The Blonde Girl
By Lumendea
Chapter Eight: Mona Lisa's Revenge: A Little Older
Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, Sarah Jane Adventures or Torchwood.
…
Rose Marion Tyler was fourteen years old, and many things had changed about her life since the week she met the Doctor and Spellman was defeated. The attention she received for leading the students out to safety had faded after a few months everywhere except the Powell Estates. Her Mum still brought it up from time to time when she needed one of the neighbours to fix something. Rose remained something of a hero in her home area, and Jackie enjoyed the attention.
Most of the time Rose did not think about the Doctor, knowing that she might never see the mysterious man ever again. Knowing that he was out in the world somewhere helping other people gave her hope and always made her smile. She wished that she knew more about him, but was gradually accepting that he would probably always remain a mystery. Still, that hadn't stopped Rose from forming a few strange theories about who or what he really was.
But one thing Rose never let go of was his final words to her, "You are fantastic and never let anyone tell you differently."
She did her best to live up to that statement even if she had returned to her normal life. Rose worked harder in school and found that while maths wasn't easy it wasn't half bad. She enjoyed science for the possibilities it presented to her and hoped that someday she'd know enough to examine the pendant that she always wore. Of course, hard work didn't make everything easier as Rose barely managed to pass history each term which in her defence wasn't about her lack of interest, but rather her inability to keep all the dates straight. Rose had to practice several times a week, but she was proving herself decent at gymnastics. She was even accepting that she didn't have the raw talent of Sally Peters who was the team's star. Still, she'd earned the school a couple of medals.
Out of school, she allowed her enjoyment of art to grow beyond the occasional sketchbook and put her spending money towards better supplies. She babysat children around the estate frequently and just focused on staying busy and out of trouble. Half of what she earned she gave to her Mum which had made things a little easier in their flat over the last couple of years. Jackie was mostly doing hair out of the flat now rather than working in shops though around the holidays she occasionally took a seasonal job.
Rose's once bright pink and clothing filled room had shifted over the last three years. The walls had been repainted white and hand painted by Rose with scenes from her imagination. Fantastical images of other worlds covered one wall while the ceiling was decorated with stars and planets. Her vanity had been swapped out for a plain wooden desk with a small easel on it and a can of brushes next to it. A tall, but narrow bookshelf held her schoolbooks and the second-hand science books that she'd collected over the years. A large mirror increased the sense of space and the light while in its frame dozens of photos displayed her friends and her family.
Since Spellman's mass kidnapping Rose had expanded her circle of friends and while Shareen was still her best mate, Sharon who was on the gymnastics team with her was a close second, and they formed a popular little trio at Jericho Street Comprehensive. Overall, Rose never would have complained about her life. Well maybe a little about her Mum's various boyfriends, but nowadays they tended to leave her alone if she let them be.
It was an ordinary Tuesday when Rose went into Mrs. Taylor's art class and took her seat at a table with Sharon and Shareen. They whispered as they waited for class to begin, but fell silent as Mr. Edwards, the school's Head Teacher walked into the room. Some of the students straightened up at their desks while others shrank back.
"Settle down," Mr. Edwards shouted. He straightened his ties and smiled at the class which made numerous students look at each other in surprise. "If I may Mrs. Taylor I have an important announcement. One that concerns you, Rose Tyler."
Looking up, Rose blinked in mild alarm at the Head Teacher, entirely in the dark about what she could have possibly done. Sure the Head wasn't her number one fan after a small accident in the chemistry lab last year, but she had never given him reason to dislike her. It wasn't like she made a habit of causing damage to school property.
"Me?" Rose questioned with wide eyes, "I didn't do anything."
There were a few snickers around the room at her response.
"Calm down Rose, you aren't in trouble," Mr. Edwards told her with a widening smile. It made Rose rather nervous. "The opposite in fact. I have just received a call from Professor Harding the curator of the International Museum here in London, and tomorrow this class will be the first members of the public to see the visiting Mona Lisa here in the UK. All thanks to Rose, congratulations your painting won first prize."
Mr. Edwards and Mrs. Taylor started clapping, and the whole joined in while Rose gaped at them, very surprised and confused.
"As much as I appreciate the applause and missing history in the morning there has been a mistake," Rose told them quickly. "I never put my work into a competition."
Mr. Edwards glanced at Mrs. Taylor in confusion, but she just shrugged. "Someone did," Mr. Edwards said. He looked down at the note in his hand. "The painting's name was Luman…"
"Lumen," Rose corrected automatically. "It's Latin for light." She turned to Sharon who quickly lowered her eyes. Rose held back a sigh and nodded. "And yeah I guess I know who entered it." Blushing, Sharon gave Rose a sheepish smile while Mr. Edwards beamed at Rose before he turned to speak with Mrs. Taylor. "You told me your uncle was going to frame it," Rose said to Sharon. She leaned over the table towards her friend while Shareen chuckled.
"And he did, but then I entered it in the competition," Sharon told her. "They were looking for the country's most promising young artist, and you really are good Rose." Sharon's lower lip stuck out a lip as she implored Rose to understand.
"You're brilliant, I mean you won!" Shareen injected.
"I knew you would never be so forward," Sharon said. "But it was just gorgeous, too gorgeous just to be hanging where no one would ever see it."
Groaning, Rose put her head down on top of her folded arms while her friends both gave her nervous smiles. After taking in a slow breath, Rose raised her head and looked over at Sharon.
"Are you angry with me?" Sharon asked in a soft voice.
"No." Rose sighed as she sat back up and brushed her hair out of her face. "I'm a bit nervous and embarrassed," she admitted, toying with a strand of her hair. "But hey the Mona Lisa and missing history. I can't really complain can I?"
Sharon shifted in her chair, still looking a bit guilty. Rose gave her a soft, reassuring smile.
"I can't wait till your Mum hears this," Shareen laughed, "She'll be bragging for months."
"If not years," Rose added before Mr. Edwards called them all back to attention to give instructions for the next morning.
…
Rose's mother Jackie Tyler had reacted just as Rose and the girls figured she would. Sharon stayed at with Rose and Shareen at the Powell Estate just long enough to watch Jackie hug Rose tightly before rushing off to tell the rest of the estate before she went home herself, laughing the whole way. Rose was already finding her Mum's reaction exhausting.
Tossing her things in her room, Rose took a moment to brush her hair and collect her thoughts. She smiled at her reflection and took a deep breath before she rejoined Shareen in the Tyler living room. The two girls started the homework in peaceful silence and stayed that way until Rose became aware of Shareen watching her.
"What is it?" Rose asked, looking up to meet her friend's blue eyes.
"I was just thinking back to when we were really little," Shareen answered with a small smile. "You're so different now."
"I'm older," Rose said. She flipped her pencil around her fingers and smiled. "You are too."
"That's not what I mean." Shareen rested her chin on her hand and studied Rose. "You act older than the other girls our age and look at things with more imagination. You work harder too and like science a lot more than you did back then. Nowadays it's always go go go with you. There's always something you're doing or working on. You're just different."
"So are we talking good different or bad different?" Rose asked. She tried to smile but felt nervous at the conversation.
"Good I think, course I don't know what you would have been like otherwise." Shareen leaned back in the chair as she explained, "It's probably because of Spellman. You having to take the lead like that and look after everyone."
"When did you get into psychology?" Rose asked with a laugh.
"Well," Shareen said, "By the looks of things you're either going to be a scientist or an artist." Shareen met Rose's eyes and smiled broadly. "Maybe I should start setting my sights high too."
"I think you'd be great at whatever you decide to do," Rose told her honestly.
"Confidence," Shareen remarked with a beaming smile. "You've had more of that since Spellman too."
"Okay thanks for the evaluation," Rose told her with a dramatic eye roll. "Can we get back to our work now? These equations aren't going to solve themselves."
"Only if you come over here and explain this to me," Shareen said. She held up her math book to show Rose a series of equations.
"I can do that." Rose put down her book and went over to Shareen. The two girls sat close together as Rose walked her friend through the equations step by step until everything clicked into place.
