"Deal," Daniella agreed without arguing. She knew undoubtedly that after tonight, everything about them was going to change either for good or worse. She sat down and enjoyed her muffins with milk while Danica sucked in the solace of silence. She couldn't foresee what her first day in the pub would be like and she felt as if she had just made a deal with the devil himself in the bid to win her twin over.
Night came and Danica almost cried when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her long brunette hair had been trimmed to her shoulder and curled. She wore a dress that did not reach her knee and couldn't take a step.
Her eyes watered when Daniella applied the mascara and her red lipstick matched her red dress perfectly. Danica couldn't recognize herself in the mirror. For the first time, she looked identical to Daniella. In times past, it was very easy to differentiate between them, just by their styles of dressing. At this point in time, Danica felt that even their parents wouldn't be able to tell the difference, should they come out of their graves.
Feeling like a fish out of water, barely able to breathe, and feeling suffocated for having never won a dress this short and tight in her entire life, Danica's final resort was misery.
"You look hot. I never knew you had such great figures, always hiding them under those grandma dresses; So pathetic," Daniella commented, before putting on her dress.
Danica didn't want to speak initially but suddenly found it necessary. "It's too tight. I can hardly breathe," she said. Discomfort sounded in her tone, as she could barely sit on her small bed.
"Stop exaggerating, Danica, ain't I wearing the same dress?" Daniella sounded irritated.
"Must we really go? I don't feel comfortable in this," Danica continued to complain.
"A Promise is a promise, a deal, a deal. We had an agreement, remember? Daniella rhetorically said, touching up on her makeup and putting on her stilettos. The pair entered a cab and Danica's constant prayer was 'God have mercy on me.'
They reached the pub and Danica's eardrum almost fell out from the loud music. She felt uncomfortable the whole time she walked painfully with Daniella through the crowd of couples dancing, drinking, and chatting with loud voices filled with excitement.
She only felt a slight relief after Daniella took her to a chair and disappeared into the crowd. The lights in the pub weren't bright enough for her to see much. She clung to the hem of her dress, pulling it to cover her exposed thighs without meaningful success.
Nervousness invaded her like a plague when pairs of eyes were focussed on her, both male and female. It was hard to tell whether she was being admired or ridiculed. Her spirit almost left her body when a man approached the table she sat, making himself comfortable without her consent.
Danica was stiff with distress. "So, Daniella, we meet again," the guy said. He wore a round earring on his left ear with tattoos covering his whole shoulder. He was only wearing a tank top with denim jeans. Danica's distress increased, merely by the man's appearance. She was lost for words.
There was no doubt that the guy mistook her for her sister and not knowing the relationship between them, she didn't know whether to tell him or just hold back and ignore him. But the guy seemed infuriated by her silence.
"Are you going to pretend now? Where is my fucking money, Daniella?" Danica might not know much about these kinds of people but she could perceive that her sister had messed with this guy.
"I am not Dan-" Before she completed her sentence, she saw Daniella talking to a few men. "Th..at's Dan..iella," She stammered timidly. The guy frowned, turning his head to meet Daniella's gaze, before looking at Danica again. "You're twins?"
"Yes," Danica said, not even hearing herself, thanks to the loud music but the man did not seem to care anyway. His attention was diverted. Danica wasn't comfortable with the alcohol breath expelled from the man in front of her. All she wanted was to be as far from him as possible.
After exchanging glances with the man, Daniella returned to Danica's table with drinks. As soon as she settled the drinks on the table, she tugged the man to a corner. Sometime later, she came back to meet the drinks untouched, instantly feeling irritated.
"You haven't touched your drink?" She asked Danica, who appeared dumbfounded before she responded with a lace of disgust in her tone.
"I can't drink that."
Daniella was raged and yelled, her loud voice not having the needed attention due to the loud misc. "Take a good look at this place Danica. It's a pub and not a church. I can't take care of you if you continue to behave like a worm. Here, drink this," she said, holding the cocktail glass towards Danica.
Danica took the drink with shaky hands and brought it to her lips. She was met with a strong uncomfortable smell. When the drink touched her tongue, it burnt her throat. "Prrrrh." She spat on the floor. "What is that?"
Daniella's anger aggravated. "Danica, this is not communion wine. It's martini. Drink it up." Daniella forced the drink down Danica's throat before the latter could reject it.
She swallowed the drink in one gulp and felt her throat burn, her stomach wretched and she was disgusted and slightly drowsy. Daniella handed her another glass and this time, Daniella firmly spoke her mind.
"No, get me coca-cola or water. I won't drink that shit anymore."
"We don't have soft drinks here," Daniella responded indifferently.
"Fine. So I'll just wait around till you are ready to go." Danica said plainly, with the hope that Daniella will just take her home.
"We just got here and the party hasn't even started," Daniella replied, crushing Danica's little hope but Danica did not give up.
"I don't feel comfortable. I want to go home," she nagged.
Daniella saw Justice approach the table and a frown disfigured her face. "I'll be right back," she said to Danica before maneuvering through the crowd of obsessed dancing couples to meet Justice halfway.
"You did well. Mr. Somo likes her already. She looks pure and innocent," Justice said as soon as Daniella drew close to him. She wasn't surprised by his words. There were CCTV cameras everywhere.
"There is also a problem. She won't take alcohol and she wants a soft drink. She isn't willing to comply so I intend to get her drunk," Daniella said coyly to Justice.
"I will get you a soft drink from Mr. Somo's office and also with something that would make her succumb to our demand," he smirked and turned away. Daniella followed him and returned to Danica's table with a glass of juice.
"Thank you," Danica said excitedly, gulping down the fruit juice at once. She was extremely thirsty.
Regardless, it wasn't long before her discomfort from the previous drink increased, instead of decreasing by the fruit juice. She felt hot and sweaty, slightly dizzy, and wanted to take off her clothes to feel comfortable. From her behavior, Daniella realized the drug was working and called Justices' men.
Danica sensed her head spin and everything in slow motion. She couldn't relate to what was happening to her. Suddenly, two pairs of hands lifted her from the chair. She wanted to fight the owner of the hands and free herself but she was too weak. Before she knew it, everything turned blurry till it eventually became dark.