Chapter 1 - no club for you!

"I can't believe they didn't let us in...again!" exclaimed Jane, "We've been coming back for weeks now. You'd we'd get shown some loyalty, right?"

"Isn't it obvious? They're just looking for some blonde bimbo with a fake rack. True beauty just isn't appreciated in this town," countered Lindsey.

Lindsey and Jane were twins, but not the type you'd see on a beer commercial. While there wasn't anything particularly wrong with their appearance, there wasn't anything particularly right, either. Barring a small mole on Jane's left cheek, the sisters looked almost identical. Straight, dull brown hair. Slim, but not overly skinny. Their faces had a smattering of freckles. Looking out from atop a narrow nose was a set of listless hazel eyes.

This walk back to their apartment had become a weekly ritual. After waiting for hours in the line for Spazio's, a trendy nightclub, the girls would be turned away with a flick of the bouncer's hand. On the way home, they'd shout to the heavens all the worst sort of curses and lamenting how vulgar the city around them was--primarily for not noticing them. However, they often failed to notice someone, too.

Mandy.

"Hey, Lindsey! I'm a blonde!" their roommate whined, honestly dejected.

"Oh, Mandy, no, no, no...I'd never say you have a fake rack," Lindsey countered quickly.

"Well, okay then. But be careful what you say around people, kay," Mandy said in softer tones, relieved at the explanation that failed to apologize for the harsher part of the insult.

Mandy was the most attractive of the group, though relative terms are a bit cloudy at times. When standing completely straight, you could say she was probably 5'2. Her light, blonde hair ended at the collar of her pink AE polo. Mandy was slightly overweight, but with the right wardrobe, no one would have really noticed. Mandy did not have the right wardrobe. Her closet was basically obnoxiously-colored polos, khaki Capri cut-offs and flip-flops. The main problem was that all of the polos and khakis were all at least one size too small, which resulted in Mandy having a little belly roll and an accentuated muffin top.

Once the girls got home, the twins decided to comfort themselves with some vanilla ice cream. Unfortunately, what had been half a quart yesterday was now gone. The likely culprit sat on the couch clipping at her toenails.

"Mandy, did you finish the double fudge in the freezer?" Jane asked.

"Mandy...Mandy...Mandy!"
"Huh!? Oh, yeah," Mandy started, pulling the earphones out. "Totally scarfed it for breakfast. Sooooooory, dude."

"Have you paid your part of the rent this month?" Lindsey asked, knowing the answer already---or some variant of it.

"Yeah, paycheck for this week isn't in, so I probably don't have the cash. I'll get to it when I get to it, don't you worry," Mandy responded, focused more on the cracked, red polish that adorned one of her toes. Sighing in disapproval, Mandy returned the earphones to their customary spot.

Knowing she could shout and wake the neighbors quicker than get Mandy's attention, Jane stared her sister down. "Why is she here again?"

"Well, she does usually pay the rent within a week of it being due. And the landlord 'likes' her," Lindsey responded.

"Ohh..." Jane said, following with a snort. "But really, I'm getting tired of her serving no purpose around here other than being our personal mooch. What does she spend all that money on anyway?"