Chapter 2
2013, 10 February
Galina sits down on the floor and dumps her bag into her cubby hole in the front of the class. She was early by ten minutes. There were plaques on the floor for designated places for the agents in training. Galina's, thankfully, was at the back of the class.
More students started to come in, parents waving goodbye. They all didn't notice Galina until someone pointed her out and they all started whispering. Galina looked around. It was a class of 15, from the number of plaques on the floor. 10 Americans, 2 Africans, 1 Asian and 2 Europeans. She supposed she was in the European-Asian group, even if she looked Asian. She was a Russian through and through, and she would stick to herself. They didn't look like a bright bunch, besides from the girl named Ebele. She was making decent conversation about some new tech she and her father had invented together to her other friend Ariana.
Galina would never be able to relate to these... children. She may have the body of a child, but her mind was decades old. But she'll adapt. Survive.
The teacher comes in and introduces herself. She's Ms Anita. Ms Anita calls her to the front of the class to introduce herself. Galina does. Ms Anita warmly claps her on the back and lets her sit down. They go through some stretches. Today's first lesson is position stances for fighting.
Galina has her own set routine for training, and she follows it whenever she feels like training. Which was about five times a week, much less than Yelena and Mama and Mom's everyday. Still good though.
But, in interest of following mama's words to not get into fights and listen to the teachers, she follows. She sees how the boy, George, is failing miserably at touching his toes. The boy's American through and through, with a Californian accent.
Galina decides to hold back her abilities, besides, they're a bit rusty at the moment. She pretends to struggle with her motor coordination, pretends to wobble slightly, pretends that she can't do a split (she was never the most flexible, but Red Room helped her very much in that area, by making her stretch four hours a day, it worked to a certain degree).
The lesson is over and Ms Anita gets them to go change. She silently rolls up her mat, takes her clothes and heads for the restroom.
She hears the whispers, the speculation. They call her cold, some think they should go ask them to join them for lunch (she wasn't, she would be reading later during lunch in the library), some are guessing who her parents are, and this particular boy calls her weak as he was observing her pretend to fail.
Stupid American boys, so full of themselves. Except Clint, he was nice, but then again he was more of a carnie than American.
2013, 10 February
"Привет сестра, как дела?" Yelena casually heads over during break time, their timetables coninciding.
"Honest opinion or the flowery one?"
"Honest one."
"Well, уроки скучные, малцьчики тупые, с девушками все в порядке, в целом это не плохо, для американской школы."
(Well, the lessons are boring, the boys are dumb, the girls are okay, but overall it is okay, not bad for and American school)
"приятно слышать, веселиться." Yelena chuckles.
(good to hear, have fun)
"до скорого." Galina replies as they head to their separate destinations.
(see you soon)
Galina turns away from the class and heads for the cafeteria, deciding to see if Natasha and Maria's complaints of the crappy coffee were vaild.
"One coffee, black," she orders, and the cook is going to give it to her when she does a double take.
"Aren't you a bit too young for that, kid?"
"No, I was born about thirty years ago Miss," Galina replies sweetly, choosing to go for the stereotyped beginner at english kind of chinese accent to match her looks.
"Funny, but I don't think you're getting that kid."
Galina sighs.
"Look, appreciate the concern, but there's a line, and I'm not leaving without my coffee," Galina coldly says, adjusting her posture and removing all traces of accents, letting her natural voice flow. And by natural voice, it meant a blend of accents mixed together, not quite European nor Asian nor Canadian nor Middle Eastern, just everything in between.
"You look like you're five, coffee isn't healthy for you kid. Maybe a hot chocolate?"
Galina closes her eyes and inhales deeply and exhales.
Galina opens her eyes and gives her best steel glare. Which was pretty damn good if the woman flinched at a six year old.
"Galina, told you not to get into fights today," Yelena groans as she suddenly appears behind Galina.
"эта сука отказывала мне в кофе." Galina says, giving the lady a cold enraged smile and turning back to Yelena slowly.
"Ma'am, so sorry, I'll just get the coffee," Yelena apologizes.
The lady looked more than flustered and Yelena takes the coffee, hands it to Galina, gives her a warning look that Galina promptly ignores and strides off to her new friends, if the group of girls waiting for her were any indication.
Galina decides if flipping the lunch lady off was worth it, but it might result in her getting punished, so she settles for taking a long sip of her coffee, turns around to give the lady an eyebrow raise, and sashays off like she's going to practice her strangulation skills on a poor unsuspecting civilian, but Natasha, Maria and apparently new law enforcer Yelena would kill her, or maybe punish her, she wouldn't put it past anyone here to do it. And since she was in her piss poor six year old body, she decides against it.
Coffee check, time to go finish up her book Curiosity House, a series Maria found and decided to give to her.