother prefers to buy her jewelry without gems. I never completely understood her reasons for it besides it being a tradition, so I went ahead and bought her a pair."
Gilbert frowned. "Why red earrings? You know she loves pink."
"She has plenty of other pink clothing and earrings. Garnet is her birthstone."
Gilbert held up the earrings and smiled. “I bet they’ll look awesome on her!”
The house was quiet when they arrived home.
"We're back!" Gilbert shouted as he kicked off his shoes.
"In here!" His mother called from the bathroom.
Gilbert ran to the bathroom, ignoring his father’s shouts about the messy state of his shoes. A large grin spread on his face as he imagined how happy Marie will be when she sees what he got her.
“Riri! Look what I got you!”
Gilbert froze upon entering the bathroom. His mother stood behind Marie as they both looked into the mirror. Mother brushed the ends of Marie’s barely shoulder length hair.
“See, Süsse . You have nothing to worry about. You look beautiful, long or short hair.” Mother squeezed her shoulder.
Marie weakly smiled, but it quickly disappeared when she noticed Gilbert.
“Your father got what I asked for?” Mother asked him.
Gilbert held up the bag. “Hair things?”
“Yes!” His mother held out a hand. “Hand me something. I’ll put it in her hair now.”
Gilbert instantly handed her the pink and silver bow shaped hair clip. His mother expertly clipped it in Marie’s hair.
“There! Do you like it, Marie?”
Marie stared blankly at herself. She then turned, a small pout on her face and looked at Gilbert.
“Does it look okay?”
Gilbert gave a small breathy laugh and shook his head. He took a few steps and threw an arm around Marie’s shoulder.
“Of course you look okay! I picked out the bow! And you look even more like me now!”
Marie grimaced. “So I look like a boy now?”
“I didn’t say that! I said,” Gilbert shook Marie from side to side, causing the girl to giggle as she fought his grip. “That you look fine! You’re my awesomely pretty sister, alright? Now quit looking in the mirror and come play this game with me!”
“Wait!” Marie said, turning to her mother who had been smiling softly at the two. “What else did you get me?”
“I’ll show you.” Gilbert took the bag from his mother and sprinted to the living room. Marie followed, along with their mother’s shouts of, “Be careful!” and their father’s exclamations of, “Stop running in the house!”
Gilbert dumped the bag’s contents on the table and spread them out. He began rearranging them by type as it only made sense to.
“What’s in the box?” Marie picked up the black jewelry box.
“Oh, yeah. Dad got that for you.”
Marie’s face lit up upon seeing the earrings.
“They’re so pretty!”
“Yeah? But look at all this stuff I got you.” He didn’t buy them, but he picked them out. Close enough.
“More hair clips?!”
“You like lots of colors, right? So I got you one of every color.”
Marie gasped and picked up the one in the shape of a butterfly. “Oooh~”
“You like them?”
“Yes!” Marie ran around the table and gave Gilbert a big hug. “Thaank yooouuu!”
“You’re welcome!” Gilbert laughed and puffed out his chest. “I give the most awesome gifts!”
“Here,” Marie picked up a clip with red and white stripes. She clipped it to his hair.
“Hey!” Gilbert quickly pulled it off. “Guys don’t hear these.”
“That’s not true.”
“Name someone who does.”
The twins stared at each other.
“See?”
“Well, wear this with me, then.” Marie held up the black box.
“No!” Gilbert loudly protested.
“Why not? You can’t say guys don’t wear these. We’ve seen Dad wear them before.”
“I don’t want to!”
“Why not?”
“It won’t look right! Besides, my ears aren’t pierced.”
“Mooom! Daaad!” Marie ran to the kitchen. Gilbert watched the exchange from a distance.
“What did I say about running in the house?”
Marie ignored her father’s lecture. “Can Gil get his ears pierced?”
“Why?” Mother asked.
“Cause I want him to match with me!”
“With what earrings?”
Marie held up the black box. “The one’s Dad bought for me! Look!”
Marie didn’t notice the long sip her father took of his drink or the look her mother shot him.
“So can he get his ears pierced? Pleeeaassee?”
“We’ll see.” Her mother shooed her from the kitchen.
“Yaaaay!” Marie ran back to tell Gilbert the news.
He laughed and smirked. “It won’t happen.”
“Do you want to try this one?” Antonio held out a spotty green jelly bean.
“Please, no.” Francis felt his stomach gurgle at the thought of eating another one. “Give one to someone else.”
“But it’s your turn, Francis~ You can’t chicken out.”
The bus slowed and stopped, thankfully distracting Antonio from trying to give Francis another bean. The lights flickered on as the doors opened. Whispers filled the bus and a few people on the right looked at the new passengers as they boarded.
“Oh! Do you think Marie is coming to school today?” Francis asked, standing slightly in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the girl.
“Do you think Gilbert’s coming today?” Antonio responded.
“He was only suspended for two days, right?” Francis sighed at the thought. Antonio nodded.
Francis held his breath. He watched as pale hair crested the divide between the front seat and the stairs. Francis was slightly disappointed upon seeing that it was their definitely masculine friend, Gilbert, but was drawn to the red gem in
Gilbert’s ear.
Francis grabbed his bag from the empty seat next to them and watched as Gilbert collapsed into it. Gilbert didn’t look at his two friends who were staring at him intently.
Francis grinned widely and cleared his throat.
“Oh, Gilbert~”
Gilbert looked up at them, cheeks tinted pink.
“Don’t you dare say anything, Francis.”
“What do you mean?” Francis smirked. He could feel Antonio shaking with laughter next to him. “I just wanted to compliment you on your lovely earring!”
“Where’d you get it, huh, Gilly? Claire’s?” Gilbert’s face darkened, sending his two friends over the edge with laughter. Antonio leaned against the window, holding his sides, and Francis wiped away a tear.
“You guys suck.” Gilbert pulled up his hood and hid his face in his bag.
“It-” Before Francis could continue tormenting his friend, he noticed someone making their way to the back of the bus.
It was a strange feeling having his heart simultaneously flutter and drop. Francis hasn’t seen Marie since lunch last Friday. It wasn’t until later that day that he had heard about the incident. He had begged to visit her, but Marie had refused, not wanting to see anyone. Gilbert had assured him that Marie was doing fine, though their texts were usually littered with plans of revenge. Francis had hoped that if not Monday, he would see her Tuesday.
But no. When Gilbert arrived at school Monday, he took it upon himself to get revenge! Francis should have known. Why else would Gilbert ask for hair dye? He was suspended for it, though Francis is glad Gilbert didn’t do anything worse than that. If Gilbert had gotten his hands on some nair...
Francis was happy to see her. More than happy. He stood and grabbed Gilbert, pulling him up from his seat.
“What? What are-”
Francis pushed him into the seat with Antonio, ignoring their shouts. He waved Marie over.
Francis let her have the window seat and took the aisle.
“Good morning, Marie.”
“Morning, Francis.” Marie gave a hesitant smile.
Francis doesn’t remember her ever being this quiet.
“Your hair looks very nice today. I’m guessing your mother did it for you?”
“Yeah, that’s why I had to run to the bus. She insisted on making it perfect.” Marie rolled her eyes, while smiling fondly.
“Well it looks really nice on you,” Francis lifted his hand to hover next to the red bow she had clipped in her hair. He absently noticed that Marie wore the same earring as Gilbert in her opposite ear. “Especially with the bow. It brings out your beautiful eyes.”
Francis smiled in satisfaction at the blush that adorned Marie’s cheeks. He felt as if maybe he could say it. Maybe he could-
Francis was yanked up from his seat and fell back hard on something, ending in the seat next to Antonio. He looked up at his newly occupied seat and was met with a pair of angry red eyes.
“Don’t flirt with my sister.” Gilbert practically growled.
Francis now remembered why he had never tried anything with Marie before. Gilbert was a naturally relaxed and cheerful person, but when it came to his sister, his twin, he got fiercely protective.
Francis brushed himself off and sat up.
“Did you really have to push him that hard, Gil? You know Francis wouldn’t hurt her. Being possessive doesn't suit you.”
“Shut up,” Gilbert replied, practically looking down at Francis. “I don’t want him dating her.”
Before Francis could reply, another voice cut in. “I agree.”
Across from Francis, in the seat in front of Gilbert and Marie, was his twin, Marianne.
Marie stood and peered over the seat down at the blonde girl. “Why do you agree, huh, Ann? You don’t want me dating your brother?”
“Of course not. You deserve better.”
Francis stared in silent shock. How could his own sister betray him?
Gilbert laughed, “Yeah! You tell him, Anne!” Marie pushed him out of the way. “Hey, where are you going?”
Marie sat next to Marianne.
“Hey.” Marie greeted.
“Hey… Why are you sitting next to me?” Marianne’s eye twitched. Francis smiled, knowing she was probably just nervous. Her sister didn’t have many friends after all, and her and Marie’s friendship was a rocky one.
“I can’t sit here?” Marie asked.
“I asked why. I don’t have an issue with it. You don’t usually sit next to me.”
“I have something I want to ask you.”
“Yes?”
“How does my hair look?”
Marianne paused. Francis couldn’t see Marie’s face as she was turned away, but could see his sister scrunch up her face. He absently thought that it wasn’t a very pretty look, but he knew that face. It was the I-don’t-want-to-say-something-stupid-and-hurt-your-feelings face.
“You look fine. You could do with some curls though.”
“Do you know how to curl hair, Anne?”
“Of course I do! Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“Then I’m counting on you to teach me.”
“What!? I never agreed to-”
Francis tuned out the rest of the conversation. He was happy to see that Marie was feeling better. He could see it on Antonio and Gilbert’s face too.
“Hey,” The trio of friends temporarily sat on the same seat as they huddled together. Antonio spoke first. “How’s she doing now, Gil?”
“Better.” Gilbert replied, glancing at the chatting girls. “Better than last week at least.” He threw out a hand and caught himself as the bus turned.
Francis grunted as he was squished. Why was he in the middle? “Why are we on the same seat?”
“We always sit on the same seat when we do our huddle, Fran.” Antonio replied.
“Well, why do I have to be in the middle?”
“Quit whining,” Gilbert laughed and elbowed his friend. “We’re almost at the school anyway.”
Francis sighed. They never listen to him.
“What are we doing today? Another prank?” Antonio asked.
“Yeah! But what should we do?” Gilbert asked.
“Wait!” Francis pushed the two a little. “Don’t you guys think we should wait to do something like that? Gilbert just got back from being suspended.”
“That’s even more of a reason for us to do something!” Gilbert replied. “Fran’s being moody. Do you have any idea what we should do, Toni?”
“I have an idea. I think we should do something to cheer Marie up. So I bought some water balloon’s yesterday…”