Chapter 6 Not Like Nadia

Nathan sat on his cozy armed chair, playing with a Rubik's Cube. While his sister was lying on her bed, flipping through a thick psychology book, one that was meant for adults, twirling a pen around her finger flawlessly like a pro. "So, Nathan," Natalie started. "What do you think of Lena?" Nathan didn't answer immediately. He focused on the cube, completing the first two layers in under ten seconds before finally muttering, "She's weird." Natalie nodded in agreement. "But weird isn't necessarily bad." Nathan frowned. "She doesn't talk." "She writes",Nadia countered. "That's inefficient." Nathan insisted. Nadia shrugged. "We can learn her sign language." "That's unnecessary and a waste of time," Nathan replied tightly. "It is not, Nathan! No knowledge is a waste of time," Natalie replied. Then she sighed loudly and rolled onto her stomach, resting her chin on her hands. "She saw right through us." Nathan's fingers paused on the Rubik's Cube. "Yeah, it seems like she knows exactly what we think, and that's suspicious." Natalie shook her head. "Or she's just smart." Nathan scoffed, "Not as smart as us." "Well, maybe not in the way we are. But intelligence isn't just about knowledge. It's about understanding things other people don't. She is still smart." Nathan mulled over that. He finally solved the Rubik's Cube, this time more slowly than his last time because of his sister's distraction. Displeased with his failure, he tossed the cube aside. He had solved it faster than 98 percent humans would, but that wasn't good enough for him. Natalie turned a page, then spoke without looking up. "Does she remind you of Nadia?" Nathan froze for half a second, but his expression remained the same. He took another cube to arrange before speaking. "They share the trait of red hair and certain facial proportions." "So, you do see it," Natalie replied. Nathan didn't say anything, he just continued twisting the cube faster. Natalie stretched and sighed. "Poor thing, Dad's gonna hate her." "Dad doesn't like anyone except maybe us, reason being we are his kids," Nathan replied. Natalie huffed a laugh. "True." There was a brief silence before Natalie suddenly sat up. "I like her." Nathan shot her a look, "That's fast." Natalie shrugged. "She's different. I mean she's not scared of us and she didn't treat us like problems to be fixed back there." Nathan thought about that. "Most nannies either leave or get frustrated easily.". He added. "Exactly." Natalie snapped, "but she didn't, she said she understands us. (Sighs) I just hope Dad can change for good and not hate her." Nathan rolled his eyes. "People don't change that easily, Natalie." "Unless they meet someone who forces them to,I believe." Natalie replied. Nathan gave a small, humorless scoff. "Not when she looks like her." "Just because two people look alike doesn't mean they are the same. That's a lazy conclusion. I know she's not like Nadia. She's not selfish." Nathan stared at the solved Rubik's Cube in his hand, his lips twitched in satisfaction. "That remains to be seen. We are yet to know the true her. And by the way, I just broke my Rubik's Cube record." "Congrats". Natalie replied. Neither of them mentioned Nadia again. There was no need to. They never called her mother, ever. To them, she is just a vessel who gave birth to them. Their father never mentioned her or said anything bad about her, but they have seen the news, the scandal, the blogs, and have gotten all the information online. Even when he had denied them gadgets, they hacked into his own personal computer and did the research. Their father being a celebrity made things easier. "Nadia........Father became a sadist because of her. I hate her," Natalie suddenly said out of nowhere, her lips trembling slightly, she flipped her book angrily. Nathan stole a glance at his sister but said nothing. -------------------------- Skye stood outside the twins' bedroom with her hands clenched at her sides, repeating the words in her head like a mantra. "Keep them distracted. Keep them distracted." She wasn't supposed to be there. The other maids had gone off to ensure that Lena received the proper welcome, like they said. So they gave Skye one job: to make sure the twins were in their rooms, occupied, and not in the nanny's. Skye drew a deep breath and finally knocked on the door. Inside, the twins looked up in surprise. Natalie's brows lifted, and she exchanged a glance with Nathan. "Lena?" she guessed, but immediately dismissed it. "No, that wouldn't be logical. She doesn't know where our room is." Nathan shrugged. "Maybe she asked the maids," he muttered. "Anyway, I don't want her here now." "Well I do, brother," Natalie said and put her book down. Nathan glared at her. She got up from her bed and walked to the door. Getting there, she pulled it open, only for her face to fall in disappointment. "Oh. It's just you, Skye." Skye forced a chuckle, awkwardly. "Just me." Nathan raised his face, curiously. "Your job was done. The room is already arranged for our bedtime." "Yeah, I know," Skye replied and scratched her neck. Natalie crossed her arms. "So then, what do you want?"