The Twin nobody sees

Episode 4:Shadows in the Hall

Emily and Emma sat side by side on the couch, the air around them thick with tension. Emily could feel her sister trembling slightly, and she squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"Emma, we're going to figure this out," Emily said firmly, her voice laced with determination. "We're not letting some baseless rumor ruin everything."

Emma nodded, her eyes still clouded with worry. "But who would do this, Em? And why?"

Emily didn't have an answer. The rumor about Emma was malicious and hurtful, and she couldn't fathom who would want to spread such lies. She glanced at her sister, whose usually confident demeanor was now shattered, and her heart ached.

The next morning, as they walked to school, Emily noticed how Emma's shoulders were hunched, her steps slower. She wanted to offer some comforting words but didn't know what to say.

When they reached the school entrance, the usual buzz of chatter seemed to pause, and Emily could feel eyes on them. Whispers followed them as they walked through the halls, and Emily's anger simmered beneath the surface. She wanted to scream at everyone to stop, to defend her sister.

"Hey, Emma!" a voice called out. It was Ryan, Emma's boyfriend. He looked distressed, his usually confident stride faltering.

Emma's face lit up for a moment, but then she saw the confusion and doubt in Ryan's eyes. "Ryan, you don't believe this, do you?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Ryan ran a hand through his hair, looking conflicted. "Emma, I want to believe you. But everyone's talking about it. It's... hard."

Emily couldn't stay silent any longer. "Ryan, this is ridiculous. Emma would never do something like that. You know her!"

Ryan looked at Emily, his expression pained. "I know, but... it just came out of nowhere. I need time to think."

As Ryan walked away, Emma's shoulders slumped further, and Emily felt a surge of protective rage. She needed to get to the bottom of this. She needed to find out who was behind the rumor.

At lunch, Emily approached Jake, who was sitting with some of his friends. She felt a pang of nervousness but pushed it aside. "Jake, can I talk to you for a second?"

Jake looked up, concern in his eyes. "Sure, Emily. What's up?"

Emily hesitated, glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "It's about Emma. Someone started a nasty rumor about her, and we need to find out who did it."

Jake's brow furrowed. "That's awful. Do you have any idea who it could be?"

"None," Emily admitted, feeling a bit defeated. "But I can't just sit back and do nothing. Emma's hurting, and I have to help her."

Jake nodded, his expression determined. "I'll ask around, see if anyone knows anything. We'll figure this out, Emily."

As Emily headed to her next class, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She kept replaying the events of the past few days in her mind, searching for any clue that might lead them to the truth.

In the hallway, she spotted Maya from the art club and felt a glimmer of hope. "Maya, can I ask you something?"

Maya turned, her colorful hair catching the light. "Sure, Emily. What's up?"

"It's about the rumor going around about my sister," Emily said, her voice low. "Do you know anything about it? Anything at all?"

Maya's eyes widened with concern. "I heard about it, but I don't know where it started. People have been talking, but no one's saying who spread it."

Emily sighed, frustration building. "Thanks anyway, Maya. If you hear anything, please let me know."

As the day went on, Emily found herself growing more and more anxious. Every whisper, every sideways glance felt like a knife in her gut. She couldn't stand seeing Emma so broken.

After school, Emily and Emma sat together in their room, the silence between them heavy. Emily wanted to comfort her sister, but she felt so helpless.

"We'll get through this, Emma," Emily said finally, her voice steady. "We just have to stay strong and keep looking for answers."

Emma nodded, wiping away a tear. "I hope you're right, Em. I really do."

Just then, their mother called up to them. "Girls, dinner's ready!"

As they headed downstairs, Emily's mind was still racing. She couldn't shake the feeling that something big was about to happen, something that would change everything.

Over dinner, their parents noticed the tension between the sisters. "Is everything okay?" their father asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

Emily and Emma exchanged a glance. "Just school stuff," Emily said quickly, not wanting to worry them. "Nothing we can't handle."

After dinner, as Emily was getting ready for bed, her phone buzzed with a message. She picked it up and felt her heart skip a beat. It was from an unknown number.

"I know who started the rumor. Meet me at the old gym after school tomorrow. Come alone."

Emily's mind raced. Was this a trap? Or was it the break they needed? She decided to keep the message a secret for now. She didn't want to raise Emma's hopes just yet.

As she lay in bed, her thoughts swirling, Emily felt a mix of excitement and dread. Tomorrow could bring the answers they needed—or plunge them into deeper chaos.

One thing was certain: she would be ready, no matter what.