ALL YOU HAVE
Chapter Three:
Memory
A.N. This is actually moving a lot faster than I expected... I guess that's what happens when the chapters are longer, huh? Anyway, I'm in the middle of Major Test week at school. Since we can leave after the initial timeframe is over and we don't need extra time, I'll be home before noon every day this week. Not to mention not needing to go in at all next week except for an hour or so Friday to get my report card. I feel proud of myself; mainly because I successfully made it through the whole year without murdering any of my classmates. That may sound a little harsh, but if you had to spend 10 months with those idiots, you wouldn't blame me.
On the bright side, next year I'm moving into the Integrated French program for a year. It's one of those things you start in grade 7, and then you're there for grades 8 and 9. About a month ago, the principal at my school had said that he heard comments from my teachers about how I seemed to find my classes too easy, and he told me that I could move into the Integrated French program the next year, since it would be more of a challenge. Of course, I accepted. I'm moving into the program at grade 9, so it's going to pretty damn tough for me at first because I have a lot more French to learn. On the downside of that, roughly 90% of the people in that program are preps... I hate the preps.
Holy shit that's a long author's note... Anyway, I won't drag this on any more.
It was another couple weeks before Dimitri and I landed in LA. The first thing we did was get a hotel room. We didn't really have anything other than what we were wearing, so he decided that we'd stop off somewhere, get us each a gun and some ammo, and then a few spare outfits after going to the bank and getting some of the gang's funds converted over.
The next day was when we'd stop in at the branch HQ, so I sat my stuff down on the floor by the foot of the bed closer to the window. After getting my sneakers off, I climbed in bed and laid down, quickly falling asleep despite the loudness outside the room.
I was woken up at dawn by a nervous Dimitri. It didn't surprise me all that much though; he's one of those guys that, when he has something to do, he'd rather just get it over with as soon as possible.
Digging through what I got yesterday, I pulled out another pair of black skinny jeans and a dark purple tank top. Ducking into the room's attached bathroom, I quickly showered, brushed my teeth, and changed, towel-drying my hair as I walked out and sat on my bed.
Taking that as his queue, Dimitri grabbed the clothes that sat folded at the foot of his own bed and walked into the bathroom.
After a moment, I heard the water start running. Setting the towel on the edge of the bed, I grabbed a black elastic and hairbrush from the plastic bags on the floor. I pulled the bristles through my hair before quickly weaving it into a tight braid.
Content with how it was, I slid my sneakers on and laced them up before grabbing my locket. Before I slipped it on, I opened it and looked at the pictures inside.
One one side was Mama and Papa's wedding photo; the only thing I have that would give me an idea of what Mama looked like. Mihael and I both look a lot like her. We were basically mini Katya's, but with the blonde hair that had become a trademark of the Keehl family.
On the other side was a picture of Mihael and I. It wasn't fancy, just a simple one that Natasha (Misha's wife) had taken of us only a week before everything went to hell.
I miss those days; the ones where Mihael and I could hide away and just have the whole day to ourselves, and then Natasha would be the one to find us.
The three of us would make something and freeze it, and then the next morning, we would cook it and bring it into the hideout.
Of course, the siege happened. Papa was killed, and I ultimately went into Dimitri's care, while Mihael was sent to Wammy's House. Natasha would still help me out with things outside running the mafia, and made the transition a lot easier.
If there was something that I was confused about, all I would have to do was ask Natasha about it. She'd laugh a little bit, and tell me it's just a normal part of being a girl.
She also taught me to cook, bake, braid my hair, and sew. I also remember her telling that she wasn't able to have children of her own, and that's why she took such good care of Mihael and I. She and Mama were close friends, and so, to her, we were as close to a son and daughter as she would ever have.
Tears welled up in my eyes slightly as I remembered what happened. All it took was a car coming around that corner a bit too fast, and then... just like that... she was gone.
"You ready to go?" a gruff voice asked. Nodding, I closed the locket and slipped it over my head. I grabbed my jacket and slid it on. Taking the gun Dimitri offered me, I slid it under the waistband of my jeans before making sure the jacket covered it.
"Not far," Dimitri stated, "we walk." I nodded and followed him out into the hallway.
A.N. So, how was this chapter? Don't be afraid to give your honest opinions; if you think it's a shitty chapter, tell me so. I don't mind getting help from other people, even when I don't ask for it (hint, hint). So please read, favourite, follow and review, it means lots to me.