Lagrande Twins; How Constant It Has To Be

25

†

The music started with the familiar sounds of the piano. It wasn't as heavy as the La Campanella or Moonlight Sonata nor hard enough to amuse our mother. It wasn't made to entertain nor written for the soul purpose of being historically significant.

"That was very selfish

... boloney."

It was jazz, and played by my favorite performer. Lance and I both played professional but the difference is he was naturally talented, so I understood his dislike. Although my hard work was crashed to the ground by the genius of the Lagrange family I didn't take in too seriously... I have jazz.

But he was downright mocking my music. How detestable. Even without the constant comparison I hated him. For a lot or even without any reason I hated my twin.

I hate Lance.

"He was messing with the score."

Lance all through out the performance grumbles. I look at him expecting a frown but it was a loop sided smile that greets me.

That was the first time I saw my perfectly pretentious and overly proper brother smile. At a sidewalk of the busy streets of  Beijing.

What an arrogant bastard. I hated him.

"Where have you been?"

Holding a bottle of wine my mother looked at our direction, as I opened the front door into the dim lights of the living room. Bottle after bottles and burned out ashes from the cigarettes scattered around like it was never cleaned.

"Where have you been, I said!!"

Mother's screaming echoed in the mansion as I flinched from the sounds of the shattering bottles as it hit the floor.

"You won't leave me." Mother's slowly fading self approach my brother as he looked at her with tired eyes beneath those stoic facade he always wear.

"Don't leave me... Lucas."

I watched silently as my mom's lips started to invade Lance's mouth as she desperately clings to him.

It was silent. But my mother's scream of pleasure was heard even if I closed the doors and it continued all night long.

I never pitied Lance. He was arrogant and he deserves all the mistreatment. I hated him and that was the only connection I have with my twin brother... and that was enough.

Not long before me and my twin brother Lance was born our father eloped.

He never wanted to marry our mother even though his family's company was slowly being cornered to bankruptcy. With all the pride and hope of the family our father run away however, our mother was crazy, even without her family's backing she was desperate enough to be pregnant with children from the man she loves.

"Lucas was never her's."

I silently whispered as I looked at the only photo of our father in our bedroom. Lance and I have the same exact face and physique but he was seen as a splitting image of our father. It was hilarious and perplexing.

For some unknown reason, I start to hate my brother. Was it the first time I was compared to him? The clear gap brought by his natural talent and my failing efforts? Or was it that our mother only has Lance in her eyes? No. I never wanted for her to see me... I just want Lance to... to... Want him to what exactly?

"Luis..."

One day Lance entered my room out of breath. His eyes are out of focus as he run inside the bathroom.

He was covered in blood.

"Wh-what happened?"

He was roughly rubbing his arms to the point of ripping the flesh out as he desperately rub out the blood in his body.

"What did you do?"

I was perplexed. I was closing the distance as I heard our mother screaming. I don't know what to think of as I saw tears run down of his face as he slowly cling to me. He kneeled Infront of me as he gently look up, from his red eyes to his bloodied face, he was crying and laughing at the same time.

"He wasn't me. I'm not him... Luis, I'm not Lucas, I'm not Lucas .... I'm not Lucas!!" He repeatedly said.

"I'M NOT LUCAS!!!"

That night our father returned home, begging for money as his daughter, our half-sister was dying from a car accident. Far from what I expected, he no longer looked like our father from the photo. He must've live his life famine as he was skinny and full of scars. The once expensive dress was now a shirt ripped easily with age.

I can easily guess what happened. My mother probably went crazy picking Lance over Lucas but why? Why am I angry? I hated him and he deserves all of the misfortune.

"You murdered our father."

I blankly said as he looked up at me finally gaining his senses. It was silent. We were looking at each other as if transfixed in that specific time without a sound as everything slowly sink in our minds.

He killed our father..

I ran downstairs as I saw the horrible sight of our living room. I looked at the maids slowly gasping as they saw the scenery, gossiping and frantically calling the head of the family or maybe an ambulance. It was a mess.

"Luis..."

Lance from behind me looked at our mother, mourning at the body of our father. It was a sight to marvel .

"You killed him... You killed him!"

Mother's screamed echoed in the house. She one by one throwing the bottles lying at the floor as she bathed in our father's blood. I flinched at the sound of the bottles breaking as it hit the floors once again, but my mind completely went blank as I saw the blood dripping down Lance's head. He was kneeling beside our mother when she hit him with the bottle she was holding.

"You killed him." My mother's face filled with tears was full of resentment as she looked at my brother.

"You're a monster!!!"

Maybe it was guilt.

Or regrets about everything that was done.

Conscience?

Maybe even morality.

Lance...

have sinned.

He knew it was over for him. I watched him as he closed his eyes as our mother took the last bottle. I smiled. Haha She will kill him.

The feeling of dread took over my senses as I picked up the broken glass. The blood gushing from our mother's neck and soft flesh I was feeling ripping as I deepened and thrust the broken glass again and again in her bare skin gave me chills.

It was never hate.

It was loathing.

It was never that dull nor gentle.

What I feel for my brother was beyond just hate or love.

That night was remembered as the Massacre of the Lagrange Mansion. I killed every last life except for Lance.

🎶"Get out your guns, battle begun.

Are you a saint or a sinner?"🎶

Lantice opened the backdoor of the 13th street the next day. We've been gone for more than 3 days and all I want was to drink some water.

🎶"If love's a fight, then I shall die with my heart on a trigger."🎶

Dustin and Enzo's angelic voice was blasting at the stage of the bar. It was both upbeat and relaxing as the jazz styled piano entered the scene.

🎶"They say before you start a war you better know what you're fighting for."🎶

It was familiar to the point of having this nostalgic memories of that night Lantice and I wondered the busy streets of Beijing, China before a competition

"Vaughn always played the piano with such passion."

🎶"Well baby you are all that I adore, if love is what you need the soldier I would be."🎶

I looked at him chuckling as I remembered what he said before.

"I thought you would say it was boloney? Or he was messing with the scores so much?"

🎶"I'm an angel with a shotgun fightin' till the war's won, I don't care if heaven won't take me back."🎶

I laughed as I watched Lantice's eyes grew wide. I'm more amuse that he didn't even recognized him all this time. The way Vaughn play was actually very unique and frolicsome that it was hard to forget.

Well the way he played the piano actually saved me from drowning in my world as Luis. It was my only mean of continuing as if he way the only rope I was holding into.

"He... knew?" Lance... now known as Lantice y' 1st asked with bewilderment.

"No." I laughed "And he will never know."

"No one will know." I silently whispered.

🎶"I'll throw away my fate babe, just to keep you safe, don't yah know you're everything I have."🎶

"I'm so tired. Back then all I can think of is how good will it be if I just end everything."

Lantice took a sip of alcohol as he looked down. Shadows from the dim light of the bar cascades in his perfectly refined face.

"The day mother called me Lucas Infront of father I finally loose it. My existence itself was erased and I'm slowly losing myself."

🎶"And I~ wanna live not just survive."🎶

"... It was not that bad of a choice." I laughed.

It was the first time in a while that we're actually talking about what happened before. Was it because of Vaughn's playing?

"Though I can't say that we did the right thing... At least we've been free souls since then."

I yawned as I stood up from the counter. I was so tired from all the running and reaping and ehem slight fcking from this past few days. Maybe I should sleep early?

I looked at him seriously as I walked my way towards the 7th floor.

"And there would be no Lantice y' 1st and Linx y' 2nd or even the 13th Street, without Lance and Luis Lagrande."

🎶"And I~ wanna hide my wings tonight."🎶

As I've entered the 7th floor I've heard the telephone ringing. Out of reflexes I've picked up the phone.

"Yes hello, 13th Street, how may I help you?"

"Good Evening, This is from La Solivan integrated School I would like to inform you that Sky Accra y' 13th's application has been confirmed."

🙃