Accidentally Tasha

Chapter 1

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Elsie.

Life. How shall I describe it to you?

Life is a yo-yo, moving up and down so fast that you don't have enough time to gauge where you are at the moment. I've been at both sides of life. I've been high, and I've been low. I've been happy, and I've been sad. All this has happened to me in a span of sixteen years. I know what side of life is better. And I'm not at the better side right now.

Right now I'm exhausted and hungry. My skin feels itchy and clammy. My hair is dirty and matted to my scalp. I can't remember the last time I showered... or ate. I've been ignoring my empty stomach for the last twenty four hours but I can't anymore. I glance at my surroundings trying to look for a lost dollar. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to get those. Instead, I see a fat boy who is holding a burger and trying to run away from a woman I assume is his mother. She is equally fat, so there is no running taking place. About two seconds later, the boy trips and drops his hamburger.

I muster all the strength I have left and try to make for the hamburger. As soon as I'm standing on my feet, my head begins to feel dizzy. I try to grab something to stay steady but there is nothing to hold on to. My eyes lose their vision and all I can see is the concrete pavement coming closer... closer... closer.

Someone screams from a far distance.

O Lord. This is going to hurt so bad...

***

When I come to, the first thing that my eyes land on is the fruit basket on the bedside table. That brings a notion of hunger, starvation really, that I remember feeling. I remember that there was a hamburger somewhere, but I can't quite place what it means. A nurse opens the door to my room. She has a kind face and a warm ready smile.

"Miss Gardner, how do you feel?"

I'm sorry, miss what?

She must see the confused look on my face because she says;
"Your family came to identify you. You are Natasha Gardner, aren't you?"

Unless I banged up my head pretty bad, the last time I remember I was Julia Patterson. And ever since my mom died, I don't have a family anymore. I start to smile so as to explain the mistake they have made. However, my lips are dry and the miniature movement cracks them. I let out a low moan. The young nurse hands me the glass of water sitting on my table and helps me drink it. Her name tag reads Mary Tillerman. She continues speaking.

"Do you remember your name?"

I know I shouldn't lie. But something about this situation prompts me to so that I can see how far this will go. The Gardners must be paying my medical bill and I need to stay here for some time so that I can recollect my thoughts. There's no harm in a little lie, is there? I look at Mary with a blank expression which she interprets as no. Her eyes light up in excitement, as though she is experiencing something that only happens in soap operas. When she notices the blank look on my face, she adopts the appropriate somber expression and excuses herself.

A few minutes later, Mary comes in followed by a doctor. He is a tall slender man who is around forty. He is not exceptionally handsome, but he is not bad looking either. He sits in one of the seats and with a smile, greets me. I answer him. My voice croaks from not having been put to use for a long time. He then goes on to gently inform me that I hit the pavement really hard but I shouldn't be alarmed as the injury isn't that serious. After a few questions on my identity, he takes out a missing person's flyer and hands it to me. He asks me if I recognize the person on the flyer.

As I look at her, even I have to say that I am astonished. She looks exactly like me, except for the lips, which are a little bit too thin. Other than her lips, her hazel eyes, her high cheekbones, her brown hair, looks exactly like mine. She has a beautiful smile although one can see that she wasn't really happy when the picture was taken. She has angry eyes. As I look at her, I feel a twinge of jealousy. Who is she to be angry when she has such a loving family which prints out flyers when she goes missing? When my mother died last year, no one wanted me. I couldn't let myself go to a foster family so I ran away. No one printed out a flyer for me. My father himself ran out on my mom before I was even born. Who is she to be angry?

The doctor asks me if that is me in the photograph. I nod without thinking the plan through. I won't survive even one day without Natasha's family realizing that they got the wrong girl. However, the damage is already done so I have to stretch the lie until I am found out. He then asks me the last thing I remember. I bite my lip and pretend to try to remember. Damn, I know nothing about Natasha except her name. The doctor writes down on his notepad. He asks me if I am ready to meet my family. I gulp in surprise. If I say no, it will seem suspicious. I nod, my head already reeling from all the lies I have told. I won't survive this, I know, but I have to see where my lies will take me. Didn't mom tell me to always take hold of opportunities?

I smile as the doctor bids me a good day and heads out. I have absolutely no idea what I just signed up for.