My First Summer In Hell
I got up early to shower and get dresses. I was put my hair up. I had training first period. Then I had other things that have to do with training. Then I had lunch. Then it was all about training. This was the summer schedule. I wonder how the real schedule is. I was tired, but I could manage to punch someone today.
I had one a high pony tail, an Aeropostale military green sweatpants with a white camisole. I loved that store! I had a lot of things from there. I walk to the class alone. A lot of novices were already up. It was twilight for humans but for us it was dawn. Right away the opposite.
I enter the gym. It was bigger then the one I was use to. A lot of novices were there getting ready. Some were stretching and other were just standing there looking around. There were only five girls in this class. I only recognize one; Beatrix was right beside Mason. My brother got in as soon as I did. He gave me an encouraging smile and wave me to come near him.
The gym teacher came in after a few minutes. Mason told me what they did and in this class. He tried to make me feel better, but all it did was get me more nervous then I was before.
"Okay. Today we are join by new two students," the teacher said. He turn around to get his clipboard and I notice marks around his neck. I knew what they were, but I forgot their names. "Andrew Ivashkov and Rosemarie Ivashkov."
Some people gasp as they heard our names. They started to whisper to each other and the only people who shut up was the one next to us. The teacher calmed them down and starting yelling out pairs.
"We are going to do one on one," he said.
I was hoping to pick partners, but he said that before my though was finish.
"But first we start, I want to see what Andrew and Rosemarie can do."
I stared at him, wide eye.
"Come up," he said.
Andrew step out first. I hesitated and then followed him in the middle of the gym. All the students were against the wall. I hated being the center of attention if not on a stage.
"Show me what you two can do," he said and went to join the wall.
I looked at Andy, confuse. I was waiting to make the first move. People were waiting for the freak show. Oh God. I saw Andy nod once, I knew he was able to make himself look bad for me to look good. I couldn't hit my brother.
Just punch me already, he though.
But- I said getting cut off by his thoughts.
Do it! he hissed in his mind.
No! I yelled at him.
He made the first move and I duck. He was just as skilled as me. He kept trying to strike, but I wouldn't let him. I ran towards a corner. I was fast, but he was strong. I kept ignoring his attempts to hit me. He was getting annoyed just like what happened with Jacob. He though he knew this game, but no I wasn't playing the same game as I did with Jacob. I wasn't going to try to strike against my brother.
Fight, Rose! he screamed into my mind.
I shook my head.
I'm strong to take it.
The hell you are. So what.
Do it.
I didn't hesitated because his voice sounded like a command. I started to fight my brother. We train the same way, but he forgot I knew more then him. I was higher then him in Tae Kwon Do.
I started to mix that into the style of the streets. We were taught what to do if a stranger wanted to fight with us. I was usually good at that. I got him into the ground a couple of times. He crushed me into the wall a couple of times too. It was an even match because we knew each other. Of course, I didn't know what to do with someone else.
"Okay, stop," the teacher said after a few minutes.
We stopped. I eyed Andrew, and he looked away. He actually did hit me once in my arm. It didn't hurt as much. We join the wall again. The teacher started to call other names. They were good, better then us even or just me.
"Mason Ashford, Rosemarie Ivashkov," he yelled.
I don't know what to worry about. Worry about me getting hurt, or I was just about to fight a cute boy? It was between two things, one he beats up a girl or two he got beat up by a girl. I told that to Jacob a long time ago. He always hated it. Now I knew why. I had seen girls fight with the guys here and I had to say I admired them. Although none of them had long hair like me; they had hair that was up to their shoulders or spiky hair like a pixie.
"Start," he yelled.
Oh God. Oh God! I automatically shield myself with my powers. Of course he could touch me but I didn't feel a thing. He kept trying to punch me. I duck or ran. Every one was shouting his name.
"Mason! Mason! Mason!" everyone shouted.
I looked at my brother who kept looking back and forth from me to Mason. That got me distracted a little and I let my guard down. This time my magic went with me and I felt that punch to my stomach by Mason. I looked at him with narrowed eyes. I had to think this was Jacob, but hell Mason could beat up Jacob worst then me.
This time the fight got more interesting. We were sparring anymore; it became like wrestling. Yeah, I did earn some bruises and stuff like that but I kept fighting. It was hard to even hurt him.
"Break!" the teacher suddenly yelled.
But right before that, I was distracted by the teacher who was looking at his watch. I kept thinking when he was going to tell this to stop. Right then Mason took advantage and punch me. I think he was hoping I would block it, but I didn't. It was on my right cheek, and thanks to my skin, you could notice a little bit.
The teacher shook his head in disappointment. I shrugged it off. Its not like they expect me to know everything like them. He kept calling other names. He called my brother three times. Those three times, he survive with mild bruises, but past.
At the end of class I was tired and sore from fighting. I walk out of the classroom alone. Now we had ten minutes of break before heading to another class. I walked to my class in silence putting my iPod on. I getting caught in the music and letting the words flow in my mind. Then suddenly I felt a pair of hands on my arm.
"Hey," Mason said.
I jumped.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he said. He actually did look sorry.
I shook my head. "It's okay." I kept walking without looking back at him.
He hesitated to follow me. "Wait," he suddenly yelled.
I turn around. "What?" I asked. I though he wanted to asked me something.
"I'm sorry," he said without hesitating.
"About?" I said confuse. I actually didn't know what he was talking about. I looked at his aura. An aura is a force that is said to surround all people, often as a bright glow, only to people of unusual psychic sensitivity, like me. His aura did show some concern about…me.
"For that bruise," he said pointing with his index finger at my cheek.
My hand automatically move to my cheek, I could feel the bruise. I touched it and like it came, it went. "It's gone now. Nothing to apologize for," I said turning to walk to my class. I could feel him staring at me.
"Wait," he said again touching my arm again.
"Yes?" I said.
"How?… How did you do that?" he asked out of breath suddenly.
I shrugged. "How did I do what?" I asked. The realization suddenly came to me. I wasn't suppose to let someone see that.
"The bruise…?"
I close my eyes. Somehow I could bring it back. People needed to see it before I could heal it. "What about it?" I asked with a confused tone.
"It was just gone…?"
I shook my. I stared into his eyes. "You didn't see anything," I said with a charming voice.
He nodded.
"Lets go to class."
He nodded.
We walked together. I felt so low for doing that. I only tried it once when I was…13 because I was trying to get a six-pack with a fake ID. Back then I didn't care much but now I did. I didn't want to relay on magic for things.
The days went on and on. I kept getting beat up the whole week and other weeks. My brother got caught up quickly. Okay he wasn't the best but he didn't get beat up like me. I kept getting yelled out from the gym teacher. Seriously, I was really close to charmed him.
The other classes were easy. They told us what to do in situations and blah, blah, blah. It wasn't like I was going to be a guardian like them. Once I was finish with this school, I wanted to go to college and have a family. But certainly not protect someone.
"They come first, (the Morois)" the teacher once said. "You have to protect them."
I kept looking at him like he was nuts. Both of my eye brows were raised.
"Do you think there is something wrong with this concept, Ms. Ivashkov?" he asked me.
I nodded automatically. Some people gasp but others look interested on what I had to say.
"Why?" he asked. He was a Moroi, of course. He taught us about society.
"Why?" I repeated. "Because…some of them are assholes." - some people gasp - "And some times you have to put yourself first instead of some else."
"That's selfish," he said.
"Is it?" I asked him. "Is it selfish to put yourself first if you were dying? Is it selfish to put your friend, who is not a Moroi, first because they are going through a tough time?"
He stood quiet.
I smiled. "I though so."
"Office! NOW!" he yelled at me.
I raised an eye brow. Today was the last day for summer classes. But he was still going to be my teacher next year. I got up automatically.
You're in big trouble, Andy though.
I shook my head. He just wants to embarrass me in front of the class so I don't say anything else next time.
There won't be a next time?
Oh yes there will be. Any way he doesn't have the guts to admit to himself. Oh well is not my fault I had the guts to tell him his realities.
I walk to the office after that little conversation. Kirova was waiting for me apparently alone with other teachers. I wonder if I walked on a meeting. I knock first and she told me to come in. I knew some of them, but not all of them.
"What's the problem?" she asked.
Everyone stared at me. This was too much attention I wanted. On stages, I was always able to block the auras. Why? Because they seem happy and enjoying the show. Now they all had their own problems. I started to get a headache. "He told me to come," I said pointing at the teacher.
"She's been disrespectful," he said in his defense.
Oh please! I though. My mind started to roam for my brother. He was having dinner with the other novices. You should see this, I told him.
Okay, was all I needed to know he will watch.
"I've gotten other complains about you Ms. Ivashkov," Kirova said.
That's not a surprise, Andy though.
"You've been failing your training classes. You go off and daydream in class. You're lucky this doesn't count for you next year."
I nodded.
"Do you have anything to say about this?" she asked.
I nodded. "First, the training is not my fault. I didn't grow up in this environment. I don't know how to stake someone. Second. It's not my fault the classes are boring. Staking class is not something you learn in an ordinary school. Then I already learn how to get someone off of me. I learn how to take away someone weapon and how to make anything into a weapon."
She stared in amazement. Apparently no one ever spoke to her like their equal. "You're going to fail this school."
I nodded.
"Aren't you concern about this?" she asked.
I started to remember the audience. Oh well. I didn't care what they think of me. "No exactly. If I fail then you can send me back to my hometown and I can go to a normal high school.'
That did it to her. Her aura turn a dark color. I almost flinch at the sight. I started to tell myself to stop seeing auras.
"I won't send you home,' she finally said.
"Why? That's my only home."
She shook her head. "No until your 18."
What the hell! Andy screamed in my head.
I closed my eyes. It was like someone screaming in my ear. Worst the a rock concert. "What!" I finally was able to speak.
"You will be send of to you aunt," she said.
I eyed. "I have no other family," that I know of, I added in my mind.
"Well you do,' she said like she read my mind.
I shook my head. "They might be my biological family. But family is someone who had been there for you."
Ask them who are they, Andy told me.
I took him off my head. I didn't have the time to deal with him right now.
"You're aunt lives in Russia. She is your mom's sister."
I nodded.
"You could live her life style or you can decide to catch."
"How can I 'catch' up?" I said.
She shook her head. "That's up to you. It would be impossible for you to even pass the year like how I see it."
I was getting mad and ready to explode. This meant that all my high honor rolls. All my extra classes for RBC. All my extra work to get to that fucking school was for nothing.
"You're good in the normal classes. You just need to train harder," she said.
I was about to speak when someone spoke.
"Maybe some extra classes will help," a male voice said.
I turn around. The guardian who was at my house spoke. I forgot his name.
"And who will be doing that?" Kirova asked in a challenging voice.
He hesitated.
"I though so-"
"I will," he finally said.
I stood their in shock.
"Really?" Kirova asked.
He nodded. "In the morning before class, and in the afternoon after classes."
"Okay then." she said. "Do you accept?" she said turning towards me.
I nodded.
"You can leave now. This classes won't start until the beginning of the school year."
I nodded. I was about to leave when she called my name.
"Rosemarie," she said. "You have a letter from…Julliard."
She said the name like someone's name. "Julliard?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Like the Julliard School of Arts and Performances?"
She hesitated. Apparently shock that it was a school. Then she nodded.
I open the envelope quickly. Every summer, I went to New York to participate on a competition. Some kids sing, or dance, or act. Anything that has to do with performing. I usually played the piano ever since I was six-years-old.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"An invitation."
"That's a college?" she said as a question and as a statement.
I nodded. "They have a summer competition each year. You don't have to be a student there."
"You've done it before?" she asked.
I nodded. "Ever since I was able to play the piano my mom took me there every summer."
She nodded. I have her the letter, and she shook her head. She told me to keep it and that I could go now. I walked in silence to my dorm, until I met Andy in the hall.
"Did you asked what I told you?" he asked me.
I shook my head.
"Why?"
I shrugged. "It didn't seem important."
"We could go live with her-"
"She's a blood whore," I informed him.
"Oh,' was all he said.
I nodded.
"What's that?" he asked changing the subject.
I shrugged. "From Julliard."
He nodded. "You're going?"
"Of course not. They won't let me, even if I wanted to go."
He nodded. "Maybe if…"
I shook my head before he finish. "I'm not going to use compulsion on them."
"Maybe you could escape," he said.
I shook my head again. "Then what? An adult has to be there."
He stood quiet.
"I want to go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning," I said.
"Wait," he said. I turn around. "Are they going to kick you out?"
I shook my head. "I will have to do extra classes."
"Who's teaching you?" he asked.
"One of the guardians that was at our house."
"Alto, Belikov, or Petrov?"
I shrugged. "I think his name is Belikov. Dimitri Belikov. I think."
"The god?" he asked in amazement. "Everyone talks about him. His like a legend. His like a… freaking god."
I nodded. "I don't know.'
He rolled his eyes. "Good night, Rosie."
I frown. "Good night Andy."
