Six: A New Stranger in Town

"Have you ever thought about getting married, Cherry?" Ixora slurred as she took another swig of her beer.

Ixora was a bit tipsy, but then again, it was a girls' night out. They were at the bar while her best friend, Vera, was still at the club.

Cherry squinted at her twin with narrowed eyes and shook her head slowly, taking a drag from the cigarette in her left hand. "Nope. That's for losers, Crystabella. Those who can't stand on their own two feet," Cherry stated bluntly.

Ixora managed a sad smile. "I've been standing on my own since Mom and Dad passed away, but I still want to get married. I want to have kids." She hiccuped; her head felt like mush. "I just need to find someone who won't profess love one moment and then sleep with you the next."

Cherry snorted and leaned in to sniff her drink before downing it, feeling the burn down her throat. "Unlike you, I'm not interested in that fairytale called love. I just take what they offer, that's all. Men are all the same—stupid as hell. Good for sex, not for marriage. They're a bunch of idiots. I'm never getting married, not me, Cherry." She muttered, slamming her empty bottle on the table.

Ixora nodded, her words slurred, "Me too, sister, me too. But unlike you, it won't be because I didn't try. It's just hard for me to find 'The one'—to find love." She eyed her twin. "With you as my twin, I'm pretty sure I'm going to die an old maid. They can't even tell us apart." She frowned a bit. "The few men I tried to date in college, I couldn't even get past second base before you slept with them."

Cherry was tipsy herself. "Not my fault. they come to me, not the other way around. Men just hate all those other parts; they want to get straight to sex. Why do you think they say things they don't mean? Why do they even bother to learn your name? It's all about sex, baby. Love doesn't even exist, my dear sister. It's just a myth used to mess with every girl's head." She grinned cheekily. "And they all fall for it. Like good liquor."

Ixora was surprised. She was having a real conversation with her twin. That didn't happen every day. Cherry usually didn't care enough to chat; she was as tight-lipped as a sealed deal.

"Then, they end up hurt," Cherry continued. "Their poor hearts take a beating because they believed in nonsense. They put it where it shouldn't be. Why hurt yourself when you don't have to? You still get laid either way." She shook her head. "I just can't understand those lovey-dovey women. It makes me want to shove my fist down their throats when they start with all those emotional nonsense."

Ixora shook her head. Cherry was right, in a twisted way. She exhaled deeply. "You're creeped out by anything emotional, Cher. Hell, I haven't seen you cry in over a decade." Except in your sleep. But she didn't say that part out loud; Cherry wouldn't take it well.

"I hate feelings, Ix. Anything physical is fine by me...pleasure...pain. I hate emotions."

Ixora knew that. That's why her twin had been running from facing their parents' death for the past twelve years, turning cold and embracing trouble. Ixora almost said it, but she refrained.

"You just can't find love in a loveless place," she muttered instead, steering the conversation back on track.

"Everywhere is a loveless place, twin. Trust me, I know," Cherry sighed as she laid her head on the table, needing just a little rest. Just a little.

Hours later, after Vera had finished dancing and was ready to head home, she searched for the twins at the club but couldn't find them. Concerned, she decided to check the bar area, and there she discovered the twins peacefully asleep, their heads resting on the table, fingers intertwined.

Vera shook her head, observing them. No matter how intense their fights or differences, they always ended up together. They shared the same face and body but were as different as day and night, a true mirror image of each other.

As she looked at them sleeping, Vera couldn't distinguish which one was Ixora, her best friend. She approached the bar's owner, Don Dillon, and borrowed one of his vehicles to drive the twins home.

Vera managed to get them inside the house, but they were too out of it to make it to their respective rooms. So, she locked up the cozy cottage, turned off all the lights, and joined the twins in the living room.

They sprawled out on the floor, and that's how they all fell asleep, with no worries about tomorrow.

**********

Three Weeks later;

"Where are you going?" Cherry asked when she saw her twin coming out of her room all dressed up. It had been three weeks since their girls' night out.

"I'm looking for a job. I want to check if Mr. Ronald needs a new secretary, since I heard the last one resigned," Ixora replied. Mr. Ronald owned a small veterinary clinic in town.

Cherry rolled her eyes, "I don't even understand why you're looking for a job. We aren't having money troubles."

"Yet," Ixora injected. "What happens when the insurance finishes?"

"We still have our inheritance," Cherry answered, playing with her cigarette.

"When that one finishes too?"

Cherry blinked twice, as if the thought hadn't occurred to her before. "Well, I guess then, you'll be in deep shit. I'm never gonna be in money troubles."

Ixora waved her off, locking up her room. "Of course, you won't. With rich men like Don Dillon at your beck and call? So, allow the twin without such hope to go job hunting."

Cherry grinned, "Speaking of Dilly, you might not see me when you get back. I have to meet up with him later in the day," she said, daring her twin to say a word.

Ixora stilled. She glanced at her twin, then shook her head. No matter what, her twin's life was hers to live. "Just be careful, Cher."

Cherry looked momentarily taken aback. She was going to allow her to go without putting up a fight? That was a first. She cocked her head to the side and regarded her twin. "Don't worry too much," she said softly.

Ixora nodded as she waved her goodbye and headed out. Cherry's words stopped her in her tracks. "I heard old Marion's house has been occupied."

Ixora turned to her twin. Old Marion had died years ago, and none of his living relatives wanted to live in the property for various reasons. It was secluded, located in the woods, and looked like it was straight out of a horror movie.

The house had been empty for years because no one wanted to live in such a weird-looking place in the woods.So, it piqued Ixora's interest that the house had an occupant. "By who?"

Cherry shook her head, "Don't know. Just heard some girls talking about 'The New Scary Caveman in town'," she frowned. "Their nickname for him, not mine, by the way."

"A caveman, huh? Interesting," Ixora thought, her curiosity sparked. He must really be an odd character to earn a nickname like that, she concluded. "Well, since old Marion's house is just a few miles away from here, I guess I'll be running into him one of these days," she said to her twin as she turned and left the house.

***************

"I'm really sorry, but the boss is not in today. He traveled out to be with his parents and won't be back until further notice," one of the workers, a young woman appearing to be the same age as Ixora, or perhaps a year older, informed her in front of Mr. Ronald's office. Ixora also noticed that the young woman avoided making eye contact with her; she seemed scared shitless of her.

Ixora touched the woman's shoulder. When the woman flinched away, Ixora exhaled. "I'm Ixora, not Cherry, please."

The woman didn't seem entirely convinced. "Alright, if you say so, ma'am. I—I'll let you know when the boss comes back. You can leave your contact information with us," she stammered.

Ixora took a deep breath and wrote down her contact information as the woman instructed. She made sure to write her name in bold letters.

When the woman saw the name she had put down, she began to relax. "Must be the good Bella after all," she thought. She smiled at Ixora as Ixora made her way out of the small clinic.

Outside, the air was a little chilly. Ixora stopped for a moment, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the unique Castle Lore breeze. Back in college, New York had been too busy, too crowded, too everything for an air like this. It felt good to be back.

She started walking home, greeting most of the people she came across. Only when she smiled and greeted them did they relax, realizing it was Ixora and not Cherry. It didn't help that Cherry had connections with influential individuals in high places, making most people wary of confronting her or reporting her actions. Given her ability to get away with just about anything—to some extent, you would only draw attention to yourself and would have face her wrath in the future.

Her twin was one hell of a terrorist. And she had quite the reputation.

"Errm... Ixora, right?" she heard a hesitant voice ask behind her.

She turned around, recognizing him as Chris, old Bobby's son. She flashed him a grin. "Yes, it's me, Chris. How's your father?"

The teenage boy smiled, clearly relieved. "Oh, he's doing fine. It's just a little rheumatism bothering his old bones."

Ixora laughed. "Alright, I'm glad he's fine. Is there something wrong, Chris?" she asked.

The boy scratched his head. "Errm... You see, the evil Be—sorry, I mean your twin, she, errm..." He paused, seeming to gather more courage. "She owes money for a couple of beers she's been having for the past few days. She said I should take the money from you," he rushed out.

Ixora closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten, trying to calm herself. When she opened her eyes seconds later, she focused on Chris. "How many bottles are a few bottles, Chris?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Ixora closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten, attempting to calm herself. Seconds later, she opened her eyes, focusing on Chris. "How many bottles are a few bottles, Chris?" she asked through gritted teeth.

The boy started playing with his ear. "Six, ma'am."

She stared at the sky. Would it really be a crime if she just killed Cherry? God knows, her twin really deserves it!

she fumed as she dipped her hand into her bag, withdrew the money. She made sure it was complete before she handed it over to the boy. "Here you go..."

Chris was visibly relieved that the good Bella paid for the drinks even though she didn't look too pleased about it. Just the thought of going to the evil Bella to ask for payment gave him goosebumps. "Thanks, good Bella," he replied as he turned and walked back to his father's shop.

Ixora resumed walking. When she was sure the boy was out of earshot, she let out several strings of curses. "Damn trouble-making stubborn ass bitch!" she cursed, infuriated.

All the way down the road, she muttered to herself, giving herself detailed descriptions of how she was going to miam her twin.

 "Oh, how I'm going to cut off her legs and use them to beat the living daylight out of her! I'm going to pull out her eyes and sew them onto my handbag as a new design! Then, I'll cut off her pinky finger and use it to decorate our front door. After that, I'm going to...!" She stopped abruptly when one of her sandaled feet caught on a bump she hadn't noticed before, catching her off guard.

"Oh, shit!" she cursed again as she stumbled, losing her footing. When she regained her balance, she hissed in pain as she felt a stinging sensation at her toe. She massaged it; damn, that hurt.

When she became aware of her surroundings, she realized she was in front of old Marion's former house.

She recalled what Cherry had told her about the property belonging to someone else. Ixora looked around and that was when she noticed the girl standing a few feet away from the front of the house. The girl's long hair covered half of her face, but Ixora knew that behind that hair, that girl was looking straight at her.

Letting go of her hurting leg, Ixora forgot about going home as she made her way toward the girl.