The Two and Only Kelly Twins Read Free

don’t need to cover it any longer,” she said to Ilene. But Ilene insisted.
    So that’s how their new classmates could tell one twin from another on the first day of school. Arlene was in Mrs. Storch’s second-grade class. Ilene was in Ms. Frost’s second-grade class. And it was Ilene who was wearing a bandage on her left index finger. At least for the next couple of days.

It was quite amazing. On the first day of second grade, everyone was talking about it.
    When Arlene walked into her new classroom, Caroline Marks came rushing over to report to her.
    “There are
three
sets of twins in kindergarten this year,” Caroline Marks told her.
    “No kidding,” said Arlene. “Three sets. That’s amazing.” She wasn’t exactly happy with the news. She liked being a twin and didn’t especially want to share that honor with the six new kids.
    “That’s nothing,” Paul Asher said, pointing to a girl standing nearby. “She’s a triplet!”
    “A triplet?” Everyone turned to look at the girl. She was not someone who had been in kindergarten or first grade at their school.
    “I don’t believe it,” Arlene said.
    The girl turned to look at her. Then she nodded. “It’s true,” she said. “I have a sister in Ms. Frost’s class and a brother in Mrs. Gregory’s class.”
    “My sister, Ilene, is in Ms. Frost’s class,” said Arlene. “We’re identical. Are you?”
    “My sister and I are identical, but my brother isn’t. Boys can’t be identical to girls,” the new girl said.
    “I know that,” said Arlene. “What’s your name?”
    “Claudia Best. And my sister is Roberta Best. We’re going to be the
best
kids in this school.”

    Arlene looked at Claudia and scowled. Who did this girl think she was, having an identical sister and a brother as well? Best triplets! Phooey.
    At that very moment, Ilene, in her new second-grade class, was learning about Roberta Best and her sister and brother. The brother was named Simon Best. Ever since they had started school, Ilene and Arlene had been singled out as special because they were twins. Now here was this Roberta, who had not only an identical sister but a brother, too.
    Ilene felt very annoyed. How could she and Arlene be considered special if there were triplets in their school? Being a twin would no longer seem like a big deal.
    “I’m a triplet, too,” she told Roberta when no one was nearby. Ilene didn’t know why she said it. Those words just came out of her mouth. And it was worth it to see the surprised look on Roberta’s face.
    “Really? That’s weird that there are two sets of triplets in second grade.”
    Ilene thought quickly. “My other sister doesn’t go to this school. Only my sister Arlene,” said Ilene. She didn’t want to have to point out two sisters to Roberta at lunchtime.
    “What’s your other other sister’s name?” Roberta asked.
    “Marlene,” said Ilene. That was easy to make up. Lots of people got confused about the similarity of the twins’ names and called them things like Marlene and Carlene and Darleen.
    “Let’s sit next to each other,” said Roberta.
    Reluctantly, Ilene sat next to the new girl. She hoped Roberta didn’t ask any more about Marlene, because someone might tell her there was no Marlene in the Kelly family.
    Luckily Ms. Frost came into the room and everyone rushed to find a seat. The morning was filled with first-day-of-school activities: going over classroom behavior, giving out textbooks, getting consent forms to bring home for their parents, and stuff like that. Ms. Frost talked about some of the things that the students would be learning in second grade. And Mrs. Storch was doing the same things in Arlene’s classroom. So it wasn’t until lunchtime that the Kelly sisters and the triplets all met face-to-face.

    As usual, Arlene and Ilene were wearing the same outfit. They both had on red shirts and matching pants. Claudia and Roberta were not dressed alike at all. In fact, Claudia was