Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Gifted Moon Academy ❯ Questions ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

As much as she hated the thought, the next day was school, and Rinsi had to go no matter what. It wasn’t that she was not doing well in her classes – far from it! However, if she was going to be a great physician like her father was, she had to attend every day and get perfect grades, especially now that she was in college – albeit a few years early – and already going for her bachelors. So, in spite of her still screaming face, stomach, and neck, Rinsi dragged herself out of the warmth and comfort of her blankets that had enveloped her and slowly stood in the cold, unforgiving air of her room. She shivered a bit and walked up to her window to shut it. She peered through the curtains warily once the window was secured to make sure no one had seen her through the window. She knew she looked bedraggled and beaten, and not without cause either and she didn’t want anyone to see her like that. She was just lucky that it was the middle of winter, so most of the bruises could be covered with a turtleneck sweater.
However, more than just her physical injuries, she for once dreaded school because she knew that news in her community travelled like a forest fire via rumors spoken by everyone around her. Such things were not uncommon, where the closest of friends could suddenly spread awful rumors of each other behind their backs, and she knew that, because of the events of the night previous, there would be rumors of her galore. It wasn’t like there weren’t rumors of her at all – those who were jealous of her intelligence had spread rumors of her cheating, or even sleeping around, and all of those rumors were quickly quelled either by the influence of her lawyer uncle, or by people simply finding out the truth. But it was these rumors of her glowing and ‘killing’ Mrs. Hathaway that Rinsi feared the most. She knew those rumors could not, and would not be quelled. She might as well have written ‘Murderer’ across her forehead in red sharpie marker, even though Mrs. Hathaway was just fine.
Even more than that, she really didn’t want to hear her ‘friends’ call her a monster any more. She was hurting badly from her boyfriend calling her that, and would not be surprised if that was his means of breaking up with her. She loved her friends, and she really loved her boyfriend, but at the same time she knew that they were only ‘fair weather’ friends. She had never known anyone besides her aunt and uncle that wasn’t a ‘fair weather’ friend, so she had to be glad for what she had.
“Rinsi!” her aunt’s voice called from downstairs, breaking her away from her thoughts, “Breakfast!”
Rinsi didn’t bother getting dressed. She merely slipped on her fuzzy slippers and trotted down the stairs of their lavish home in nothing but a pair of pajama pants and a snug fitting pajama shirt. Her hair was mussed from sleeping, and her eyes had bags under them from a restless night of sleep. In contrast, her aunt and uncle looked well rested as they sat at the table reading books or the news paper while sipping their coffee as a servant – who was shorter than Rinsi, and had finely tanned skin and dark hair, and was more like family than a servant – placed plates of toast and eggs before them. The servant smiled at Rinsi, though the smile was not returned, but the smile soon faded when she could see the bruises on Rinsi’s face and neck.
“My goodness!” she said in surprise and concern, “What happened to you?”
Rinsi looked at her aunt pleadingly. She didn’t feel like saying anything at all, much less talking about the events of the previous night. She was too honest for her own good, and would tell her something that might make her friend leave.
“She had a rough time at her party.” Her aunt explained, giving the servant a warm, but warning smile.
“I see…I won’t inquire any more into it. Would you like me to call the family doctor?”
“No, that won’t be necessary.” Her aunt said warmly, “We’re going to get enough attention as it is. We really don’t want any more.”
“I…see…” the servant said, paling noticeably.
“Thank you for cooking, Amanda.” Rinsi said quietly, “But unfortunately I don’t have an appetite this morning.”
“Is your stomach bothering you?”
“Yeah…I guess…” Rinsi said quietly. “I’m going to go back to sleep now.”
“What about school?” Her uncle asked, setting his paper aside.
“I won’t go today. I don’t feel well.”
“Well, your grades and attendance have been impeccable before and since starting college, and I know it’s not easy. I don’t think it will hurt to miss a day.” Her aunt said. “Amanda, please call the dean and let her know Rinsi is ill today.”
“Yes, ma’am. “ Amanda said, “Rinsi, would you like some hot tea to settle your stomach a bit?”
“No, thank you.” Rinsi said quietly before turning and heading back up the stairs.
“I heard about the party.” Amanda said quietly, not removing her eyes from the ever shrinking image of Rinsi walking dejectedly up the stairs to her room. “Did she really start glowing?”
“Yes.” Her uncle said simply as he raised his paper once more to read it. “But don’t repeat it to anyone.”
“And Mrs. Hathaway?”
“She’s fine.” Her aunt said, “You know how she loves to cause drama. She merely fainted, and everyone thought she was dead.”
“I never did like that woman. Miss Ruth-“
“Ruth, please dear. I believe I’ve mentioned before you can just call me Ruth.”
“I’m sorry. Ruth, did you really tell her to ‘shut her fat mouth’?” Amanda said with a note of amusement in her voice, though she struggled to hide it.
“I did, and she did.” Ruth said, sipping at her coffee.
“Bravo, I say! I think it’s about time someone told her what they really think of her and put her in her place.”
“Just don’t forget your place.” Ruth warned gently.
“I apologize. If you have nothing for me to do immediately, I do believe the piano is due to be tuned today, so I must arrange for someone to come and tune it.”
“Ah, you are on the ball as always.” Ruth said, trying to praise the girl, “I hadn’t realized that time had come so soon. Thank you, Amanda.”

Meanwhile, Rinsi lay on her bed, curled into a fetal position as she hugged her pillow to her still aching stomach. It was badly bruised, but that was all. The real pain now was a type of nausea caused by being very emotional, which she was right now. She buried her face into her soft pillow as tears began to escape the prison of her eyes and roll down the side of her face and across the bridge of her nose. She still couldn’t get over how all of her friends, her family members outside of her aunt and uncle, and even her boyfriend had called her a monster simply because she started to glow. At the same time, she was very confused. She didn’t know what caused the glowing, or what it meant. Why did this have to happen to her? Why did she have to glow, and why on her birthday? Why not when she was alone, where no one would see?

Hours passed and Rinsi didn’t even notice it. The last thing she remembered was crying into her pillow until she exhausted herself, and now she found herself still on her bed, curled into a ball with a tear-soaked pillow in her arms, and someone was at her bedroom door.
“Who is it?” she said groggily.
“Rinsi,” said the person behind the door, “you have a visitor.”
“I don’t want any visitors right now. Please tell them thank you for visiting, but I wish to be alone right now.”
“Yes, I’ve done that already, but he insists on speaking with you. She’s a special guest. I think she can help you.”