Girl Missing

After moving from the nearby city, Fleur Grantham started at Rutherford High School. When Jasmine first saw her, everyone remarked how similar they looked, albeit Fleur has dark hair and bangs while Jasmine slicks back her fair hair into a ponytail. They are both energetic and agile. Jasmine has always been a track, field, and gymnastics enthusiast - running, jumping, and doing anything athletic have been her life pursuits. Fleur has danced for years and loves cheerleading. She quickly signed up to be a cheerleader. Jasmine signed up, too. She wanted to see more of Fleur, but they are like chalk and cheese in many ways. 

Fleur quickly became popular and flirts with the boys. She could be a better student, though she manages to do her work and pass her tests. Jasmine studies hard and excels in all her subjects. As for boys, she gets on with them, but they view her as a mate and don't notice she equals Fleur in natural beauty. The class found out that Fleur comes from a wealthy family. Unfortunately, she looks down on others, especially Jasmine.

Jasmine recently went to Fleur's birthday party with her best friend, Louise. Jasmine and Fleur share the exact birthdate. She hadn't received an official invite. Fleur and her brother Brad had an opportunity to 'play' with their parent's flight delay. He spread the word about a pool party for Fleur's birthday. The news proliferated like a Covid outbreak. The party turned into an overcrowded teen orgy. 

When nature called, Jasmine had tracked down the only vacant bathroom in Fleur's room at the end of a long hallway. Unfortunately, Fleur found her there with her latest flame in tow. Jasmine can now hold this over her. She is not like this, but Fleur has put Jasmine's name forward as one of the crashers who may have stolen things from her home. When Jasmine exited Fleur's room and saw how uncontrollable the party had become, she freaked out and dragged Louise away just as the police arrived. She couldn't even use an early exit as an excuse. It seemed suspicious.

At school, Fleur gave Jasmine a hard time.

"You're busted, Jazzy. You gate-crashed my party."

"Did you realise we have the same birthdate? I wanted to invite you to my party on Saturday. I used your loo and left straight after before the police arrived. I'm not in trouble. Coming to my ORGANISED party on Saturday?"

Fleur's eyes opened wide. "Probably . . . not. The same birthdate?" 

"That's right. And you shouldn't implicate me in your party mess. We both know what you did in your bedroom after I left!" She walked away, leaving Fleur open-mouthed and pink-faced.

What Jasmine took would shock both families, but it wasn't something she could admit to.

Only Jasmine's friend Lousia knew that her friend had a fraternal twin sister who had been missing from a few days old. Something about Fleur had made Jasmine wonder.

Jasmine had collected some forensic samples, which she prepared and sent to My Heritage DNA. She enclosed her own saliva sample as well.

When she returned from the Post Office that day, she had a naughty thought and began cutting portions of her hair in the privacy of her room. What a lark if she cut some bangs like Fleur's. She gingerly snipped the front. When completed, she stared in shock. Fleur would be gobsmacked.

That evening at dinner, she faced the music.

"Jasmine, what possessed you to cut your hair? What if you'd made a big mess? What about the mess of it growing out?"

"Mom, It's fine. I just wanted a change. I think it looks great."

"Lucky for you, it's alright. Remember the last time you hacked into your hair? Even the hairdresser couldn't fix it."

'Honestly, Mom. I was only six. I've grown up since then."

"After what you did last night, I have my doubts, young lady."

"Am I still in trouble? We got away before the police went in . . . I spoke to Fleur today."

"Mrs. Grantham rang back and said that though you were there, Fleur is OK about it and knows you didn't steal anything."

Jasmine gave a wry grin, and her eyes twinkled. Of course, Fleur would let her off for being there. She didn't want Jasmine spilling the gossip about what Fleur had been doing while the party ran amok.

"What was that for? You look way too smug."

"Oh, nothing, Mom. I promise it's the last party I go to without a proper invite."

Her brother Stephen chipped in. "I talked with Fleur. Put a good word in for you. She said she would take your name off the suspect list. Did I do good?"

"Thanks, Stephen. But you didn't need to help. Let's say that Fleur and I have an understanding."

"Yes, she seems very understanding. I think she's awfully cute -"

In a moment, Jasmine's heart lurched. "You mustn't get involved with her! She's not that nice, trust me."

"What do you mean? All the guys have their eyes on her. But I'm the one she wants to go to the prom with. I can't believe it."

"I don't want to believe it! Who does she think she is? She's trying to get back at me."

Jasmine's mother tutted. "Really, Jasmine. It's not like you to get so catty over so little. And, Stephen, I'd be cautious if I was you. There seems to be a lack of discipline in that household."

Stephen rose in his paramour's defence. "Fleur's parents' flight was delayed a day, and her brother Brad thought he was doing something kind for Fleur. Unfortunately, all the extras arrived and turned the party into a fiasco. They brought drugs and alcohol. Some of them were too old to still be in school. Fleur said her parents lectured her horribly. It wasn't even her idea."

"She may say that, but I was there. She took advantage of the situation."

"In what way? Did she have too much to drink?"

"Let's say she may have. Her behaviour. . . left a lot to be desired."

"What do you mean?"

"Just eat your dinner, you two." Their mother sighed and shook her head.

***

The following day, Jasmine made it her mission to warn Fleur to leave Stephen out of it. She found her alone, crossing the playing field during lunch. "Hey, Fleur. I have something to say."

"Well, say it quickly. I'm heading over to watch your brother Stephen's practice. And by the way, what's with copying my hair style? You're a sick Wanna-Be!"

"Here's the thing, I want you to leave Stephen alone. You're just pursuing him to get back at me."

Fleur opened her mouth and stared. "Wow! You have some nerve. It's not all about you, Jazzy. I find Stephen to be rather cute. He's sweet on me."

"I'm warning you, Fleur Grantham. You leave Stephen alone. You dare even touch him."

Fleur sneered. "Mind your own beeswax. I can date who I like."

***

A letter from My Heritage DNA finally arrived for Jasmine five weeks later. Her fingers trembled as she ripped the envelope and opened the document.

"Attention, Jasmine Sinclair,

 We work with DNA from saliva to find genealogy. We advise you to go to the police with your concerns. They may perform a forensic analysis. One set of your samples was severely degraded and missing its essential saliva sample."

"Oh, damn!" Jasmine kicked the leg of her bed in disgust. She read on . . .

"We have enclosed the results obtained from your saliva sample. Someone closely related to you has already provided their own sample. The relative is someone who shares your birthdate. Over 50% of the genetic material matches yours. Their name is . . . Fleur Grantham." Jasmine reeled in surprise and shock. Her suspicions were correct. Had Fleur sent in a sample because she had doubts as well? Her long-lost twin may be found, but did Jasmine really want such a bratty girl as a sister? Moreover, extricating the hussy from Stephen would mean revealing the truth. That night, she felt restless and nauseous. How could she not reveal the truth now? Bratty or not, Fleur ought to know.

*** 

The following day before class, she approached Fleur at her desk. "Fleur, before you think I'm still mad at you, I'm not. Can you please meet me at the bleachers on the south side of the playing field at 12.30? It'll be quiet there. I have something very important to discuss with you."

"Can I trust you?"

"This time you can. It's something you need to know, Fleur."

***

Fleur had already arrived when Jasmine arrived at the bleachers, out of breath. "Sorry, I'm late."

"Well, what is it?"

" . . . I-I want to ask you . . . why did you send a saliva sample to My Genealogy DNA?"

Fleur opened her mouth, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Who told you that?"

"I just know, Fleur."

"You are giving me the creeps. It was just a lark. Brad and I wondered what all the hype was about. We sent in our samples; the results were so divergent that we couldn't believe them. The test is a farce. Inaccurate and a huge fraud."

"I'll tell you how I know you sent in samples. It's because I did, too."

"They wouldn't have told you we had done so. How could they make the connection? Confidentiality comes into it."

"That's true. Unless genetic material matches someone else's."

"That's a moot point now. I don't share any genetic material with my own brother!"

"Did it occur to you that Brad isn't your brother?"

You mean, is he adopted? No way. He even looks like our dad at that age. They have all the baby photos. Nah, impossible."

"OK, he is their son. But what about you?"

"What sort of daft question is that? My Mom loves me."

"I'm sure she does. My Mom does too. . . except she is my aunt, and Stephen is my cousin."

"What happened to your mother?"

'She died in the hospital when I was born. I had a twin sister, a fraternal twin."

"What happened to her?"

" . . . A lady named Veronica Grant looked after her for a few days but returned little Lily before she left. My aunt loved us so much she was prepared to care for us and her son Stephen."

"So, where is Lily?"

"We don't know. She disappeared. We never found her after her removal from the hospital. Wherever she is . . . we always believed in the best outcome - that she's alive and loved by another family."

"You've surprised me, Jasmine. I'm so much better off than you. I never had all that tragedy in my life."

"I know you don't recall anything bad happening to you."

"So, what is this all about?"

"I will give you something to read. Please, don't think I'm doing this to be mean." Jasmine hauled the document out of her pocket and gave it to Fleur.

"Mm, My Genealogy DNA," Fleur murmured.

By the end of the first few paragraphs, she recognised her name.

"Sh%$, you're good, Jazzy!" She looked furtively around. "25 Million Dollar Hoax! That's what this is, isn't it?"

"No, Fleur. It's no hoax, no fiction. It's true."

"My mother loves me."

"Veronica Grant had a baby girl, Fleur, who died. She looked after Lily for a few days, and then my sister Lily disappeared. Here you are, Fleur Grantham: the same age, similar looks. When you and your brother tested, you discovered you are unrelated. This letter explains that you have over 50% of the same genetic material as me."

"I don't even like you! I wouldn't join your family even if you guys had heaps of money. And as for money, why would I want to stoop down to your level of existence? There's nothing I don't like in my life."

"I know you like Stephen."

"Stephen, Oh, good grief! That is a problem. Does he know?"

"You are the first person I've talked to about it. I know you'll do the right thing."

Fleur buried her face in her hands and wept.

Jasmine placed her arm across Fleur's shoulders. "I had to tell you, but I don't plan to do anything about it. It's all up to you."

Fleur looked up into her sister's eyes, the same almond shape and color. "I've been awful to you ever since we met."

"I haven't been nice either."

"I think we should at least tolerate each other."

Jasmine smiled. 'Would it be so hard to be friends?"

"We could give it a go." Fleur curled her lips in a small smile, her tears still dripped.

"We could give it a go. You could suggest 'friendship' to Stephen, but I think he'll find it hard."

"You can tell him anything you want to help him feel better. Like that, I'm a cow or a heartless brat. But not the truth. Not yet, anyway."

"It's something we have to handle with care. We both love our families. My aunt always believed someone would look after you well."

"I think the biggest thing I have missed is having a sister."

"Me too."

The girls hugged each other for the first time. It felt good.

The End.