Ashlyn and Draco walked out of the school gate, their backpacks slung over their shoulders. Ashlyn felt a surge of relief as she left behind the chaos and confusion of her first day at a new school. She hoped that tomorrow would be better, that she would make some friends and fit in.
But Draco was fuming. He held his phone in his hand, the screen cracked and the battery dead. He had been looking forward to showing off his new gadget to his classmates, but instead, he had met with disaster.
“Can you believe that girl?” he said to Ashlyn, his voice dripping with venom. “She is so damn careless! She just bumps into me on the way to art class, and just knocks it off my hands.”
Ashlyn sighed. She knew exactly who he was talking about. She had seen her in the cafeteria, sitting across from them. She had long blonde hair, green eyes, and a striking resemblance to Draco. She was his twin sister, Amira.
But Draco didn’t know that. He didn’t know that their father had lied to them about their mother’s death and their other siblings. He didn’t know that they had moved to the same city where their mother and their other siblings lived. He didn’t know that his secret was about to be exposed in the most unexpected way.
Ashlyn felt a pang of guilt as she looked at her brother’s angry face. She wanted to tell him the truth, but she was afraid of how he would react. She was afraid of losing him, of breaking their bond. She decided to keep quiet for now. She hoped that things would work out somehow, that their family would be reunited peacefully.
She said to Draco, “Maybe she was having a bad day. Maybe she didn’t mean to do it.”
Draco snorted. “Yeah, right. She was a total jerk. And she looked like a witch. Did you see her eyes? They were creepy.”
Ashlyn felt a chill run down her spine. She had seen her eyes. They were the same as Draco’s. She wondered what would happen when Draco found out who she really was.
“Relax. Dad will be able to get it fixed. Come on, let’s go.” she said, caringly.
“Okay…” he grumbled.
Ashlyn watched as Draco stormed off, his backpack slung over his shoulder. She felt a pang of guilt and sadness, knowing that he was hurt and angry. She wished she could tell him the truth, that the girl who broke his phone was his twin sister, that they had a mother and two more siblings waiting for them, that their father had lied to them all their lives. But she was afraid of how he would react, how he would hate her for keeping such a big secret from him.
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A few days later, Ashlyn decided to follow Amira after school, hoping to find a chance to talk to her. She saw her walking with a group of friends, laughing and chatting. Ashlyn felt a surge of envy, wishing she could be part of that group. She wondered what Amira was like, what she liked and disliked, what she dreamed of.
She followed them to a nearby building, where a sign said “MUN Club Meeting”. Ashlyn realized that Amira was in the Model United Nations club as well, where students simulated the roles of diplomats and debated on global issues.
“Good morning, everyone.” The voice belonged to a tall boy with a confident smile. He was the president of the MUN club, and his name was Caeden. He greeted everyone and asked them to take their seats. He then announced the topic for the day: “The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for regional stability.”
Ashlyn watched from a back bench, feeling nervous and out of place. She saw Amira sitting at a table with a placard that said “China”. She wondered what Amira would say about the topic, and how she would defend China’s position. Considering it was one of the Security Council’s permanent members, she wondered how she would do.
Ashlyn watched as Caeden explained the rules and procedures of the MUN debate. He said that each delegate would have a chance to make a General Speakers’ List speech, followed by a moderated caucus, where they could ask questions and exchange views. He then said that they would move on to an unmoderated caucus, where they could form alliances and draft resolutions. He said that the goal was to reach a consensus and pass a resolution that would address the situation in Afghanistan and its implications for regional stability.
He then asked if there were any new members in the club. Ashlyn felt her heart skip a beat as she saw him looking at her. She raised her hand timidly, hoping he wouldn’t notice her.
“Ah, welcome. What’s your name?” Caeden asked, smiling.
“Ashlyn.” She said, barely audible.
“Nice to meet you, Ashlyn. Which country are you representing?” He asked.
“I-I don’t know. I just came to watch.” She said, nervously.
Caeden frowned. “That’s not how it works, Ashlyn. You have to participate. This is a club, not a spectator sport.” He said, firmly.
Ashlyn felt a surge of panic. She didn’t want to participate. She didn’t know anything about the topic or the countries involved. She mostly just wanted to talk to Amira, to find out more about her, to tell her the truth. She looked around, hoping to find an escape route. But she saw that everyone was staring at her, curious and expectant. She felt trapped and exposed.
She saw Amira looking at her as well, but with a different expression. She saw a hint of recognition and suspicion in her eyes. She wondered if Amira knew who she was, if her mother had told her anything about her other siblings. She felt a cold sweat on her forehead. She wished she could disappear.
“Come on, Ashlyn. Don’t be shy. Pick a country.” Caeden urged.
Ashlyn looked at the placards on the tables, hoping to find an easy one. She saw that most of the major countries were already taken: USA, Russia, China, France, UK, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc.
She scanned the remaining ones, looking for something familiar and safe. She saw one that caught her eye: Canada.
She decided to go for it. She thought that Canada was a friendly and peaceful country, that it wouldn’t have much to say or do about the situation in Afghanistan.
She raised her hand again and said in a weak voice: “Canada.”
Caeden nodded approvingly. “Good choice, Ashlyn. Canada is an important ally and partner in the region. You’ll have a lot to contribute.” He said.
Ashlyn felt a surge of dread. She realized that she had made a terrible mistake. She had no idea what Canada’s role or position was in the region. She had no idea what to say or do.
She wished she had never followed Amira to the club meeting. She wished she had never come to this school. She wished she had never been born.
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and then Add to home screen.