"What?!" I stood up from my seat, my eyes widening. "No effin' way! Hell no!"

"Please..." He begged, walking towards me. "Just for two months. That's enough time for us to find Kaline. We really need her--you, for the album."

"Can't you just postpone the recording first? I'm sure their fans will understand." I suggested, trying to get myself out of this situation that I got myself into. It's not that I don't want to be Kaline. In fact, I want to. And who wouldn't want to? It's just that, she's different, I'm different. We may be twins but we'll never be the same. And besides, what if I mess up? Everything that she worked hard for will all come to waste because of me. Useless me.

"If it's up to our management and the band, we would postpone the recording. Even the fans will be okay with it. But since we already signed a contract, we really can't do anything about it anymore..."

"Oh." I mumbled in understanding. "B-But, why me?"

"Well if it isn't obvious, you are her twin sister." He pointed out sarcastically before crossing his arms above his chest. "And if Kaline wouldn't be there, she would be in serious trouble for not following the conditions of the contract."

I cursed silently, praying to God to tell Kaline to come to her senses and come back. She's not only getting me in trouble, but also herself.

"But I can't do it. I'm not her. She's Kaline Derricks and I'm just Karine." I reasoned out.

"You're not just Karine. You're Karine Derricks. The only one who can be Kaline for a while. The only one who knows her better than others. The only one fit for pretending as her." He said, walking closer to me until we're only a ruler away from each other. I flinched and looked away.

I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry, but I'm not going to pretend as my twin."

"B-But--"

I clenched my jaw angrily and I glared at him. "My decision is final, Mr. Clinton. Now if you'll excuse me, I must leave now." I started for the door but he blocked my way. Even if he's not using his arms or hands, he still managed to block my way completely. I stomped my foot on the floor and hissed at him. "I'm leaving. Get out of the way."

"Leaving? I don't know that word. Do you mind explaining it to me?" He said innocently as he looked at me with a sly smile. I rolled my eyes at him and shoved him backwards. He lost his balance but quickly recovered and a grin made its way to his face.

"I didn't know you have muscles, Karine. No one has ever succeeded on pushing me off balance." He grinned at me amusedly. What the hell is wrong with this guy? Can't he just let me go?

I smiled smugly at him. "I'm toned, Mr. Clinton. Do you wanna try me?"

He grinned. "Okay then. Show me what you go--"

He toppled on the floor after I punched his gut and kicked his leg. His eyes widened at me as he saw me hovering over him. "What the he--"

I punched his square in the face and he clutched his nose in his hands and I took that as a chance to escape. It's now or never.

I grabbed my bag from the other chair and sprinted out of the door, the office, and to the elevator. Before the elevator doors closed, I saw Van frantically running to the counter, asking for me. Then the lady pointed at the elevator and when he followed with his gaze, I locked eyes with him and grinned smugly.

When the elevator doors opened, I ran out of the elevator quickly and out the building, crossing the road. Fuck. I don't know anything here in Hollywood. I continued running until I found a Starbucks across the road and entered it.

The smell of roasted coffee and pastries enveloped me as I walked towards the counter of the shop, my eyes scanning the list of beverages and goodies written on the chalkboard. After ordering a hot cup of Cappuccino and a slice of blueberry cheesecake, I sat down on one of the booths by the window and ate in silence, my mind playing back the things that happened and the words that have been said earlier.

Is it selfish of me? That I don't want to pretend as my twin? That I ran away from Van even if in the first place, my first intention of why I flew all the way here is to find Kaline?

I'm sure that anyone who would be in my position would do the same thing I did. I'm nothing compared to her. I can't do it. And most importantly, I'm not her.

Just then, I heard a shrieking sound and I looked up and saw a woman with a little girl clinging onto her leg and a little boy, maybe two to three years older than the girl, in front of the woman, and he was the one who made the sound. Crystal tears were flowing down his freckled cheeks and he wiped them away with the back of his hand.

"You love Maxine more than me, right? Is it because she can sing and I can't?" The boy cried out and the woman crouched down to him and patted his head. "Of course not, Phil."

That didn't stop the sobbing of the poor boy. "But why is her hot chocolate bigger than mine?"

The woman laughed before ruffling her boy's hair. "It's because that's what you said. Your sister said that she wants something bigger than yours that's why that's what I got her. You should've told me that you want the big one, too. And baby, don't think of yourself like that. Don't you ever look down at yourself, okay?"

The boy then flushed pink, as if understanding her mom's words, and looked down. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Now come, sit down on that booth there and I'll get you a bigger mug of hot chocolate. Sounds good?"

The little boy grinned and took the hand of her sister. "Come, Maxine. Let's go sit there while mom's ordering hot choco for us." The little girl grinned at him and started dragging her brother towards their booth. "Yay! Hot choco-weyt! Hot choco-weyt!"

I probably wouldn't have noticed that I'm crying if my vision didn't get blurry because of the tears that spilled out from my eyes. I hastily wiped them off before anyone would see me bawling my eyes out. I finished eating before getting up and leaving the shop. With my bag in hand, I walk my way towards the throngs of people as I try to find a place to rest and stay for the night. I just hope an overnight stay wouldn't cost much.

×

"What?!" I shrieked, making the old woman beside me jump in surprise, and she turned to me, her hand on her chest. I sheepishly smiled at her before muttering an apologize and turning back to the front desk lady.

"I've said it clearly, miss. An overnight costs $250." She said boringly as she continued typing.

I mean, come on! Who would want to spend $250 on an overnight stay in a hotel? That's equivalent to a month's grocery costs! Well, at least for me. But still. It's unjustifiable! And it's not worth it!

"Is the breakfast included?" I asked, trying to think of reasons of how would a $250 overnight stay be worth my hard-earned money.

"It's included." She said

"And what would the menu for tomorrow be?" I asked, crossing my fingers that there wouldn't be anything that I'm allergic to.

"Our today's menu was Mexican. So tomorrow's menu will be..." I heard a few clicks from the mouse and then she tapped a key. "Oh, seafood. It's Under The Sea."

I turned green when I heard the word seafood. I hate seafood with a total hatred. Especially mussels, oysters, and shrimps. I pushed away a bad memory that's threatening to come back to my head, not wanting to play it out in my mind all over again. I shook my head. "Never mind. Thanks, though." I said as I picked up my bag from beside me and walked away.

When I got outside the hotel, a surge of warm air enveloped me and beads of sweat started running down my back, and suddenly, I regretted wearing sweater. Cursing under my breath, I set off to find a new place to stay for the night. It's almost lunch. It'll be more convenient for me to find a place first so I could leave my stuff there and look around.

After walking for five minutes to who-knows-where, I stopped beside a bookstore and put my bag down and pulling my hair up in a neat bun then I pushed the sleeves of my sweater up until my elbows before I continued walking. But before I could even take my third step, a handkerchief flew to my mouth and nose and a large hand caged my arms to my sides. I've watched this scene too many times before...

But I didn't expect for it to happen to me, too.

Careful not to inhale, I pulled up my leg and swung it backwards, hitting the 'kidnapper''s family jewels. His arms loosened and I took that as a chance to escape and ran as fast as I can. Panic seeped into my veins when I heard louder footsteps behind me and I increased my pace, my breath coming out into quick gasps. I cheered internally when I saw a police car just by the corner and I was about to cry out for help when something hard hit my nape and I blacked out.

×××

I know, this chapter's too short X( but it's supposed to be like this so I hope it's okay for you guys.

Anyways, as you have noticed, the first two chapters have photos of the celebrities representing them, and in the next chapters, it'll be like that, too. But it'll depend on whether a certain character has a big part or role in the chapter (like in the second chapter where Van fetched Karine from the airport and stuff). Some of my characters may take a while before they appear in the story, but I promise you that they'll appear!

Don't forget to vote, comment, share, and fan ❤

Love,

Nikki

©AMAZING_blueberryxD