School finally was over for the day. Molly was dreading the prospect of spending a year (or longer!) with this bunch of nerdy girls. As soon as the bell went she returned to her room and quickly changed out of the school uniform and into her old jeans and faux leather jacket. She was going to check out the nearby town.
The problem was Mrs Shaw waiting for her when she opened her bedroom door "There you are Molly. I have booked an appointment at Clippers. You will just have time to put your uniform back on. School regulations - you must always be in uniform when on excursions"
"Er.... But this isn't an excursion"
"Yes it is. Hurry now. The hairdresser is a friend. I don't want to keep her waiting"
Molly thought that at least she would see the town. 'Choose your battles' she thought to herself. She reluctantly changed back into the horrible school uniform.
Molly was delivered to the hairdressers. A woman of at least Mrs Shaw's age looked in disgust at Molly's hair. "A regulation school cut please and do what you can to return this hair to it's natural colour" Mrs Shaw told the woman. "Oh and removed that nose ring while she is here" I will return in 30 minutes"
An hour later Molly was returned to the dormitory. She had not had any opportunity to check out the town. Mrs Shaw had been there when the hairdresser finished and had whisked Molly straight back to the car. Molly's hair had been trimmed and coloured back to her natural blonde. Her nose ring was gone. She now looked like any other student at the school. In particular she now looked like a version of Jennifer with short hair.
Sulking, she tried to sit by herself at dinner. However Jennifer and her friends spotted her and sat at her table trying to "Cheer Molly up"
It was Sarah who first commented "You two must be twins. Were you separated at birth?"
Over the next few days the girls were grilled about their backgrounds. Once it was discovered that the two girls were born in the same town all the friends were convinced that they were twins and one of them, if not both, were given up at birth.
Neither Jennifer nor Molly had any inkling that they were twins before they had met each other. Both had grown up under the impression that they were living with their natural parents, or in Jennifer's case her mother, who had never let on who her father was.