New story. I have a lot of ideas for this one; I just don't know which ones to use and how I should put them all together. It's going to be alternating POVs. It's mostly a Luis/OC fic, but I'm going to try to get a lot of the other Ducks in, too. There's a small reference to Steve Urkel and I don't own him. While we're on the subject, I don't own the Ducks or anything like that. The name for the story came from the Otown song. Also, I had this idea for Connie/Portman. Sounds crazy, I know, but just go with it.

~*Luis's POV*~
A new year at Eden Hall Academy. Oh joyous. This year I was in a three-person room with Goldberg and Dwayne. That should definitely be interesting, since I didn't really know either of them. I could tell you maybe their favorite colors; pastimes; foods; but I really didn't know them. I didn't really know any of the Ducks very well. Right then and there, I decided that this year that was going to change. It was junior year, marking the fifth year I would know these people, there was no reason I shouldn't know know them. After all, after we graduated, who knew if we would see each other more? And I would just regret if I called some one my friend for six years and then didn't even know them when we split apart. What kind of person knew another person for five years and-
Suddenly, I was bumped out of my thoughts. Literally. We (the Ducks that is) had been walking across the cafeteria from breakfast, and I was getting all philosophical and didn't even notice where we were until I ran right into some girl, making her drop her books and papers everywhere. I felt bad, so I quickly dropped to my knees on the ground and helped her pick up her stuff. I didn't look at her at first because I was too busy wondering what kind of person already had books and papers when we hadn't even had our first class yet.
"Sorry about that," I said. "Wasn't watching where I was going."
"Don't worry about it," she told me with a small smile, revealing very white teeth.
So I didn't.
As I headed to my first class, I wondered if the teacher was going to be boring. Probably. It seemed like that was a requirement at Eden Hall. And it's not like economics is the most exciting subject in the first place. Oh well. I thought. Hopefully there'll be some pretty girls.
"Okay, class, when I call your name, sit in the seat I point to." Then she went on to assign people's seats. I didn't listen, but I kept an ear out for my name. And of course, I was called last.
"Luis Mendoza and Natalie Ritchterdson." She was pointing to a seat in the middle. Excellent. Seats in the back are for troublemakers, seats in the front are for smart kids, and the seats in the middle are for the invisible kids. You could do anything short of getting up and walking out and you won't get noticed. Teachers call on kids in the front because they know the answer, kids in the back to embarrass them because they're not listening. But they never call on the invisible middle kids.
"The person you're paired with will be your partner for every assignment. You'll be paired with the same person all year, but you'll move tables every so often."
So I'm sitting there, and I've totally forgotten there's another person at the table until she said this. Julie was giving me a desperate glance, because the guy she was paired with was checking her out and looking at her like she was meat. They'd been sitting there for two minutes and he was already trying to touch her. So I was giving him a menacing glare. Note to self: make sure she's never alone with him. It's not that I had a romantic interest in Jules. Not that I couldn't, she's beautiful, but I just don't think of her that way. She and Connie are like my sisters, and like a brother, I'm willing to maim anyone who hurts them.
Anyway, I turn to introduce myself to my partner when I notice two things simultaneously: she's the girl I ran into coming out of breakfast, and two: that guy just put his hand on Julie's thigh. And Julie did not like it. But I didn't rush right over there first thing, because by the loud smack and red mark on the jerk's cheek, she was handling it just fine. But I was looking over there and not paying attention to Natalia or whatever that girl's name was.
"So, um, I'm Natalie." She said. I gave her a nod. What was that guy saying? Natalie tried to strike up the conversation again. But this time it worked.
"So, is she your girlfriend, uh-" she glanced at my notebook to see my name. "Luigi?" That sure got my attention.
"Luigi?" I asked. Kind of loud.
"Isn't that your name?"
"Uh, no. My name is Luis." Luigi? Where did that come from?
"Oh! I thought that 's' was a 'g' and I was sure your name wasn't Luig so I added an extra 'i', I guess. Sorry."
"Um, no problem. Sorry for running into you this morning."
"Oh, don't worry about that." I looked at my notebook and noticed yeah, my penmanship sucked. Another note to self: work on handwriting. So I looked at her notebook. Her handwriting was great. All the letters were perfect. Humph.
"So, is that your girlfriend?" She said again.
"No, she's just my friend from the Ducks. She's kinda like a sister to me and I don't want that jerk hurting her."
"The Ducks?" Natalie asked curiously.
"Oh, you must be new!" Okay, so I'm a little overconfident. But hey, I figured everybody knew the Ducks by now.
"Actually, I've been going to Eden Hall for three years now. We had freshman bio together."
"Wait. You've been here three years and you don't know the Ducks?" I had this really incredulous look on my face and a matching tone in my voice.
"I don't really follow sports." she offered.
"But come on! The Eden Hall Warriors are now the Eden Hall Mighty Ducks! You honestly don't know where that came from?" Maybe I was overreacting, but it was really bothering me. How could someone go to school here for three years and not know the Ducks? Natalie bit her lip and started busting up.
"Of course I know the Ducks!" She said. All right. "Everyone knows the Ducks!"
"But, you said-"
"I was just kidding. Jeez, you sure get worked up easily, Luigi!" Now I had this smile on my face. I couldn't describe what I was feeling, but I was starting to crush on this girl. She was funny. But then, just as I was about to throw one of my patented girl-getting lines, the bell rang. Natalie stood up and said,
"See ya tomorrow, Luigi." As I walked out, I wondered how long she was going to call me that. Then I realized I didn't really care. I actually kind of liked it.
Julie caught up with me, almost in tears.
"Jules! Are you okay?"
"No!" She shouted. Okay, these were angry, frustrated tears. "That stupid creep wouldn't back off! So then I told Ms. Heathers and she said I was taking it too far! She said I should just learn to get along with him!"
"Aw, man." I said sympathetically. "So, what's his name? I'll go after him!" Julie smiled then.
"Yeah, right, Luis. He was only what, thirty pounds heavier than you?"
"So? I could take him!" She laughed.
"You seemed to be getting along with your partner very well," Julie said with a raised eyebrow. And I couldn't help it-I blushed.
"Luis! You're blushing!"
"Am not!" I yelled, hiding my face. Julie was laughing at me again when Dwayne walked up.
"Hey ya'll! What's so funny?" he asked.
"Luis has a crush on his economics partner!"
"I do not!" I don't know why I was denying it. Dwayne took one look at my face and knew Julie was right. But instead of laughing, he just shrugged.
"So who is she?" He asked, interested.
"Natalie Ritchterdson." I'd given up and saying her name made the blush deepen.
"Oh, I know her! Yeah, she's really nice." But a look passed between Dwayne and Julie.
"What?" I asked. "What?"
"Well, Luis, it's 's not quite, um," Julie looked to Dwayne to help her out.
"She's not the kind of girl you usually date," he supplied.
"Well what's that supposed to mean?" I squeaked indignantly.
"You usually date the beautiful cheerleader girls." Julie said delicately.
"Are you saying Natalie's not beautiful?" I asked threateningly.
"No! It's just that, she's kind ." I thought back to seeing her at breakfast. Hadn't really seen her. Thought to class. Okay, so she was a little big. So what? She was still cute.
"So?" Julie and Dwayne both looked surprised.
"Why, Luis Mendoza, I believe we just discovered something about you today! You're not shallow!" Julie clapper her hands and jumped up and down.
"You thought I was shallow?" I was a little hurt. Julie was at a loss for words, so Dwayne stepped up to bat.
"Well, you just always dated the girls who seemed perfect, ya know?" Strike one.
"So that makes me shallow?"
"Well, no, but you dated so many of them." Strike two. I could feel my face heating up again.
"So just because all the girls I dated before had perfect bodies, I'm shallow?" Dwayne didn't say anything this time, and that was strike three.
"Whatever," I said coolly. "See you guys at lunch." And I stomped off. I thought back to all my girlfriends. There had to be at least one who didn't have perfect looks. Um, that one girl, what was her name? Samantha. Oh, yeah. She had a mole on her neck. But it was really small and hard to notice, and plus, it was just a mole, so she doesn't count. Who else? Laura had had a crooked tooth. But it was in the back and no one really ever saw it. And who could forget the infamous Mindy? ? Her name was Mindy, right? Mindy was definitely perfect. On the outside, anyway. Who was I kidding? I was shallow. Great, so everybody knows it. Disgusted with myself, I shook my head and walked into the cafeteria.
Sitting between Averman and Portman is interesting. On one side, you get a bunch of crappy jokes. On the other, you hear talk of Metallica and the like. But Portman was also trying talking to Connie about stuff Connie wanted to talk about-classes, clothes, stuff like that, though he wasn't really succeeding. And over all, the talk of hockey was all around. I was looking around absently, thinking, when I saw Natalie. She was sitting with three other girls, and she saw me, too. She smiled and waved to me. Excited, I waved back with a huge grin, accidentally knocking over Portman's Coke. Natalie saw and was cracking up. I covered my face with my hands, resulting in my elbow landing in Averman's refried beans. Why right then did smooth Luis Mendoza have to be replaced with my inner Steve Urkel?

~*Natalie's POV*~
Luis was so cute. I couldn't believe how lucky I was to get paired with him. At lunch, I went out on a limb and waved to him, and he waved back! I couldn't believe it. And it was so hilarious when he knocked over his friend's pop. I felt a little bad because he was obviously embarrassed, but I couldn't help busting up again when he got his elbow in whatever it was on the tray next to him. The look on his face was priceless as he grabbed a napkin and started swiping at his arm, and then thwacked his friend across the face on accident. My roommate Elisha saw the whole thing, and how my eyes were lingering on Luis's face, and gave me an appalled look.
"Natalie, please. He's got half the girls in school hanging all over him, and he's dated and dumped the other half. He's a total jerk, and obviously very clumsy. You do not want to get mixed up with him." I gave her a tolerant smile, but she was wrong. I would give almost anything to get mixed up with him. Elisha knew what I was thinking and rolled her eyes.
"He's going to break your heart, and when he does, I'll break his jaw." That made me laugh. Elisha was quite possibly the wimpiest girl in the world.
"Thanks," I said. For the gesture, because I knew she would never actually hit anybody. Elisha shook her head.
"Just think about what I said, okay?"
"Sure," I said, not meaning it at all. "Of course I will."

~*Russ's POV*~
After Luis's traumatic experience, he stomped off to the dorm before his next class. Probably to change his shirt. I noticed how he kept glancing at some girl, and mentioned it as soon as he was gone.
"Hey guys, who's that girl Luis keeps looking at?" A burst of laughter came snorting out of Julie. I gave her a weird look, because in all five years that I'd known her, I'd never heard her snort before.
"That's Natalie," Dwayne said. Then he looked conspiratorially over his shoulder and confided, "Luis has a big crush on her!"
"No way!" I crowed. "Which one is she?" Dwayne pointed, and Charlie asked,
"Hey Cowboy, sure you got the right girl?"
"Yeah," Dwayne answered. "Don't say anything to Luis, though. He'll get all mad at ya for no reason!"
"Actually," Julie broke in. "He got mad because we told him he was shallow. Not outright, but, well, no one likes to be called shallow."
"Well, she's really nice," Ken declared. We all just kind of looked at him. "What?"
"Luis? Going after that girl? Because she's 'nice'? I don't know; there's got to be an ulterior motive." I looked around and saw my friends agreeing with me.
"Guys, that's not really fair," Ken piped in again. He always looked for the good in people. "People can change, you know. And besides, those other girls were nice, too. Well, except for Mindy." Adam started laughing hysterically, out of the blue. Connie scooted her chair a few inches closer to Portman and asked kindly,
"Adam? Are you all right?" He was laughing so hard he couldn't speak, so he just pointed. Luis had just walked into the lunchroom, wearing a shirt that was maybe two sizes too big. When he approached the table, he didn't look at any of us.
"Is that my shirt?" Goldberg asked.
"Uh, yeah."
"Why are you wearing it?"
"I didn't have any more clean shirts." I looked at him incredulously.
"Luis, we haven't even been here for a full day!"
"I know, but see, I was in a hurry to pack, because I didn't pack until the day of my flight, and I just stuffed all my clothes into my bags, even if they weren't clean."
"'t your mom come in and take your clothes and wash them?" Dwayne asked. "That's what my momma does." Luis stared at his feet.
"Uh, no, I do my own laundry," he said, not looking up at all. There was more to this story, I could tell, but the bell rang and Luis left quickly.

~*Luis's POV*~
Okay, so I lied to my friends. But I didn't want them to feel sorry for me. Truth is, my mom left before I did. Only not for the school year. Forever, according to her.

Flashback
I heard the door slam shut and wandered down to see what was going on. A note was on the counter, so I picked it up and read it.

Luis-
Couldn't handle you anymore. Don't know where I'm going, but I'm not coming back.

I hauled all my crap over to my grandma's house down the street. I knocked on the door, looking all pitiful, and she shook her head.
"Don't expect me to pay air fare for you to go back to that fancy school of yours," was the first thing she said.
"I already have a plane ticket," I assured her, taking my stuff up to the spare bedroom. I stayed there probably as much as I stayed at my own house, since my mom was always running off. She always came back in two weeks at the most, which was why I was so unconcerned about the whole thing. I mean, Mother of the Year wasn't in her future or past.
"Well, in that case, don't bother coming to visit during your breaks because I know you don't have the money to get here and I'm certainly not paying!" What a charming woman my grandmother was. She lingered for a few more minutes, complaining that she always got stuck with me when I drove my mom away, then finally left, slamming the door after her. I slumped on my bed, feeling sorry for myself, before thinking, only a month and a half. Then I'll be with the Ducks again. They're my real family anyway.

End of Flashback

The one thing different about my mom running off that time was that she really didn't come back. So excuse me if I wasn't exactly a little ray of sunshine.
I was unbearably embarrassed as I walked into economics the next day. Natalie had seen me make a fool of myself. But when I got there, she wasn't looking. She was bent over, writing. As I stood in the doorway, looking like an idiot and watching, she pushed her brown hair off her face and tilted her head as she studied her work. A frown passed her face and she erased furiously, then sent her pencil scrabbling again. This time she looked satisfied, but not completely happy, and pushed the notebook into her backpack. She saw me and smiled.
"Hey, Luigi, you gonna come sit down or am I gonna have to do all the work?" A grin split my face and I said,
"Well, I'll sit down, but you still have to do all the work!" She laughed as I sat down. That laugh brought bubbles to my stomach and a smile to my face. The same smile that had continually flickered on and off my face for the past 24 hours.
"I should have expected that from a jock!"
"I resent that." She laughed, and I changed the subject. "So, anyway, I need a nickname for you. Something to use against you when you call me Luigi."
"You don't like when I call you Luigi?"
"Oh, it's not that. I just think it's only fair."
"All right. So, did you think my name was something else at first?"
"Well." I thought, posing for her by stroking my chin. She laughed again and I confided, "I did think your name was Natalia." Natalie snorted.
"Natalia?"
"Yes." She stuck out her hand.
"Okay then. Here we are: Natalia and Luigi!" Jules had been passing then, and gave us a strange look. I laughed.
"So, Natalia, how would you like to eat lunch with my friends and I? You could bring your friends with you." She made a face.
"Those girls I sit with aren't my friends. But I guess I'll take you up on your offer. If you don't think your friends will mind."
"Oh, they won't care. And if they do, too bad!" She grinned and said,
"I would love to sit with you. The dynamic duo, Natalia and Luigi, united again!"

Okay, kind of a stupid chapter and it was really long. But I needed to get things rolling. The next chapter is in progress. I love reviews, hint hint!