“Sophie, Sophie!” My friend Jem exclaimed, interrupting our enriching conversation regarding prostates and male G-spots. “Yes?” I said.

“That girl looks EXACTLY like you. Look!”

All four of us turned around in our seats. We were in a central London Weather Spoons for a catch up.

“Omg, she so, so does” gawked Ella. “That is weird”.

I scanned the busy room and finally spotted my twin at the bar, ordering a pint of Guinness (my exact drink of choice)!

“Go and get her Soph” slurred Pheobe, who had already ordered her second bottle of wine. “She could be our new best friend. Hehe.”

They all looked at me expectantly.

“No. No. No Way. I never wanted a twin. I’mmmm the only Sophie in the village.” Pheobe hiccuped and grabbed some ice from the wine bucket to top up her glass. “What were you saying about your ‘experiment gone wrong’, Jem?”

I swiftly brought their attention back to bedroom antics before they invited the poor girl over. Pheobe snorted.

“Oh yeah, so what happened was...”

I glanced at her a couple of times throughout the rest of the night. It was fascinating. Is that what I really look like? I looked at myself on my phone screensaver and compared it to my doppelgänger. I wondered what her parents look like and if we would get on. We left the bar and I turned to look at her one last time but she was gone.

A year later and I’m back here in the same weather spoons with work this time. A few of us decided to grab a well deserved wind-down pint before heading home. We walk towards the bar and I slow down, distracted. A man was shouting my name.

“Sophie! Sophie”.

I keep walking while scouring the crowd trying to find a familiar face. My journey came to a halt as I bumped into a couple embracing. “Oops, so sorry” I said. “No problem” muttered a tanned Enrique Iglesias type guy, before he turned back to face his girlfriend.

I didn’t start walking again. His girlfriend was my look alike! That one, that time with the girls - the one Jem pointed out. This time I didn’t take my eyes off her. She was my exact copy. Same height, same smile, same fashion sense. And same name?! “Sophie” the Spanish man cooed. “I’ve missed you, my darling”.

I stared open mouthed like a blobfish until it became awkward.

“Can I help you?” Said the shmoozy Spaniard.

“I’m sorry, do you not think me and her look, like, really similar? Sorry to interrupt you both I’m just spooked.” I turn to Sophie two.

“Hi, Sophie isn’t it? My names Sophie too. I just can’t believe how similar we look!”

She looked at me, horrified. She grabbed my elbow and marched me over to the corner of the room. Her head bowed and her eyes furrowed. I just let her guide me like a limp rabbit shocked into submission.