No Turning Back Now
As she stared out, watching them race, she became rather jealous of the rain drops that slid their way down the car window. They could go wherever they wanted, well, as long as they wanted to go down. Still, it was a luxury that evaded her.
Even in the pouring rain, stupid Piltover still looked stupidly perfect. The streets were spotless, the buildings align with perfect paintwork and not a loose brick in sight, their asymmetry done in a neat way, as opposed to the undercity’s higgledy-piggledy architecture. Even the standard corner shop Vi had parked outside of looked like a five-star hotel with marble walls and giant oak doors. Its perfection was boring.
“Sorry I took a while, Pow.” Violet mumbled, mouth full as she climbed back into the car. She tossed Jinx a packet of gummy sharks and mumbled, ‘for you’.
“Think you can buy my tolerance with sweets?” Jinx scoffed, opening and eating away nonetheless. “Think again, Sissy.”
“On this again?” Vi reached over, snagging a few whilst narrowly dodging Jinx batting her hand away.
“Uh-huh. And I won’t stop ‘till you agree.”
“You know It’s not up to me, Powder.” Vi sighed, tired of the same merry-go-round argument. The car started and they set off. There was no whirr of the engine and the radio perfectly tuned. Again, boring. Where was the drama and the imperfection? “Mr and Mrs Kiramman have done nothing but charity with us, what they say goes.”
“Mom and Dad three.” Jinx sighed.
“Don’t say that.” Vi cringed, not wanting to picture a certain someone being her sister.
“Well just use your powers of seduction or whatever you do to the prissy daughter of theirs and get her to change their minds.” Both sisters winced as the words came out.
“Powder. Stop.”
“It makes no sense, Vi. The University of Piltover is just as good a school as that weird one. I know more people there, and with the weird one, I’ll just magically spawn in the second year, like an alien. Plus its closer. Do you really hate me so much that you want me transported to the other side of the globe?!”
“That’s not why they want you there, and believe me I want you here more than you do. Gets boring with these Pilties after a while.”
“Ha! I’m gonna tell Cait you called her a Piltie. Didn’t she say that’s your version of ‘trenchie’, hm. Wonder what blue hair will say to that.” Vi only smiled. “Well why do they want me half way across the world, then?”
Vi bit the inside of her mouth and thought, tightening her grip on the steering wheel as the speed of the car picked up.
“Alright, Pow.” She took yet another deep breath. “Be sensible about this, now.” Her words were slower than the traffic they were stuck in.
“C’mon sis, spit it out.”
Vi sighed and took a breath.
“Mr and Mrs Kiramman care a great deal about you, Powder. You know that. And they only want what’s best for you.” Vi looked over at her, only for Jinx to just stare out her own window, watching the rain in her dismay. “It’s been a year now since… well since we’ve all moved in together and, really, I couldn’t be happier. And we all think your improving much more. It’s just… well, Pow, they think that a bit of space from… here, would help.”
Jinx knew exactly what she meant. And like clockwork, the very words forced her hand to where it always went, the top right of her forehead, under that lock of loose hair. Without even noticing, it was back, catching at her skin.
“Powder, stop that! See, even the very thought of him… I know Piltover isn’t Zaun but, well, being away from both will clear your head. Trust me, every time I hear the words Stillwater, or even glance over to it… all the feelings come right back. It’s the same for you, even if you admit it or not. One look at that damn bridge or…” Vi trailed off, noticing how quiet Jinx was being. Very unusual. “Powder?”
“Ugh, how mannnny timessss.” She groaned, hitting the back of her head against the car seat. “Jinx. Its Jinx. Far cooler name. What does Powder even mean? Dust. I’d rather not go by dust, thankyouverymuch.”
“And even that name, it brings back-”
“You’re sooo serious Vi. Not everything has a hidden meaning tied to the past.” She mocked, putting on a voice.
“Powder-”
“Okay fine! I’ll cut you a dealo sis. Stop calling me ‘Powder’ and I’ll go to that institute for the famous and wealthy in the middle of nowhere.”
Vi smiled.
“Wait really?”
Jinx gave her a look.
“Alright, alright. Deal.”
Jinx knew there was no way to get out of having to go to the ‘Rhayn Academy’. She truly came to love the Kiramman’s and would never go so far to physically renounce what they told her. So she might as well get something out of it.
The Rhayn Academy sat right in the middle of the Mainlands, practically a world away from Piltover, not even being in Runeterra, in a place called the UK? Jinx wasn’t sure. What she did know was that it would be full of rich snobs far worse than Pilties could even dream up. The only slight joy she could gain from this coerced enslavement was the ego boost. It was deemed the greatest Academy the world had ever seen and only the very brightest could be accepted. The University of Piltover was also deemed one of the best, but apparently not good enough for the Kiramman’s. ‘Why settle for second or third when you are quite literally given first?’ Tsch. Typical Piltie thoughts.
“Wha- where are we going?” Jinx complained as Vi missed the road to their house.
“Tim’s.”
“The Tailer?” Her faced was pulled into a face of such confusion and disgust Vi couldn’t help but laugh.
“Uh-huh. Rhayn’s gotta uniform.” Pulling out her smug grin as Jinx’s mouth hung open. “No turning back now… Jinx.”