Natasha lives with her mom and dad in Beauneville, on Dogwood Street, in a big neocolonial home right behind the Smith home. Actually, Natasha lives mostly with her cats, since her mom and dad are partners in a private equity firm (whatever this is), and they spend most of their time in New York, London, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong.
There is a carriage house in the back, which the previous owner converted to a studio. On most days, you can find Natasha in the studio, painting. Look around some more, and you will see her cats: Corot, a large tabby, curled in the sun on the rug, snoozing; Matisse, a slender siamese, sitting demurely on the windowsill, tail curled around feet; and Hopper, a fat grey persian, rolling on the floor playing with a catnip mouse.
Natasha is sixteen years old. She has long black hair and azure eyes; if you sense something Latin about her, you are right -- Natasha's mom is Brazilian. She has a penchant for plaid shirts with the sleeves rolled up, and paint-stained baggy pants. In the studio, she is barefoot; at school, she (grudgingly) wears flip-flops.
The Zemlinskys moved to Beauneville from California in January, mid-way through the school year. Mr. and Mrs. Zemlinsky aren't around enough to talk to the neighbors (and when they are around, they don't seem to want to talk to the neighbors), but rumor has it that they moved to Beauneville to get Natasha away from the gang she was running with back in California. At least that's what they say. You wouldn't know it to look at her, she doesn't seem...troubled.
But then, if you get to know Natasha a little, you get a sense that there is some havoc in her past.
At Beauneville Latin, Natasha is an average student. She spends most of her spare time painting, doesn't hang around much with the other youth, and does OK in her schoolwork. With considerable help from Roderick.
Natasha likes Roderick, because he's kind, a good listener, helps her with her homework, shows an interest in her painting, brings treats to her cats, and because he was nice to her when she first moved to Beauneville.
She wonders if Roderick and Molly are a number.
