Chasing Clouds

by Kathryn Andrews

His lips connect with mine again and slowly, deeply move in a way that lets me know, up until this moment, I have never really been kissed.

I hold out my hand, and she walks over and slips hers into mine. I’ve never been one who particularly cares about hand-holding, but hers . . . I think I could hold on to it for a really long time.

Why is looking at him like looking at the sun? Being held by him, the feel of him, the smell of him—it’s distracting and blinding as the heat spreads through me and curls in the bottom of my stomach.

this kiss is the kind stories are written about, the kind that will ruin me for anyone else.

She looks around the room, up at me, and then turns to climb into her bed, patting the spot next to her for me to follow. Of course I do, because when it comes to her, I can’t not.

‘Music is the only thing that understands and can respond to all emotions of the heart. When you’re happy you hear the melody, when you’re angry you focus on the beat, and when you’re sad you listen to the lyrics.’”

“My favorite thing we did was everything, because I got to be with you.”

You asked me why I did all this, and the answer is simple: it was love at first sight. I might not have recognized these feelings in the beginning, but they made themselves very clear, very quickly, and I would do anything for you, any time. I’ll always be here for you.

I never thought a girl like you would ever marry a guy like me. Thank you for saying yes.

I expected there to be an emptiness within, a great gaping hole, but there isn’t. Instead, through the tears, I blink and feel fulfilled—filled with friendship, support, and love, a love only a twin sister can give. Just because she’s absent doesn’t mean these things are, and I smile knowing they’ll never be gone, just like her.

Clare and I once asked Grandfather how we became identical twins and he said, “One egg, two hearts.” He said there was so much love in that one little egg, it had to split in two. The love couldn’t be contained, it had to be shared, and that’s what I plan to do. To love oneself is to love life.