Chapter Two - Rosie

Rosie

            Every Tuesday Ceres, the Goddess in charge of harvesting sees that every item of fruit is picked for the week ahead. Bex and I always watch her skilled hands draw shiny red apples from the trees. She waits until they are bare before retreating to the corner of Illionia Park, with her brown wicker basket ready for sorting.

            She starts with the shiniest ones first, taking away small chunks with a sharp knife. She pops one into her awaiting mouth with a mixture of anxiety that writes itself in her emerald green eyes. If her face screws up while chewing we know it’s bad. Bad apples don’t have a place on anyone’s plate but if they were good and decent the chunks would regrow in front of our eyes, the red skin shinier than before.

            This reminds me of my birth; it gives me some comfort and makes me feel closer to her in a weird way which was why Bex was always my most trusted friend to watch this act of soul searching. The aftermath of my birth must have been a lot like this ritual. Wouldn’t it have been much easier for the both of us if I’d never existed at all? She wouldn’t have had to struggle for nine months carrying me, her head telling her that once I was born she’d be free of me, yet her heart would have been struggling not to bond with the enemy.

            ‘Wow!’ Bex exclaims as she passes me the crumpled note back to me. ‘Your intuition was right after all.’ I take it gently from her, my eyes resting on the neat handwriting in front of me.

Miss Jasminda Rayan

2102 Collida Falls

Mount Corona

Dandelion Simes

DE13 5SE

Miss Rosie Campbell

14A Acitta Trove

Poseidon’s Ocean

Episkopos

PO8 E70

Dearest Rosie,

                                                                                 Today you embark on the next stage of your life. Being a teenager isn’t all bad, some lessons you’ll conquer, some you’ll wish you could have had more warning about.

          You can’t beat yourself up though; nothing can be achieved by doing so. No one ever wins a war by equipping self-pity. I only wish I could be with you in person to celebrate, however this remains impossible. At this moment the Sprites are on the defence, something is happening out there. All I can say is prepare yourself.

            I will be in touch when things calm down. Enjoy your birthday and know that even though I’m not with you, you are with me always. I’m sorry I can’t explain everything right now.

          I love you with all my heart.

          Forgive me.

          Your estranged mother x x x x x

            Had I been the one that was wrong the whole time? Had she wanted me but couldn’t find a way to keep me? The cool breeze floats into my face but it feels like dry sand against my cheeks. The sun feels warmer on my clothes, making me shuffle about the grass for some short but cool relief from the burning of my clothes against my skin.

            ‘What do you make of this?’ I ask her, she begins braiding her hair three main fingers parting the strands of her long, black hair. Her nose twitches once, then twice.

            ‘I don’t know. I mean, anybody can write a letter Ro, but why anybody would want to play with anyone’s feelings is beyond me.’

            ‘Do you think it’s bogus?’ Her head wobbles sideways; her shoulders slump as she knots a purple hairband at the base of her plait. I could see the cogwheels turning in her brain as she tries to find the words that I didn’t want to hear. I hold my breath as she opens her mouth; her hands leave her hair and squeeze my left hand.

            ‘Personally I don’t recognise the handwriting or the names she’s mentioned but her voice sounds adult. Not childlike.’ My fingers curl inwards, the corners of the paper fold over the words which were bound to be disappearing by now with the heat radiating from my body.

            ‘Maybe I should just throw it away. There’s no evidence alongside it to prove she is who she says she is.’ Bex wraps her right arm around my shoulders while rocking us side to side. I want to protest that I’m okay but soon a couple of tears fall from my eyes.

            ‘I know how much this has perked you up today. Maybe you should keep it just in case something else pops up.’ I turn to her and smile, there is anything but faith in her green eyes.

            ‘Do you really think there’s a chance?’ She nods.

            ‘Sure. After all you never know what’s going to happen.’ I take the note from my right hand and fold it over. I open my bag and place it inside.

            ‘How’s thing’s been with Elliot?’ She gives a groan of frustration.

            ‘Excruciating. You know how affectionate he can be sometimes.’

            ‘I don’t know why you can’t just tell him. It’d save you dying everytime.’

            ‘I prefer that. Over being rejected anyway. Hey Nancy!’ She stops stock still on the grey pavement and waits, she is sporting a black pixie hairdo, her pale pink skin glows gloriously in the sunlight. Bex waves her over and soon she is walking over to us.

‘Hi.’ She mutters quietly bearing a weak smile. Bex draws her into an embrace. ‘Rosie.’

‘Hi.’ Bex withdraws, Nancy’s lips bite together as if she’s trying to keep something from leaping out of her mouth.

‘If you’re wondering where Austin is I can’t help you. He didn’t come home.’

‘Why would we want to know that?’ I question, my eyebrows narrow with wonder.

‘You hang around with him remember?’ Her tongue darts to the right corner of her mouth and folds her arms across her chest. ‘And there’s the small but concrete fact that you two are together now.’ Her eyes meet mine, my heart stops completely. I force out a laugh.

‘What?’

            ‘Don’t deny it! I saw you two canoodling in the Science corridor earlier. You ought to be careful, antics like that can get you into trouble.’ Slowly I close my eyes and curse him silently.

It had been innocent. Austin had been upset about always being taken for a mug by his stepdad, Bobby. I was trying to comfort him but he misread the signals and he ended up kissing me. I figure that she must have caught us in that moment. That was all it was. A moment of silliness and confusion.  I’d stormed off in fury at his nerve and that’s when he said it. ‘I’ll tell them Rosie.’ He called after me. ‘I’ll tell everybody that you’re mine.’ And that was exactly what would have happened. I heard a sharp intake of breath. ‘Happy birthday!’

            ‘Oh my god!’ Bex murmurs, horrified.

            ‘It’s not what you think. It wasn’t supposed to happen.’ She hauls me to my feet, nearly hurling me across the park lawn.

            ‘It did though didn’t it? And you didn’t tell me.’ My eyes flicker open, thin but visible frown lines arch on her forehead. Her eyes glass over as her nostrils flare.

            ‘I would have done but receiving that note freaked me out.’

            ‘If the shoe was on the other foot and something happened between me and Elliot you’d be the first person I’d tell.’ I take a step towards her, my arms outstretched console her.

            ‘I know and I’m sorry.’ Bex backs away from me and nods towards a space behind me. I turn around to find my oldest sibling Annette. I blink several times. With her living at Hephaestus’ Cauldron with my Aunty Renee, it meant that the only times I saw her was during school hours, birthdays and Christmases. To be here any other time was against their regulations and would lead her to being tortured or worse. ‘What are you doing here?’ She holds up a plastic white card, a square photograph of herself is aligned in the top right hand corner.

            ‘Free pass.’ She announces smugly. ‘I couldn’t miss my little sister’s milestone. Come, mum’s got a surprise for you but she’s not going to wait forever so you’ll have to come now.’ A mixture of excitement and curiousity fills my stomach as I go to join her. I turn to Bex before leaving, giving her an apologetic smile but she turns away from me.