(Note — I know I need to stop making a new story until I completed a few, but I can't resist starting this one. There is not enough America/ Belarus out there! This is based on the story from the amazing webcomic "Cheese in the Trap" — to which I own no rights. It will align to the story in certain places, but have its own original ideas. The webcomic is way too long (over three books) and is still ongoing so this will be heavily condensed.
Summary —
Natasha Arlovskaya, daughter of blue-collar immigrants, is lucky to enter the prestigious Hetalia University. The top student in her department gets a full scholarship and, that would have been her, if not for Alfred F. Jones. Returning from his year abroad, he is uber-popular, rich, generous and has better grades than her.
Everyone acts like he's a hero, but Natalia thinks its a mask and suspects Alfred hides a sinister side behind that happy grin. Last year she didn't like him and was sure he hated her. He made her life hell. Now suddenly he wants to be friends… maybe more? Is he for real?
Natalia sets out to prove Alfred F. Jones is really a villain.
Is He for Real?
For some reason most people avoided Natalia as if she were some kind of villain. Not that she cared. It just seemed a little unfair. So what that she liked knives and sharp things? That was only natural when your father owned a cutlery store.
In her youth the kids ran away and in games she was always cast as the bad girl. The bitch who tried to ruin the nice girl's life. In third grade she was Maleficent — a cool role that she enjoyed — and in fourth she was the snow queen and on in went. A distinct pattern had been clear to her. No one ever picked Natasha to even play the sidekick or the heroine or good girl. "No," they said, "you were born to be a villain".
Which was rather unfair.
So when she went to High School she tried to change her image, growing long, flat blond hair down to her waist and putting a cute white bow — the one she always wore even now — to offset her intimidating aura.
When she was in elementary school, her parents enrolled her her in gymnastics and she discovered she was highly competitive. She won awards after awards until a torn ligament ended her dream there. No matter how much she won thought, the others girls continued to run away from her, except for one.
Her friend, Elizabeta, who had admired Natasha and been friends with her since. Now they were in the same university along with Roderich who Elizabeta had introduced her to.
Sometimes Natasha still did handstands or back flips or no hand somersaults to impress people She made sure not to joke anymore about marrying her brother or her admiration for sharp objects or her love of haunted house and her fascination with fortune-telling.
Yet despite her efforts, she was still the villain. That creepy girl and she had had enough.
"I'm… dropping out," she announced, drinking her shot of vodka. Elizabeta and Roderich who sat with her at the patio table near the poolside, sounds of the crowded party all around, looked at her in surprise.
"Did I hear that right?" Elizabeta said in a loud voice to be heard.
Elizabeta, proud of Hungarian ancestry, often dressed up in her homelands traditional clothing for Halloween or ren fairs. Her round, green eyes were filled with concerns. She had a splash of freckles over the bridge of her nose, covered by a heavy coat of make-up tonight. Her sandalwood-colored hair was pulled back in a ponytail and a pink hair clip with a flower on it held back hair above her right ear. She wore a black turtleneck over a red mini-skirt.
"Dibs on your parking permit," Roderich said, leaning away from Elizabeta's sharp glare.
His dark brown hair was greased back in an attempt to tame his stubborn hair curl. He wore a long blue jacket with straps all over and frills at the cuff. He always tried to wear top brands, but always looked goofy in them. His posture had a stoop and he tended to get lost even in the music department and he was a music major — a gifted pianist — and his deep-set eyes tended to space off. His features were pointed and his chin tapered to a tip.
"I was gonna call it," Eliza muttered before asking, "What do you mean your dropping out?"
"You guys," Natalia grumbled, wishing she was home to sharpen her knives or fix her favorite potato stew. That always relaxed her. It felt weird, being of blue-collar origin surrounded by so many well off people. This house where the college students were partying was so lavish.
"Did something happen?" Roderich asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Yeah, why so suddenly?" Elizabeta asked.
"Well… it's nothing," Natasha said, pouring herself another shot and tilting it back.
"You're going to be wasted if you keep that up," Elizabeta said.
"That's the plan," Natasha muttered, staring toward the lit pool where obnoxious laughter came from. She wasn't staring at it, but at the man near it, who was always the center of attention: Alfred F. Jones.
People surrounded him, sycophants cloying for a scrap of his attention as he grinned and laughed and told stupid jokes. He had on that brown blazer of his — an armani design — and white button down shirt and brown slacks. He had a well-built frame, straw-blond hair, and was a dream made form. Heck, he could be a model. That glasses gave him a keen look.
It wasn't fair. No matter what he did, he was always cast as the hero.
That sneaky rotten bastard, she had often thought in the past year. He had the whole world fooled because she knew what the others didn't, that Alfred had another side. A darker side that he hid behind that grin. Beneath the happy veneer he was evil, she was sure.
"Can we help?" Elizabeta said, touching Natasha's hand.
"No," Natasha said, shaking her head. "I can't afford the tuition."
"It is ridiculously expensive!" Eliza agreed and Roderich nodded. "As if you would know. Your parents are wealthy!"
"Well, not as wealthy as some," he defended peevishly.
"Didn't you get a scholarship?" Eliza asked.
"Not the full one," Natasha said gravely. "I don't think I'll get first. I tried my best."
First would be Alfred Fucking Jones — the foil in all her dreams. The rich bastard who didn't even need it, would get if for sure. There was no way she beat him despite studying so hard.
"I'm sorry, Nat," Eliza said, squeezing Natasha's hand. "I didn't know it was that bad."
If it was just about the money I'd find a way. Take out a loan, Natasha wanted to say. However, she couldn't admit to the truth. To all the stuff that went down last year. That Alfred was a sly fox and she couldn't take any more of his games.
He had won.
He laughed at some joke, throwing his head back, his whole body in the laughter. He might as well be laughing at me.
"It's fine. I'll work for a year and finish later," Natasha said, forcing on a smile while thinking that son of a bitch Jones. "My dad needs help in the shop."
"If you need anything, please ask," Eliza said.
"Let's have fun tonight," Natasha said, raising her glass. They clinked theres. And, in a voice louder than intended, perhaps because she was inebriated, she yelled, "Fuck this school! I'm dropping out! For sure!"
And Natasha never noticed the pair of sky-blue eyes that suddenly settled on her, watching her intently.
"Oh… fuck me…" Natasha said, leaning against a tree and puking up her guts as Elizabeta patted her back and held her hair away from her face.
"I told you to hold back," her friend chided her. "Your brother drinks enough for the whole family."
"Half-brother," Natasha corrected, seized by another fit of retching.
"As long as you don't get any on my shoes — they're Italian leather — I'm fine," Roderich said, looking away when Eliza shot him a glare. "They're expensive."
"Really, Ro? Can't you see she's not well?" Eliza squatted next to her. "Is everything okay? I know you had a hard time last year. Did something happen?"
"I…" Natasha said, wanting to confess everything. Wanting to tell the truth about Alfred and have someone believe her.
She was about to when a loud voice —Soren — called, "Yo! Eliza! Rodi! You all right?"
"Nat drank too much," Eliza called back.
Natasha looked up to see Soren, that Denmark student, standing in a tight black shirt with scarlet slacks looking the role of an asshole. His cornsilk-blond hair was spiked with too much gel. He was taller than Alfred and might have been better looking if not for his blocky face and wide mouth. He was just a shadow of Alfred's charisma and charm. And he hung around Alfred always begging to be seen with him. Another of Alfred's toadies.
And standing a couple feet back behind Soren was Alfred himself. If she could see straight she'd swear the hero was looking at her, probably laughing at her situation.
Rat bastard, she thought.
"Well, she can recover in the limo. Jones here brought a limo," Soren called. "The night's young. Alfred's invited everyone to party in his swanky apartment. Drinks are on him."
"What? No way!" Eliza said. "Sweet! You wanna go?" Natasha looked at her and Eliza said, "I guess not."
Natasha said Alfred grinning at her and her eyes narrowed.
"You guys go without me," Natasha said, standing up.
"Can we?" Roderich asked and Eliza hit him, shooting him a dark look.
"We're not leaving you to stumble home like this."
"I'm fine. You know I live really close," Natasha said. "The beauty of my new apartment."
"C'mon. You can barely walk."
"No, I'm fine. I feel much better," Natasha said, almost adding and I have my swiss army knife. "You guys have fun."
"We stick together," Roderich said.
"I want to be alone," Natasha said, not waiting for their response. Glad she wore flats and her extra thick back coat and purple scarf, she took off running.
"Nat!" Eliza called, voice getting distant. "Don't just run away like this!"
Natasha turned a corner, huffing her way home. She had been running since last year. She was still running. Running from things she couldn't say.
Running from what happened last year. And her mind went back to when he first appeared.
She had no proof, but she knew Alfred was no hero. He was a villain. Her villain.
(One year prior)
"Yo! Yo! Yo motherfuckers!" Soren shouted as Natasha entered with him. The pushy bastard had hooked a arm over her shoulder and decided to give her a personal tour. Most of the students had come to the beginning of the year party at a Chinese Restaurant called the Jade Dragon. "I want to introduce Natasha!"
Natasha forced on a smile feeling her face would break. She wanted to strangle him. This was not how she wanted to be introduced. He also reeked of liquor.
"What was your last name again?" He slurred, eyes bleary.
She pushed him off.
"Natasha Arav—"
"Soren! Buddy over here!" called a loud group of buff men from the end of the table. He stumbled off towards them, leaving Natasha alone and feeling awkward.
"Um… hello!" Natasha said.
A few people looked over and said "Hi," and went back to their conversations, ignoring her presence.
"Nat! Over here!" she heard a familiar voice — Eliza call — and grinned to see her friend standing up from midway down the table. She quickly came over, her friend ordered another girl to move her chair and dragged over a new one for Natasha.
Natasha, stopping only to deposit up her black coat and purple scarf on the coat pile, came over and greeted her friend. "I see you've been drink, Liz."
"And I see you wore that purple dress again," Eliza laughed, eyeing the form-fitting dress Natasha was in with its black stockings and square-toed shoes. Her normal outfit. "And that bow."
"Where's Ro?"
Elizabeta's expression soured and she said, "That jerk is late again! I told him I'll hit him with my frying pan if he's not here in five minutes."
"He texted and said he was on his way," Natasha said, squeezing into the chair.
"I can't believe you did it! You transferred in. I'm so excited for us to be in the same uni!"
"I know!" Natasha agreed.
"We'll have so much fun. I can't wait! So you're with the biochemistry department. Did you get that scholarship you were whining about?"
"I did," Natasha said. "It's a full ride as long as I keep the top rank."
"I've seen how you study. No one could take that from you," Eliza slurred and then there was a commotion from the entryway.
"He's here!" A girl yelled, jumping up and down. Suddenly, everyone was standing and peering at the entrance. Natasha frowned, wondering what the noise was about as people said, "The Hero is here! Oh my God! He's gorgeous" and a litany of other things.
"Who's here?" Natasha said, curious enough to stand and see who was the big deal.
"Oh, I didn't know he was coming. You haven't heard of Alfred F. Jones?" Elizabeta asked.
"No." Natasha shook her head.
"He's back from studying abroad I hear. I only met him a few months before he left last year. He's so sweet. A real hero, always helping people out. And he's rich, smart, and a knockout."
"A player then?"
"Not from what I heard," Elizabeta said. "There are celebrities at this school and then's there's Alfred. They call him a dream given form."
Natasha tried not to roll her eyes.
Shrill screams of elation announced his arrival as even the boys cheered him. Soren rushed, pushing his way through, yelling, "Give him space! Give him space. This way Al!"
The crowd parted like water and in that brief opening she saw him clear as day and even her mouth went dry at that cut face and figure. He walked with confidence, as if no one could match him. Tall, blonde, and in a brown coat — something designer — and the picture of Adonis.
"Let me," someone said. Alfred paused only to give them his red, white, and blue scarf and his coat before he continued to the end of the table with the other boys who cleared him a space at the head of the table. People cloyed and showered him with praise.
It made Natasha sick to watch how they ingratiated themselves to their little hero prince. She had to admit to a bit of jealous. They had hardly acknowledged her arrival now they were practically kissing this guy's feet.
He sat at the head of the table like the guest of honor. Other even cleared his spot of dirty dishes and put down a clean plate and silverware for him. It pissed her off.
Okay, maybe I'm a bit jealous, she admitted.
Soren glanced at her and then locked eyes on her. No, no, no she mouthed, cringing when he clapped Alfred on the shoulder and pointed at her yelling, "Natasha's also a transfer student! She's starting this year too! You should say hi!"
Alfred grinned at her, in a somehow plastic way, a way that felt off, and said, "Hello."
"Umm… Hi…" she trailed off; he had already turned away, appearing to be engrossed in some other conversation. She felt herself blush with anger. That jerk!
He had just blown her off.
Screw him! She grabbed Eliza's beer.
"Hey!" her friend said as Natasha downed it. Then she grinned. "Oh, so that's how it is! More rounds for the ladies! We're gonna get trashed tonight!
Even though she was nothing but a blip on Mr. Hero's radar, she continued to study him out of the corner of her eye. The way he laughed, or pretended to laugh and tell jokes. She wasn't sure if he was laughing at their jokes or laughing at them.
All she knew was she couldn't stand Alfred F. Jones.
(Present)
"You'll what!" Her older sister, Katyusha cried, looking ready to tear out her black hair band and her short, white-blond hair by the roots. Her sister's round face had a motherly look, befitting since her mother had been playing mother since their real mother died. "Why Natasha? Why? You already signed a lease for your apartment!"
"I'll pay for the rent. I'll get a job. Two if I have too," Natasha said, clasping her hands together. "Please! I need this!"
Kat crossed her arms. She wore a T-shirt, any of which was tight around her sister's prominent bosom. Careworn wrinkles and smile lines had begun to crease her sister's still beautiful face.
"I don't understand. You must be out of your mind. Weren't you going to become a biochemist and invent life-saving drugs. What happened did you fail a class?"
"No," Natasha said, "But I won't get a full scholarship. And with Ivan studying abroad…"
"If that's all I'll get a third job."
"No. I can't accept that. You work too much already. Let me help."
"This isn't like you. You never let go of something you set your heart on. That's why Ivan had to flee," she teased.
"He's too serious. I wasn't serious when I joked I'd married him. But he is only my half-brother…" she stopped at Katyusha's quirked eyebrow. "Please. I'll study hard next year. Let me take a break. It's too much pressure. I can help dad at the shop."
"Fine," Katyusha sighed. "I don't understand though."
"Hold on," Natasha said, her phone vibrating. She saw it was from Eliza who wouldn't call at this hour if it wasn't urgent. "Yes?"
"Have you heard?" Eliza all but shouted through the receiver. Natasha held the phone away from her ear. Katyusha could clearly hear her as well.
"Heard what?"
"Major scandal! Professor Ludwig lost Alfred's final report! He won't get first. You will! You'll get the full scholarship! Isn't that amazing?"
Natasha froze, staring at her now seething sister.
"I'll call you back," Natasha said, hanging up.
"So you got the full one and you still want to quit!" Katyusha looked ready to hit her, proceeding to give Natasha the rough-side of her tongue.
"Life's not fair," Roderich said, handing Natasha back her parking permit. "I had plans for that space." Elizabeta hit his arms. "Well, I did. I can't believe Ludwig was so careless."
"It might not have been his fault," Eliza said, leaning closer and speaking a low voice. They were standing in the hallways near the main building's glass door entrance. Dozens of students coming in and out. "From what I hear he's been distracted by one of his TAs. The one named Feliciano."
Natasha snatched the parking permit, stuffing it in her black backpacks front pocket. "I can't believe this."
"Yeah, you look awful," Eliza said. Natasha frowned at her. "What? You do."
"Well, I had to take the bus today," she glanced at Roderich, "And the first day is so stressful. I'm going to go relax in the park for a bit before my first class."
"Are you sure you don't want company?" Roderich asked.
"I'm good," Natasha said, pulling out her earbuds. She had worn her coat and scarf. She walked off, thumbing through her play list as she stuck them in. Things were revolving strangely. She hadn't slept well since the news.
She picked her favorite rock music band.
Stuffing her gloved hands in her pocket, she made her way through the doors and down one of the sidewalks from the brick buildings of the campus. Red and yellow autumn leaves covered the grounds. The air was crisp and she pulled her jacket tighter around her slim shoulders.
The late morning sun shined midway down through only a few wisps of clouds. She had come early today to settle some things with administration.
It didn't make sense to her that Ludwig lost Alfred's paper. He was too anal for such a mistake and Natasha wasn't used to being so lucky. As she sat listening to Guns'N'Roses she must have drifted off because she woke someone tapping on her shoulder and the song was different.
She jumped up in surprised, whirling around and yanking her earbuds out. Natasha blinked in shock to see none other than Alfred F. Jones standing behind her in his brown designer jacket and some slacks — all expensive brands.
She was speechless to see the golden boy grinning cheerfully at her. A grin that she couldn't help but blush at the sight of. He waved and said, "Hey, Natasha. Funny meeting you here. Small campus, right?"
"Erm…"
What are you doing? she wanted to say.
He was her enemy. He was the guy who made her life hell last year. She was sure he didn't like her, so why was he greeting her without his escort of toadies. Her mind was about to explode from the unreality of this.
"… hi?" she said weakly, forcing the corners of her mouth to lift in a smile.
"Wanna grab a bite to eat? I know an awesome burger place?" he said.
Brain shut down from the shock of his request, her lips moved without thinking and she said, "S-sure."
And realized what she had done. Fuck. I'm fucked, she thought. She had just agreed to eat out with her nemesis. The guy everyone believed a hero, but Natasha knew better.
He was no hero and she had just walked into his trap.
Is this for real?
(Note — It's similar right now to the original story, but it'll begin to diverge because "Cheese in the Trap" is too long of a story and I don't want this to be very long. I'm going to condense some things and add my own elements. "Cheese in the Trap" is also ongoing and I don't know what ending the author intends so I'll have to make up my own. Shall I go for creepy or romantic? Not sure yet.
The webcomic is amazing if you ever want to read it, but pretty long (almost three books!) and is slice of life.
Will Alfred's charms change Natasha's mind and why does he suddenly want to be friends? Natasha is sure Alfred has a dark motive and he's not the nice guy he pretends to be. If only she could prove it…
tbc…in "Be Careful"