Imposter

3

"I cannot believe how you did that!" Ekat was overjoyed as Caitlin expressed her amazement, thanking Ekat over and over. Only one week, and Caitlin's popularity had sky rocketed, going from nil friends to a handful of people brave enough to risk Shannon's wrath and approach her. The bullies had also been staying away. Noah was prouder of her than ever.

There had only been one speed bump - Ekat reflected on her rustiness, going over her mistake - alright, mistakes. She had talked back at a teacher, a major non Caitlin trait. She had been excited about volleyball. She had darn near punched Shannon in the face. And Ekat was regretting choosing to bring her attitude with her into Caitlin's body. The worst thing that had happened, though, was the incident with Nathan. It made Ekat wince just thinking about it.

~~~

"Guys, I'm home!" Ekat strolled through the doors and closed the door, plopping a cherry into her mouth, much to the astonishment of Nathan, sitting at the table, and the horror of the real Caitlin, at the top of the stairs.

"You hate cherries," Nate said. "And since when did you announce that you're home?"

Ekat had a pause, but of course, she wasn't a professional for nothing. "Oh pfft, I'm going to throw up that cherry soon. It was a dare by our food tech teacher, and I'm in a good mood, so I decided to tell everyone that I'm home. Don't you all want to come greet me?"

Never mind, Ekat might as well quit the business. She should've know Caitlin wasn't quite so chirpy. Running up the stairs and slamming the door, she muted the sounds and stared in shock at the girl.

"Please tell me Nathan isn't going to be suspecting something," Caitlin folded her arms. Drifting back into her body, Ekat whistled in relief. "He won't," she swore. "I haven't failed yet."

But even Ekat wasn't invincible.

~~~~~

"Cait!" Ekat smiled in elation when Noah hugged her, kissing her lightly on the lips. She really thought Caitlin had done a great job with Noah. He was a good boy, and of course, he was the most beautiful human Ekat had been able to 'date'. She saw him and she saw tenderness for Caitlin, she saw him and she felt desire for him.

Because, of course, Ekat couldn't forget, that it was Caitlin he loved, not Ekat the drifter.

It seemed as though she could fix anybody's life but her own.

"How are you Noah?" Ekat asked, taking his hand in her own, before realising she made another mistake - Caitlin. Didn't. Hold. Hands.

Oh shit.

"I'm great," he scratched his neck and looked down at their entwined hands. "You know Cait, you've been kind of... Different lately."

Ekat bit her lip nervously, though desperate not to show it as she ran through Caitlin's brain. "I decided to finally watch a few YouTube videos and man - woman? Up a bit." Her free hand tugged on her denim jacket and crossed her legs, absently admiring the brown leather tassels on Caitlin's cute little boots.

"I think I like it," Noah murmured close to her ear, his breath warm on her face, and Ekat shivered slightly, wanting to do nothing more than to pin him up against the bus stop and kiss him senseless. But this was Caitlin. Caitlin wouldn't do that. Caitlin would blush and squirm away.

Ekat blushed and squirmed away.

"I have an idea." He pulled her to her feet, grinning cheekily and showing off his dimples. "Let's skip. Let's go to the beach, let's go get something to eat."

Ekat's heart jumped in elation but Caitlin paused. "Is that - good? I mean, should we skip? What if our parents find out?"

"Just one day," Noah promised. "They don't even care anyway, it's alright."

"Okay," Ekat agreed in her best reluctant voice, and Noah led her to the bus stop across the street, leading away from school and towards the ocean in the distance.

The long line of footprints stretched long behind the pair, winding lazily in the sand as their creators sat together on a sand dune, laughing as the wind whipped their hair to all sorts of places.

"You were right," Ekat giggled, "this is great. It feels so.... Free." The sun shone high in the sky, shimmering on the deep blue waves rocking continuously against the beach. The stretch of sand was deserted, and there was no one there to observe as the two talked and held hands and kissed on their sand dune, on top of the whole world. Or... On top of the whole beach.

Ekat was drunk. Not the usual sort of drunk, but drunk on the hazel irises that stared back at her with love in their depths, and she was sure that Caitlin's reflected the same. Ekat didn't have to pretend with this, however much she told herself that she was. Her hands grasped Noah's rough ones, and her lips were lingering just an inch from his, chapped and swollen from the continuous kisses.

"I love you," Noah said, because that was something he was supposed to say - and something he wanted to say.

"I love you," Ekat said, because that was something Caitlin was supposed to say - and something that Caitlin would want to say. And because it was something Ekat herself would say, and genuinely mean in her own form.

And their lips joined again, passionate and tender, rough and desiring at the same time, trying to communicate without words and yearning to twine their two souls into one without anyone to tear them apart.

"Caitlin?"

Oh shit.

Ekat had forgotten a crucial piece of information - Nathan worked at one of the shops beside the beach.

~~~~~

"Caitlin, you've been acting really strange lately." Exactly what Noah had said. Nate was giving her the talk. And not the one about bees and birds. That was his job since their parents were on holiday together, and Ekat wasn't sure whether or not she liked it. "You've been more outspoken, you've been more... Risky."

"It's puberty, Nate."

Ekat mentally high fived herself on that one.

Nate shook his head disbelievingly. "I won't tell mom and dad, just because I like Noah and I think you don't need more drama. But really, Cait... I don't think I know you anymore."

Ekat's eyes were burning with Caitlin's tears, but she didn't let them fall. Caitlin was stronger than that. "Yes you do," she whispered, suddenly feeling as though she did nothing but mess things up. Caitlin's life, Caitlin's family, Caitlin's everything. What was she doing? Ekat's heart hardened. She would go upstairs and tell Caitlin that she couldn't do it anymore. Yes, that had to solve everything. She would leave.

"Oh come here," Nate stood up and took her into his arms tightly, resting his head on hers as he wrapped her in a warm embrace, a whole block of comforting big brother-ness, and Ekat couldn't help but be jealous of Caitlin's life and family. She had people who cared for her. She had people who loved. She had no problems but her horrible taste in wardrobe and her meekness.

And right then, Ekaterina, professional replacement, felt very unprofessional and she hated her job. Maybe I'll stay for a few more days.

Because she would never have anything of her own. She would forever be the replacement.