Chapter II

Chapter II

          January woke to find her half sister cuddled up against her chest. Six-year-old Maia Masters was curled up in the fetal position. Her small frame was pressed between the headboard and January.

          January slipped slowly out her bead and quickly sat down in front of the vanity.

          Maia stirred and sat up. “Janus I had a bad, bad dream!” The small child’s eyes flooded with tears. “I had a dream that Mommy and Daddy died.”

          January began to comb though her black pixie hair. “Is that why you went to sleep in my bed?”

          Maia sniffled and wiped the tears away with her fists. “Ya.”

          “I’m very sure they’re okay. I believe I can hear George downstairs now making coffee.”

          “Do you miss your Daddy?”

          For a moment January thought about her father and stepmother in Norfolk, Virginia. Then a series of memories tumbled into her head. Her father’s home in Virginia is a nice place near Virginia Beach and she did like being there.

          “At times, yes.”

          Maia seemed satisfied so she ran out of January’s room and went running down the stairs calling for her father.

          After brushing her hair January stood up to go down stairs when the calendar on the all caught her eye. She only had five weeks until school started up again.

          January can still remember the interview. They had killed two birds with one stone by having the scholarship interview the same time they had the interview for acceptance.

          She was in a stuffed office with a middle-aged man who was over acceptance. His office was painted a dark red and bookcases covered the walls. The only place a bookcase didn’t cover a wall was the area behind his desk and that was where a huge window was.

          He wore a gray suit and had a thin comb over. The whole time they spoke he chewed on the cap of his pen.

          “January Aria Catherine Rossi, that’s an interesting name. Tell me about it.”

          By now the stiff, rough skirt was sticking to the leather chair January was sitting in but she made it look like she was very comfortable. With a sweet smile she responded, “I was named after the Roman god Janus. He is the god of new beginnings.”

          “So in a way you were named after him to show a new beginning.”

          “Exactly. My nickname is Janus. Normally only my Mom and half-sister calls me that though. Rossi is an Italian name; I’m second generation Italian.”

          She gazed out the window and wanted big him to open the window but instead she started talking again, “My Nonno and Nonna, err… Just to left you know Nonno and Nonna is Italian for grandfather and grandmother. Anyways they came to America after World War II. Why? I’m not too sure. Something about them feeling more secure in a land that wasn’t bombed in the war. The odd thing is that it was almost 20 years after the war. They came here when my Dad was 3 years old. My uncle had just been born.”

          January looked up at the man to make sure he hadn’t went to sleep. If she was going to be made to sit though the interview in a hot room, awake so was the dude interviewing her.

          He nodded to tell her to go on. “As for my first middle name, Aria, there’s a story for that too. When I was born my Dad said my pupils looked like the color of air. Odd, I know, but he said it. Aria is Italian for air. I was also named after St. Catherine of Bologna, the patron saint of artists. My mother decided she would be my patron saint when she found I was a girl. As I became older I fell in love with what she stood for.”

          “So then are you Roman Catholic?”

          “Just Catholic.”

          “Even though your family is from Italy?”

          January tried not to sound sarcastic as she responded. “There’s Catholics in Italy, not just Roman Catholics.”

          The man didn’t look upset or se back. He gazed down at his pad, wrote something and started up again with chewing his pen. “There is a Catholic church five minutes away from campus. You know if you go to Mass.”

          “I do sometimes.”

          “Tell me about your family.”

          “I have two half sisters and two step brothers. My Mom lives in Durham, North Carolina with my step dad and half sister. She’s an art professor at Duke.”

          The man’s eyes lit up, “Really? What’s her name?”

          “Lily Masters.”

          The man chewed on his pen and cocked his head to the side. “Never heard of her.”

          “That’s okay. My Dad lives in Norfolk, Virginia with my step mom, the other half sister, and my two-step brothers. My half sister, her name is Celia Rossi, is a junior at New York University. She’s studying to become a teacher. Also my best friend will be coming to New York University too.”

          “Is the reason you want to come here because of your sister and best friend?”

          “Well…” She gazed out the window and thought about what She would say. “I have visited my sister at NYU many times and on the drive up to her dorm there are billboards advertising for this school. I looked this school up and fell in love with it. Being near to my sister and best friend is a bonus.”

          The man smiled. “Your SAT and ACT scores are good, your grades are high and you have real talent. I believe ABAU would benefit to have you. How does a full ride sound?”

          So with that she didn’t have a worry in the world, yet deep down, she wasn’t too sure if she was ready to become an adult.

Reviews

[Tina Kline]

A really nice chapter, very enjoyable. Its very readable and that's always a plus. You have a great start on this story.

[Coyote Poetry]

A very nice chapter.The conversation was very detailed and interesting. Your description making the story come alive and strong. A scholarship and a opportunity for a new life. Thank you for a excellent chapter.
Coyote

[diannesam]

Loved the dialog in this!

[Valette]

This chapter kind of took me by surprise because it didn't seem to tie in with the first. You did a good job with your descriptions and kept the story moving at a good clip.
Nice job

[Daydreamer54]

I feel that way right now, ready to gert out of huigh school,but now sure how i'd do on my own. I liked this, you have some words you typed like
big-beg