Если я останусь

           Scheinwasstillalittleweirdedoutbymyfamily—"Soyouworkinarecordstorewhileyoustudytobecomeateacher?Andyoudothecooking?Howunusual,"shesaidtoDad—Mr.ScheindeclaredmyparentsdecentandourfamilynonviolentandtoldKim’smotherthatKimoughttobeallowedtocomeandgofreely.

           Forthosefewmonthsinsixthgrade,KimandIshedourgood-girlpersonas.Talkaboutourfightcirculated,thedetailsgrowingmoreexaggerated—brokenribs,torn-offfingernails,bitemarks.Butwhenwecamebacktoschoolafterwinterbreak,itwasallforgotten.Wewerebacktobeingthedark,quiet,good-girltwins.

           Wedidn’tmindanymore.Infact,overtheyearsthatreputationhasserveduswell.If,forinstance,wewerebothabsentonthesameday,peopleautomaticallyassumedwehadcomedownwiththesamebug,notthatwe’dditchedschooltowatchartfilmsbeingshowninthefilm-surveyclassattheuniversity.When,asaprank,someoneputourschoolupforsale,coveringitwithsignsandpostingalistingoneBay,suspiciouseyesturnedtoNelsonBakerandJennaMcLaughlin,nottous.Evenifwehadowneduptotheprank—aswe’dplannedtoifanyoneelsegotintrouble—we’dhavehadahardtimeconvincinganyoneitreallywasus.

           ThisalwaysmadeKimlaugh."Peoplebelievewhattheywanttobelieve,"shesaid.