Rose
I slept the rest of Saturday and into Sunday morning. My dad took me in, gave me a room that was bigger than my mom's apartment. It has a light grey carpet expanding the size of the room, with white walls, a white storage bench at the foot of the bed, two white armchairs, white bedside tables, a gold lap with a light grey almost white shade and high ceilings. The bed faced huge floor to ceiling windows that expanded the length of the room with heavy light grey black out blinds which led onto a spacious balcony. To the side of the bedroom, separated by a dark drown door.
There were his and hers sinks displayed in a white marble countertop and a light grey base. The floor too was white and shining with underfloor hearting. The mirror extended the length of the sinks with lights and gold fixtures. The bathtub was inside a marble base with a single step up. The shower was clear glass beside it with a waterfall shower head.
Behind the bed there was another set of dark brown doors on either side leading into a huge walk in wardrobe with white shelving units, floor to ceiling mirrors as doors, with a large mirrored island in the center. There was a dressing table at the end of the room in front of large mirrors with LED lights.
I went to sleep in the clothes I left the hospital in, my small bag sat on the bench. I fished out some clothes from the small pile and slowly walked into the shower. I washed myself with the body wash I brought, washing my hair before getting dressed. I left my hair down and damp as I slowly left the room with my arms wrapped around myself as I made my way down the hall and into the kitchen.
There was a kind looking lady with warm brown eyes cooking some bacon in a pan while Abe sat on the island chatting with her. I stood in the doorway, not knowing what to do. The women turned around and smiled at me.
"You must be hungry." I was. I felt like I hadn't eaten in days. I nodded but kept my position in the doorway. It was Abe who spoke next.
"Come on, Olena will make you something." I slowly walked up to the island and slid onto a stood at the end. Abe was readying the paper but put it down when Olena slid a plate over to him. She pointed to the plate.
"Do you want the same?" I nodded. Olena smiled as she started to busy herself with making me some food. It wasn't long before a plate was pushed towards me with a smile.
"Thank you." Olena shook her head and smiled wider.
"I've to get going, Abe. Make sure Sonjia doesn't murder Dimitri this morning." Abe laughed.
"Go ahead. I'll see you later!" That just left Abe and I. He cleared his throat.
"Do you feel better this morning?" I nodded.
"Thank you for taking me in." Abe gave me a smile.
"Rose, how come you weren't in a hotel room -"
"All the money I had was in my bag." I replied, looking down. My plate was empty now but I was still a bit hungry. Abe sighed. "I'll get a job and I can pay rent. I'll find a way to pay." Abe shook his head.
"Rose, no. This is your home." I looked at him and he gave me a small smile.
"Are you still hungry?" I didn't want to nod my head, but I did anyway. Abe got up and went to the fridge.
"I'm not a cook like Olena but I can pull together a mean sandwich." I gave him a smile. "So, how's you mom?" I shrugged.
"I don't know. I didn't see her much." Abe looked up shocked but went back to buttering the bread. "I would work or be in school. When I would get back to the house she would be gone." Abe slid the sandwich over to me.
"What was home like?" I shrugged me shoulders.
"I spend most of my time in school or work. I tried not to be there much." Abe pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Rose, when the doctor asked you-"
"I'm very clumsy." I lied. It was the excuse I was conditioned to use when someone would ask me about them. They tried to get me to admit the truth but I never did. Abe let it go.
"I'm going to enroll you into the school nearby. Can you write down the name of your school and we can get you school records signed over?" I nodded, took the piece of paper and pen and scribbled down the name of my school.
"Sunday's are my day off – I was hoping we could spend the day together, you know, get to know each other."
"I'm pretty much an open book. What do you want to know?"
We talked for hours, getting to know each other. Abe made us both lunch as we continued to talk and laugh. Every minute we were getting closer and closer, I told him things my mother didn't low, which isn't saying much. The point is, I was opening up.
"I go to the gym a lot – the owner let me as long as I stayed and cleaned after." I had told him. "I like to run too." He laughed, told me there was a small gym in the house, showed it to me and we went to his office.
"Here, take this." He handed me a small card. "Buy whatever clothes you want. The school you'll be going to will have a uniform." I nodded and slowly accepted the card.
"Thank you." He gave me a smile.
After I ordered some clothes online, had dinner with Abe, it was time to go to bed. Abe was going to the school the next morning to hopefully see if there were any spaces left. I had to go with him, in case so we could get a uniform. That was how I spent my Monday. There was a place, I collected a uniform and Abe was told that I could start Tuesday.
Tuesday morning, I woke up to the sound of an alarm clock. I showered, dried my hair and put my hair in a low pony hair, flipping it over and pulling the twist so it's bigger. I let two smaller stands if hair fall out and kept my hair in its natural wave. I pulled on the uniform of a black pleated skirt, a white button shirt which I tucked into the skirt and a black blazer with the school crest. I pulled on my beat-up convers high tops. I grabbed my new black bag before walking out and down the stairs to the kitchen. My dad was already sitting at the island, a bowl of cereal in front of him. I made myself up one.
"First day huh?" I looked at him.
"First day, half way through the semester." I said after I took a bite. "It's already February." He gave me a small smile.
"You'll be fine." He put a hand on my cheek. "You're a very clever girl, you know. You'll be alright." I gave him a smile.
"Yeah." I finished my breakfast and rinsed out the bowl.
"Mikhail will drive you in and pick you up." I nodded. "Good luck."
Abe walked me out to the car as Mark opened the back door for me. I dumped my bag in before sliding in. I was picking at my long nails as I looked out the window. When we made it to the school, I opened the car door before Mikhail could get out of the car.
"Hey, good luck." I gave him a smile before I closed the door and watched him drive away. I stood there, looking up at the school. Kids littered the area as they talked in big groups, small groups, in groups of two. I slowly walked towards the same building I went to yesterday.
I waited until the sectary allowed me to go into the headmistress's office where she kept me for hours, explaining the rules, my class schedule, where my locker was, the combination. It was nearly lunch before she let me leave. I walked around, found my locker and lightened the load of books in my bag before making my way to the lunch hall.
I was one of the first people in there as I made my way over to the food, greeting the lunch ladies with a warm smile and a cheery hello. After they gave me back the tray and I paid for the food, I slowly looked around the hall. It was busier now, a lot more people were now lunch ladies with a warm smile and a cheery hello. After they gave me back the tray and I paid for the food, I slowly looked around the hall. It was busier now, a lot more people were now in here, littering many tables. I walked towards a free table and sat down, picking at my food and I went through my phone. Mom still didn't realize I was gone.
"Em, hello, you're sitting in my seat." I looked up at the that spoke. She was beautiful with raven hair and ice blue eyes. I down at the empty table, raised both eyebrows and looked up at the girl.
"There's plenty of room." I went back to looking through my phone, texting my only real friend from back home, letting him know I'm alive and well. He replied almost instantly. The girl scoffed, huffed and moved to sit further down the table.
"I know, talk about rudeness – she shouldn't even be sitting at this table." I snorted and shook my head, finishing the food and pushing the tray forward. Others joined the table, all laughing, gossiping. I ignored them as I continued to massage Mason.
"I know right, she just sat down here. No respect." I rolled my eyes and finished my food, still sitting there even though there was no reason to.
"Hi, I'm Lissa! You must be new!" The blonde girl from the mall said with a big smile on her face. She extended her hand, but I didn't and she put it back to her side just as quickly as it rose. I stared at her before getting up.
"Oh, by the way, nice, eh, brace." I rolled my eyes as I picked up my tray and put it on the rack before walking towards the door and out the door. I still had thirty minutes left before I had to go to my next class – gym. Luckily there was also a uniform for that too which was stuffed into my locker. I took it out and went to the library before heading to class.
I changed in the locker room into the shorts and top, tightening the brace around my knee. Everyone else was already there by the time that the class list was already being called.
"Rose Hathaway?" The teacher called. I raised my hand.
"Here." There were murmurs as the people didn't recognize the name.
"We're running laps today – are you going to be able to?" She looked down at the brace on my knee.
"Yeah, the brace is just an additional precaution. I can take it off next week." The teacher nodded.
"It hurts you sit out." I nod as she continues to finish calling out names. I followed the others in the class towards the track. "Alright, everyone knows the rules – try to do one lap even if you walk. Keep going until I call you in." Everyone lined up. As soon as the whistle went, I was gone, running. The wind blew my ponytail behind me as I tried to push my legs to go faster. I managed to force my way to the front, just behind two guys as they ran. I pushed my legs, willing them to go faster, but by the time the lap had ended, my knee ached and burned. I veered off to the side and sat heavily on the ground, breathing fast, getting my breath back.
"Are you okay?" It was the guy that was ahead of me as we ran. He was tall, had an accent and beautiful. "I can help you with that." He pointed to the brace I was undoing. I shook my head.
"No, it's fine, I probably just need to bend my knee without the brace for a while." He nodded. The teacher - Alberta as she liked to be called – called time on the laps. Some people fell to the ground exhausted. Others slowly made their way back. I pulled my knee towards me and then put again. The stiffness already subsiding.
"Thanks Dimitri." She said to the guy. "You're fast. Are you alright?" I nodded, starting to put the brace back on. Alberta swatted my hands away and tightened it. I gave her a smile.
"Thank you." She nodded.
"Have you ever thought of running track?" I shook my head. I hadn't. "Dimitri, bring her to get ice." He nodded and extended a hand out to help me up. I accepted it, getting up keeping my knee straight. He brought me inside, sat me on a bench and came back with an ice pack. I accepted it gracefully.
"Thanks." I gave him a smile. He smiled back and I could feel a warmth build up on my cheeks. "I'm Rose."
"I'm Dimitri."