The front entrance of the high school swarmed with students. Being the first day of school, everyone wanted to see each other after a long summer break. A blue van approached the entrance and two boys stepped out from opposite sides of the car. The slim, brown-haired one wore a red plaid, button down shirt and neon green shoes. Dozens of people gathered around him and greeted him excitingly.

“Hey Darren! How’s it been?”

“Wow, Darren! So good to see you again!”

“I LOVE YOU DARREN!!!”

While the masses attended to Darren, the boy on the other side of the car exited without being approached by anyone. His massive, muscular body frightened most people and his dark eyes and his bleached hair didn’t help him look friendly. He wore a black leather jacket, even though it was still summer, and his black combat boots clunked with a unique heavy thump so everyone knew when he was around. He surveyed the entranceway for any trouble and he caught a glimpse of Duncan Wade. He marched in front of Duncan, whose eye shone a sickly black.

“If you still feel the urge to cause trouble either here or on my property, know that I will not show mercy this time,” said the boy seriously. “I will destroy you if that happens again.” His piercing stare petrified Duncan.

“It won’t happen, Darryl . . . I promise,” uttered Duncan. Darryl revealed a small grin and walked away from the senior into the school. The students around Darren began to ask him what happened over the summer.

“I heard your brother got into a massive fight against those punk seniors,” said one of them. “Did they really all show up at your house and ask him to come out and fight them?”

“That’s what I heard!” yelled another one. “He came out and nearly killed them all! One sophomore beating five seniors to a pulp! Unbelievable!”

“That’s not exactly what happened,” said Darren. The confusion among the students led Darren to admit, “Well it’s true he did kick ass in the fight against the seniors.” Everyone laughed and Darren continued.

“What actually happened was that Duncan Wade and a bunch of seniors were partying across the street from our house. They caused a huge ruckus and they blasted heavy metal at one o’clock in the morning! So my brother marched over there and told them to pipe down. Five seniors stormed out of the house and tried to beat him up. Luckily for Darryl, they drank booze all night and couldn’t fight if their life depended on it. I ran out to help Darryl after I heard the fighting, but it was too late. Four of the seniors were collapsed in the middle of the street and I witnessed the fifth one collapsing after my brother headbutted him.”

“Dang! Your brother’s a freaky dude!” exclaimed one of the students. “The guy’s only fifteen years old and he fights like a green beret!”

“It’s so weird how you two are twins,” said a schoolgirl. “You two are nothing alike. You’re much more compassionate and understanding, while Darryl is a beast hungry for mass destruction!” Darren just stood there with a soft, almost uncomfortable smile. He understood that he was fueling the side of Darryl everyone sees.

Darren sees the ferocious beast that everyone sees is but he also sees a different side to his twin. Darren knew something about his twin that very few people know about. He is extremely caring and he is an expert knitter. Darren began to think back to what actually happened that night.

Darren woke up to the sound of knocks on his door that night. He was wide awake because of all the partying going on, so he opened it. Darryl was standing there.

“Mom is sick and she can’t sleep because of those stupid punks across the street. I’m gonna teach them a lesson.”

“Are you crazy?! Duncan Wade and a bunch of other seniors are over there. You don’t expect them to listen to a sophomore’s demands, do you?”

“No, I don’t. That’s why I’m gonna mess them up. If you hear screaming, don’t call the cops. I’ve got this under control.” Darryl walked away with his brother watching.

“This will not be good,” thought Darren. He glimpsed over at his brother’s room and saw that he must’ve been up too. There were a few new stuffed animals that Darryl must’ve crocheted during the night to keep himself calm. Darren heard a cracking hit and a yelp from outside. Many more rang through Darren’s ears before he grabbed his jacket and went outside to help his brother. When he opened the front door, Darryl’s head was slamming against a drunken senior’s and the senior collapsed. The music stopped and multiple people left the house across the street. Darren couldn’t believe what he saw. Darryl eventually approached his awestruck twin.

Darren laughed to himself as he thought of what Darryl said to him that night after the fight. It was so like him to say it, but at the same time it was so unexpected due to the circumstances.

“I’m gonna go inside and tell mom that everything’s fine out here now. You better go inside too. These idiots don’t need anymore pummeling . . .”