I'm not sure when it all started. I tried to remember as much of the early days as I possibly could. It must have been when my notes started to disappear. Or maybe even before then when I couldn't find one of my pens.

She started talking to me around that time too. It almost seemed like she wanted to become my best friend over night.

I was still oblivious then, I was happy I got to make another friend. There was never enough of those.

We hung out a lot. She always asked me questions about me, what were my hobbies, what movies I liked, what food I cooked. It was all flattering at the time and I guess I was at a point in my life when I felt as if I wasn't appreciated enough by my friends anymore, so I talked and forgot to be asking back. It didn't seem to bother her at all and I took the opportunity to vent.

In retrospect I don't really know what kind of friendship that was. She never wanted anything from me and she seemed to almost worship me with her questions, compliments and following. I didn't question it. My self-centered self was making the most of the situation. I must admit, unfortunately, that I loved it. No one in my life paid as much attention to me before. I felt assured.

I felt like my life was worth living.

We spent quite a lot of time together, studying, sleeping over. I guess all that time with her taught me some essentials to life, like being more decisive - I always had to come up with places to visit -, her silent cheering made me more bold and honest. I learned a lot. Yet it's nothing compared to what I lost.

I noticed when she died her her brown. Not just a generic brown colour, it was almost exactly the same as mine, maybe a tiny bit darker than mine. She never mentioned wanting to do anything like it and she seemed proud of her bond hair until then. Who am I to judge though? People do crazier stuff than that.

She started curling it too. Just enough to give her the kind of wavy look I had naturally. It was weird, looking at her and seeing almost the same hair on her as I did in my own reflection.

After a few weeks after the hair came a realization that when I was out with her, and saw her interacting with
other people, she would lift her eyebrow in a rather similar fashion as I did. Her gestures suddenly felt familiar as well. She would even play with her hair the same way.

When we got to my place, she was herself again and I doubted if my eyes really saw what my brain claims. All was normal the next day. Or as normal as it could have been.

I suppose I knew, some part of my brain certainly did, that things were progressing oddly. What I saw and decided to acknowledge didn't quite add up and I was left with a feeling of finding two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that seemed to fit as a pair on their own, with a little push to put them together, but at the end realized that they were nowhere even near each other in the final picture. I didn't know what the picture looked like. Or if there weren't more to begin with.

My things kept disappearing from under my nose. At some point I noticed some of my older trinkets gone, even though I haven't moved them from their place in years. My memory was pretty terrible, however, and I often forgot I sometimes misplaced my things and then have them turn up in the most unexpected places. It wasn't the case this time, however, but I still had no clue.

Later, she started borrowing some of my clothes. Shoes. Art supplies, even though I almost never saw her draw or paint a single thing. It still didn't click that this was not normal.

I did get fed up when she kept 'forgetting' to give me my clothes back. But I guess I brought that one upon myself, since I have patience of a saint when it comes to my friends, especially very close ones. Or maybe I should have just put my foot down instead, learn that skill too while I was at it.

Regretfully, I was too good of a person.

She purchased coloured contact lenses after about a year of being friends. That freaked me out a bit. Then she got glasses that looked almost identical to mine and that freaked me out even more.

I started to have questions. Her answers were always ambiguous and I was never able to push her for any proper reasons. I still hoped that this whole thing was going to blow over with some ridiculous explanation like she was going to cosplay some obscure character from an anime that looked like me. I would have gladly accepted that.

The last straw was when she wanted to 'borrow' my hat. It may sound weird, but I loved it, I was given that hat by my mum and it had sentimental value due to which I never let others do more than try it on for a moment or two. While I was there and making sure they didn't tear it. Or spill something on it. Or burn it. I really did love that hat.

I refused.

I suppose that I was too lenient. I said 'yes' too many times. Now I said 'no' and I didn't expect what happened next.

Her fury was palpable in the air. I found it harder to breathe and I started sweating despite the heating being off and it being middle of November. I did not recognize her face, contorted in rage. It didn't make sense, why was she so hung up on my hat, of all things? She slowly stood from the armchair she was lounging in until then and ever so slowly started making her way towards me, her eyes never leaving mine. I was glued to the spot, my feet refused to budge even though my whole consciousness was screaming at me to move, to run away unless I wanted to end up being a prey. She was now about 5 steps from me.

4 steps.

3.

Then the doorbell rang and whatever it was that took over her vanished without a trace. I must have held my breath because once the atmosphere was clear I took in a shaky breath, then another, until I calmed down.

Saved by the bell.

She just looked at me as if nothing happened at all and asked if I was going to check who it was. Then she turned on her heel and sat back into the armchair. I stared at her for a second longer, shook my head and went to the entrance. I subconsciously wiped at my forehead and only then noticed the amount of sweat. As if in trance I wiped my hand on my trousers and opened the door.

It was one of our classmates. I smiled at him politely and asked if I could help him.

He began to explain that he couldn't get hold of me on the phone or on Facebook, wondering why would I choose now to delete my account when so many great events were coming up. He also invited me to his flatmate's birthday party and extended the invitation to my friend as well.

What he said next almost made my knees give out.

"Yeah, you two are so close and look so much alike. It's almost like you found your long lost twin or something."

Until then the pieces didn't form a solid picture, but now, it made kind of made sense.

I absentmindedly agreed with him, bid him goodnight and silently closed the door.

Twins. We looked like twins.

I had to support my weight on the door. My head was spinning a little too fast. There was too much to process and she was still here. She was here, wearing my clothes, twiddling with her hair that was a replica of mine, reading my books with almost identical glasses perched on her nose. It didn't make sense. Why does she want to be me? What does she have to gain?

I glanced in the mirror in the hallway to see her reflection. Yes, almost a perfect replica. But she was leaner, her hair lacked my frizz and her face looked a little more pleasant to look at, when she wasn't trying to maul me with her stare.

I suppose I will never know why, but I figured out one thing. She wanted to replace me. And at the rate she was going at she was very near succeeding.

I felt like the bottom of my stomach disappeared and I wanted to throw up.

Who does that? Why choose me of all people?

What was she going to do to me when her transition was complete?

Out. I had to get out now. I couldn't risk it there anymore.

I tiptoed to the kitchen and went for the emergency money I had stacked away. However, it seemed like the house was already fine-combed and it wasn't there anymore.

I made my way back to the front door and checked my coat for my ID, cards and keys. It was all there, and for once the luck seemed to be on my side. I put the coat on, my hat and boots and as silently as possible made my way out.

The click the door made must have been heard to the end of the road.

Ten seconds ticked by and there was no noise indicating that she noticed me leave. I let out my breath and started walking, still silently, down the road.

I ran once I was sure she couldn't hear the footfalls.

The tears and sobs came without any warning. I could barely see where I was going. I didn't want to be replaced. I liked who I was. I still had things I wanted to do. How could she just barge into my life and decide that it's up for taking? I admit, I was somewhat vulnerable when we first met, but I was working hard on making my life better, I just needed more time. Not yet. I wasn't done with my life yet!

I had to find a place to stay, where she wouldn't come looking for me. A difficult choice to make, since she knew all the people I did. She knew them almost as well as I did, if not better. I tasted bile in my mouth again. They would notice, if I went missing, right? They would notice that it was her and not me talking to them, wouldn't they?

I didn't want to think about it longer than that.

There was only one person who I didn't tell her everything about and I am writing this from there now. I can't
say who they are in case she finds this. But at the moment, I'm safe.

I can't write anymore than this now. They told me I need to get some rest. I still haven't told them what happened and to be honest, I'm not sure they will believe me. I'm not sure if I believe it either. This whole thing is too surreal to be true. I don't understand. I just want this to be a bad dream I can wake up from and forget.

P.S.: I apologize for any bad grammar, I really can't read through it again. Certainly not now.

Update: You have no idea how much your support means to me. I have just finished reading your comments and I will try to answer your questions to the best of my ability. Thank you all, it really means a world to me.

Part 2.

Update 2: Part 3