Chapter Text
Making friends comes easily to Mary-Kate and Ashley, but in their own distinct ways.
Ashley is a seeker. She sees someone who she wants as her friend and doesn’t let them out of her sight until it happens. Take Jennifer Dilber. Ashley jumped through hoops — which is ironic for someone so sports-averse — to solidify that friendship.
Mary-Kate doesn’t have the same “bend-over-backwards” mentality — or “drive”, as Ashley puts it — as her twin. Her approach is more subtle. If she sees someone that she thinks would make a cool friend, she approaches them. It’s mostly boys since her interests generally overlap with those held by the opposite sex, but it’s not a hard and fast rule. Mary-Kate wasn’t opposed to making an exception for Gabrielle.
Which brings her to the present day. It’s November and the twins are in the eighth grade. Even though it shouldn’t feel different, everything is different compared to the previous year. They’re now the oldest students in the school and the last thing anyone wants to talk about is work. As far as Mary-Kate’s concerned that’s fine. Really, it is.
Except all anyone does want to talk about is dating.
Mary-Kate has had a crush here or there — and as is well-established, she’s kissed a boy. She isn’t the novice that others might assume based on her tomboy-ish nature. But she is still a far cry from sharing Ashley’s “boy crazy” title. In fact, she wouldn’t mind putting as much distance between her and that title as possible. It’s more and more intolerable with each passing day.
“I don’t know what your problem is, Mary-Kate,” Ashley says. She sounds exasperated, but that is par for the course. “Michael Juliano is cute.”
“He’s totally into you,” Jennifer Dilber adds. Ashley nods eagerly while Mary-Kate rolls her eyes. “He’s been looking over here all lunch period.”
“Maybe he noticed how you parted your hair to the other side today,” Mary-Kate replies, feigning sincerity. That gets Jennifer all chatty with the other girls, but Mary-Kate does not miss her sister shooting her an irritated look.
“You’re impossible,” Ashley says.
Mary-Kate tosses a grape in the air and catches it in her mouth. A group of boys sitting two tables away from them hoot and holler. She smirks at a put-out Ashley.
“Thank you.”
***
Another well-established fact is that Ashley is the more popular sister with girls their age.
Her biggest point-of-contention is Mary-Kate’s popularity with the boys.
“You’re getting their attention the wrong way!” Ashley rages on their walk home from school.
Disinterested, Mary-Kate says, “Oh, yeah? How so?”
“They want to be your friend.”
“I thought friends are the most important part of school. According to you, at least.”
“Girl friends,” Ashley corrects her. “Boys are for dating!”
“Maybe you should draw me a map with all the rules,” Mary-Kate quips as they enter the back door to the kitchen.
“I would if I thought you’d learn anything!”
“What’s going on?” Carrie asks from the kitchen table.
“Carrie, settle something for us,” Mary-Kate says before Ashley can respond. “Friendships with guys. Ay or nay?”
“Ah, the question of the ages.” Carrie rests her forearms on the table. “It depends. When I was your age, getting stuck in the friendzone was a fate worse than first period gym.”
“See?” Ashley says.
“However,” Carrie continues. Mary-Kate perks up, and Carrie smiles. “Being friends with guys has its perks. They have friends, too, and it’s not written anywhere that you have to be friends with all of them.”
“I rest my case,” Mary-Kate says, triumphantly. Ashley throws her hands up in the air.
“Rest your case on what?” Kevin says, entering the kitchen from the living room.
“Boys,” Mary-Kate and Ashley chorus.
“And that’s my cue,” Kevin teases, pretending to walk back out of the room.
The twins and Carrie grin.
***
The walk to school is generally uneventful, but Mary-Kate’s on her own today.
Ashley woke up with a fever, so she’s staying home with Carrie. Max and Brian are already at school to fulfill a week’s worth of early detentions. Now that the girls are thirteen, their dad has loosened the reins ever-so-slightly and agreed Mary-Kate can walk to school in the morning as long as visibility is clear and there’s no sign of impending inclement weather.
Which is what she’s doing today on her own. Until she’s no longer alone.
“Hi,” a voice greets Mary-Kate from her left.
Mary-Kate turns in surprise and is greeted by a friendly face. The girl looks her age and is only slightly shorter than Mary-Kate. She has a petite frame and has a brown, pixie haircut framing her face. Despite her angular features, she has a soft expression with sweet-looking eyes.
“Hi,” Mary-Kate replies once she realizes that she never responded. “I’m Mary-Kate Burke.”
“Isabella Gibson. But everyone calls me Bella,” the girl adds. “I saw you leaving your house. I’m a few blocks in the other direction.”
“I haven’t seen you around before.” Bella shakes her head.
“I’m transferring mid-year. Nightmare, right?”
Mary-Kate offers a sympathetic smile.
“Where are you from?”
“California.” Mary-Kate’s eyebrows raise. “What is it?”
“I hope you have a warmer jacket for winter. It doesn’t get warm again at night until July.”
“Great,” Bella says, with a laugh. It’s a nice sound and Mary-Kate finds herself smiling. “Any other tips?”
“Yeah,” Mary-Kate says after a brief pause. She links arms with the new girl. “Follow my lead.”
***
“You’re in pre-calculus?” Mary-Kate says in disbelief. She shakes her head. “You’re probably in the same class as my sister. She’s out sick today.”
Surprised, Bella says, “You have a twin?”
“Promise you won’t hold it against me?” Mary-Kate teases, and Bella giggles. “We’re technically fraternal twins, but it’s pretty easy to fool people who don’t know us. When we don’t mind getting grounded for it.”
“I’m so jealous,” Bella groans. “I always wanted a sister. Especially a twin. It’s like having a built-in best friend.”
“Yeah, we’re pretty lucky I guess. When she’s not a total pain in my ass,” Mary-Kate snorts.
“Hey, Mary-Kate.” The girls look up at the arrivals of Max and Brian. It’s Max who spoke. “Who’s your friend?”
“Max, Brian — this is Bella,” Mary-Kate introduces the trio. They all exchange pleasantries. “She just moved here from California and lives a few blocks from us.”
“Cool. Do you surf?” Brian asks, getting a glazed-over sort of expression.
Mary-Kate and Max exchange long-suffering looks. They talk amongst themselves until Brian asks Bella something that hadn’t previously occurred to Mary-Kate.
“It’s a weird time of year to transfer schools, isn’t it?” Brian says.
Smoothly, Bella replies, “My dad moves around for work a lot. This time we went with him.”
“But won’t businesses with workers who have kids usually wa —?” Max begins, but is cut off by the warning bell.
“C’mon, Mary-Kate. We’ll be late for Science,” Bella says, dragging the blonde to her feet.
“There’s a great tragedy,” Mary-Kate deadpans.
As they leave the table, she swears she hears Max say to Brian, “That was weird, right?”