The Twinning Project by Robert Lipsyte Page A

didn’t. He began to like the idea the more he thought about it. He’d always been president or vice president of his class back home. Just being a candidate was a good way to meet people and make new friends. Since Tom hadn’t been in this school very long, most people probably wouldn’t notice how different he was.
    He missed Tom. He thought,
I wish we could have spent more time together.
Tom seemed like a fearless guy, gutsy, and so smart. A cool brother.
    He heard a sweet, silvery voice say, “I think it’s wonderful that you’re running.” He recognized it instantly: Merlyn, the new cheerleader.
    But that was back there, not here.
    He turned. It
was
Merlyn, all right, with her long black hair that covered one of her bright green eyes. What was she doing here?
    Merlyn said, “This school needs fresh blood.”
    â€œIf you’re a
vampire,” said Alessa. She was scowling.
    Merlyn ignored her. “And here’s my campaign contribution.” She put six dollar bills on the table in front of Eddie. “We need to perform together again. Closer to the election.”
    She laughed and walked away.
    â€œWhat was that all about?” said Alessa.
    â€œBeats me,” said Eddie.
Have to ask Tom about this.
And how could she be in two places?
Merlyn must be a monitor.
    â€œYou’re hot,” said the boy with the raccoon eyes. “It’s that YouTube clip.”
    â€œGive her a break,” said Hannah. “Maybe she’s a Greenie, too.”
    â€œThat Gossip Girl is just playing him,” said Alessa. She was glaring at Eddie. “When did you perform together? What was that money for?”
    Eddie looked right into Alessa’s eyes. “I don’t know what she was talking about.”
    Alessa muttered something under her breath, but she nodded and looked down.
    People usually believed Eddie. He was glad they believed him on this planet, too.
    Suddenly, he felt sick. Was it Merlyn, the turkey wrap, or was Tom landing? Eddie hoped his brother was all right.

THIRTY-THREE
    NEARMONT, N.J.
    2011
    Â 
    I N the afternoon there was a class called tech lab. Everyone sat in front of a computer. Alessa showed Eddie how to turn it on. That was as far as he got. Kids were “Googling.” He almost laughed out loud at that word. Sounded dirty. Turned out it was a way of looking up things fast. He wondered if you could get sports scores.
    In science, the teacher was talking about “climate change.” The planet was getting hotter, and she said most scientists thought it was people’s fault. How could people change the weather? Eddie wondered.
    In history, the teacher used her computer to put a chart on the wall. She called it Mrs. Rupp’s Timeline. She was asking when the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq started. Eddie didn’t know where those countries were, much less that there were wars there.
    Then he followed Alessa to the auditorium for the election committee meeting. He sat there shivering, even though it was warm.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” said Alessa. “Are you sick?”
    He couldn’t tell her he was sharing the slipping flu with the real Tom. “The pills,” he said.
    She put her head close to his and whispered, “I went to a shrink once and I took pills like that.”
    â€œWhat happened?”
    â€œThey didn’t help me the way they’re helping you. You’re so much more chill. I can’t believe you’re running for office after such a short time in school.”
    You don’t even know
how
short
, he thought.
And this isn’t the real Tom’s kind of thing.
In just the little time he had spent with him, Eddie could tell that Tom was a loner kind of guy who kept to himself, reading, doing his tech stuff, and playing the violin. Tom didn’t have friends. Eddie wondered how many people would vote for him. He’d have to act different from Tom to get votes. But