Alyssa A's Sister

Chapter One 

Meeting Mr. Wright

It was the first day of my freshman year of high school and I was pumped. I'd been looking forward to this day since my sister, Alyssa, had started four years ago. Her experience, from what she'd told me, had been wonderful, and I was hoping it would be just as good for me. 

"Hey, Caitlyn!"  

I turned around to see my best friend, Mindy, coming up the concrete path that led from the sidewalk to the front steps of my brand new school. Mindy and I had been best friends since third grade. That was the year I'd gotten braces and she stood up to a girl that had been making fun of me and told her off. Since then, we'd been inseparable. She liked me, she said, because I was clever and a bit of an anchor to keep her out of too much trouble. "Not to say you're no fun or anything," she would add hastily. "But you think things through better than I do." I liked Mindy because...well, everybody liked Mindy. It was just hard not to. 

"You ready for school?" Mindy asked happily. 

"I've been ready since fifth grade," I declared. 

"Do you think anyone will make the connection between you and your sister?" Mindy asked as we started up the front steps to the glass doors. 

"Maybe the teachers," I said. "When they see the last name. But I don't really look like her, do I?" 

"Not in the face," Mindy admitted. "But you both have the same hair colors and your eyes are almost identical, so that might be enough. And maybe she told people about you." 

"Doubt it," I scoffed. "Alyssa was, like, Queen B. The last thing she was going to talk about was her little sister. She was too busy partying and having a good time." 

"Well, who knows? Once it gets out, you might be able to get into some cool parties just by virtue of relationship." There was a hopeful look on Mindy's face. "And, of course, you'll be bringing your best friend along, right?" 

"I don't need to bring you to parties, Mindy," I told her. "You'll get in off your looks." 

It was the truth. Mindy was very pretty, with long, raven hair and bright green eyes. Her face was always clear of acne and she had one of the prettiest smiles I'd ever seen in my life. 

"Thanks," Mindy said, and blushed. "You will, too." 

I smiled and shook my head. It was a stretch, to say I was as pretty as Mindy. I had a nice body, I knew; it was one of a short list of things I shared with my sister. Otherwise, I was pretty normal. I mean, sure, I was blond-haired and blue-eyed, and that always made people look twice. But I had a big nose and almost nonexistent lips. During seventh grade, Mindy had read that biting your lips made them bigger. I'd bitten mine so hard that I ended up with a bloody lip.  

I wasn't ugly, and I was sure I'd get a boyfriend or to at some point. But I wasn't the sort of person that got invited to parties because she was cute. 

"What class do you have first?" Mindy asked as we got to our lockers. We'd been very pleased to find that we only had two separating us. 

"English," I said, and smiled. English was my favorite class, and easily the one I was best at. There was just something about words and grammar that I got. My junior high English teacher told me I should be a journalist. I liked the idea. "What about you?" 

"P.E." 

I grimaced and looked over at Mindy, who laughed at my expression. 

"It's not so bad," she said. "There are actually showers in the locker rooms here. Your sister told me last year. So I won't have to walk around all sweaty or anything. Besides, we're required to have a year of P.E."