Sorry this has taken so long, hopefully you guys enjoy the chapter though! I know the beginning is a bit choppy but the last two sections are a little longer and the next few chapters should have long sections. I made this chapter extra-long as an apology! I also have a note at then end for you guys. Oh, and I gave you some days of the week in this chapter so that you can kinda see what my time line is...it's the second week in December.


"He's special, I know.

His smile, it glows.

He's perfect, it shows."

- Whose That Boy, Demi Lovato


Wednesday - after school.

I adore ballet. The grace, the charm, the elegance that is displayed. It is all so wonderful. When I was very little and staying in one of the first foster homes I had ever been in, my caretaker signed me up for classes. I thought it was too boring and slow, to structured and strict. But I grew to love it. I grew to appreciate it.

Because that was what I needed.

I needed structure and I needed strict. I needed someone to care enough to tell me what to do.

"Miss. Narducci, point your toes." "Nikita, straighten those arms." "Graceful, Nikki, graceful."

Now that I am older, I can see the beauty that is in ballet. It's truly lovely.

I want to be a ballerina when I grow up. I want to dance for large crowds and have people clap for me. I want to people to look at me and think I'm graceful and beautiful. I want to be everything people told me I would never be.


"You did very well today, Natalie. I didn't realize you knew anything about ballet." Miss. Tracey, the dance teacher, commented as I picked up my bag.

"Well...yeah." I wasn't really sure what to say.

"I always tried to get you to participate in it but you refused...why the change of heart?" She asked. Her question was suspicious, just curious. She didn't have any idea that I was really impersonating someone else.

"I just...think it's beautiful, you know?"

"I do."


Wednesday - during the day.

"Seth."

"Seth."

"SE-ETH!"

"Sethy?"

"Seth."

"SETH."

"Se-"

"What!" He snapped, turning to glare at Dakota. She cracked a smile and nudged Spencer.

"You didn't ask us permission before asking Natalie out. Aren't you supposed to ask the guardians first?" Dakota asked.

"Yeah, Seth, you don't want to anger us." Spencer spoke up.

"Leave him alone." I scolded, intertwining our hands together. Both of Natalie's friends exchanged a look before shrugging and walking away.

"Should I be scared?" Seth asked, looking down at me worriedly. I shrugged.

"I honestly have no idea."

I really didn't have any idea and that was getting real old, real fast. I hated not knowing what was going on when I should and I hated not being able to answer basic questions. I wasn't stupid, I should know these answers, I should know what was going on, but I didn't. And there was nothing I could do about it.

For now.


When are you coming home? I typed. I miss you.

Soon. Was the only text I got in response.


"So, you and Seth." Quil started, smirking and leaning towards me from his spot at the lunch table.

"So, you and...oh wait, you're alone." I shot back. Collin chuckled and I smiled innocently back at them. I was turning more into Natalie the more time I spent being her. Quil narrowed his eyes and let out a huff before sitting back in his seat.

"Not that funny." He muttered before starting in on his food. Warm lips pressed against my cheek and I turned as Seth took the seat next to me.

"Hi." He said softly, giving me a smile meant just for me. I grinned at him and slid my hand over to his. "How was your math test earlier?" He asked.

"I think I did good, I'm just freaking out over Spanish later." I admitted, shaking my head a little bit. He lifted my hand up and placed a kiss on my palm.

"Don't worry about it, it's not the biggest thing in the world." He soothed. I shrugged. I guess he was right, it probably wouldn't affect me at all in the long run. Once Natalie was back, I could get away with probably never seeing another Spanish word again. Well, he didn't know the last part, but I'm sure it was implied.


Thursday.

"So, where are we going?" I asked later that week.

"It's a surprise." Seth answered, keeping his eyes on the road. I sighed.

"Not even a hint?" I pestered. I had been trying to get Seth to tell me where we were going on our date. He had been tight lipped about it though and wouldn't tell me.

"Dakota and Spencer helped me. We are going somewhere you like." He revealed, glancing over at me for a quick second. I swallowed and forced a smile on my face to hide my panic. Great. Just great.

"Yay?" I knew it didn't sound very convincing but he didn't comment.


"Ice skating?" I said in fake enthusiasm.

"Yup, Dakota and Spencer told me how much you like skating so I thought we could give it a go, maybe get some hot chocolate after?" He suggested. I nodded my head and did my best to disguise my panic as we walked into the rink.

I was a foster kid, most of the families I stayed with weren't too concerned with me. They didn't buy me unnecessary things, they didn't get to know me, and they certainly hadn't taught me to ice skate. I had never even been to a rink before. The only ice had seen was on the top of small ponds in various towns I'd stayed in. I had never actually been on any.

I stuck my shaking hands into the pocket of my northface. This was going to be a disaster. At least I had worn jeans. I had spent an hour trying to decide what to wear but, in the end, I had decided on just jeans, a nice top, Natalie's northface jacket, and her uggs. That was definitely an outfit I knew Natalie would not have worn on a date, but oh well, I wasn't Natalie. I was starting to realize that if I wanted to have any hope for Seth and me, I was going to have to make him like the real me. Might as well start simple.

We got our skates from the room up front and went to sit on the bleachers to put them on. Having never worn skates before, I struggled for a minute with them but eventually figured out how to tie them.

"Seth." I gasped, gripping onto his arms as I almost fell. We weren't even on the ice yet and I was already so wobbly. "I don't know how to ice skate, Kota and Spence were lying." Surprise flittered across his face before he frowned.

"Crap. Are you serious?" He asked, looking annoyed at himself. I nodded my head. "I knew I shouldn't have taken advice from them…" Seth shifted slightly and I wobbled again, almost falling. He quickly wrapped his arms around me and steadied me. "I'm sorry, I...I just thought it would be fun, I mess everything up, don't I?"

"No!" I insisted quickly, shaking my head. "It was a great idea. Dakota and Spencer were just playing a joke." Maybe Natalie really did come here and maybe she really did like ice skating. "You could teach me?" I suggested. His frown slowly turned into a small smile.

"Really?" He asked. "I mean, we can go do something else. I want this to be the best date you've ever been on." I smiled. It was a perfect date but I honestly didn't have anything to compare it to. I hadn't been on a real date before, but I couldn't really tell Seth that. Natalie had definitely had boyfriends and been on dates.

"It's great Seth, but I am going to hold you to getting hot chocolate after." I said, leaning up to kiss him. He chuckled and met me half way for the kiss.

"Deal." He agreed, pulling back.

"Okay, so you are not going to let me fall and you are not going to laugh at me, right?" I confirmed. Seth smirked and pecked my lips once more.

"Sure, sure." He said easily, leading me over to the entrance of the ice. He stepped gracefully onto the ice and held his hand out to me. I hesitated for a moment, clutching the low wall that marked where the ice rink began. "Oh, come on, I promise I won't let you fall." He urged. I slipped my hand into his and let him guide me onto the ice. It suddenly seemed much more slippery than it was. I let out a breath I had been holding and slid forward slowly before clamping my free hand onto his arm.

"Oh my God." I squealed, almost falling. He laughed softly.

"How have you never been ice skating? You have to have been here before."

"I usually just sit on the bleachers and drink hot chocolate." I lied. Lies were becoming easier and easier. I had never been a liar but I was really starting to pile on the lies.

"Figures." He responded, rolling his eyes. He took both my hands in his and spun so he was skating backwards, pulling me with him. "See? Not too hard. Aren't dancers supposed to have really good balance or something?" I nodded and pushed against his hands a little.

"Why didn't we ever talk before last week, Nat?" He asked. The serious tone in his voice surprised me and I glanced away from our joined hands and to his face.

"I...I don't know." I replied carefully. It was because the real Natalie couldn't be bothered with him. Why she hadn't give him the time of day, I'm not sure. He studied my face for a moment.

"I just...I've noticed you before, obviously, but you just seem so different that what I've seen, and I never really wanted to get to know you...until now." He seemed to struggle with his words for a moment and dropped his eyes. "I'm sorry, that's a sucky thing to talk about a first date, huh?" He quirked a small smile and his eyes dashed up to meet mine again.

"No, no. That's okay. I'm sorry that I haven't always been the nicest but I really like you, I'm trying, 'kay?" I asked. I wanted to be as truthful as possible with him.

"Yeah, yeah." He smiled. I pushed him again and pulled out of his hands before crashing into him. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me. "I knew skating was a good idea, I get to hold you the entire time." I laughed and pecked his cheek.


"There's a little bakery and coffee shop one block from here." Seth said as we exited the rink. My cheeks were a little pink from the cold but my hands were surprisingly warm, especially when they were wrapped in Seth's.

"Yum."

He was right, the bakery was only a minutes walk from the rink and I could smell baked goods before we were even in the door.

"Natalie!" I flinched in surprise at the new voice and then was wrapped in a set of arms that weren't Seth's. "I was gonna stop over to see you tonight." The boy pulled back, grinning at me. I had no idea who he was. "I'm back for winter break and we can- oh, hi…" He seemed to realize for the first time that we weren't quite alone.

"Hi."

Seth didn't sound happy and the mystery boy in front of me slowly removed his hands from my upper arms as a small frown replaced the huge smile that had been there.

"Seth Clearwater, Natalie's boyfriend." Seth introduced, sticking his hand out.

"Lucas. Lucas Pondelik." The mystery boy replied, shaking his hand. Pondelik? Like Dakota Pondelik? I still wasn't quite sure who he was. He definitely hadn't been in Natalie's book of people. There were a few beats of awkward silence. "Um…it was good to see you Natty. I'll, uh, call you." Then Lucas walked away leaving me confused and wondering how I was going to explain what had just happened to Seth. I was pulled out of my shocked state by Seth who was now holding the bakery door open for me.

"Come on, Natalie, it's cold out here." He spoke up in a monotone voice. I hurried past him trying not to look at his stone expression - something I wasn't used to seeing on his face. He led us over to a table for two. "Wait here, I'll go get us hot chocolate." There were plenty of little booths where we could have sat next to each other and cuddled while we drank our cocoa but instead he had chosen a little table with two chairs on either side. I nodded and sat down as he left. I needed to think of something and think of it fast. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I gulped as I saw the name I had only just learned appear on the screen.

I didn't know you were seeing someone now.

But that's okay. I'll fight for you.

xoxo, Lucas.

I didn't know how to respond to his text. I didn't want to respond at all. I dropped the phone onto the table as a steaming mug was placed in front of me. Seth sat in the seat opposite me and offered me a small smile.

"So…" He trailed off for a moment. "I didn't know you were close with Lucas...I thought he kinda lost touch with everyone after leaving for that boarding school on the other side of the state." I gulped and put on my most carefree smile.

"Yeah, I mean I haven't seen him in forever…" I said. "We mainly just talk because of Dakota, ya know?" I hoped that sounded believable enough. And I hoped he was somehow related to Dakota. I hadn't met any other Pondelik's so there was a good chance they were related somehow.

"I don't want to be a jerk or anything but whatever you guys have or didn't have is over...right?" He confirmed.

"Of course. I'm with you, Seth. Forget about him." I answered immediately. My lack of hesitation and the truth in my voice must have convinced him because he let out a breath and nodded his head.

"Okay. Good." He responded, sliding his hand across the table and intertwining it with mine. His sunny smile reappeared full force. "So, think you want to go pro for skating?"


Thursday Night.

"Natalie, I was thinking that...maybe I could tell Seth. Maybe I could-"

"Absolutely not."

"But I really, really like him and he would keep it a secret. I just know he would and…Natalie...I think he really likes me too." I explained calmly.

"No." She argued. "He can't know, no one can. When I get back then he can find out but I can't risk someone finding out and telling. You know that, Nikki." Gotta love how she said I and not we. I frowned, even though she couldn't see me.

"He won't tell, he's a really great guy. I like him so much, please." I was practically begging now. I hated lying to him, especially since he was so sweet and nice to me. "I can't stand not telling him." She sighed into the phone.

"You can't tell him because if you do and things turn bad, I'm not there to pick up the pieces." She snapped. If things go bad? Pick up the pieces?

"I don't understand." I whispered quietly.

"Oh, Nikita, Honey. What if he doesn't actually like you?" She asked. I hung up the phone without even telling her about Lucas. Of course he liked me, he was always so happy to see me, and his mom liked me and he...and he… And he thought I was Natalie. He didn't know who I really was. He didn't really like me, he liked Natalie. Tears brimmed in my eyes before I could stop myself and I ran in from the back deck, slamming the door. Kristen looked up in surprise.

"What's wrong, Dear?" She asked, concern etched across her face. I ignored her, letting the tears roll down my cheeks and ran upstairs. I did something I had never in my life done before, I slammed my bedroom door and fell on top of the bed, crying into the fluffy pillow. "Natalie?" She called from outside the door but after a little while, when I didn't answer, she gave up and went back downstairs. I stopped crying after a little bit and just laid there focusing on being mad at Natalie. There was a knock on the door.

"Go away!" I said angrily into the pillow.

"Aw, but I came all the way here to see you, Baby."

I froze and my heart sped up. That wasn't Kristen or Scott or Ava or any of Natalie's friends...that was my friend and my boyfriend, Seth. Maybe if I stay quiet he'll just leave...

"Nat, seriously, open the door." He said. I sat up and wiped some of the tears from my eyes. "Your mom thinks we had a fight and accused me of making you upset...did we have a fight I didn't know about? Because I'll apologize if it makes you feel better…" He trailed off a little and I fell back on the bed because it wasn't fair. I couldn't tell Seth who I was and I was lying to him. It just wasn't fair. "Natalie, you know I can just open this door, right? Because, locked or not, I will open it...I'm really just asking to be polite." He insisted. "I could totally-" I got up and opened the door, which made him stop talking.

"Hi Seth." I mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

"Are we fighting or something?" He asked, his voice softening as he peered down at me. I should probably just break up with him now, save him the trouble later. Like a bandaid, pull it off quickly. Seth, we're done. That's all I would have to say. Seth, it's over. I don't like you. I've met someone new. We don't belong together. There were so many things I could say, each consisting of just a few words, but I couldn't because it would just add to my lies and because Seth was so nice to me. It'd be much easier if Seth wasn't that nice or if he was way less cute. I couldn't break up with him though because he had bought me ice cream, rescued me from a basement, held me when I was sick, and tried to fix things he had no control over. He was perfect and I hated it.

"No." I answered, shaking my head. He looked visibly relieved and pulled me into his arms. And this was another reason why I couldn't break up with him, he gave the best hugs, and I loved hugs.

"Mind telling your mom that? She probably hates me now." He said. I couldn't help laughing softly.

"Seth, you're pretty hard to hate." I reminded him quietly. He kissed the top of my head and waited until I pulled back so he could enter the room.

"Okay, so what happened? Who upset you?" He flopped down on my bed. I shut the bedroom door before joining him on the bed and cuddling up against his side. I ignored the question and made myself comfortable, pulling his arms around me. "You really don't want to talk about it?" He asked after a few minutes of my silence.

"Nope. I just want to cuddle with you, because if I talk about it, then I'll over think it, which will end up with us being in a real fight. I don't want to fight with you because you're too cute...so, for now, I'm good with just cuddling." I explained.

And that's how Kristen found us two hours later. Seth sprawled out on the bed and me cuddled against his side, with my head resting against his chest, both his arms wrapped around me. The sound of the door opening jolted me awake and I was momentarily confused as to where I was and what was going on. Kristen smiled softly at me and I removed my hands from Seth's chest to wipe my eyes. I wasn't sure if a boy in bed with you, no matter how innocent, was considered an okay or acceptable situation for Natalie to be in, but Kristen didn't seem mad.

"Hi Honey, it's getting late...Seth needs to go home, Sue will worry if he doesn't come back." She whispered. I nodded and laid my head back on Seth's chest, wrapping my arms around him and shutting my eyes. "Five minutes, then I'll be back." I nodded my head again and heard her walk away. I just wanted to lay here with Seth forever. I was warm, happy, comfortable, and safe...what more could you want?

"Seth?" I whispered groggily after a few minutes. "Settthhhhh." He moved slightly and yawned. "You have to head home, it's late." I told him.

"Noooo, I want to stay with you." He mumbled.

"M'kay."

Sounded good enough to me and, like I said, I was very comfortable. Someone sighed from the doorway.

"Natalie, I said five minutes. Seth's got to go." Kristen pointed out and I made a disapproving sound before feeling my self being lifted up into more of a sitting position. My human pillow was moving and I didn't like it. I opened my eyes to look up at Seth, pouting at him. He gave me a lopsided smile.

"Sorry, Mrs. Khan." He apologized. I wasn't sorry.

"Oh, it's okay, Seth. It's just getting late and I know your mom will be worried if you don't get home." She explained. Seth yawned and nodded his head. I gave him a sad look and he gave me one last squeeze before getting up.

"Go to sleep, 'kay?" He told me. "I'll pick you up for school tomorrow." Then he leaned down and pecked my lips, right in front of Kristen. Gutsy. "Sleep well." I nodded my head, too stunned that he kissed me right in front of Kristen to do anything else. "Have a nice night, Mrs. Khan." Seth, forever the charming one.

"Goodnight Seth." She called as he walked down the stairs and out the front door. "You know, Natalie, I like him. I think he's good for you." She stated honestly. I nodded and laid my head back on my pillow. My bed was still warm from Seth and smelled like him. I knew I would sleep well tonight.

"I really like him." I told her truthfully. She smiled at me happily before her face became more serious.

"I just want to make sure, if you guys are…, well, I want to make sure you use protection." She explained. My face burned bright red and I shot up in the bed, no longer overcome with sleepiness.

"Oh, no. I'm not...we're not. I ah-"

"I know we've already gone over this and we've gotten over the fact that you slept with Cory but I just want you to be careful…"

"Mom!" I spat out, quickly. "It's really not like that with Seth. I don't, ah...I'm not ready for that with him at all." I insisted. She gave me a skeptical look but nodded her head.

"Okay...well, I'm here if you ever want to talk or anything." She reminded me. I gave her a stiff nod.

"Got it." I answered. She stayed where she was. "Um...goodnight?" That seemed to make her leave, turning the light off behind her. That was humiliating. I honestly hadn't thought of doing...that with Seth. I mean, he was beyond gorgeous and possibly the sweetest guy I had ever met...but I wasn't ready for that. Not with a boy who didn't know my real name. Natalie had never mentioned having had...sex with anyone, but while she apparently had experience, I had none. At all.

When your twins mom tries to give you a sex talk, that's when you know it's time for said twin to come home. Now.


Friday morning.

Natalie.

I was tired. So tired.

I missed my family. I missed my friends.

I was sick of Chinese food and old mattresses.

It was time to go.

I got what I came for.

I solved the big mystery. I put Nancy Drew to shame.

I was never coming back to California, that's for sure.


Natalie will be back (I think) next chapter and then things will really start to heat up! I am leaving for Costa Rica in less than a week and will be gone for almost two weeks. I won't have my MacBook with me so I am going to end up more behind on writing than usual so bear with me!

(Anyone reading this from Costa Rica? If so we will totes play a country-size game of hide and seek! Hmu.)

Also, IMPORTANT QUESTION: In this story it is the beginning of December, would you guys like a Christmas chapter or should I kinda skip over that and just mention it being Christmas in passing? Up to you guys.(: