Twice Two

The night flew by unnoticed — that’s how exhausted Plane was. At first she couldn’t fall asleep, replaying the events of the past day: trying to bring the others down with just one look, her first meeting with Mama Ru, her impatience to show herself in the talent show and perform Burger Finger for the first time, and the fragile, charming girl. Miss Banana. Maybe she was the only one Plane wouldn’t mind seeing again tomorrow. And the day after tomorrow. She wondered if they’d have to lip sync against each other — and which of them would have to leave. ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ Plane mumbled in Russian into the pillow and drifted off to sleep. The other half of the contestants turned out to be much more decent, with the exception of the oddity called Amanda. When Plane first saw her in drag, she thought she was back at her first brunch, where the exact same Amandas showed themselves on stage for the first time. Nymphia noticed the disdain in Plane’s eyes and burst out laughing silently. Plane seemed to sense it and looked at Nymphia in confusion. She just shrugged, as if to say that all forms and manifestations of drag were welcome here. In honor of her win in the talent show, Mama Ru presented Plane with a vial of immunity, which she could use on herself or share with someone else. Plane accepted it with a look of importance, pleased with the envious glances directed at her. She didn’t need immunity. She could reach the finale on her own, and even if she had to lip sync, she would do it without the help of questionable gifts. ‘You’ll share it with me, Planey?’ Nymphia grabbed her hand and rested her head on her shoulder. ‘You said yourself that I’m very talented.’ ‘And you think you’ll need it, sister?’ Plane asked, looking at the back of her head. ‘You’re no less confident than I am.’ ‘But if there’s another vote,’ Nymphia pulled away, ‘what’s the guarantee they won’t put me in last place? For example, out of rivalry?’ The sly look in Nymphia’s eyes made Plane wary. Could she have guessed how Plane voted? Nymphia looked at her with wide‑open eyes, and Plane felt a pang of guilt. She tried to avoid answering, searching for words, but Nymphia interrupted her, ‘Did you put me in last place?’ Why was it so hard for Plane to admit it and snap back? No, with her it just didn’t work. For some reason Plane had nothing to grab onto, she didn’t know what flaw she could use. Not that Nymphia was so perfect, but Plane felt that even if she said something nasty, Nymphia would just smile her signature smile and keep the conversation going. ‘And where would you want to be in my ranking?’ Plane tried to dodge. ‘It’s all clear with you.’ Nymphia turned and went to her station. ‘Guess what place I put you in?’ Nymphia began rummaging through her things on the table. ‘Sister, I know everyone put me in first place, including you,’ Plane replied in her usual manner. ‘If Mama Ru had to vote, she would’ve done the same without a doubt.’ ‘Well, as I understand it, you’ll give me your immunity if anything, Planey.’ Nymphia headed for the pile of sewing materials. ‘Don’t be so full of yourself, Miss Banana,’ Plane called after her with a smile. ‘Nym‑phi‑a,’ Nymphia sang syllable by syllable, diving into the pile of fabric.

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The ball went perfectly. Nymphia received excellent critique, and Plane watched her with interest. A seamstress, huh. She hadn’t lied. Plane was also pretty good at sewing, but to make an outfit out of ties… ‘Where did you get those boots?’ Plane asked evenly, looking in the mirror and touching up her lipstick. She had finally found something to criticize. ‘Like them?’ Nymphia came up from behind and peered into her reflection over Plane’s shoulder. ‘I don’t want to brag, but that’s my work too. Sometimes I get bored with my store‑bought shoes, and I get the urge to make something my own. Have you ever sewn anything besides bodysuits?’ Plane froze in surprise. And who was shady now? Plane shifted her gaze from her lips to Nymphia’s cheeky eyes. On the one hand, they showed the desire to tease her, but on the other hand, it seemed she really wanted to hear the answer. Could she really think that Plane hadn’t had a hand in the gorgeous Snow Queen coat? Well, okay, that was true. Plane hadn’t worked on that look. But the Boston slut outfit had been completely designed by her. ‘You know, Miss Banana…’ Plane began, but was cut off. ‘How forgetful you are, Planey.’ She grabbed Plane’s lipstick from under the mirror, opened it, and neatly wrote ‘Nymphia’ in the corner of the mirror. Below she drew a heart. ‘And what’s the heart for?’ Plane reached out to wipe off the drawing but was firmly stopped by Nymphia. She grabbed Plane’s fingers and intertwined them with her own. ‘So what’s my name, Planey?’ ‘Cheeky Miss Banana, Nymphia Wind, who brazenly messed up my mirror.’ ‘Not messed up — decorated,’ Nymphia corrected her. She lowered her eyes to their hands, sighed, released hers, and headed for her station. ‘Time to get ready, Planey. Tomorrow’s the last filming day before the weekend, and I’ve no idea what Mama Ru has prepared for us. By the way…’ Nymphia turned sharply, trying to hide a smile, and asked, ‘Did you say my name in full?’ Plane turned back to her lips. It was long past time to wash off all her makeup, but for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to start. Nymphia kept watching her with a sly smile. Plane felt it even with her back turned. ‘So do you remember my name?’ ‘It suddenly came back after your little artwork.’ She nodded at the writing. ‘Memory is tricky. You never know what it’ll throw at you.’ ‘Right, Planey Jane. I hope when it’s time to part with your immunity, you’ll remember me — and please call me by the right name, otherwise we’ll have to reshoot everything.’ Again with this immunity. Was she talking to her only because of it? And how far would she go? Plane wasn’t sure she wanted to find out, but Nymphia’s determination gave her reason to think that soon she’d have no choice. When Plane finally began washing off her makeup, Nymphia was already leaving the hall. ‘If anything, I was put on the fourth floor,’ she turned and looked at Plane, who was still busy with her face. ‘Room 426. You can sneak in if you get really bored. But it’s too late tonight, so I won’t open the door!’ Finishing happily, Nymphia left the hall. Plane looked at the reflection and saw Andy. Embarrassed, he was watching her and nervously biting his lip. That wasn’t what Plane had meant to achieve. Andy was supposed to stay in Boston and not show up here. There was room for only one person, and that was Plane. ‘Andy, go home,’ Plane whispered, staring at the reflection. ‘I’m here to make a name for myself. Not to show my weaknesses. Not to blush at the sight of a little, charming girl. Go back home.’ Plane raised her eyes and saw the word ‘Nymphia.’ She reached out and wiped away the heart. It smudged into a messy blotch of lipstick. ‘So be it,’ Plane said and, without looking in the mirror, went to bed.