If Only

Chapter Twenty-Five: Same Flock

From my peripheral vision, I noticed both our parents nudging each other and clearly enjoying the spectacle as they made their way to the front table.

I spotted a table with people around my age, engaged in lively conversations. I jumped slightly when Tyrone suddenly appeared next to me, his face uncomfortably close. I instinctively pulled away a bit.

"Would you like to come with me to meet the others?" he asked.

I had a hard time deciphering who he meant by 'the others,' but I didn't want to be rude, so I nodded and replied, "Sure."

He led me toward the table where I had seen the group of young people earlier. As we approached, a girl with blonde hair noticed us and let out an excited squeal.

"Ty!" she exclaimed, then jumped out of her seat and ran toward Tyrone, enveloping him in a hug. The rest of the group watched in surprise as they exchanged greetings, and Tyrone occasionally laughed along with the girl.

I stood beside Tyrone, feeling slightly awkward and shifting my weight from one foot to the other. The blonde girl must have had enough of Tyrone, as she turned her attention to me with the same level of enthusiasm. I was taken aback as she placed her hands on my shoulders and held me at arm's length, as if we were long-lost friends who hadn't seen each other in years. I tried to hide my surprise and offered a polite smile.

"If it isn't the Jorgensen heiress and the highest Legacy herself!" she exclaimed, finally letting go of my shoulders. She extended her hand toward me with a friendly grin and introduced herself, "I'm Agatha Conneray!"

Conneray? So, she was a fellow Legacy. Her father must be one of my father's co-founders, judging by her last name. I shook her hand, finding it a bit challenging to meet her chocolate brown eyes. Her blonde hair flowed down her shoulders in waves, and her blue dress contrasted nicely with her eyes. A dimple appeared on her right cheek as she flashed a bright smile at me.

"That's my sister, Rebecca, over there," she pointed to another blonde girl sitting next to an empty chair. When she heard her name, Rebecca turned in our direction and immediately smiled at me, sporting the same dimple on her cheek and the same brown eyes, albeit slightly darker than Agatha's. She stood up from her chair and extended her hand, and we shook hands.

"Rebecca Conneray," she introduced herself, her British accent giving her away.

The resemblance between the two sisters was strikingly similar, to the point where you might mistake them for twins if you didn't ask them. The only notable difference was that Rebecca had a calmer demeanor and a British accent, while Agatha was more interactive. Despite my initial discomfort, I was beginning to feel my guard slowly lowering around them.

Tyrone seemed engrossed in conversation with two other boys around his age, whom I could tell were also Legacies. The rest of the group appeared close-knit, and I couldn't help but question why I hadn't made any friends among the other Legacies over the years. Reflecting on it, they all studied in the same place in London, while I was the odd one out who chose to stay home for my studies. 

In the room filled with chatter, I noticed a light brown-haired girl approaching us. Agatha squealed again as she spotted the girl and wasted no time in giving her the tightest hug she could manage.

"Coraline!" Agatha exclaimed. I could see Rebecca covering her face with slight embarrassment, and we both shared smiles as we watched the two ladies reconnect.

Cora, whose full name was Coraline, seemed to have difficulty breathing due to Agatha's tight hug.

"Cora, Agatha... it's Cora," she managed to say while stifling a laugh, finally catching her breath as Agatha released her.