Dev Dreams, Volume One by Ruth Madison Page A

seventeen. Sophie had
just moved to town a few months before so she didn't know that he
had dressed the same and wore his hair the same since he was five
years old.
    “Hey,” Alex said, “No homework talk. You guys
are such losers.”
    Paul laughed. “So we're the losers, what are
you?”
    Alex's twin brother, Jake, walked through the
front door then and saw them sitting in the living room. He paused,
looked them up and down, and started to walk past.
    “You're welcome to join us,” Alex said.
    “I don't know,” Jake said, “Can't get caught
hanging with the geeks.”
    “No one is going to see you,” Alex said.
    Jake was in the popular crowd at school. He
didn't talk to any of them there, but at home he wasn't so bad.
Sophie didn't know how it was possible that identical twin brothers
could end up on opposite ends of the social spectrum at school.
They were identical twins, and yet it didn't take long to tell them
apart. Alex's face was softer and rounder while Jake was all
angles.
    Jake laughed and walked toward them, but as
he came up, he tripped and fell forward, grabbing the edge of the
sofa to catch himself.
    “Jesus, Jake, we haven't even opened the
bottle yet,” Alex said, holding up the brandy he had stolen from
their parents' pantry.
    Jake sat down and said, “I'm just really
tired, it's made me clumsy all week. Pass me that.” He reached over
and took the bottle from his brother and opened it. He took a swig,
made a face, and passed it to Paul.
    “Are you sure this isn't cooking alcohol?”
Paul asked.
    “No,” Alex said.
    Sophie didn't take any, she held the bottle
gingerly by the neck as she passed it across to Jake again.
    “Oh come on,” Jake said, “Don't be
prissy.”
    There was something about Jake that made
Sophie feel embarrassed every time he talked to her. She started to
stammer something, but Alex said, “Leave her alone, she only drinks
water.”
    “Seriously?” Jake said, his eyes back on her,
now actually looking at her maybe for the first time.
    Sophie nodded.
    “No tea, coffee, juice...milk?”
    “No.”
    “That's weird.”
    Sophie nodded. She'd heard that before. After
the bottle made it around the room a few times Alex put it down on
the coffee table and leaned back.
    “So if we're not allowed to talk about
homework,” Sophie said, avoiding looking at Jake, who was taking up
most of the couch, his legs spread wide and his arms behind his
head, “What should we talk about?”
    “Sophie,” Alex said, “I'm certain you have
something more interesting in your life than homework.”
    “Not really.”
    “Not that she's willing to share with us,
anyway,” Paul said.
    “Come on,” Jake said, “We've all known each
other forever and we're out of good stories. You're the fresh
blood, give us something good.”
    “My life isn't for your entertainment,”
Sophie said, but she smiled and flushed slightly.
    The front door opened and the twin's parents
came into the house. Mrs. Kenley saw them through the glass doors
of the living room when she walked into the hall. “Hi, kids,” she
said.
    Alex quickly swiped the bottle of alcohol
under the coffee table.
    Mrs. Kennley pulled off her coat. Sophie
admired the long wool coat and the swingy, sensual dress beneath.
Mr. Kenley took her coat for her and hung it and his in a
closet.
    “We'll be out again in just a bit, have to
get changed,” she said, “You kids have a good time. Don't stay up
too late.”
    Jake rolled his eyes at his brother, facing
away so his mother didn't see.
    When the parents swept out the door again,
Sophie sighed and murmured, “Your mother is so elegant.”
    “Yeah,Alex said without enthusiasm.
    Jake laughed.
    “What?” Sophie said.
    “It comes with a price,” Jake said.
    Alex pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his
pocket and lit one. Jake reached over and snatched it out of his
hands and put it out on his shoe. Alex took out another and lit
it.
    “Your parents let you smoke in the