"Lisa baby," Kayla said, now 30 years old, "Would you be a dear 'n wake your brother up? You guys' bus will be here in two hours."
"He still needs to get ready." Vira added, now 50 years old.
"Sure momma." Lisa said, cheerfully as she ran upstairs.
Lisa and Lionel were both 16 years old and is starting high school for their sophomore year. Lisa was a happy, cheerful young lady. When she was little, she wanted to be a performer like her brother, but her interest changed and now she wants to be in the armed forces. She loves to help with chores around the house and loves to be active. Lisa now has long straight, but frizzy, hair and a perfect body figure like if she was in the cheer squad. She'd always want to wear t-shirts and overalls and would only wear dresses if she's going to dances, parties, or fancy restaurants the family goes once and a while. Her hair would always be up in a bun or up in a ponytail. The only time her hair was down, it was when she was getting ready for bed. Lionel became more of a shy boy and kept his distance. He was the same boy he was when he was little. He still remembers the amnesia accident, Lionel still remembered "the bad man". Lionel's lips healed, but according to Lisa, Vira, and Kayla, he was a good kisser. When his friends found out, they were okay with the situation and gladly supported Lionel throughout the years. They even gave him a nickname. Everyday, they call him Lips. Even Kayla and Vira got into the idea. Lionel's hair became more shaggy than ever and became more of an afro. He had a small, but faded goatee piece on his chin, but it wasn't fully a goatee yet. Lips would always wear ponchos and white long sleeved shirts and blue jeans and sandals. He would mostly wear the shirts than the ponchos. His voice became a little deeper when he hit puberty. When he was a talker, he always would have the kind and sweet tone in his voice that would want someone to give him a hug and be his friend. Lips loved to play with his trumpet still, he was beginning to become more of a pro now. Lisa, Zoot, and the rest of his friends wanted Lips to join the talent show, but Lips declined.
Lips was sleeping in his room. He still slept with the same bear because of his nightmares of the attack still scared him. Lisa entered and smiled at her brother. She knew he liked his nickname and wanted to be called that now, but Lisa loved to call him Lionel. Not just to mess with him, but because she loved that name.
Lisa crawled on top of Lips and tried to pull the covers off of Lips. "C'mon Lionel get up!" Lisa said, shaking Lionel's shoulder, "It's our first day!"
Lips only moaned. "Five more minutes...." he moaned.
"You said that already." Lisa said, digging her hands under the covers, "Don't make me tickle you again."
Lips threw himself up from bed. "Okay okay..." he said, wiping his eyes. Lips hated being tickled, especially from Lisa. She would tickle him every morning to get him out of bed and it annoyed Lips, but he loved her so it didn't matter.
Lips yawned and got out of bed. Lisa ran to his closet and grabbed the closest blue jeans and black baggy t-shirt she found. She then threw them in balls at Lionel.
"Ow Lisa please!" Lips moaned, "I can get my own clothes..."
"Too late." Lisa said simply, kissing Lips's cheek and placing his red sandals on the clothes pile on his bed, "Now hurry 'n get dressed. Momma 'n Granny made blueberry pancakes for breakfast."
Lips nodded as she left. He shook his head and chuckled silently. He knew he loved her, but Lips knew Lisa was crazy. He slipped his pajamas off and then slipped on his baggy black shirt and blue jeans and then strapped on his red sandals. He then grabbed a nearby hairbrush and began to brush his afro the way he liked it. After that he went to the bathroom and ran some cold water in the sink. He then took a cloth and dipped it in the water to wash his face. After he did that, he looked in the mirror after he brushed his teeth, sighed, and then said, "Another day..."
Lips sighed and walked downstairs. Vira and Kayla smiled at him.
"There's my li'l music man." Kayla said, walking to Lips, half hugging him, and kissing his cheek. Lips giggled quietly. "Momma...."
"C'mon 'n eat, baby." Vira said, also half hugging Lips, "Your bus will be here soon."
Lips nodded. As he sat down, Kayla hugged Lips from behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders while he ate. She kissed the top of his head and began to slowly caress the sides of his hair. Lips flinched and giggled. He looked up and smiled at his mother. Kayla smiled back and kissed his forehead.
"Sleep okay baby?" Kayla asked. Lionel nodded. "Yeah." Lips replied simply.
"I can't believe my little babies are sophomores now." Kayla said softly, "I still remember when you two were babies."
"Don't worry momma we're still your babies." Lisa said, now looking at Lips, "Even Lionel's STILL a baby." Lips just gave her a dirty look, but Lisa just poked his sides, leaving Lips shrieking and giggling. "Don't do that!" he whined, "Ya know I hate that." Lisa just giggled.
"Oh play nice you two." Vira said, giggling, "You two can wrestle when you get home."
On reaching the school, Lips and Lisa were walking out of the bus and in the school.
"Yo Lisa! Lips!"
The twins turned around to find Zoot, smiling and waving to them. Zoot had full curly hair and black glasses. He was wearing a yellow shirt with a black shirt jacket to cover it. Zoot was wearing brown pants and brown sandals, similar to Lips's.
He approached the two and smiled.
"Whazzap?" he asked, "Excited to start this boring first day of the crap?"
"Zephyre you're just one of them school haters aren't ya?" Lisa asked.
"Pre much." Zoot nodded.
"It don't mind me none tho." Lips whispered.
"I know, Lips." Zoot replied smiling and putting a hand on Lips's shoulder, "I know you like school. Just not as much as your sister."
"Hey I'm goin' in the army one day," Lisa said, punching Zoot's arm, "I gotta get my grades all good!"
"Sheesh okay I'm sorry!" Zoot said, rubbing the spot where she hit him, "By the way, Karen's lookin' for ya. She's over at art class."
"Thanks Zeph." Lisa said, then kissing Lionel's cheek, "I'll see ya later, Lionel. Zeph keep 'n eye on him."
"Ey I always do don't I?" Zoot asked, chuckling.
Lips giggled as Zoot gave him a half hug. "C'mon pal, let's go find the guys. They should be over in chemistry." he said.
"Why did we have to take chemistry?" Lips asked.
"I dunno, we couldn't make up our minds." Zoot replied, "But be glad we all get music together."
Lips nodded. "True true. Hey c'mon we're gonna be late." Zoot nodded in agreement.
As he was taking a seat in music class with Zoot, he peered over and saw the rest of his friends entering the room.
John had a short beard going on, but a little bigger than Lips's. He was wearing blue shades, red and blue striped V-neck with short sleeves with a black vest over top, blue jeans, and dark brown tassled flats. Floyd now had a small ponytail and had a small mustache growing. He was wearing a black Beatles t-shirt, ripped brown jeans and black converses. Animal now had crazy red and pink hair and was on a spiky leash held by Floyd. Animal's mother insisted on having a leash on Animal because he was basically part dog, but he's still human. Animal was wearing a white t-shirt that was torn a bit and was wearing a torn black necktie. Animal wore some torn brown leather pants and only some black converses. Janice was mostly beautiful to Lips, but he knew that she was still taken and still called "Teeth's babe". She now had long hair, but she would always put a strand of hair up with two ponytail holders. She was wearing makeup around her eyes and lips, and was only wearing flower or seashell jewelry. Janice was wearing a white t-shirt with a pink tank top over top, along with a blue ripped skirt, pink leggings with black leg warmers, and white converses, similar to Floyd's but white.
"Ey there's our pal Lips!" Floyd said, coming over and ruffling Lips's hair. Lips just giggled. He liked getting called his nickname more than getting noogied in the head.
"Summer good, man?" Floyd asked, "We heard that you went to Texas?"
"Naw man we went to Hawaii." Lips said, "Not goin' back to where that bad man is. Would've been nice to see family though..."
"Eh don't worry 'bout it, brother." John said, wrapping an arm around Janice's waist, "There's always Christmas, I'm sure."
"I think they might be comin' here instead of us goin' there." Lips confirmed, "It never snows there."
"Too true." John said, nodding, "Too true."
"Hey first dance coming up!" Janice said.
"Already?" Zoot asked, "We just got back 'n they already scheduled it?"
"Fer sure." Janice replied, "Like, right around September I think? It's ladies' choice!"
"Think we'd get dates?" Floyd asked, "If Teeth didn't date Janice, I'd totally take Janice."
"I bet you would, Pepper." John replied, playfully punching Floyd in the arm. John liked to be called Teeth or Doc or just Dr.Teeth. He officially figured the nickname out when he was 10 and everyone in the group agreed, even though teachers, his family, and his friends' families still call him John.
"Like, I'm sure you guys can get dates." Janice said, "You're pretty much ladies men."
"Pretty sure I ain't." Lips said sadly.
"Aw c'mon Lips there's gotta be that one girl you like." Zoot said, wrapping an arm around his friend, "There's gotta be!"
Lips just shrugged and shook his head. "Whatever, I might not even go. I wonder who's the lucky guy Lisa's gonna ask?"
"Lisa's like, the cutest girl in school." Janice said, "Since you two are like, identical twins, you two are rully attractive."
Lips blushed pink. "Janice stop I'm not attractive." he mumbled.
"Ya kinda are." Floyd argued, smiling. Lips just blushed more. He then decided to change the subject and clicked open his trumpet case. He began to polish it and tried to get over his blushing, but his friends continued to tell him how attractive he is.
"Guys please Lisa's the more attractive one." Lips protested, "She's on the cheer squad for god sake."
"We know, we're not that dumb." Floyd said.
"Besides, she's like a guy magnet." Lips said, "Me? I'm just a dude single. I get scared when I see cute girls..."
"What about Jan?" Teeth asked.
"Her I'm used to." Lips said, "I've been friends with her since I was five!"
Janice smiled and hugged Lips. "None taken, Lips." she said.
"Trust me, I dunno if I'll even get a date by September." Lips said.
"Ya mean by this Friday?" Zoot asked.
Lips's face became pale, he grabbed his nearby music sheet book and began hitting himself in the face with it. Zoot finally blocked his book from hitting his face after 3 hits.
"Look pal I know you can get a date." Zoot said, "Least you can do is try?"
Lips sighed. "We'll see...."
What Lips and the others didn't know was that Lisa was just leaving the downstairs locker room for gym class. Since the locker rooms were nearby the music room, Lisa overheard the entire conversation between Lips and his friends. She did feel bad for her brother, considering he's shy around beautiful and attractive woman except her and Janice. Lisa had been asked millions of times from men from her previous gym class, but she declined them because she wasn't interested. Lisa knew she wanted Lips to go to the dance, so she knew what she had to do.
Lips was doing his homework in his bedroom, trying to understand his Biology and his Math. Until, a knock was heard from his door with a Dizzy Gillespie poster.
"Lionel?" Lisa called, "You busy?"
"Kinda." Lips replied, "I got a minute. What's up?"
"C'mere come open the door." Lisa said, "My arms are full."
Lips sighed, got up, and did so. As he opened the door, he saw Lisa holding a poster board that wrote, "Wanna go to the dance, bro?". Lips's eyes widened when he saw Kayla, Vira, and even Zoot, Dr.Teeth, Floyd, Janice, and Animal were surrounding his room. Vira was even video taping.
"S-sis....I-"
"Look I heard what you, Zeph, 'n the others were talkin' about of the dance," Lisa said, "But I want you to have the best sophomore year this year. I wanna take my twin brother to the dance this year."
Lips's eyes watered a bit as he smiled. "Are you sure...?" Lips asked with a cracking voice, "I hear a lot of guys asked ya-"
"I told them no." Lisa said firmly, "I wanna take you to the dance, Lionel. Ya mean the world to me 'n I love ya."
Lips smiled as more tears came out of his eyes. "I love ya too!"
Lisa placed the poster down and hugged Lips, letting him bury his face in her shoulder and whimper. Lisa stroked each of his hairs on his head. Everyone was cheering and saying "aww..." as the twins embraced.
"Is that a yes? Are you saying yes?" Floyd asked, putting a hand on Lips's shoulder.
Lips nodded.
Everyone cheered louder as Kayla ran to the twins and hugged them both and Zoot patting Lips on the back.
Lisa adjusted Lips's yellow bow tie as she smiled. She was wearing a yellow ruffled dress reaching a bit below her knees and was a no strap. Lips was wearing a white short sleeved jacket with a black shirt inside and white pants. He was still wearing his sandals and Zoot even gave Lips a yellow fedora to borrow.
"You look great." Lips whispered.
"Hey don't act like we're gettin' married, Lionel." Lisa joked, "But thank you I do much appreciate it." She smiled as she hugged him tight.
Vira and Kayla walked in and smiled in awe.
"Oooh you two look beautiful..." Kayla said smiling, trying to fix Lips's jacket.
"Momma I just fixed his jacket." Lisa said smiling.
"Just a couple more pictures?" Kayla asked.
Lips and Lisa looked at each other then sighed. "Fine." Lips said, "Maybe just two more. We gotta meet up at Teeth's."
In spite of dates, Teeth was obviously taking Janice and Floyd decided to go with Karen, but he quickly changed his mind when Animal asked her out. Floyd was only going because he was a ladies man and he wanted to keep Animal out of trouble. Zoot was going with a girl from the music class, but she declined. However Zoot kept his ticket so he can go with his friends.
At the moment as Lips and Lisa were getting pictures out by their garage, Zoot approached quickly and jumped in the picture, giving a peace sign. Luckly, Lisa noticed and slapped Zoot.
"Zephyre!!" Lisa shouted, giggling, "You goof!"
Zoot chuckled and gave Lips a bro hug. "Lips my man," Zoot said, "You look stunnin'."
Lips smiled. "Thanks, man. You don't look bad yourself." Zoot smiled.
They then saw the rest of the gang show up. Teeth was in a black and white suit with a pink tie and had a fluffy top hat. Janice was wearing almost the same dress as Lisa's, only it was skin-tight, a baby pink, and went only to her thigh. Floyd was wearing a dark red jacket with a black shirt on the inside with matching pants. Animal was wearing a dark purple ripped jacket with black jeans. Teeth's sister, Karen, was also taking part of the group ride to the dance. She was wearing a bright purple dress that went to her knees, similar ruffles like Lisa's.
"There you are, man." Floyd said, "Where were ya?"
"Sorry guys, our momma wanted to get more pictures of us." Lisa explained.
"Hey let's get in a group picture!" Floyd suggested.
As everyone came in for a group picture, Lips wrapped his arms around Lisa and Zoot and smiled. As Kayla and Vira took pictures, Lips smiled as he hopped on Zoot's lap. Lips immediately felt like a little child again when he was on Zoot's back.
Lips stood as Lisa and Karen danced on the dance floor with their friends. Lips even saw Teeth, Zoot, Floyd, Janice, and Animal dancing together in one corner. Lips began to feel why he didn't want to go in the first place: he knew he was going to feel left out and he knew he was going to be keeping his distance from everyone. Lisa then saw her brother sitting by himself and frowned. She excused herself from Karen and walked away towards Lips.
"Lionel what're you doin' sittin' here by yourself?" Lisa asked, "Aren't ya'll havin' fun?"
"I honestly don't know." Lips said softly.
Lisa sighed and then heard some slow music being played in the background. Then an idea popped in her head.
"Hey I know somethin' we can do." Lisa said, holding out her hand to him, "C'mon come dance with me."
Lips's head perked up.
"Sis I know nothin' bout dancin'." Lips said, "I never learned to dance."
"That's what I'm here for!" Lisa said, taking both of Lips's arms and pulling him up, "Now c'mon!"
Lips suddenly found himself being pulled to the dance floor by Lisa and he began feeling rushed. Lisa then took both of Lips's hands and smiled at him. "Just follow my lead." Lisa said. Lips nodded and did so.
Lisa smiled as she started to dance a little and let Lips copy her.
"You're doin' good bro." Lisa whispered, placing her head on Lips's shoulder, "Now just keep repeatin' those steps. You're doin' just fine." Lips smiled as he danced, putting his chin on Lisa's shoulder.
"You're doin' good Lionel!" Lisa said.
"Yeah!" Lips replied happily, "Kinda not that bad for a first time."
"You're a champ, bro." Lisa said, "Maybe at your wedding we'll do somethin' like this."
"That is if I get one."
"Don't be silly-billy, of course you'll get a woman in your life. One day."
"I hope so."
"The right one will come Lionel. You just have to be patient."
Lips smiled as he danced and hugged Lisa. Zoot and the rest of the group were watching and smiled.
"I knew he'd do good." Zoot said.
"Same, my brother." Floyd said, "Same."