Anya finished brushing her long black hair and gently set down the silver brush. It had been a part of a set given to her by her mother on her fourteenth
birthday. She had wanted to give it to Anya when she turned sixteen; however the cancer had prevented that. She sighed trying to push the sad thoughts away and
checked her reflection. It was the first day of school for her here in Japan and she wanted to make a good impression on her instructors and classmates. Deciding
that she looked proper Anya walked down to the kitchen to be greeted by her father's old maid. Atsuko was a kind old woman, she game Anya a friendly smile and
motioned to the table where there was a bowl of cold cereal waiting.
"Thank you." Anya said softly sitting down to eat. The remnants of her father's meal sat across from her. He had already left for work, so he would not be taking
her to school that day. She was sixteen and old enough to walk to school on her own, but it was her first day and it was a new country. She was a little disappointed
he hadn't wanted to be with her for this one day. Her mother, such a loving and kind hearted woman, would have gotten up early and made her pancakes and eggs,
saying that a big healthy breakfast was just what any young woman needed on her first day of school. Then she would have driven her and told her that everything
would go great and she would make a ton of new friends. After school she would have picked her up and taken her to get ice cream and asked her to tell her
everything that had happened that day, good or bad. She sighed. She was unsure what to expect when it came to her father. He was a military man through and
through. He had joined before she was born and was often away on overseas missions as she grew. Her mother was from Russia and had moved to America to be
with her father after they had married. She taught Anya about her Russian heritage and language, but since they had no other family in the states besides her
father's family her mother also wanted to teach her the other side of her heritage. Her father was Japanese/American and so, with the help of her grandmother Anya
also became fluent in Japanese. Two years ago the cancer had finally claimed her mother and Anya lived with her grandmother. Her father was stationed in Japan and
had only returned to the states long enough to bury her and arrange Anya's school and living situation. However this year Grandmother had decided she was retiring
to Florida, and having already raised her children wanted Anya to go and live with her father.
Anya loved her father, but she now felt more alone then she ever had. She finished her bowl and Atsuko took it to wash. Anya stood grabbing her bag.
"I'm off to school now Atsuko, I will see you tonight." She said softly. Atsuko nodded waving her away. Looking down Anya walked out of the house and headed
down the hill past a beautiful shrine to her new school.