The Life of Bianca Evans

{Chapter 9: Chloe James}

I laughed at Grayson's dropped jaw. I was giving him a tour of our *cough mansion house. I showed him the ice rink, pool and hot tub, gym, workout room, the bedrooms, kitchen and mini cafe, the buffet of different foods a day (today it was burgers and fries), and the tennis court. Currently we were in the gym playing some basketball. My parents were gone, and it was after dinner.

He still wasn't used to the fact that this was my house and I had lived in it all my life, so he wanted somewhere familiar, so we came to the gym with some basketballs.

"Hey Grayson?"

"Yeah?"

"When is your birthday?"

"It's in October. The third."

"Can I do something for you since you did something for me?"

"I did that because everyone deserves an awesome sixteenth birthday. You don't have to do anything for me, I'm only turning seventeen. It's not that big of a deal, I'll probably just go catch a movie or something." He clearly didn't want a big deal made out of his birthday, but I felt bad not doing something since he made my day so amazing.

"Grayson?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you want your birthday to be such a big deal?" He stopped dribbling and looked at me.

"I guess I just don't like the attention. I've never been one for big parties and to-dos made out of my birthday."

"Did you ever get a big party?"

"Yeah, but I shared it with Chl- never mind. I just shared it with someone." I frowned. Was this some past girlfriend? A pang of jealousy shot through me, but I pushed it away. He was sad when he talked about her, i cloud tell. His eyes clouded and they lost his mischievous twinkle.

"Was the girl your girlfriend?" He almost choked.

"No. She was much more than that." Holy crap! He was married?! He must have seen the look on my face and he cracked a smile. "She was my sister. We were fraternal twins. Our sixteenth and thirteenth birthdays we had a huge party together. She was my best and only friend for a long time. Her name was Chloe James. It just wouldn't feel right to have a big party without her, she made them so much fun."

I didn't know what to say. I had always been ok when it came to joking around, but giving comforting advice was not on my list of attributes. So I said the only thing that came to my mind.

"Chloe was your sister and best friend, and everyone in movies says to move on and they would say to have a big party to honour her, but your right, without her, the people who knew her would be lost. They would be looking for her face to just pop up and smile at you, but it would never come, and they would spend the whole night searching for her when she would never be found. Keep mourning, Grayson, and keep her in your heart. Remember her always, but you don't have to be always sad, you can still smile and laugh and have fun, just remember her in joy. She was your light and her light should never go out as long as you remember her. I'm sure she loved you Grayson, I don't know why she wouldn't."

My words had just flown out of my mouth, and he was now in tears. But I liked that he cried, not that I liked seeing him broken, but I knew he wasn't afraid to show that he was in pain. He knew that it was okay to cry and let out the frustration and sadness. To let out the pain of loosing someone you loved that was closest to your heart. And coming to understand that they are gone. And until you die too, you will never see them again. To keep honouring them in your life, and keeping their light alive.

Now I was crying, realising that there was no one who would cry like Grayson was for Chloe. No one loved me that much that they would be so broken if I died. No one would remember me until the day that they died, they would shed some tears at my funeral and a week after that, but by the next year they would be fine. No one loved me enough to be broken when I die.

The realisation sent me sobbing. My shoulders were shaking and all of my tears poured out like they would never stop. I felt Grayson's arm slip over my shoulder. The warmth of his body was comforting. I wanted to just stay there where it was safe forever, but I knew I couldn't.

As much as I tried I couldn't help my heavy eyes from falling shut. I lost all consciousness and fell asleep into dreamland.

*******************************

I woke up in my warm bed and snuggled into my blankets. Soft music was playing from my alarm and the smell of waffles wafted through the air.
I groaned and stretched, pulled off the blankets and turned off my alarm.

I walked over to my desk where my clothes were laid out and a note from Grayson was on it. I picked it up and read it.

Bianca, you fell asleep so took you to your room and told the cook what happened. I picked out this outfit that I want you to wear to school. See you soon!! ~Grayson

I smiled and looked down at the outfit. I had to admit, he had pretty good taste. There was a green-blue lace dress with a brown let that went around the waist. There was also a long, Indian looking shrug to put over it. And lastly, there was my cowboy boots.

(Her Dress)

I put my hair in two braids and grabbed my backpack and an Advil, for my crying hangover. Then I ate breakfast and headed to school.

When I got there, Grayson was waiting at the door looking smug. I looked at him and realised: we matched. He was wearing a tee shirt the color of my dress and brown pants the color of my belt, and cowboy boots. I rolled my eyes. Great, now everyone is going to think we are like a couple or something. Wait, it's twin day! Twin day was when everyone matched someone. Girlfriends and boyfriends matched, best friends, brothers and sisters,etc.

Some people Dresses up like it was Halloween. They wore matching batman and superman costumes, Dorothy and the lion, etc. It was a little overwhelming, but it made the day so much better. But then I realised that I was Bianca now, and that all my friends thought that Brittany only came to take my place, and that she was gone.

Too bad, I was starting to like being Brittany. I shrugged it off and Grayson looked at me funny. Oops, I totally just shrugged for real didn't I?!

Me and Grayson started a conversation on people's outfits today as we walked to class. This was definitely going to be a fun day.