Page 60 of The Originals


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Feeling silly, I push thoughts of Mom from my head and think of Sean until I fall asleep.

twelve

Creative writing is a work period and in the middle of class, Sean asks if I want to hang out after practice. He says it so easily, reminding me that hanging out after school is what most kids do. Most kids don’t rush home so the evening clone can leave the house.

>The hours pass, and eventually Betsey returns home.

“So, what’s this about?” Bet asks when we’re settled on couches. “Did you discover the meaning of life?”

“Funny,” I say, not laughing. “No, this is sort of serious.”

Ella and Betsey both give me their full attention. I’m not sure of the best way to tell them the things I’m thinking. I start with the office space.

“The day Mom and I got in that fight, remember I followed her?” I ask. Both of them nod in unison, synchronized like they’re doing it on purpose.

“How could we forget that day?” Ella asks. Her tone is joking, but it stings nonetheless. Betsey smacks her on the arm.

“Anyway,” I say, “Mom said she was running errands, but she wasn’t.”

“What’d she do?” Ella asks, face scrunched up in confusion.

“She went to a small office building,” I say. Bet’s face scrunches up, too. “I thought maybe she had an appointment or something, but then she got out and unlocked the door. With her own key. Like the office is hers.”

“What?” Bet asks. “Why?”

“I have no idea,” I say. “But it’s weird, don’t you think?”

“Are you sure you don’t just think you saw her unlock it?” Ella asks. “Maybe—”

“She unlocked it.”

“That’s so strange,” Ella says. “I mean, she already has an office here, and probably one at the hospital, too.”

“Why would she need another one?” Betsey asks, finishing Ella’s thought.

We’re all quiet; there are only so many times I can say “I don’t know.” I let it sink in before bringing up the second thing. I tell them about the Twinner app, and about how I let Sean use a photo of me to find my twin.

“Lizzie!” Ella shouts. “That was really stupid!”

“Maybe,” I say, “or maybe not. But that’s not the point. The point is that a match came back. She looks like us; older, but otherwise just like us.”

I listen to the clock tick; we stare at one another. Finally, Betsey speaks.

“You think it’s her, don’t you?” she asks excitedly. Betsey’s always been the one most fascinated by the girl we call Beth. “You think she’s the Original.”

“Probably not,” I say. I hesitate. “But what if she is?”

“Impossible,” Ella says. “That would mean that Mom lied, which doesn’t make sense. Why would she tell us so much about how we were created but lie about the fact that the Original was dead?”

“Maybe she didn’t want us to be able to find her,” Betsey offers. Her dark eyes are sparkling like she’s been given a mission. “Maybe there’s something about her Mom doesn’t want us to know.”

“Maybe you’re bonkers,” Ella says, reaching over to grab a handful of tortilla chips.

“Well, maybe Mom doesn’t know, either,” I say. “Maybe the clients lied to the researchers about the Original being dead. Maybe they just wanted a spare for—”

“Ew,” Betsey says, “a spare kid? Like a spare tire?”

“There are messed-up people in the world,” I say, shrugging. “You never know. But honestly, my money’s on Mom being the one who lied to us.”

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