Meet the twins 2

     Ten at night signaled the start of the nightly ritual.
     With two girls it would have been impossible for both of them to shower in the morning so they had agreed that one would shower at night and the other in the morning. Their parents were surprised at how eagerly they accepted that plan but soon understood why. Deanna took her shower while Melissa stood at the sink going through her nightly ritual of cleaning, scrubbing, exfoliating, and moisturizing her face. Each took about the same amount of time to complete their task.
     "You know" Melissa started, patting down her face as Deanna stepped out of the shower wrapping a towel around her head. "I take about half as long as you do in there."
     "Yes and then you spend twice as long in front of the mirror."
     "Maybe, but you spend forever in there washing your hair."
     Deanna wrapped a towel around her body as she sighed. She knew where this was going.
     "We are not having this argument again. I'm not in the mood."
      "I'm just saying…"
     "I know what you're saying. It's what you always say in the endless campaign that you and mom have to get me to cut my hair."
     "You haven't let mom or anyone else cut your hair since we were eight."
     "That was when you talked me into those dumb matching haircuts. I think I cried every time I looked in a mirror for a month."
     "That was ten years ago. Isn't time you got over that and got all that chopped off into something more practical?"
     "My hair is more practical than yours."
     Melissa couldn't stop herself from laughing. She casually flipped her shoulder length hair as she spoke
     "How is you having all that hair more practical than mine? "
     "Simple," Deanna smiled. She continued talking as she went out the door. "You spend an hour every morning curling, straightening, and applying whatever substance you choose to that day to get your hair to keep looking the same way as when you left the salon. You can't even go outside if it's raining without worrying about it getting wet and all that stuff running down your face. While I either just leave mine in a braid, put it up or leave it loose and I'm out the door."
     "That's when you don't get it caught in the door," she called after her.
     "That only happened once."
     Melissa finished up and followed her out in to their bed room. Deanna had changed in to her sleeping shirt and shorts and was sitting on her bed. Melissa watched her as Deanna took the towel off her head shook her hair out, patted the water out of it with the towel and laid it out on another towel on the bed behind her to air dry.
     Deanna picked up one of her new shoes and began rubbing a small bottle on the heel.
     "What are you doing?"
     "The heel got scratched up when I got stuck in that grate, by the way thank you for not warning me about that. I'm just putting some polish on it to cover it up. I want them to look good for the ceremony tomorrow."
     Melissa shook her head in amazement. This was a side of her sister she'd never seen before. She went to her night stand, picked up her phone and began typing on it furiously.
     "What are you doing?" Deanna asked.
     "Updating my Facebook status," she read aloud what she had typed. 'Mark this day on your calendars; for today, my twin Deanna Marie Watson, actually cares about how she looks'."
     "Two words for you sis. The first one starts with 'F' and the second one is 'you'."
     Melissa smiled at Deanna's annoyance.
     Doesn't matter what you say sis, Melissa thought. This award thing has finally brought out the girly side in you and…
     An idea came to her.
     She dismissed it at first for being too cruel and mean spirited but…
     It has been almost ten years since she's gotten a haircut, Melissa thought looking at the pile of hair on the bed. She ignores every attempt and hint mom and I make about her doing something about it.
     It was time to try a different approach to the problem of her sister's hair.
     "How long is your hair now?" Melissa asked.
     "Are you still going on about that?"
     "Humor me."
     "About to my knees."
     "Stand up and turn around for a second," Melissa told her.
     "Why?"
     "I think for once you're wrong."
     Deanna curious put down the shoe, stood and turned. Melissa was quiet for a few seconds then spoke.
     "Knees? With it wet and down like that its way past your knees. Try ankles Rapunzel."
     Deanna eyes went wide in surprised at that. It was reflected in her voice.
     "Really?"
     Melissa shook her head in disbelief.
     "You don't even…, you're supposed to be the smart one and you don't even know how long your own hair is?"
     Deanna turned to face her arms crossed.
     "What's your point?"
     "When was the last time you looked at it in the mirror?"
     "Why?"
     Melissa readied herself. She was about to be extremely cruel and unfair to her twin.
     "It's all raggedy."
     Raggedy wasn't the right term, Melissa admitted to herself. Over the past ten years Deanna's hair had simply grown out in multiple layers in different lengths. It was the kind of look people paid a lot to get at a salon and she had gotten it naturally by just leaving it alone. But if she told her that, she'd never even consider what she was about to suggest.
     Deanna frowned at her.
     "What do you mean, raggedy?"
     "In the ten years you've been avoiding scissors it's grown in uneven. You've got some parts that are a lot shorter than the others. Some of it ends around your hips, while the center is just a few inches away from your ankles with the rest at varying lengths in between. It's a mess. I mean you've got that award thing tomorrow, right?"
     "Yes."
     "It's a really big deal isn't?"
     "Yes."
     "It must be. I mean you got a new dress for it and hell your even going to wear heels for the first time. Don't you want your hair look good as well?"
     Deanna wasn't sure where this was leading. For once what Melissa was saying did make sense… but then why was she starting to feel nervous?
     "I do… but what are you trying to say?"
     "Ok you want to be Rapunzel. You want to have freakishly long hair. I get it. But if you're going to grow it out that long you have to do it right so you don't look like you're homeless or have been living in the wild for the past few years."
     Deanna eyed her suspiciously.
     "Ok... So how do I do that?"
     Melissa went back in to the bathroom, picked up the little scissors from the sink that she used to trim her bangs, and came back out.
     "Hear me out before you say no. The first thing you have to do is even it out. You should cut it at your waist. It'll still be freakishly long as you like it but it'll look better and a lot less straggly. Then you can grow it out with it looking more even."
     Normally Melissa's talk of cutting her hair would have sent Deanna into an angry rant at her, but this time…
     Tomorrow is really important, Deanna thought. I really want to make a good impression. But I don't want her too… But if it really looks that bad…
     Deanna pulled her still damp hair in front of her and was holding on to it with both hands at her chest.
     She shook her head no.
     "I don't want to."
     "I know. That first snip is the hardest, but trust me you'll look much better."
     And more like a girl than the unkempt tomboy you look like now, Melissa finished to herself. Odd, by this point she's usually screamed "no" or something like that at me and stormed off…
     Melissa's thoughts trailed off as she looked at her twin's face.
     "You're really thinking about doing it," she said in surprise. "You're really thinking about cutting your hair. This award ceremony must be really important for you to actually be considering doing it."
     "Is that true?"
     The voice from the door startled them and they both turned at the voice.
     Their mother stood in doorway watching them holding a full laundry basket. She was an older version of them but half a foot shorter than them with slightly graying chin length red hair and green eyes. It was from their father that they got their height, blonde hair and blue eyes.
     "Sorry, I was just passing by with the laundry when I heard that. Is it really true?"
     "Is what true? Melissa asked her.
     "That after all these years Deanna is finally thinking about cutting her hair?"
     "She hasn't yelled at me to shut up, go away or said no."
     "Honey, you really should. It would look so much better."
     "I've had it this way for years," Deanna replied.
     She really is thinking about doing it, Melissa realized. But… Deanna's voice had slightly pleading tone to it that made Melissa almost feel guilty for bringing the subject up.
     "I'm not going to cut it all off," Melissa said comforting her. She walked over to her and put her hand just above the small of Deanna's back. "Just up to here. That'll get rid of most of the uneven ends."
     Deanna's face was conflicted.
     "That a nice length," their mother commented. She put down the laundry basket and walked up to them. "You won't have to worry about sitting on it anymore."
     The look on Deanna's face was really starting to pull on Melissa's conscious.
     "I promise. Nothing shorter than here," Melissa reassured her.
     "That's still three feet of my hair you're cutting off."
     She may actually go through with it, Melissa thought taken aback. After all these years, she's finally going to let me cut her hair... So why do I feel so guilty?
     "Only some of what we cut off will be that long. Most of it will just be a few inches," Melissa wasn't sure who she was trying to convince. She was starting to have second thoughts when their mother spoke up.
     "It'll just take a second and you will look so much better at the ceremony tomorrow," she held out her hands.
     Deanna shook her head no.
     Her mother put her hands over her. "Come on Deanna, let go."
     Deanna looked between them then slowly let her mother open her hands and released her grip on her hair.
     "Good. Now turn around, I'll hold your hands while Melissa cuts it."
     Her mother's hands took hold of Deanna's and held them in front of her. Deanna hesitated for a few seconds then she slowly turned her back to Melissa.
     Melissa saw the firm grip her mother had on Deanna's hands. She wasn't going to let her back out of this. And hearing her mother use the same argument she had… it sounded so manipulative.
     "Mom…" she started to protest.
     "Now Melissa. This is hard enough for her. Let's not drag this out any longer for her than it needs to be."
     Melissa herself hesitated then pulled Deanna's hair over her shoulder and let it hang loose down her back. She then knelt down and gathered Deanna's hair in her left hand at the point she had marked on her back.
     "See it'll still be this long." She tried to sound reassuring but her own conviction was failing. She was right, this was a lot of her hair she was cutting off.
     Deanna looked over her shoulder at her. The look on her face was already one of intense regret.
     Melissa held up the scissors in her right hand, opened them and placed Deanna's hair in them. She looked up at her.
     Tears were welling up in Deanna's eyes as they pleaded with her before she squeezed her eyes closed and turn back.
     Why did I do this? Melissa asked herself, her resolve broke as her conscious finally got the better of her. How could I have been so cruel to her? Oh De I'm sorry.
     "One quick snip and it's done," their mother said. She looked at Melissa and nodded. "Now Melissa."
     Melissa looked up at her mother and shook her head.
     "No mom."
     "What?"
     "No. I'm not going to cut her hair. She doesn't want me to."
     She stood up and addressed the back of her twin's head.
     "Look De, you're letting this award thing stress you out, and… you were about to do something that you'd regret later."
     "But…"
     "I know what I said. It is uneven. But…"
     "But what?"
     "It's you. It's just the way you are."
     Deanna blinked away the tears that had been forming.
     "I didn't really want you to cut it."
     "I know."
     "Honey…" their mother started.
     "You've always told us to be individuals mom," Melissa interrupted her. "You said that just because we look alike doesn't mean we have to be alike."
     "Yes I did…"
     "So I'm a high maintenance fashion plate and she's a scraggly haired egghead. It's what we are. So no, not cutting her hair."
     Their mother looked at the two of them and sighed.
     So close, she thought. This is the closest she's ever come to doing it. And she would have gone through with it if Melissa hadn't… oh well. Next time.
     She let go of Deanna's hands.
     "You really should dear."
     Deanna shook her head.
     "Not tonight mom."
     She shrugged and went back to the laundry basket and carried it away.
     "Mom will get over it," Melissa said. "With me here she's used to disappointment…"
     Melissa's words were cut off as Deanna threw her arms around her and hugged her.
     "Thanks for not doing it."
     Melissa hugged her back
     "I tricked you in to that. It wasn't fair. I'm sorry."
     "You're apologizing?"
     "Watch it egghead. I still have those scissors and your hair in my hands. I can chop it off right now if I want."
     She heard her almost laugh into her ear.
     "You won't."
     "What makes you so sure?"
     "You didn't when you had the chance."
     "That was a momentary attack of conscious. Which has now passed."
     "Sez you."
     Melissa opened the scissors and put them Deanna's hair in to them behind her back.
     "I'll shave your head if you do it," Deanna said in to her ear.
     "I know you would."
     "So put down the scissors and let go of my hair."
     Melissa let go of both then squeezed her twin.
     "My clueless little sister," Melissa said stroking the back of Deanna's head. "I'll get you to get haircut yet."
     "I'm the older one. And no you won't."
     They stood like that holding each other for a few seconds.
     "We should stop this before they see us," Deanna said
     "Yeah, they might start thinking that we like other," Melissa agreed.
     "Which we don't."
     "Totally can't stand each other."
     Neither one moved.
     "Bimbo."
     "Egghead."
     "Love you Mel."
     "Love you too De."

     "Dammit De will you stop moving before I poke you in the eye?"
     They were in the ladies room of the hotel where the award ceremony was taking place. Melissa had taken Deanna there to touch up both of their makeup after eating.
     "Just hurry up. They'll be starting soon."
     "I will if you hold still. There, all done."
     Melissa had done a lighter version of her usual makeup on her twin. She had also curled her hair which gave a multi layered spiral look to her hair.
     "You look great. "
     "Thanks. Tell me, how do you walk in these heels all the time?"
     "Practice. Just remember how I showed you how to walk. Slow steps with your head up."
     "I know. I know. Come on let's get back."
     They left the ladies room and walked back down the hallway.
     "You know it wouldn't hurt if you dressed up more often," Melissa commented.
     "You mean if I started dressing like you."
     "Well, yes. That way I wouldn't have to keep looking down at you to talk."
     "Or you could not wear heels all the time."
     "Yeah. Not gonna happen."
     "And how many times have you missed the bus because you couldn't run to catch it?"
     "Let's see, being on time to school or twisting an ankle or worse breaking a heel. Guess which one I'll choose."
     "You're hopeless and slow down. I can't walk as fast as you can in heels."
     "If only you knew the power of the blonde side." Melissa gestured dramatically. "You could fulfill your destiny and take your place at my side."
     "Never," replied Deanna equally dramatic. "I am an engineer like my father before me."
     They turned the corner laughing and one of the event hosts was standing there.
     "Oh good there you are. We're about to start. I'll show you the quick way back to the ballroom."
     He opened a door ducked in to it. They followed him in to the service back hallway. Empty food carts lined the wall along with several buckets with mops filled with dirty water. Several had puddles around them indicating they had recently been moved there.
     "Mind the water ladies," the host cautioned them. "Be careful not to slip or step in it."
     "No really," Melissa whispered. "We were going to splash around in it."
     Deanna couldn't help laughing.
     "Stop that. This is serious,' Deanna said looking back trying to hide the smile on her face.
     Ahead another host stood with another person.
     "That must be the person that came in second behind y…"
     Melissa stopped as she bumped into her sister.
     "Hey why'd you stop?"
     Deanna didn't answer. She was staring at the other person standing there.
     Melissa followed her gaze. He was shorter than them, even without their heels. Thin with spiky red hair and glasses.
     "He looks like Harry Potter and Ron Weasly had a teleport accident," Melissa said.
     "He's cute."
     Melissa's brain slipped out of gear momentarily as it attempt to process what it had just heard.
     "Did you just say he's cute?'
     Deanna nodded dumbly.
     She has never described a guy as cute before, Melissa thought. And the first one she does is a complete geek. Cupid moves in mysterious ways.
     "So, he's cute huh?", Melissa said. "You should go introduce yourself."
     'What? No I couldn't."
     Melissa sighed and lowered her head in exasperation.
     First time she sees a guy she thinks is cute, and she gets too shy to talk to him, she thought.  Looking down she saw a drain in the floor.
     Another idea came to her. This one was also mean, but unlike last night's she felt no qualms about doing it.
     "I see. Here stand over here for a second," she said putting an arm around her sister's waist. She guided her over toward it. She turned Deanna to face her, as she did Deanna stepped on to the drain. She stumbled as her heel sank in to it.
     "What the hell?" she said looking down
     "You so were so obsessed with him you didn't notice the drain in the floor that you just stepped on."
     "Why did you tell me to stand here then?"
     "Is your heel stuck in it?"
     "Yes."
     "Can you get it out?"
     "No."
     "Good then you can't stop me."
     Melissa turned and walked toward the object of her sister's affections. Deanna opened her mouth to yell but it was too late.
     Melissa walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.
     "Hello. My twin sister over there thinks you're really cute, but she's too shy to tell you herself."
     I will kill you in your sleep, Deanna ranted at in her mind.
     "Also," Melissa continued, "she's got her heel stuck in a drain and could really use your help."
     He blinked at her.
     And he's just clueless and socially inept as she is, Melissa thought as she leaned toward him.
     "That's your cue to go over to her and be her hero."
     He nodded slowly then smiling nervously walked over to Deanna.
     Guilt over last night completely erased, Melissa thought as she watched him kneel down and undo the straps on her shoe so she could take her foot out. They'll make a cute couple.