Alessia Chapter 2: The Animosity
In the afternoon sun, Alessia sat on the bed, knees to her chin. Her uniform's pleated skirt rode high, but she was alone in the room. It seemed so sterile, so cold to her. Yes, the walls were in a light hue of lime, and the carpet was lush and thick, but her happy thoughts at seeing them were from a different age.
Looking back, she regretted her retort, but it seemed so fitting at the time: "I thought it was because I was smarter than you." Perhaps it was worth it to shut down all the laughter about her being on a "pity scholarship." Perhaps it was worth it to see the look on Vincenza's face. Perhaps.
The laughter, the disdain, the catcalls, they immediately followed. The rest of the day, Vincenza and her followers teased Alessia without quarter. She was shoved, she was tripped, and her white blouse was lined with ink from Vincenza's coterie running into her 'by accident'. She learned to take the back row, lest spitballs be lodged in her hair, or objects dropped down her back.
"My name is Alessia DeAngelis. I will be brave. My name is Alessia DeAngelis. I will be brave." She kept mouthing these words, lest her lips press together and ... "My name is Alessia DeAngelis. I will be brave."
By now, the sun had long since set, and the room was dark save for the patch of moonlight stealing in through the window. Alessia still sat on her bed, still reciting silently her mantra.
A knock sounded politely at her door. Fearing it to be more of Vincenza's lackeys, she huddled closer. It sounded again, this time louder, faster. "Gina! Are you in there? It's Bobbie! C'mon, open up!"
I'm not going to cry in front of her. "Yeah, I'm here. I just don't feel well, okay?"
"Was it the other girls?"
Yes. "No, I just feel ... sick. It wasn't anyone's fault." Telling her will just make it worse.
"Okay. Just... if it does turn out to be one of the other girls, tell me, okay?"
Silence.
"Just think about it, okay? Please?"
"Okay."
Ξ§§§Ξ
In spite of the ample grounds, St. Catherine's pool was situated on the top of the New North Wing, under a round skylight that reminded Alessia of the ornate greenhouse at the Liguria Botanical Garden. The water was heated, and the glass slightly fogged from the cool autumn-turning-into-winter morning. The sun was still rising, not yet visible from the water itself, but the sky was slowly yielding its gloom.
Most of the students were in the dining hall, breaking fast. The remainder were sleeping in, later to avail themselves of an early bagged lunch. Alessia had the pool to herself.
This was her refuge. The past two months were a hell, one Vincenza built just for her. The past few weeks, she started each day with laps in the pool. Swimming reminded her of her mother - no matter how difficult their finances, no matter how tired they were, they always went to the public pool every Saturday morning. Swimming reminded Alessia of her mother, not how much she missed her, but how much she loved her.
She would play, she would work out. She would try to holder her breath longer and longer. She would try to find a coin at the bottom. The pool didn't have a springboard, which was her one regret. Still, she tried to make the largest plume she could from launching herself into its inviting warmth.
As she finished her lap, her heart fell as she saw Vincenza and two of her gang, Domenica and Sofronia. All three of them had their arms crossed and the same sour expression contorting their faces.
Warily, Alessia brushed the wet hair from her eyes. "Uh... good morning?"
"Get out of the pool."
"Why? I mean, is it time for your class to use it?"
"No. You don't deserve to use it, that's why." Vincenza spat in the water.
Alessia pushed back from the edge, treading water far enough away to be out of arms' reach, but still close enough to talk. "But the rules said the pool was open from six in the morn-"
"You don't understand, do you? You didn't pay for this pool, so you don't get to use it. Now, for the last time, get out."
"Did you pay for it? What makes you so special?"
"My tuition paid for this pool! Dom and Ronia's tuition did, too!"
"So? I'm here on a scholarship! If your tuition paid for this, then the same with me!"
Vincenza squatted down, caring not a bit that her skirt rode up. "The difference is, you parasite, that my family's taxes paid for your scholarship." She flicked her thumbnail against her teeth at Alessia, stood up, and stormed out, her two lackeys following in formation.
Alessia swam two more laps, but the sourness in her belly wouldn't cease. With still half an hour left, she crawled out of the water. "My name is Alessia DeAngelis. I will be brave." Soundlessly, she mouthed her creed as she showered and toweled off.
Only when she went to put on her uniform did she discover it was cut into strips.
