Aᴜɢᴜsᴛ 30, 2024
Seeing Alessia for the first time back from her hair appointment leaves Petro speechless. His eyes are trained on her for the moment of confidence she takes to close his office door behind her and come to stand before his desk, posture straight.
"New beginnings, new me, right?" She states, grinning from ear to ear.
Petro lets her have her times of happiness these days and keeps his dry comments to himself.
She grows serious. "Register me as Alessia."
"Already done." He tells her. "I know that's what you'd want, but I didn't put Sterling as your last name." She tilts her head in question and he continues to explain, "It's been years, but Alessia Sterling is still on the missing list. I changed your last name to mine."
Alexa understands, she nods, but still curious. Is that his only reason for changing my surname? "Isn't that suspicious? Being a plain, white girl with a Russian last name?"
"Let me clarify some things." He clears his throat and leans forward in his arm chair. "The school I applied you for is a prestige highschool where rich kids attend. They are chatterboxes who ask too many questions, 'cause they just want you to slip up so that they can find dirt about you to throw in your face. Anyone there can investigate your background just by knowing your last name and my last name is clean, also intimidating."
To be honest, Alexa is a bit naïve in this area, having no experience going to school, whatsoever. She believes that Petro is overreacting, thinking that they are just a bunch of kids. What could they possibly do?
She'll soon realize that being an assassin won't make her an odd one out, because there is power in money, and there will be professional fighters, students involved in illegal businesses and the occurence of the sickest things deemed possible. She'll be repulsed.
Alexa and Petro moves forward with their conversation. He has chosen a bungalow for her a small drive away from the school, causing her to get upset since she wants to be the one to purchase her own living resources. He waves her off and, reluctantly, she pushes it aside, deciding to just let it be.
Out of the blue, he asks, "Why white?" referring to her bleached, shoulder-length waves. He can't hold back anymore. The thought of all the mishaps she could have is really bothering him. "Y'know, you've stopped wearing a cloak and white will give you away easily, especially at night."
"I already have everything set, Petro." Alexa says, "I'll get a hood attached to my suit. Also, I'm going to wear contacts... remember, new beginnings?"
This new beginnings crap she keeps spewing irks him. "You really don't want anything to do with me after you leave, don't you?" He feigns hurt, meeting her eyes that have no bangs hiding them this time.
"As if I can really cut ties. I have your last name now and you're still managing my records and accounts." For now. She chuckles, finding it funny.
He smiles in return, not to be disturbing, because it isn't funny to him at all.
New beginnings? Yeah right.
The past doesn't just disappear, does it? It's always there to haunt you the least you falter.