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Laura, Toucan Editrice

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Ben's Brother, Emma Coates

     ‘Evans… Evans, I’m missing your homework. Where is it?’
Mr. Gates stood at the front of the class, register in hand, looking sternly across the desks of his pupils. Ben was easily to make out. His face blushed bright red amongst the bored pupils at the sound of his name.
     ‘Evans, where is your homework?’
     ‘I had it, sir, I-’
     Rifling desperately through his bag, Ben threw items across his desk. The class looked on, enjoying Ben’s embarrassment.
     ‘I’m sorry, sir, my twin must have taken it by mistake.’
     ‘Your twin?’ Said Mr. Gates drily.
     ‘Yes, sir.’
Mr. Gates shut the register with a snap.
     ‘So you’re the class clown are you?’
     ‘I’m sorry, sir?’
     ‘You will be if you keep these shenanigans up. This is the start of the new school year Evans, and I for one do not want to see practical jokes from you every time I ask for your homework. You didn’t do it, did you?’
     ‘I did, sir, but my brother must have taken it.’
     ‘You do not have a twin brother Evans.’
     ‘I do, sir.’
     ‘Where is he then? I see no one else with your surname in this class.’
Shuffling in his seat, Ben blushed, if possible, a deeper shade of red.
     ‘He’s in the other class.’ Mumbled Ben.
     ‘What?’ speak up.’
     ‘He’s in the other class sir. In the year above.’
     ‘Your twin brother is in the year above you?’ Said Mr. Gates.
     ‘Yes.’
Sniggers and laughter broke out across the class.
     ‘Now I’ve heard it all.’ Grumbled Mr. Gates. ‘Evans, do you take me for a fool?’
     ‘Its true, sir. He was born before midnight, and I was born after, so we have different birthdays. He only just made the age limit for the year above and I made the year below and-’
     ‘I didn’t ask for your life story Evans, I asked for your homework. Do you have it?’
     ‘No, sir.’
     ‘Right, detention.’
     ‘But sir!’
     ‘Don’t “but sir” me. I said from the start that anyone who hasn’t completed their homework automatically gets detention. You have not done your homework.’
     ‘I have.’
     ‘You have not. And making up vile excuses to cover your tracks is not the sort of behavior I expect to see from my students.’
A knock on the classroom door interrupts them.
     ‘Yes? What is it?’
A boy walks in, grinning slyly. He spots Ben from amongst the desks and waves, holding a handful of paper in his hands.
     ‘Who are you?’
     ‘Jake, sir. Ben’s twin brother. I have his homework by mistake.’
Smiling, Jake walked up to Ben, handing the homework over. Ben snatches it off him, hissing at him. Mr. Gates walks up to Ben’s desk, snatching the papers from him as Jake leaves.
     ‘I tried to tell you, sir.’
Glancing over them, Mr. Gates stalks back to the front of the classroom without another word.
     ‘Jones? Where’s your homework?’
     ‘Sir, my twin sister has it.’
     ‘Don’t you start.’

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