Serenay Moon
Special XXXIV:
Through the eyes of a sister II
©2003 Kitty Ocean
Starleen smiled at herself while looking at the photos. She had so much fun on elementary school. All those kids admiring her because she was faster than the teacher. Not only that- she already knew how to multiply 13 times 34 when she was 7 years old; while the teacher needed a calculator.
Even though she had a great time at elementary school, Starleen easily noticed how kids handled smart kids on High School. Within a few days, Starleen became from the best student ever, to a normal student. Starleen even calculated how many questions she had to answer wrongly in order to get a C.
Starleen happily closed her locker. “I’m so fried.” She heard a girl saying beside her. “My parents will so kill me when they see this D.” The girl looked at Starleen. “What did you get?”
Starleen avoided the looks of her friend. “A C.” She replied and tried to change the subject. “Have you seen the new Jackie Lin movie?”
“I so hate High School.”
“Don’t worry Nenima.” Star replied. “Just a few more years and it’s over.” Suddenly Star felt like she was looking in a mirror. From the other side of the hallway a familiar face appeared.
Kitt looked at her sister with a steel and icy face. Star knew what had happened. Kitt barely passed the test.
Star felt insulted. ‘Don’t blame me that you are so stupid.’ But immediately, Star felt bad for thinking that. She knew she was a genius. Kitt was just… normal. Boringly normal.
“Star! Nenima!” Another girl skipped happily to the girls. “You won’t believe this. It’s, like, unbelievable!”
“What is it?” Nenima asked curious.
“Like, this is so awesome!” The girl continued. “I just saw Anna and Jeffrey making out in the science class!”
“No!” Nenima sighed shocked. “You’re kidding!”
The girl shook her head. “No, I’m so not kidding! I can’t wait till Jenny finds out!”
“Jenny will so kill Jeffrey.” Star grinned. “That shall teach him to do scientific studies like that without her.”
Nenima and the other girl gazed at her. “Huh?” Nenima asked.
“Eh… nothing.” Starleen made up. Obviously they didn’t understand her joke. “Just some pointless babbling.”
“Girl, sometimes you are so beyond me.” Nenima sighed.
That afternoon Starleen walked home, feeling a bit depressed. “Why is everyone so stupid?” She asked herself. “No, why am I so smart?” At elementary school being smart was cool, but at high school being smart was a walking death wish. At least at this High School.
Starleen sometimes really wished she was normal like the others. She felt like she was wasting her time in those classes. Each time she knew the answer, but raising her hand would make her ‘Miss-know-it-all’. She had seen some bright kids at her High School.
And they were always alone.
“What is the square root from 2025?” Someone asked.
Starleen sighed. “That’s 45.” She turned around, seeing who challenged her. At first she was bored (the question was way too easy!), but then she gulped. “ Hehe… Mark!” She swallowed.
“I knew it!” Mark replied, accompanied by his friends. “You’re one of them!”
“Eh, what do you mean?” Star asked; pretending not to know.
“You’re one of those nerds!” Mark pointed at her. “You can’t hide between those pretty clothes; I now know for sure you are one of those… those… geniuses!”
“It was just a lucky guess!” Starleen tried.
Mark walked at her. “I hate nerds! But they can help me…”
“With what? Tying your shoes?”
Mark and Starleen both looked back. “Kitt!” Starleen yelled.
“Well, if it isn’t Miss Troublemaker.” Mark grinned.
“Well, if it isn’t Mister Football Star.” Kitt walked at him. “Hey Mark, you know what I heard? I heard you failed another test.”
“I never fail a test!” Mark bellowed.
“Before or after you bribed the teacher?”
“My father is a rich lawyer!”
“And?”
“He will sue you!”
“For what?” Star asked. “What are you going to charge her for?” Mark turned at her. “You can’t sue her for telling the truth. Besides, you are the one who should get sued. Aren’t you the one that bribed the Coach so you could get into the team?” Mark fumed. “Aren’t you the one who bribes the teachers into giving you high grades?”
“That’s it pretty face!” Mark bellowed. “Say goodbye to…” He dove on to her, but suddenly someone came in between.
With a great kick, Kitt kicked back Mark. “Touch her, and you’ll be so sorry!”
Mark ignored the threat, and dove onto Kitt. Kitt jumped aside with a back flip and was ready for action.
“Stop that!”
All looked aside and saw the principal coming. “Great, Mister Zwyne. You’re now saved missy, but I’ll find you back.”
Mark hurried away with his friends. “Miss Ocean, are you causing trouble again?”
“No Mister Zwyne, just preventing trouble.” Kitt replied and walked away.
Star grabbed her arm. “You idiot!” She yelled. “Mark would have killed you!”
“Nah.” Kitt replied. “He’s too dumb for that.”
Star let her go. “I know that. I don’t need your help.”
“You were about to get killed!” Kitt replied back. “And after that he would have forced you to do HIS homework.”
“Like his homework is so hard to make.” Star walked away. “I don’t need your help. Never.”
“Fine!” Kitt yelled. “But then don’t come wailing to me when you get into trouble! I’ll never save your genius butt again!”
“Fine!”
Star lay herself back on her bed. Even though she hated to admit it, Kitt had saved her several times. First Mark and later Derak. Even though she hated to admit it, Kitt was not normal. Not boringly normal at all!
A few weeks ago the doorbell had rang. Star closed her eyes. She just knew who it was. And also… had a feeling she was gone.
“I’ll get it!” Starleen hopped at the door. Before she reached the handle, she knew who would be in front of it. “Kitt!”
The door swung open and Kitt was indeed in front of it. “Hey.” She smiled back.
Star’s face lit up, and she noticed someone else beside her sister. “Zach, you too?”
Zach waved and wanted to say something, when they suddenly heard someone else. “Let me go! I’m not going!”
Star looked around the corner and saw Derak clinched to a tree, and Mika and Moka trying to get him loose.
“Star, who’s at the door?” Her mother asked and walked around the corner. “In the name of….” She started but couldn’t finish. Kitt had already swung herself around her neck. “Kitt! You are back! Where have you been?”
“Long story mom.” Kitt whipped a small tear from her eye. “Very long story.”
“What’s all the fuzz…” Doctor Ocean walked into the hallway again. He stared at his daughter. He couldn’t say anything else. Just stare.
Star looked at her sister and her father. She remembered the many fights they had had. How would both react? Starleen already plugged her ears in case another fight was coming.
Instead of that, Kitt ran into the hallway and threw herself into her father’s arms. Both Star and her mother were confused. Kitt embraced her father?
“What did you do to her?” Star whispered asking Zach.
“I did nothing.” Zach whispered back. “She just learned the value of life.”
At that time, Star didn’t knew what Zach mend. Later he explained to her that on Umbra 6 Kitt lost a few friends and that she wanted to apologize to her father before it was too late.
“There you go.” Moka pushed Derak towards the door.
“You don’t have to be afraid.” Mika giggled. “It’s just a house!”
Doctor Ocean and his wife looked up. “You!” Both exclaimed.
“Aren’t you that guy that kidnapped BOTH my daughters?” Doctor Ocean loomed above him. “And almost killed my Kitty?”
Derak swallowed. “Oh yeah.” Mika remembered. “That’s right- you kidnapped Starleen somewhere around Haven Village, didn’t you?” Star’s mother began to fume. “And didn’t you kidnap Kitt a few times?”
“That’s right!” Moka added. “And you almost killed her at the Moon Tournament!”
“Thank you guys…” Derak swallowed. “And didn’t you guys beat her up a few times?”
“Eh… no.” Both shook their heads. “She kicked our butts…”
Doctor Ocean grabbed Derak. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t call the police!” He growled.
“Cool down dad.” Kitt sighed. “You are embarrassing me.” Her family looked confused at her. “It’s okay. They are my friends now.” She walked inside. “Besides, Zach almost got me killed a few times too.”
Now Kitt’s family stared at Zach. Zach swallowed deeply and sweated like hell.
During dinner Kitt told her story. “So, we have just arrived and need a place to sleep.” She put a potato in her mouth. “This was the nearest city so we decided to go here. Pass me the sauce, will you Derak?”
“How horrible!” Her mother exclaimed. “You were trapped at another planet just because you had to save a normal girl?” Kitt hadn’t told them about the Ladies and their powers. Kitt nodded. “You could’ve gotten killed!”
Starleen observed her sister. There was something different about her. Something really different. She heard Kitt saying that nothing dangerous happened and now that they were back they wouldn’t leave any more.
“Sure, Zach needs to inform his parents, and we’ll probably try and find our own place.” Kitt ate. “We decided to stay together for a while. So, can they stay here?”
“Sure honey.” Her mother smiled. But then she looked with a deadly glaze at Derak. “But he sleeps on the couch!”
Doctor Ocean nodded agreeing. “I want to keep an eye on him every moment.”
“Jeez dad, I told you it was okay! Derak changed!”
“Guys like him never change!” Doctor Ocean jumped up. “I forbid you to…” But then he stopped. All looked at Doctor Ocean. He then sat down and started eating again.
Star noticed the silence around the table. For a moment Star thought that the outburst would be a prologue to another fight between Kitt and her father.
“M…maybe it’s better if I go…” Derak mumbled and stood up.
“Sit down.” Doctor Ocean ordered. Derak looked shocked at him. “I trust my daughter’s judgment. Sit down.” It was silent again.
Star thought it was time to bring some happy news. “Hey Kitt, you are just in time for dad’s award!”
“Award?” Kitt asked.
Star nodded. “Yes, dad became scientist of the year!”
“Wauw!” Mika cheered. “Congratulations Mister Ocean!”
“Dad, that’s awesome!” Kitt smiled because of the happy news. “That’s the 3rd time! When will you get it?”
“Tomorrow.” Her father proudly smiled. “Hey, you know what? I’ll arrange that your friends can come along too!”
“All 4?” Kitt checked.
“All 4.”
“But I have nothing to wear!” Mika exclaimed worried.
“We’ll go shopping tomorrow.” Star’s mother smiled.
‘No,’ Star thought, ‘Don’t go shopping…’ She knew it had already happened, but refused to admit it. ‘I was born first!’
The next evening almost all were ready for the gala they would be attending. The boys wore a nice tuxedo and Mika jumped around in her sweet pink dress. “Do you like it Moka? Do you? Do you? Well? Do you?”
Starleen came downstairs. “Nice dress Star.” Zach complimented.
“How did you know it was me?” Star asked.
“That’s easy.” Zach smiled. “Kitt looks very different from you.”
“But we are twins.” Star said confused. “Looking at each other would be the same as looking at a mirror!” This was the first time she admitted she looked like Kitt.
“She just looks different.” Zach shrugged.
Star’s mother and father were ready too. “There, are we ready to go?”
Star grabbed Derak’s arm. “You’ll escort me.” She decided. No way she could come there alone while all the others would have a date!
“Eh…” Derak started. “Why?”
“Because otherwise I’ll be the only single girl there, and you’ll be the only single boy. Do the math kid.”
“Eh… okay.”
“Kitt, honey, we are waiting for you!” Her mother yelled. “We’re going to be late!”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming!” Kitt snarled. “That stupid hair of mine just keeps on getting messed up! It just doesn’t want to…” Kitt walked into the room. She stopped in the middle of her line. She simply gazed at Zach.
Zach couldn’t say a thing too. All they could do was gaze at each other. Mika broke the silence. “I wanted a dress just like Kitty, but they didn’t have it in pink.” She pouted.
Zach blushed a bit and scratched behind his head. “Eh… you look… very okay.” He swallowed.
Kitt blushed too. “Eh… you too.”
Star couldn’t ignore these feelings any more. With pain in her heart she looked at her sister. ‘When Kitty?’, she asked in herself, ‘When did you became so much older than me?’
Starleen looked at her twin. Starleen was the first born, a popular girl on High School and she graduated with the best grades in history. She had everything she could ever wish for!
But when Zach gentile took Kitt’s hand, Starleen noticed what she was missing in her life. Not only that… she lost her twin too.
For a second Star and Kitt looked in each other’s eyes. And Star felt worse with the second. Within Kitt’s eyes she saw pain, sorrow and love, but something she expected to see in her eyes sooner: maturity….
Starleen took the photos in her hand. The last picture was taken at the gala. Starleen was so happy her sister had returned, but at the same time she had changed so much! She didn’t recognize her at all any more.
Starleen raised herself. When she opened her eyes she was startled. Her breath seemed to stop. Before her, was a dark shade.
The shade belonged to a man she had never seen before. Her heart began to pump harder; why was he staring at her like this? And what was he doing in her room? Should she cry for help? Yet… he seemed only to be staring. He didn’t move at all. Was he real? Or an illusion? Why was her there? Had he come for her? Where did he come from?
More and more Starleen wanted to shout; screaming for her parents. Something was seriously wrong with this guy!
Yet, it was like she was in a spell, unable to move. It took all her strength to push one question over her lips:
“Who… who are you?”
The end.