Melanie hurried toward class. She’d overslept again. Her nose crinkled at the scent of pine cleaner as she edged past a yellow “Wet Floor” sign. Melanie looked down to avoid any wet spots and bumped into Mrs. Adams, Julie’s teacher.

Mrs. Adams glared at Melanie. “Julie, get to your seat. Class is about to start.”

“I’m Melanie.  Julie’s already at her desk.”

Mrs. Adams blushed as she noticed Julie sitting in the front row.  “Sorry, Melanie,   I can’t tell you twins apart.”

“Happens all the time.”

Melanie headed to class and sat down just as the bell rang. I hate looking like Julie, she thought.

Walking home after school, Julie asked, “How was your day?”

“It was okay, but I almost got to class late. Why didn’t you wake me?”

“I’m not your keeper,” Julie answered. “You have an alarm clock. Use it.”

“Great attitude, Julie, I would wake you if...”

“I’m not you.   Am I?” Julie interrupted.

“No, you’re not!”  Melanie snapped.

They were quiet the rest of the way. At home, Julie stopped in the kitchen for a snack. Melanie went to their room to do her homework. She heard Dad arguing with Julie again. Melanie huffed and put on a CD to muffle their voices.

About an hour later, as Melanie packed her books away, Julie came in and said, “Mel, I need a favor.”

“What?” Melanie barked.

“You know I have a big math test in two weeks.”

“Yeah.”

“Dad swears that if I don’t ace this one, he’ll get me a tutor. Then I can’t play soccer in May because Dad can’t pay for a tutor and soccer.”

“So? Why don’t you try to study and do homework instead of stuffing your face after school?” Melanie asked.

Julie ignored her.  “Remember when we used to play switcheroo in class to tease the teachers?”

“Yeah? What about it?”

"Why don’t we do a switcheroo so that you can do my test?”

“What?  You’re crazy. We can’t do that!”

“Sure we can,” Julie said, “You’re great in math and no one at school can tell us apart.  I can sit in your spot in Mr. Benson’s class while you take my test. We’ll do a trial run tomorrow. Last period, we switch places.”

The next afternoon, Melanie sat at Julie’s desk. Mrs. Adams said, “Class, you have twenty minutes to go over chapter six before we start the discussion.”

Melanie tried to read but couldn’t concentrate. She looked up. Mrs. Adams stared back. She’s on to me, Melanie thought. I’m in big trouble! Melanie hunched over the book, pretending to read.

“Julie, would you please answer Question 1?” asked Mrs. Adams.

Melanie felt nauseous. She felt the blood drain from her face. Her head whirled and her hands shook.

“Julie, what’s wrong?” Mrs. Adams asked. “You look ill. Perhaps you should see the nurse.”

Melanie hurried out of the classroom without a word.

Later, Melanie and Julie sat in their bedroom. Melanie explained, “I can’t do this switcheroo. It’s wrong. I almost threw up in class today!”

Julie wouldn’t listen. “You’ll be fine. You can do it. You’re always there for me.”

Melanie couldn’t believe that Julie expected her to lie, to cheat! She ran into the bathroom and slammed the door. She leaned on the counter and stared into the mirror. Was that Melanie or Julie? There were the same blue eyes, the same freckled nose, the same shoulder-length, sandy-blond hair…Suddenly, she had an idea.

Melanie hurried back into the bedroom. She grabbed her money jar, emptied it onto her bed, and counted. Twenty-five dollars. Shoving the money into her pocket, she rushed down the stairs and hollered, “Dad, I’m going out.”

“Okay, Mel, be home by six.”

Melanie checked her watch as she sped down the street. 4:30 - she had enough time. She turned right at the corner, continued another three blocks and paused in front of “Sally’s Beauty Salon”. As Melanie pushed through the glass door, jingling the chime, she breathed in the sweet fragrance of shampoo and hairspray.

Sally held up her scissors and looked up from behind Mrs. Grayson. “Hi. Are you Julie or Melanie? I can never tell you apart.” Sally laughed. Melanie shrugged.

“I’m Melanie. Can you cut my hair today?”

“Sure, just let me finish here, and I’ll be right with you.”

At 5:30, Melanie emerged with a shaggy, new look. Thrilled, she slid her fingers through the velvety layers.

Dad saw her as she walked into the house and gasped. “Mel, you cut your hair!”

Melanie beamed. “Yeah! Isn’t it fantastic? Now everyone can tell Julie and me apart. Where’s Julie?”

“She’s upstairs, doing homework.”

Melanie bounded up the stairs and barged into the room. “Surprise!”

Julie screamed. “What did you do? You don’t look like me anymore!

“I told you. I can’t do your test, but you can still get an ‘A’.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“I’ll tutor you, on one condition. You have to promise to wake me up if I don’t hear my alarm clock.”

“You’re on!” Julie exclaimed, hugging Melanie to seal the deal.

A few weeks later, Melanie was at her locker putting her books into her backpack. Julie rushed up the hallway. Her face was flushed and her eyes shone with tears, but she was smiling.

“Mel, check it out,” she blurted, holding a sheet of paper out in front of her. “I got an ‘A+’ on my math test!”

“Cool!” Melanie dropped her backpack and grabbed her twin in a bear hug. “I’m so proud of you! Let’s go home and celebrate.”

© 2006-2008 Lucie Bouchard Antoniazzi ~ All Rights Reserved