Advanced Mythology Class

"Vell, now zhat I have zee beast home safely, I can thank you on a personal level. You receive an A for the veek," he announced. "Yea," she nodded. "Don't vorry about hurting Jake. He vill understand eventually," Rotwood bet.

Rose read a book on the American Revolution through the class period and jumped out of the classroom when the bell finally rang. Rotwood didn't hold her back anymore. If he had a request, he had the entire hour to give it to her.

"Hey Rose, what do you have going on tonight?" Jake greeted her in the hallway with a magazine up to his face. "Um, not much. You-know-who is with 88 and 89 in Arizona, so I'm alone," she looked at a flyer on the wall in the hallway. "Yea, so do you want to get dinner together or something?" Jake invited. "Sorry, I think that someone may be watching me just so the Huntsman doesn't have to worry. See you later tonight though, kay?" she ripped off the phone number on one of the flyers and walked away.

New York Sidewalks

Rose was walking down the sidewalk instead of taking the subway. She wasn't in a rush to return home, and needed some fresh air. Although enjoying the feeling of independence, Rose kept feeling like she was being followed.

Before she knew it, she was at a sprinting pace running from a big black pickup truck. Idiotically, she left her staff at the lair not expecting anything to happen that day with the Huntsman on the other side of the country. Just keep running, eventually work traffic will build up and I can get away. Too bad that it was only about three o' clock and work traffic wasn't to build up until five. This truck was relentless and wasn't about to let her get away. The driver was neither Rotwood nor someone watching her from the Huntsclan.

Rose's legs were burning, and her heart was pounding. She had been able to run for this long before, but never at this speed. Where's a police officer when you need him?

The truck wasn't giving in. The driver's foot never left the gas pedal, and never considered touching the brakes. "Oh my gosh! That's Jake's house!" Rose exclaimed as picking up her speed. "Please let the door be open!"

She ran up the small set of stairs and tried the doorknob, but it was locked. She knocked ferociously and repeatedly on the door. Someone was exiting the truck and beginning to run towards her. She began knocking harder and faster until she heard Jake's muffled voice through the door, "Okay, yo! I'm coming! Chill out!" Jake opened the door, Rose bolted in tripping on the rug and falling to her hands and knees. She rolled over onto her bottom and pushed herself away from the door using her hands and feet.

"Rose! Are you okay?" Jake freaked. "Jake… someone's following me! Quick…lock the door!" Rose tried to catch her breath. Jake quickly reached over and flicked the lock, "Who? Who's following you? Is it Rotwood? Someone from the Huntsclan?" Jake helped her up and sat her on the sofa and positioned himself next to her in an I'm-here-for-you but not a Let's-make-out-and-forget-all-about-this-mess position.

"I don't know. I didn't recognize the person and the Huntsclan wouldn't have pursued me like that, especially after they saw me run in a terrified fashion. I'm really…"

She was cut off by a knock at the door. "Stay here," Jake stood to see who was there. "Be careful," Rose whispered. Jake slid the chain onto the door and opened it so the door was only about three inches opened. "Hello?" Jake answered without showing his face. "Who's there?"

"Give this to the girl," the person on the other side shoved a black envelope inside his door with a black rose taped to the outside. The stranger pulled the door shut from the outside and returned to his truck. The letter had "ROSE" painted on the front in red paint. "Um, Rose, I think that it's for you," Jake was reluctant in handing it to her.

Rose looked over the enveloped and the black rose that was attached to the back. "It sickens me how often I get these things from people. I understand sometimes using my name in puns, but the black rose goes to far," she through it to the ground, stepped on it, and began to open the letter. Jake held his breath in anxiety not wanting the letter to be a danger to her.

"No," she whispered. "What? What does the letter say?" Jake froze in his spot. "It's from Rotwood. He wants me to get him a Brownie. Why? I have no idea. I thought that maybe he would be busy enough with the unicorn tonight," Rose leaned against the sofa. "Well, before that, you need some dinner. Want to stay over for dinner tonight?" Jake invited and removed the envelope from her grasp.

"Well… I suppose…"

But her Huntsclan cell phone's ringing quickly cut her off. "I have to take this," she ran into the bathroom. "Yes, Master?"

"Huntsgirl, I am just checking in. I heard through some personal resources that you captured a unicorn last night?"

"Y…Yes Master, but I sold him to the – magical black market. He was too dangerous for myself alone."

"Very good, I understand."

"Master, if I may, would it be possible for me to have dinner at a friend's house tonight?"

"I don't see why you couldn't this once. Just make sure that you take your vitamin the moment you get home. Do you hear me, girl?"

"Yes, Master. Of course."

"Good, I will see you in about a week," and the Huntsman hung up.

"All right, Jake. I can stay," Rose walked back out to the kitchen. "Rose, you don't have to take this kind of abuse from Rotwood," Jake stated looking over the letter. "Jake, you don't understand. Rotwood says that if he doesn't get what he wants, that he'll turn you in – or call the Huntsman," Rose took the letter back and put it into her backpack. "Maybe I should just go." "Rose, no. I want you to stay. It's just Haley and me tonight. I'm cooking, so you get to check out the AmDrag's cooking first hand," Jake gloated. "Didn't you flunk out of Home EC?" Rose reminded. "I almost flunked out. There's a huge difference," he smiled and they walked into the kitchen together.

Haley was sitting at the table working on her homework. "Hello Jake, Pretty-Girl-That-Jake's-Obsessed-With," Haley never picked her head up. "Haley!" Jake blushed. "It's okay, Jake. Everyone knows," Rose whispered in Jake's ear making him blush harder.

"So what do you girls want for dinner?" Jake opened a few cupboards revealing the variety of convenient foods. "Wait, Jake's cooking? I thought that's why you brought Rose for?" Haley stopped him. "No, Rose is out guest, not our chef Haley. It's time for the MacDaddy Jake to show you what he's made of," Jake showed off. "But Jake, don't you remember what happened last time that you cooked for us?" Haley paused to flashback, and then shivered in fright. "What? It wasn't that bad!" Jake defended, and then thought back to the incident, "Well, okay, maybe it was, but mom and dad said that you're still too young to use the stove or oven." "It's okay, Pretty Boy, I can do it," Rose offered. "It's the least I can do after I whoop your butt later tonight," she giggled. "Kick his butt in what?" Haley picked up. "Uh, online video game. Jake's team always get slaughtered in the first ten minutes, I sometimes feel bad for him," Rose made up. "You wish! Name one time that your side won!" Jake provoked. "Last night," Rose shot back without thinking. An awkward silence fell between them. "So, Rose, what are you going to make?" Haley broke it up. "What do you want?" she looked down at the cherubic girl. "Can you make spaghetti?" Haley requested. "Oh sure, I make it all of the time! Do you like your noodles long or short?" Rose bent over. "Long, my dad insists on making them short, and they're like impossible to eat!" Haley complained.

"Jake, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it," Rose whispered to him boiling the pot of water. "Rose, I know. I shouldn't have pushed you. Let's not make Haley suspicious of anything right now though. Okay?" Jake retrieved the colander.

"Agreed."

The three of them sat around the table talking and laughing of random stuff that happened throughout the day. Jake was doing one of his famous Rotwood impressions, "I am zee veirdest most obnoxious person in zee vorld! Vhat do you zhink Miss Rose?"

"Well, Mr.…"

"PRINCIPAL to you young lady!"

"Sorry, sir. I think that you are correct in your thesis that you are weird and obnoxious, but in the whole world? Don't put yourself down. I would say the whole universe."

"Vhy, Rose, zhat is zee sveetest zhing anyone has ever said to me!"

Everyone cracked up and continued to eat. "Haley, so I hear that you're the little dance star of the family. Would you show me something?" Rose implored. "Sure!" Haley glowed.

After Haley's performance, Rose helped Jake clean dishes, and finally hugged him goodbye, "I'll see you in my dreams," Jake joked. "Good, I'll be there," she returned. "Have a good night everyone!"

The Huntslair was quiet and peaceful, but Rose knew that it wouldn't last for long. She pushed down her vitamin and went to finish the remaining parts of her homework. Rose's watch beeped at nine o' clock after she had taken a shower, done homework, and laid on her bed to think to herself. "All right, let's do this," Rose through on her mask and ran down to the river to catch the miniature magical creature.

Riverbanks

"Come out come out wherever you're hiding," Rose brought out the Huntsgirl from within. The sooner she got this done, the less time she had to feel guilty from the situation.

"Ay Juliet, you look absolutely gorgeous in this light," a young couple of Brownies walked out into the moonlight. Should I take one, or both? "Oh Romeo, you're so romantic," Juliet complimented. "I have a lot of inspiration," they lean in to kiss, when a fish net flew down on top of them. "Sorry kids, play time's over," Rose stared at them. "No! Huntsgirl! Please just take me! Leave Juliet alone!" Romeo pleaded. "Your wish is my command," Rose snatched him in her hand and ran off leaving Juliet petrified from the attack. "Sit still! I'm not going to hurt you," Rose yelled.

When Rose returned home to the Huntslair, she dropped Romeo in an empty fish tank and left for her room.