Our Secret

The Truth Comes Out

On the first day of school in second grade, after snack, I ran out of class and threw up in the bathroom. Upon walking out, my best friend, Zach, walks over and sees me leaning against the wall.
"Brianna, are you okay?" he asks me. I shake my head no and he comes over to help me.
"I feel really shaky," I say. He slides his arm over my shoulder and walks me back to class. Our desks are right next to each other, so he sits me in my chair before getting into his.
The teacher comes up to my desk. "Where did you go, Brianna?" Mrs. Charleston asks me.
"I threw up in the bathroom," I replied quietly, ashamed of myself.
"Why don't the two of you stay inside for recess today," she says to Zach and I.
The two of us sit on the floor and talk about random things until he asks a very strange question. "Have you ever noticed how similar we look?" As he says that I get extremely dizzy. My vision goes black. A few moments later, I open my eyes to see Zach and Mrs. Charleston standing over me.

After school, Zach and I head out to his mom's car.
"Hey, Zach. Hey Jade," she greets as he opens the car door.
"Mom, who is Jade?" he asks. I climb into the car and close the door.
"Okay there is something I need to tell you both," she says as she starts driving.
"You two are identical-fraternal twins. Brianna, your real name is Jadelyn Dakota Rudy. The doctors told me the family in the room next to mine lost their child so I told them to bring you home. But now that they got into fostering, they said you can come home. They are bringing over your clothes and things." This hits me like a ton of bricks. I gag and my twin brother picks up an empty grocery bag that I spill the contents of the small lunch I ate into.
"Are you okay, Jade?" mom asks. I nod my head and little black stars line the corner of my vision. The car stops in front of our house and Zach and I make our way inside. He leads me to a room painted blue jade.
"This is your room," he says I place my bookbag by the white desk as he sits on my bed.
"I can't believe we are twins," I whisper.
"I can't either," he says.
"Oh, I have CrossFit later," I say as mom walks into my room.
"You are seven years old and you do CrossFit?" she asks. I nod my head. She sets a box on the floor and it is labeled 'CrossFit Gear and Clothes'. I open the box and take out a pair of black Nike pros, a pink and black Nike sports bra, a black Nike sweatshirt, also black and pink Nike trainers.
"Can I come and watch or try it?" Zach asks me as I tie my dark brown hair into a high ponytail. I tie my black scrunchie around the hair tie. My blue-green eyes look at his gray ones through the mirror.
"Sure you can come," I reply. I get my CrossFit bag out and put in my wrist guards, an Aso ankle brace, extra hair ties, exercise bands, and fingerless gloves.
"Do you follow the CrossFit diet and meal plan, too?" mom asks. I nod my head and walk out of the room to grab a water bottle. Zach walks away and comes back out a few minutes later in a black sweatshirt and black and red basketball shorts.
"Jade, why did you put an ankle brace in your bag?" my brother asks me.
"I sprained my ankle and bruised the growth plate tumbling last year so from now on I have to wear an ankle brace during CrossFit." His mouth forms the shape of an 'o'. The two of us head out to the car and I show mom the way to the gym. Zach and I get out of the car.
"Hey, Brie, who's this?" Coach Emma asks.
"Hi, Coach Emma. This is, apparently, my twin brother Zach. Oh and also my name is Jadelyn but they call me Jade," I explain. She nods her head.