Seeing Double-Adventure Plot

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Loosely based on Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night'

-Vitas and Sophie stood at the airport, not really knowing what to say. What can you say, an unseen divorce and partial custody for the next year? They wouldn’t see each other again till summer, the summer of their senior year. Sophie had driven Vitas and her dad to the airport, seeing them off. Her mother had already said goodbye to Vitas. Sophie hesitated, and said, “I’ll miss you Vi.”
-Vitas grinned for a second, saying “miss you too Soapie.” How do you say goodbye to a brother who you shared stupid nicknames with? It’s hard to realize something’s precious till it’s gone. Vitas checked his watch saying, “we gotta go Soph, but I’ll be in touch, dunno about Dad.” They both looked over at the middle-aged man sitting on the airport seats, staring at his plane ticket.
-“Ok, Vi. Bye Dad, I’ll miss you.” Sophie hugged her dad goodbye, choking up as he pulled her tight.
-“Bye Sophie. Know that whatever happens, Mom and I love you ok?”
-“Yeah Dad, I’ll see you.” She turned away as they walked toward the gate. As she walked off, Vitas called,
-“Soph!”
-“What Viking?”
-“Don’t go trying to take my place at Seaport!” Sophie grinned. She was really going to miss him, especially his jokes. At Seaport, Vitas was one of her best friends. Sophie kept with a small group of girls, tight-knit, and not the most popular crowd, but she loved them. They went shopping almost every weekend, and hung out every other.
-Sophie watched planes take off from her car. She wondered exactly which one held her dad and Vitas, leaving for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a long call from Seaport City, California. She thought about every one at school, thinking of Vitas’ friends. Emily, his ‘just friends’ girl, Sophie was pretty positive she liked him, but wasn’t brave enough to say, Maria and Toby, Emily’s best friends, dating, and voted ‘cutest couple’ and Andrew, one of Vitas’ not-so-close friends, due to the fact that he was also mad over Emily. Vitas’ best friend, Luke, was also, no big surprise, crazy for Emily. Somehow they were still best friends though. Sophie however, had been crazy for Luke ever since Andrew’s beach party. They had met, and barely said 20 words to each other, yet she was still crazy for him. And that’s when it hit her.
-Vitas’ friends didn’t need to know that he left. As identical twins, with a little makeup, she could pass for Vitas. They had the same honey-colored hair, the same bright blue eyes, and were almost the same height, Sophie was a tall girl. Why not do it? She’d get more friends that way, her friends would support her, maybe she could give them a boost along with it. And, she’d be closer to Luke. She could tell him that there was a last minute change, and Sophie went to Harrisburg. She changed course, and went to CVS to grab makeup, cologne and ace bandages before she went home.
-She walked into her house and called her best friend. Jess wasn’t so sure of the idea. She figured someone would find out, but agreed to help Sophie. Sophie next took all of the clothes her brother had left behind and stashed them in her closet. She figured she may need to plan a shopping trip to a men’s shop in the near future. She tried wrapping her body in the Ace bandages, to dull her curves and make her body thicker and more proportionate. She stuffed her brother’s shoes with old socks and pulled on the wig she’d picked up. It fitted perfectly, not showing any of her long wavy tresses. She grinned, putting on concealer and fake eyebrows; till she let hers grow out. The concealer dulled her feminine cheekbones and showed the tan lines on her body. The greatest sacrifice was to not shave her legs, which she figured would soon become disgustingly masculine. But in California, there wasn’t much of a pants season. She called Jess and asked her to come over. Jess flipped when she walked in the door.
-“GOOD GOD! You look just like Vit!!! You’re still a cute girl under there though.”
-Sophie giggled.
-“Don’t do that Soph, you’ll give it away. If you want to be a guy, you have to sound like one too.”
-Sophie tried her manly voice. Jess howled with laughter,
-“Okay, we’ll work on that one. Good thing it’s only Saturday!”
-On Monday, Sophie was nervous. She had memorized Vi’s schedule, but wasn’t sure she could make it. When she walked into Vi’s first period, she didn’t even have time to react. Luke walked up to her and grinning, grabbed her round the shoulder.
-“You missed the action this weekend bro! I thought you were leaving!”
-Luke’s presence hit her so hard she could only stare.
-“You all right man? Hey, did you shave? Looks good, that scruff wasn’t fitting you too well.”
-Sophie finally found her voice well enough to say,
-“Nah, m’ good. Sophie left instead of me, went to Harrisburg. Miss her.”
-“Yeah, your sister was cool, never talked to her much-liked what I saw though, you’re lucky to have a hot sister. Hey, do me a fav? Go talk to Emily and try to get a date for me-please? She’s right there.” He grabbed Sophie’s shoulder while she was still digesting ‘hot sister’ and spun her toward Emily.
-“You liked Sophie?” was her parting question.
-“Yeah, just a bit. Sorry bro, but she’s gone, would’ve asked her if she was here. Gotta have something!”
-Sophie found herself walking toward Emily, never having asked a girl out before. She walked over and said,
-“Hey. Emily.” Emily looked up and checked her out. Another thing that Sophie wasn’t quite used to.
-“Luke wants to know if you’d like to go on a date with him, y’know, party? Soon.”
-“Umm, no thanks, sorry, unless-Vitas-right? You’re going to be there?”
-“No-don’t think so, sorry, but Luke just wanted to know if you would. See you round.”
-As she walked away, Sophie was aware of whispering behind her back and Emily’s eyes on her back. Oh god. Why did she do this? Luke liked Emily. How could she get him when she dressed as a man? Luke used to like her, but now he thinks she’s gone. Her cell phone rang, Vi’s number popping up on the screen. Great. She walked outside into the sun to answer.
-“Hey Vi. What’s up?”
-“You’re not going to believe this Soph. I’m coming back.”
-She stood, stunned.
-“Why?”
-“Dad had a change of heart, wants to come back and live here instead. I was pretty surprised myself.”
-“Oh god. I have to tell you something, when does your plane get in?”
-“I’m at home now. Dad’s at the hotel. Why are my clothes in your closet?”
-“Meet me afterschool by my car, it’s in your usual spot. Ok?”
-“Sure, sounds good! I can’t wait to see you Soph.”
-“Yeah, me either. See ya!”
-Sophie whirled around when she felt a tap on her shoulder, and started when she saw it was Emily.
-“Hey Emily,” she said cautiously, “what’s up?”
-“Vitas-I kinda have to talk to you.”
-Good lord, Emily thought, is this what girls really come across as to guys? This is sad.
-“Bout what?” was what she actually said.
-“I was wondering if you’d ever ask me out. Really. I mean, we’ve been really close for a while, and I was just thinking…” she trailed off, smiling up at her, mistaking- as everyone else had done, Sophie for Vitas. On the other hand, Sophie knew Vitas liked Emily, and didn’t want to ruin his chances.
-“Umm, can I get back to you on that? I’ll see you later.” She ducked into Vitas’ last period class, relieved. Luke was sitting there, waiting for ‘Vitas’ to walk in.
-“Hey man, I didn’t mean to freak you out or anything earlier, I just, liked your sister a bit. I’m kind of stuck between liking a girl miles away and a hottie here-though I think Emily likes you.”
-“Luke, what if Sophie actually wasn’t leaving, and was here in town?”
-“I would probably ask her out man! Why? Am I still freaking you out?”
-“No, Luke, Sophie’s here, she back, she’s not leaving. It’s cool if you like her-I think she really likes you too. In fact, I’m Sophie.”
-Luke looked at her, a little wierded out.
-“Vit, seriously, stop playing, dude, c’mon.”
-“No, really, I’m Sophie. I took Vitas’ place to talk to you, he was the one that really left. But he’s coming back. Come outside with me afterschool, you’ll see him.”
-“Seriously, Sophie? I couldn’t really tell the difference, that’s creepy. Though your face is different, couldn’t get my finger on it.”
-Sophie laughed, reverting back to her normal voice. “That must be the two tons of makeup I’m wearing-and the ace bandages I used. It’s crazy, don’t ask.”
-“So you never knew I liked you?”
-“No, we never talked, but I really like you still.”
-“So, you would go out with me if I asked you?”
-“Yes, if you asked me.”
-“I’m asking then.”
-“Yeah, I’d love to Luke. Thanks.”
-“For what?”
-“Asking me and believing me. I’ve still got to sort out Emily Ryder, who still thinks I’m Vitas.”
-“Good luck, I’ll come over to your car afterschool, and prove it if I have to.” He winked, and went to sit in his class seat. Sophie exhaled a long breath. Thank god this only took one day. She hoped Vitas would wear the cologne she had bought though; she didn’t know what she’d do with it otherwise.
-As the bell rang, she jumped up, oblivious to Luke calling her name, and ran outside to her car – and was greeted by a strange sight. It was the real Vitas, with Emily, kissing, in the parking lot. Luke came up panting behind her.
-“Looks like everything had a happy ending huh? They look happy enough. Is she kissing the real Vitas? Or should I find that out?”
-Sophie turned and looked at him confused. Luke grinned, and bent down and kissed her, taking off the wig as he did. Sophie grinned, saying,
-“Nice. And if I had been the real Vitas?”
-“Probably would’ve beat me up, thinking I was a creep.”
-“That’s Vi for you.”
-“Yeah well. Put the wig back on, I want to see what Emily does.”
-Sophie giggled, slipping it back on. She walked over to the real Vitas and Emily, saying, “Hey Viking, hey Emily!” and giving Vitas a big hug. Vitas looked stunned. So did Emily. Luke was howling with laughter.
-“Sophie?” Vitas was the first to catch on, and began to laugh as Emily stuttered in the background.
-“Yeah. Long story, but I got what I dressed for,” she said, indicating Luke. “We’re togther, and Emily, sorry, but I think you confessed your feelings to me, not Vi.”
-Emily just stared. Sophie took off the wig. “See?”
-“Yeah, now I’m just glad that I got here to catch the REAL Vi. Yikes.”
-“You dress a pretty good guy Soph, I’m impressed.” Luke smiled, as Sophie struggled to get off the Ace bandages that were wrapped around her torso, and Emily went to assist her.
-“Beach anyone?” called Vitas from the car “Now that Sophie’s a girl again?”
-Everyone agreed to go. In the end, Sophie thought, resting her head on Luke’s shoulder and watching the sunset, legs back to normal, and makeup washed off, she was glad that being a guy only lasted one day, and she had Vitas back, along with two new friends. But would she ever pull another cross dressing? Don’t think so.