Through Thick and Thin
Faith and Grace were born on October third, at seven-thirty in the morning. They were identical, with their long, dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. The freckles on their noses were even in the same places, but the only way to tell them apart was their attitudes. Faith was sweet and gentle, while Grace was harsh and hurtful. Faith cared about others and their feelings but Grace could not care less.
The night of their twelfth birthday, they lie together on the couch, their hands clasped together. They had just had a surprise party at home, all their friends and family came, even Riley came. The boy they both liked. But everyone had gone, their parents had gone to bed and turned out the lights, leaving the two sisters alone in the dark.
"Grace?" Faith whispered, poking her sister in the ribs.
"Hm?" Faith sat up and poked her sister harder. With a groan, Grace sat up also.
"What, Faith? I'm trying to sleep."
"Do you think something is wrong with mommy and daddy?" Grace's face shifted into a frown.
"No, why do you say that?"
"Didn't you see them at the party today? They acted like they were strangers, they didn't hold hands or hug or kiss. They didn't even talk to each other." Grace sighed and dropped her head back on the pillow.
"Faith, when do they ever act like a couple in public, you know how much they hate public affection. They don't like when everyone gets in their business. Just go back to sleep and don't worry about it." Faith twirled a strand of hair around her index finger before sighing and lying back down next to Grace.
"But-"
"No, Faith. Leave it alone. I'm tired."
"Okay..."She muttered, turning away from her already snoring sister. Faith tried to get the image of her parent's faces in the kitchen, after the party, out of her head. They had been arguing silently and her mom ended up pushing her father into the counter. He grabbed her wrist tight and her mom's eyes widened. Faith had never seen them like that, they always had loved each other, through thick and thin. But Faith realized tonight wasn't the only night they had acted like this.
Faith seemed to recall them always fighting, whispering behind closed doors. Grabbing and pushing on each other. Hatred on their faces. Faith sighed and turned so she was able to grip her sister's warm hand which was too big for her own. Faith had always been smaller than Grace, but she didn't mind it. Even if she was born first, Grace had always been the one to stick up for her, to help her when she felt down and afraid. But at this moment, Faith couldn't help but feel her sister to be useless. No matter what Grace might say or do, Faith knew, her parents were a lost cause.
