A run in my stockings right before a job interview. In a panic, I called my rival. "Are you out of your car yet? Come give me a hand." A stubborn voice on the other end. "I'm not following you." I didn't even look up from my ruined legwear. "You copy my outfits, my makeup, even my perfume, every single day. Now get over here. I can smell you." 1 The other end of the line erupted in a flurry of flustered, girly squeaks. After what felt like an eternity, she finally calmed down enough to answer. "Okay... just give me a minute." I hung up without another word, only to turn and find my best friend, Maya, staring at me with a look of pure confusion. "Who was that? So on-call for you?" "Trevor's little lapdog." Maya’s eyes went wide. "Holy shit, Chloe. You've got guts, asking your rival for a favor." "She's not really a rival. She's just a simp for Trevor. I doubt he even remembers her name." Maya let out a breath of relief. "That's true. Half the campus is crushing on him, but you're the only girl he ever actually looks at." She paused. "So, is this girl pretty?" I thought for a moment. "I guess so. She just doesn't have her own style. She copies everything I wear." We walked into the office building and found the restroom to await the stocking delivery. Suddenly, Maya started shaking me by the shoulders. "She copies you? Everything? Oh my god, do you think she's trying to replicate your path to success?" Her eyes grew wider. "Or maybe she's into some weird voodoo shit! Trying to steal your luck by mimicking you! What if your recent string of failed interviews is her doing?!" I was stunned by the sheer chaos of her imagination. That little pipsqueak, practicing dark arts? Her big, innocent eyes practically screamed, "I am a simple, harmless creature." The thought of her—with all her wide-eyed, collegiate naivety—trying to curse me was almost laughable. "I wish she'd try something," I snorted. "Unfortunately, my job-hopping saga is entirely orchestrated by my dear old dad. He can't stand any place I choose to work. My whole life is a puppet show he directs. If she wants to stir the pot, I say bring it on. My life could use the spice." Maya rolled her eyes, a pained expression on her face like she was staring at a class enemy. "You're living the dream and you don't even know it. But what if she actually manages to steal Trevor away from you?" I considered it. "That would be great." After all, Trevor's entire contribution to our relationship consisted of three daily texts: Have you had breakfast? Have you had lunch? Have you had dinner? Having a boyfriend like that was pointless, not to mention the moral pressure it put on me not to look at other guys. Honestly, it would be better if he was gone. But since my father had set us up, I couldn't be the one to break it off. If someone else was chasing him, I could just let nature take its course. Once they got together, I could play the victim and end things. I'd like to see my dad try to argue with that. Before Maya could say another word, my phone buzzed. It was my little copycat, Nina. "Chloe? I'm right outside the door. But... could you ask your friend to step out for a second? I'm a little shy." 2 I had to laugh. She shadowed my every move, imitated my entire life, and now she was shy. Interesting. Maya left the restroom to wait for me in the lobby. I leaned against the marble sink, waiting. From outside the door, I heard a few deep, steadying breaths. Then, a small head peeked in. Her eyes were huge, blinking rapidly, her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. When she finally stepped all the way inside, her hands were knotted together at her stomach, twisting nervously. She was like a kitten. This was the college girl who was supposedly my rival? This adorable thing? "Chloe... what did you need my help with?" Even her voice was soft and sweet. I pushed myself off the counter and gave her a slow once-over, from head to toe. "Your stockings. Are they intact?" "Huh?" Nina quickly looked down, checking her legs. "Yes, they're fine." "Good. Take one off and give it to me." I held her gaze, not letting her look away. "Um... well..." Her ears turned a flaming red, and her eyes started to well up. "Chloe, did you get a run in yours? I can run out and buy you a new pair right now." "You know this brand isn't easy to find." I took a step closer to her. "Everything you're wearing right now, from your dress to your shoes, is the exact same as mine. Taking one of your stockings isn't asking too much, is it?" "I... I didn't mean to make you angry," she whispered, her lip trembling. "Take it off," I said, my voice hardening. If she kept dawdling, my interview would be shot, no paternal interference needed. Nina bit her lip, her face pale as she carefully peeled off one of her stockings and handed it to me. I took it, gave it a little shake, and slid it onto my own leg. This girl... she was about my height and had a similar build. She’d make a perfect mobile backup wardrobe. When I finished adjusting it and looked up, Nina was covering her mouth and nose, her eyes bloodshot and crimson. Oh. Did she think I was some kind of creep? I cleared my throat. "I'm not taking it for free. I'll buy you a new pair." Nina just shook her head, her hand clamped tightly over her mouth. I thought for a moment. There were many kinds of creeps; I shouldn't let her get the wrong idea. "And if you dare tell anyone about this," I threatened, "I'll strip you of every last piece of clothing you copied from me!" That... probably made me sound even more like a creep. "Mmmph," she mumbled, her head bobbing between a nod and a shake, before she turned and bolted out of the restroom without a backward glance. Damn. Did my pervy act scare the poor girl off for good? 3 I smoothed down my outfit and walked out to meet Maya, who was practically vibrating with curiosity. "What did you do to her?" I lifted my leg slightly, showing her the pristine stocking. Maya frowned. "You took hers?" "Yup." Her jaw dropped. "I just offered you mine and you said no! But you'll turn around and bully your rival for hers? Aren't you afraid she'll run to Trevor and tell him what a psycho you are?" I linked my arm with hers as we headed for the elevator. "Relax. She has the desire, but not the nerve." It was about a year ago that I first noticed a girl constantly staring at Trevor. I was about to graduate, and he was a junior. He'd thrown a party with a few close friends to celebrate my "homecoming to inherit the family business," and Nina was the only stranger he'd brought along. "This is Nina," he'd announced. "She's a freshman from one of my clubs. Totally invisible, so she's perfect for serving us drinks." I was instantly annoyed. Trevor could be thoughtless, but he never used his family's status to look down on people. What he was doing now—whether it was bullying her or some bizarre attempt to introduce her to our social circle—was deeply unpleasant. But Nina didn't seem to mind at all. With her bright, kitten-like eyes, she actually started going around asking everyone what they wanted to drink. When she got to me, however, she became exceptionally nervous, fumbling for much longer than with anyone else. Once the drinks were served, she retreated to a dark corner, a small, shadowy figure melting into the background. She didn't look at Trevor, nor did she try to talk to anyone. Just like he said, she was completely invisible. I found it intriguing, so I brought a glass of soda over to her. "Want something to drink?" "No, thank you. I need to look after everyone." I couldn't help but smile. "It's just soda." "Oh." She took the glass, sniffed it cautiously, and then took a tiny sip. "Thank you... Chloe." "You came here with Trevor," I said, getting straight to the point. "You know he has a girlfriend, and that girlfriend is me. Right?" "I know." "And you still came, trying to steal him away. You're pretty bold." "I... Chloe, please don't misunderstand. I didn't come for Trevor, I... I..." She started choking on her words, but she remembered to grab my hand. "I came because..." Before she could finish, Trevor appeared at our side. "Chloe, what are you doing? Why did you push her? She's choking." Excuse me? I shot a look at Nina. She immediately jumped to her feet, her stutter gone. "It has nothing to do with Chloe! I choked all by myself!" Trevor’s face darkened. "Trevor, don't be mad at her," Nina pleaded. "It was all my fault." Wow. The textbook victim play. The atmosphere froze. One of our friends stepped in. "Nina, that was some seriously manipulative BS. Can you just stop? And Trevor, Chloe is your actual girlfriend. Get a grip on who you're supposed to be defending." He turned to me. "Come on, Chloe. Let's not waste our time with them. Let's get a drink." After that, Nina was left alone in her corner. This time, she was so enveloped by the darkness I could barely see her. She didn't say another word to Trevor for the rest of the night. But every now and then, I'd feel her anxious, mournful gaze drift over to me. Oh, for heaven's sake. With her red-rimmed eyes and trembling demeanor, she was just too damn cute. I bet she'd be back pestering Trevor tomorrow. Good. I couldn't wait to see her again. 4 To my surprise, the next day she wasn't trailing Trevor. She was trailing me. The moment I stepped out of my apartment, I saw Nina hiding not-so-subtly, pretending to be on her phone while she watched me. I went to grab breakfast. Before my seat was even warm, she had bought the exact same pastry and tucked it into her bag. I went shopping. In the blink of an eye, she had managed to find and change into the same outfit I was wearing. Damn it. I'd revealed my favorite boutiques to her. Still, there was something strangely thrilling about seeing her in my clothes. Was my style really that captivating? And what did it say about Trevor? Was it my face or my fashion that had won him over? I called Trevor to meet me and pointed to Nina, who was attempting to hide behind a large tree. "Who's prettier, me or her?" "You are," Trevor said, without a flicker of interest. "Look closer," I urged. "Nina is wearing the exact same outfit as me today." "Even in the exact same outfit, you're prettier," he stated flatly. "So it's my face you're attracted to?" I smirked. Trevor rubbed the back of his neck. "Chloe, what's this about? You know it's your dad's face that really attracts me." We both burst out laughing. So Nina's mimicry was useless. What Trevor was really after was my father's fortune. Hearing our laughter, Nina, leaning against her tree, stumbled as if she'd been struck. Look at her, all flustered. She wanted to steal my man but only had the guts to eavesdrop from a distance. It was both pathetic and adorable. From then on, Nina followed me everywhere, copying my clothes, my shoes, my perfume, right down to my hair ties. And whenever Trevor and I had a date, she would magically appear, contriving some reason to be there, trying to make her presence known. A waitress in a coffee shop. A ball girl at the tennis court. Selling popcorn at the movie theater. You name it, she'd done it. It got to the point where, on my dates with Trevor, I found myself looking forward to Nina's next surprise appearance. The unexpected, the playful, the shy... each new persona sent a thrill of mischievous delight through me. Ugh. Who was she really doing all this for? 5 The interview ended. As expected, thanks to a preemptive call from my father, I did not get the job. But I wasn't mad. You work to earn money, and the allowance my dad gave me was more than enough. My little excursions into the corporate world were just a game to add some "father-daughter bonding" excitement to our otherwise dull lives. Maya, who had kept me company all morning, got called away by her boyfriend. I remembered I had a boyfriend too, so I gave Trevor a call. "Are you busy?" "Nope." "Want to go on a date?" "Actually, I am a little busy." So childish. I hung up and opened a photo Trevor's roommate had just sent me. There was Trevor, in a secluded grove on campus, his arms around a girl, "tutoring" her on vocabulary with his lips. And standing behind a large rock, radiating a storm cloud of resentment, was Nina. Sigh. Looks like she was finally realizing that copying my wardrobe wasn't going to work. I called her. Her voice was thick and muffled when she answered. "Chloe." The raw hurt in that single word made my heart ache. "Meet me at the campus gate. I'm bringing your stocking back." I drove straight to the university and picked up a red-eyed, puffy-faced Nina. "Crying this hard," I asked with a gentle smile. "You must really be in love with him, huh?" "I'm not," she mumbled, turning her head to stare out the window. "You're not crying, or you're not in love?" "Not in love!" She whipped her head back to face me. Interesting. "You've been chasing him for a year, and you're not in love? You're crying your eyes out because you saw him kissing another girl, and you're not in love?" "That's because..." Nina started, clearly agitated, but then she paused, composing herself. "I feel bad for you. He has an amazing girlfriend like you, and he still cheats!" The car fell silent. I swallowed hard, replaying the dynamics between the three of us in my head. Was she upset because Trevor was kissing someone else, or because Trevor was betraying me? But then, didn't she ever think that her constant pursuit of him might hurt me? "Nina, you..." I pulled the car over into a parking spot and turned to face her fully. Nina kept her head down, her eyes still red, twisting the hem of her skirt. She'd changed back at her dorm and was now wearing an outfit identical to one I often wore during my senior year. "Nina," I asked softly, "are you in love with me?" Her head snapped up, her eyes wide with shock. As she moved, her soft lips brushed against my cheek. "I'm so sorry, so sorry!" Her face turned a deep crimson. "I didn't mean to. I mean, yes, I like you, but I'm not a freak, I just..." What was I supposed to do? This flustered, panicked version of her was like a startled fawn. Oh, damn. My heart was about to go into overdrive.
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