Chapter 1: Her new world
"Thank you for taking the time to come in, Miss Edelstein," Rome Vargas, the elderly but unusually young-looking and handsome, and, Anniliese thought, suspiciously familiar-looking, headmaster of Hetalia University-High said. He shook Anniliese's hand.
"Thank you for having me Headmaster Rome," Anniliese replied politely, glad she was wearing gloves, they hid how cold and clammy her hands had become with nerves. What could the Headmaster of Hetalia Academy want with her? This was a school well known for its prestige and glamour, why on Earth was she here?
Anniliese was twenty years old, graduating High school at sixteen then finishing a four-year joint course of performing arts: Music and teaching, not three months ago. Mr. Vargas couldn't possibly be looking to employ her.
"Miss Edelstein, have you heard of the 'help class' this school provides?" Rome asked her, smiling, though there was sadness behind his eyes.
Anniliese blinked violet eyes behind thin glasses she didn't need but wore anyway because she thought her face plain without them. "No sir, I haven't," she admitted.
She hadn't even known about this school until she'd furiously researched everything she could about it last night after Mr. Vargas had called and requested an interview.
Rome didn't fill her in immediately, instead he picked up her resume from his desk, Anniliese mentally frowned, she hadn't submitted a resume to this school! How had he gotten that?
Rome barely glanced at the resume before tossing it back on his desk, "you are quite the prodigy, Miss Edelstein, graduating at sixteen –skipping two grades!- and having the qualifications to teach University students at a younger age than many of them! Truly a sensation!"
He smiled at her and Anniliese got the sense that in his day this man would have been an amazing lady-killer. But she knew he would have been one of the nice, flowery types who genuinely enjoyed making women feel special. Not her type to be sure but Anniliese couldn't help but feel flattered.
"Why thank you sir, I must admit, I enjoy working hard." Anniliese said, because it was true, she did enjoy working hard. She might have flown up the metaphorical ranks but everything she had gotten she had worked and strived for.
Rome didn't even glance at her file as he continued, it was obvious he had the whole thing memorised. "Your mother is Maria Edelstein, the President of Austria; I bet that was hard to live up to."
His words were sympathetic but Anniliese knew what he was trying to say. It was the same thing they all said. Behind her back, to her face, in her interviews, her every achievement overshadowed by sneers of 'she only got this far because her mother is President.' It was why she had moved to the United States for university and work. And it appeared that even here she was not free of those rumours!
Anniliese's white-gloved hands clenched in her lap, though she was careful not to crinkle her white skirt, "she was an inspiration to me. I worked hard to live up to my mother, I enjoyed the challenge." Most of the time.
Rome smiled, understanding what Anniliese was really saying, she had not used her mother as a step stool for her career. "And live up to her you did. However, you could have been a famous piano player, did your mother approve of you turning down that offer to teach?"
Anniliese inclined her head, "my mother trusted my judgement, she is willing to go along with what will make me happy and fulfilled in life." That was a lie if Anniliese had ever told one, when her mother had found out Anniliese turned down a record contract to teach (and in America, no less!) she had, screaming, thrown her out of the house.
Fortunately no-one outside the Edelstein family knew of this and of course Anniliese had not been officially disowned (that would ruin her mother's image). While Anniliese despised being seen as 'mummy's little suck-up' constantly, her pride refused to allow her to be labelled the 'family disappointment' either.
Plus if I were to make something of it that woman might actually think I care. No-one had ever accused Anniliese of being unable to hold a grudge.
Amusement danced in Rome's eyes as though he could tell what Anniliese was thinking and what she was saying and not saying. It was not the first time today Anniliese had thought that about this man, what, does he read minds or something? Why doesn't he get to the point?
"To get to the point, Miss Edelstein," Rome said, leaning forward. Had Anniliese been anyone else, she would have flinched, he can read minds!?
"The help class this academy offers is for troubled students," Rome said bluntly, a new sense of urgency in his eyes.
"Trouble students, sir?" Anniliese asked, she hadn't been aware that Academies this esteemed even accepted trouble students, hers' certainly hadn't.
But Rome shook his head, "not trouble students, my dear, troubled students, students of all ages who have paid to get in or gotten a scholarship on their own but have, shall we say, problems."
Like a special needs class? Anniliese wondered, did special need students get scholarships? Hell if she knew.
Again, Rome seemed to read her mind, "this isn't for special education students, Miss Edelstein, this is for students who have had a traumatic or life-altering event in their past that they might need help coping with." He explained.
"Every one of those students has lost at least one person in their lives; many of them are orphans, or were before they hit 18. They're students that this school worries aren't reaching their full potential because they're holding back. We need a teacher who can reach these kids and open them up."
He paused. Feeling as though he wanted her to say something, Anniliese shook her head slightly, her brown ringlets swishing faintly. "I don't understand why you're telling me this sir," Anniliese said honestly, if he offered her a place in this class, she was leaving.
When she was much younger Anniliese lost her father to cancer, her adopted brother to another foster family, her adopted sister had been taken away by her long-lost grandfather and her foster brother had been taken back by his own family.
To put the icing on the top of the cake, when he'd been in the car driving back to his 'real' home, her poor, beloved foster brother Ludwig had been hit by a car and died. But even though her past hadn't all been sunshine and roses Anniliese did not have issues from a thing that happened 11 years ago for God's sake!
And she would not appreciate some random teacher-dude insinuating that she did. She could only imagine how those students must be feeling.
"You've certainly reached your full potential; tell me, what is your way of expressing yourself, Miss Edelstein?" Rome asked, instead of answering Anniliese's statement.
"Well…" the young woman said, still not understanding, "I suppose that would be music, sir." She confessed honestly.
"Exactly." Rome rested his elbows on his knees, "what better way to get these students out of their shells and fill them with passion for life than with the performing arts? Music! Acting! Dancing! And what better person to teach them than the beautiful lady sitting in front of me?" He gestured at Anniliese with her resume.
Ok, now Anniliese was really confused. She was tempted to turn around and see if there was someone sitting behind her. Rome was insane, he has to be insane, it almost sounded like…
"Are you… offering me a job? Teaching high-school and university students?" Anniliese asked, half-incredulously, half-cautiously.
Rome beamed and leaned back, satisfied, "yes, I am! I'm glad you understood so quickly."
"B-But," Anniliese stuttered, it wasn't like her to lose her cool but of all the things she had been expecting today, this wasn't one of them, grade 1 & 2's maybe! I'm only twenty years old for God's sake!
"I-I'm very flattered, Mr. Vargas," she said slowly, regaining her cool, "but I am very young, I'm not sure I would be suitable for this position. Please, if I may offer a suggestion, get a teacher with more experience, one who is older that the students."
"No older, more experienced teachers have gotten through to them. I want someone closer in age, someone who can identify with them." Rome said. That made more sense than Anniliese was willing to admit.
Is this even legal? "B-But," she stammered.
Rome rose to his feet, on instinct, Anniliese rose too, "excellent! I knew you'd say yes! I'll e-mail you everything you need to know later today." He ushered her out the door, "you start on the 29th of August, school starts at 7:30, the teachers lounge opens at 6. Thank you for your time today Miss Edelstein, I look forward to working with you!" Then, beaming, he shut the door in Anniliese's face.
Rude. "Wait!" She called, "I never said-" Rome's loud singing blocked her voice out, he is an ass. Don't I need to sign something?
Well it looked like she would be working from the 29th of August onwards if Rome got his way.
Anniliese released a shriek of despair as she remembered today's date: the 28th of August. Oh this can't be legal…
Well Rome had offered her a position in the help class. It just hadn't been the one Anniliese had been expecting.
A/N: Ok guys! There's chapter 1. Tell me what you think. But be nice please. This is my first Fanfiction ever! (I'm so nervous). And I'm not really sure how to do this whole 'uploading' thing. I can't believe this worked!
Ok, to clear things up; Anniliese's other brother and sister were referred to as 'adoptive' while Ludwig was called her 'foster' brother. There is a difference. 'Adopted' is when you formally become part of that family. 'Foster' is when you're living with that family because yours' can't or won't take care of you for one reason or another. I think. If I'm wrong please correct me. It's not exactly a topic I have intimate knowledge of. And no, Germany is not dead. Spoiler.