OO4.

                                    

                                          

"AGAIN."
Rose's breathing was heavy as she stared incredulously at her mother. 
"You want me... you want me to do that again?" she panted.
Her mother crossed her arms, "Don't ask me to repeat myself."
Rose stared at the obstacle course her mother set up for her. Complete with wires and weapons, it wasn't something the other seven year olds in the city did for fun. She longed to go outside and play with her best friend, Bella. But her mother had refused, said she couldn't go out until she completed the course.
"You're too slow," her mother was saying as Rose pushed herself up and to the start of the course. "You need to go faster. Forget a honing arrow, a regular arrow will kill you. You are my daughter and you must be the best Specialist in the Otherworld. You don't have a choice. You need to beat that upstart Silva's raising."
The world spun as Rose climbed the ladder. Her mother's words echoed in her ears, making her sway.
"Failure."
"Pathetic."
"Faster."
"Again."
Rose gasped awake, tears streaming down her face as she choked on air. She spun around wildly in bed, feeling an arm pull her in for a hug, whisper to her as she took in her surroundings.
She knew that voice. Bella, her best friend. That was who was rocking her as she calmed down. She felt her stuffed elephant squished in between the two of them. She noticed her blankets strewn about, books and papers piled neatly on the desks. She was at Alfea.
She was safe from her mother.
"You alright, love?" Bella asked as Rose's sobs subsided.
Rose nodded, her throat to scratchy to speak.
"Wanna talk about it?"
Rose felt limp in Bella's arms as she shrugged. Her voice came out hoarse, "It's the same as always. Her 'exercise' methods as she trains me to be better than everyone else. Trying to suppress my magic so I can only train as a Specialist. I don't think that's gonna get better."
"Don't say that," Bella hugged her tighter. "But you know you can't deny her forever, right?"
"Not forever," Rose agreed. "I think I'm gonna take up Silva on his Specialist training offer."
Bella smiled lightly, "I think that's a great idea. You can stay at my place during the winter break if you'd like, but I can't say anything for next summer. You may have to spend it with her. I'll come as often as I can, I promise."
Rose sighed, "At least she'll go easy on me if I'm training as a Specialist."
"Try to get some sleep, okay?" Bella reached over, tucking Rose in bed before making her way to her own.
Rose waited for Bella's breathing to even out, before writing a quick note and slipping out of their suite. She passed by a knocked out Zoe and Evangeline, her other two suite mates, on her way out.
Her feet led her body, and the next thing Rose knew, she was hugging her knees as she sat up on Alfea's roof.
The stars seemed to twinkle, flooding out like a sea of fish above her head. The forest was an ethereal shadow, almost as if it had a life of it's own. It was night, but it wasn't dark out. The best time of day.
It was like the world was mocking her, telling her that she will always remain imperfect in it's perfection. 
Rose sighed, running her fingers along the roof. The night looked perfect, and she wasn't going to ruin it with her self-pitying thoughts.