Back in the future.


Grace Renee O'Neill stared at this new girl in her cabin. She couldn't believe how much she looked like her. Same blonde hair, although her apparent clone wore it in a chin-length bob. Same eyes. And while Grace couldn't confirm it at the moment, she was pretty sure she wore the same freaked out expression that this other girl did.

It was a long minute before the silence was broken. "Are you twins?" a red-headed brown eyed girl standing next to Grace's lookalike asked. "Like a Parent Trap situation?"

"I don't have a twin," the other girl said abruptly. Then, less certainly, "I think..."

"Easy way to answer that," Grace began, hesitantly. "When's your birthday?"

"December 3rd," she answered. "2005."

Grace's mouth turned up in a half smile. She felt... strangely disappointed. "September 9th for me. Also 2005."

Other Girl responded wryly. "Not twins, then."

They stared for a moment longer before the redhead clearly felt compelled to speak. "I'm Brooke Watters." She gestured toward Other Girl. "This is my new friend, Allie Carter. What's your name?"

"Grace O'Neill," she replied, a bit absently before the name hit her. "Wait - Carter?"

"Yeah," Allie confirmed, still looking pretty stunned.

"My mother's last name was Carter." Grace felt her brain whirling. "Maybe we're cousins or something?"

Allie hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "My mom's family's all gone. I'm all she has."

"Oh," Grace said faintly. Her dad often told her that her diplomatic skills were a lot better than his, but while she was usually able to figure out the right words to say to people, she wasn't quite sure what to say here.

Brooke evidently went for deflection. "Anyone want to go check out the lake?" she asked.

"Sure!" Grace chirped, eager for the distraction and the activity. She loved going to her dad's pond in Minnesota so they could fish and swim, and she couldn't wait to spend the next few weeks camped out beside the lake.

"I'm a little tired," Allie said somewhat abruptly. "Think I'll just work on settling in here." She moved back to her suitcase, unzipping it and beginning to place her things on her bed.

Grace managed to keep herself from wincing. Allie reminded her of her dad in a way. While he was always warm and loving with her, he could easily shut out anyone else. He'd had a fight with her Uncle Daniel about something last December, which ended in him retreating to his office and Daniel driving off in a huff. Daniel came back later that day, and the two behaved themselves, for her, she knew. But Dad had been pretty standoffish towards his best friend, and the two hadn't really made up until New Year's Day. Grace rather thought that Allie might behave the same. She wasn't sure why, though. It's not as if I've been mean or anything - and it's not my fault we look alike!

She shrugged a bit and looked at Brooke. "Alright, then," she began. "Let's go!"

Before they could even start walking to the cabin door, however, it opened, admitting a girl with curly brown hair. Grace wasn't sure why, but she immediately disliked her. This girl was not dressed for camp - she would have looked more at home in New York City.

"Hi," the girl said, looking around the cabin with some distaste. "Not exactly the Ritz, is it?"

"We like it," Allie and Grace said simultaneously. They then looked at each other, startled. Wow, Grace thought. We even sound the same.

The girl looked back and forth between them. "Twins?"

Grace sighed. They were definitely going to get tired of hearing this before the end of camp.

"No," Allie said flatly. "Never met each other before in our lives."

The other girl laughed hesitantly, clearly not sure if Allie was being sarcastic or not.

Grace decided not to enlighten her. "Brooke," she indicated the girl, "and I are going to the lake, so you can work on getting settled in." She smiled cordially, but she hoped the girl wasn't going to take that as an invitation to come along. She'd probably complain that the water wasn't clean or something.

Allie flashed Grace a look, which to her surprise, again reminded her of her dad. She could tell Allie was annoyed at being left with this other girl for company. She couldn't exactly blame her.

Grace decided to give her an out. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Allie?"

Allie glanced at the new girl before looking back at her. "I'll come," she agreed, grabbing a baseball cap out of her bag. "Let's go."

"K, bye," the new girl said dismissively, setting her suitcase on a bunk and starting to unpack. Grace and the other two girls quickly made their way out of the cabin.

"She didn't look too happy to be here," Brooke commented as they moved towards the water.

Allie nodded in agreement. "I wonder why she came. I mean, why bother if you'd rather be at the Ritz?"

"Right?!?" Grace replied. "We don't want someone complaining while we're trying to enjoy being outdoors."

"Agreed!" Brooke chimed in. At this point, they had reached the mess hall, and Brooke squinted at the sign in front of it. "Hey, the menu for today has been posted."

The other two looked at it with her. There were a few surprisingly good options.

Then Grace saw the desserts. Oh, for cryin' out loud. No cake on the menu.

Allie, however, gasped in excitement. "Jell-O!" she enthused. "Hope they've got it in blue."

Grace raised an eyebrow. "Blue Jell-O?" She'd never even seen that before.

Allie's eyes were sparkling as she looked at her, the ice somehow broken between them. "Trust me, O'Neill," she urged. "Once you try blue Jell-O, you'll never go back to any other kind."


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