Twins Amber and Calcite couldn't be any less alike. Where Cal is happy to stay at home with his piano and guitar, Amber has a desperate need to see unknown places and explore the wilds. Chasing a childhood dream into the jungle of Selvadorada, Amber finds a dream cut short...and Cal finds himself living for two lives, instead of just one.
Canela: I’ll miss you when I leave.
Amber: …mm…
Canela: *chuckle* Maybe someday I’ll tell you how I feel. Not today, though.
Some time later…
Amber: …mm…sorry…
Canela: No need to be sorry. Sleep well?
Amber: *yawn* Sort of.
Canela: What’s wrong? It isn’t like you to not sleep at home. You’re not staying up too late reading, are you?
Amber: No, I just…can’t sleep.
Canela: Nightmares?
Amber: No, just. I can’t sleep. I can’t study, punching things doesn’t help, I don’t. I can barely think of anything but Gran and Gramma and how much I miss them and I–
Canela: That’s grief, amiga.
Amber: Wha–no. No, I can’t–
Canela: Of course you can! It’s normal to grieve someone who’s gone…Amber, you loved them. It’s okay to miss them. It’s only been a few weeks since your Gran died!
Amber: You don’t get it. I can’t.
Amber: Mama’s so heartbroken she’s getting sick, Cal’s barely holding it together, Ma’s distracted–if I fall apart I’ll just make things worse!
Canela: Amber, it isn’t your job to be strong. They’ll understand.
Amber: They’ve got enough to deal with!
Canela: And you don’t? Amber, holding it all in isn’t helping you, either.
Amber: I have to…
Canela: *sigh* When my Mama died, I cried for weeks. Have you cried at all?
Amber: You were six! We’re eighteen–we’re about to graduate!
Canela: That wasn’t what I asked.
Amber: …
Canela: Amber…have you let yourself feel anything about this? About your Gram?
Amber: I can’t! If I let myself start I’ll never stop and there’s not enough time–there’s never enough time, Canela! They both should have had decades they didn’t get and now they’re gone and I–I–
Canela: It’s okay, Amber. You don’t have to hold it back here.
Amber: I…I just…
Canela: You don’t have to worry about hurting me. Just let it all go. I have you–
Amber: Why are they gone?! They were–they should have had years but now they’re both gone and I don’t know…I don’t know what to do I can’t–
Amber: I can’t fix this!
Canela: It isn’t your job to fix it. Death is a part of life.
Amber: It wasn’t supposed to take them too!
Amber: It wasn’t–I wasn’t ready to lose them…I…
Canela: Shh…shh…come here. I’ve got you.
Amber: I miss them so much!
Canela: I know. I know. It’s okay. Let go.
Amber: I…*sobbing*
Some time later…
Prof. Ciruela: You seem better now. A bit.
Amber: I feel better. A bit.
Prof. Ciruela: You really hadn’t…for two years?
Amber: Losing Gram kind of hit us by surprise…Mama took it really hard. There wasn’t…space for me to be falling apart, too. I had to be strong for them.
Canela: And that led to never letting yourself grieve, too.
Amber: Ah…I guess not. Cal has his music, so he had that to use, but I…well, I guess I just bottled it all up.
Prof. Ciruela: Your Gram wouldn’t have wanted that for you, mija.
Amber: No, I know that. I just…I guess I never thought there was a good time for it.
Prof. Ciruela: You learn to make time, or it will take it.
Canela: Like it did today.
Amber: Yeah, I…heh…I learned that lesson, trust me.
Prof. Ciruela: You should talk to your mothers about how you feel. I promise, they grieve just as much as you do.
Amber: Yeah, but with Mama sick…I dunno. It doesn’t feel right, putting more on their shoulders.
Canela: They’re your moms, Amber.
Amber: Who have their own things to deal with! Besides–I’m fine now. At least, I feel fine. Seriously, I’m okay.
Prof. Ciruela: …alright.
Canela: Papa?
Prof. Ciruela: But our doors are always open, if you need them.
Amber: I know. Thanks.
Some days later…
Amber: …ugh…remind me again why anyone needs trigonometry?
Palus: People…build with it?
Maré: None of us are architects.
Lacus: I got nothin’.
Saffron: How’s cram coming, kids?
Palus: Fine. Aunt Saf, did you ever use trig?
Saffron: Trigonometry? Watcher, no! I don’t know anyone who did. Basic match, sure, even algebra, but Trig? Forget that.
Corona: Ugh…I wish we could. It’s on the math placement.
Amber: None of us are going for a scientific or architectural placement, tho…
Saffron: Let me go see if I can find those old textbooks.
Calcite: Thanks, Ma.
Amber: Ugh….who came up with this system…
Lacus: See why I’m going for athletics?
Amber: Because you’re more brawn than brain?
*Everyone laughs*
Corona: No more…
Palus: I’m cooked. Broiled. Roasted.
Amber: Done as a duck on Harvestfest Night. *sigh* This better be worth it.
Lacus: Not too late for you to all switch to athletics with me. Make our own team…
Maré: Punch you in the face.
Calcite: Tempting. Ugh…at least these are our entrance tests, too…
Palus: Tell me about it. Final placement and entrance exams?
Corona/Amber: No..
Calcite: Well, we got what we could. Guess tomorrow’s the real test.
Corona: Ugh…Watcher preserve us all.
Corona: So, we’re decided, right? We’re all going to Wineburg U?
Calcite: That’s the idea. They’ve got the degree programs we’re after, and apparently have a…group discount.
Amber: They do. Family enrollment clause.
Corona: Oh, good. Saves our parents some money.
Palus: Plus high final exam scores get academic bonuses. I think they’re the only university that still does that…
Lacus: The only one that didn’t charge our firstborns. Britechestnut is expensive!
Maré: Like our firstborn’s firstborn expensive. Ugh.
Corona: Okay, so definitely Wineburg U! *sigh* We’re gonna need winter gear.
Amber: That’s the easy part. Actually moving out is gonna be the hard one.
Calcite: Yeah…it’s a big step.
Palus: Dad can’t wait to have us outta the house.
Lacus: Even for just a couple of years.
Calcite: …wonder how Mama’s gonna take it.
Amber: Ugh….don’t remind me.
Corona: Hey, if you’re this homesick over the idea of going to uni, how’re you gonna handle going Selva, huh?
Amber: Ugh. I dunno.
Corona: Accounting for X, find the square of Y…more like why did anyone think this was a good idea….
Maré: Temperatures at 450, time is 45 minutes…that’s too high for baking. Ah!
Palus: This was supposed to be hard?
Calcite: We can’t all be geniuses, Pal.
Lacus: Speak for yourselves…*groan*
Calcite: Who was composer of Dashing and Bashing–oh. Oh, that’s unfairly easy.
Lacus: Why can’t there be questions about athletics…
Dove: If you’ve finished, sign here.
*PA System crackles*
All students, put down your pens. The Final Placement Exam has now concluded.
Lacus: Thank Watcher that’s over.
Calcite: Haha, it wasn’t that had, Lac.
Canela: It was much easier than I was expecting it to be! How do you all think you did?
Corona: Aced it.
Maré: I tripped on trig, again.
Lacus: …I think I failed Simlish.
Palus: Oh, Lac. *Laugh*
Palus: It’s a good think you weren’t going for analytical placements!
Amber: You’ll be fine, cousin. When do they post the results?
Canela: *laugh* Impaciente! The results go up soon.
Calcite: And as if there’s any doubt about your results, Am.
Amber: Not mine, yours! I’m…I’m not going to Wineburg without you all, so we have to make it, okay?
Calcite: heh, okay. Okay.
Calcite: But we’re gonna be fine. I can feel it.
*PA System crackles*
Attention all students: Results for Class 3 have been posted.
Maré: That’s us!
Amber: Cor I can’t see–move over, will you?
Corona: Hang on…
Lacus: Please please please…just high enough for Wineburg…just high enough for Wineburg!
Palus: Ugh, I can’t make it out–Corona, move!
Canela: Everyone scored over 90!
*Squealing, relieved laughter*
Amber: We did it!
Corona: We did it! Wineburg, here we come!
Moonstone: Everyone over 90…wow. All that cramming came in handy, then.
Calcite: Yeah. Still broke Lacus’ brain, though.
Amber: And now we all have to pack for Wineburg.
Moonstone: That’s still a few months away, honey bee. Saf, do you have any contacts there?
Saffron: A couple, and I think Skye knows the Dean. We can make some calls.
Amber: Just like that? I thought–
Saffron: What, that we wouldn’t want you to go? Babe, no. No, you two need to go. Hell if we’re going to stop you!
Moonstone: House’ll be quiet with just us and Ori, though..
Calcite: You’ll call if anything happens, right? If..if things go south, you’ll…
Moonstone: We will. But don’t worry, baby. I’ve got a good while left in me yet.
Saffron: You two just focus on your studies, okay? I know Wineburg offers accelerated programs, but live a little! Make friends, have experiences…we’ll be fine here, I promise.
Moonstone: You can always come home if you need to, but something tells me you’ll be too busy to do that.
Amber: Mama…
Calcite: Am, you’re acting like we’re going away forever!
Amber: I’m not! I just–Gran and Gram are gone and we’re leaving and…
Moonstone: Nope. Stop right there.
Amber: Mama–
Moonstone: Don’t. You two have your own lives, and your Gram and Gran would want you to live them. We want you to live them.
Moonstone: And that means more than being stuck in a small town for the rest of your lives! I can still kick you off the step if I have to!
Saffron: easy, hun. *laugh* But seriously, you two. Don’t stick around for our sake.
Calcite: You wouldn’t let us if we tried.
Saffron: Of course not. We’re your moms. We want what’s best for you, and that means getting out of this bubble!
Saffron: So go. Go to Wineburg, go to Selva, go to other places. And come back with stories for your Moms, okay?
Calcite: We still have the dance tonight, if you want a story.
Amber: Ugh. Don’t remind me.
That evening…
Calcite: Lookin’ good, Crystal. Too bad you’re going stag, huh?
Amber: Left–left right left jab roundhouse–faster, faster–!!
*doorbell rings*
Saffron: Coming! Hi, Canela. That’s a very pretty dress.
Canela: Thank you, Doña Saffron. Are the twins ready?
Saffron: Should be. Guys! Canela’s here!
Calcite: Coming! Am, come on!
Amber: Go without me!
Calcite: Amber! Ugh, not again…
Saffron: *sigh* You know where her room is.
-
Canela: Amber, I’m coming in!
Canela: …Amber what are you doing?
Amber: What does it look like?
Canela: It looks like you’re avoiding a dance.
Amber: That’s—when did you get so good at reading me?
Canela: I’ve had some practice. What’s wrong?
Amber: …I don’t want you to leave.
Canela: What?
Amber: I know you’re going back to Selva. You’re going to Alam, not Wineburg, and you’re gonna leave after prom so I don’t–
Canela: Ah. You don’t want to say goodbye again, is that it?
Canela: Amber, mi querida amiga, it isn’t forever. You’ll get your degree, I’ll get mine, and we’ll meet again in Selvadorada.
Amber: That’s years away…
Canela: We’ll both be too busy to feel them, I promise.
Amber: I can’t even call you because of how far it is…
Canela: We can email. We will email. It won’t be the same, but it’ll do. For now.
Amber: I…yeah. I guess so.
Canela: But my flight does leave tomorrow. Do you really want to waste what little time we have left in here?
Amber: …no. Sorry.
Canela: Don’t be sorry. Come here.
Amber: I’m gonna miss you…
Canela: I’ll miss you, too. Now get changed–you owe me a dance, at least!
Amber: So is this a date?
Canela: With as handsome a woman as you? I could only be so lucky. *laugh* Only if you want it to be.
Amber: A friend date.
Canela: A friend date it is. We should go.
Saffron: Your Great Gram Aurora took the whole line down at hers, and we almost took the whole line down at mine! You kids don’t know what you’re missing.
Calcite: Ma, I think I speak for all of us when I say a club’s a lot more fun than a line dance!
Amber: Oh, hell yes it is.
Saffron: You whippersnappers and your new dances and your EDM. Bah!
Ori: *snort*
Saffron: Alright, alright. Go on–get lost, the lot of you! Curfew’s at midnight, call if you need a ride home!
Calcite: We’ll be fine, Ma! Come on, guys.
Canela: A line dance?
Amber: Don’t ask. There’s some questions that should never get answered.
🎶
Amber: Okay, this is more fun than I thought!
Lacus: Told you!
Amber: …yeah. Yeah, I do.
-
Amber: One Fruity Fizz, please!
Bartender: Comin’ right up.
🎶
-
Canela: *sigh* You never change, do you.
Canela: Thought I’d find you here. Can I get a root beer, please?
Bartender: You got it.
Amber: I thought you’d be dancing.
Canela: I was. My partner sort of abandoned me.
Amber: Sorry. I’ll make it up to you in Selva.
🎶
-
Canela: …let’s get some air. The balcony should be empty.
Canela: So how did your mothers take your plans?
Amber: Threatened to kick us out of the house if we didn’t go ourselves.
Canela: I shouldn’t be surprised.
Canela: What’s bothering you? I thought you wanted to go?
Amber: I do! I just–there’s never enough time.
Amber: Gran and Gram died before they should have, you’re leaving tomorrow, Mama could go at any time, and I just–
Canela: Feel like you’re running out of time to do what you want and be here.
Amber: Yeah.
Amber: I mean–I’ve spent more than half my life getting ready to go to Selva, but now that I’m almost there I’m needed here so–was all that studying a waste of time?
Canela: Nothing you love is a waste, amiga, even if it doesn’t turn out like you hoped.
Amber: Thanks, that’s real helpful.
Amber: How am I supposed to choose? Give up the years I spent, or the future I want, and then what? Feel like I wasted the years I stayed here anyway? How is that–I just–
Canela: Amber…*sigh* You have to do what is right for you.
Amber: I don’t know what that is anymore!
Canela: Yes. You do.
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