Blackstone Academy: The Rogue

17. Nova Rose

Nova (Female P.O.V) 

Date: October 1, 2138

"How-" I stopped short and stepped off to the side, narrowly avoiding colliding into a girl lugging a basket filled to the brim with strawberries from the backroom of the greenhouse.

As she continued past me, I flashed an apologetic smile before heading inside.

Stacy's eyes twinkled in amusement, and a hint of a smile curled her lips as she lightly shook her head at my near collision.

"How are Aaron and Nina?" I asked, joining her at the rear planter.

"They're fine now. But at the time, they were completely shaken up. They only calmed down on the ride home. And that was because they fell asleep." She plucked a ripened strawberry from a bush and bit into it instead of dropping it into her basket. "Thank god for Jax. I can't imagine how they would have reacted if they had seen something."

"Me either."

"And god forbid if something had happened to them, my parents would've killed me."

"Well, thankfully, nothing did. So you can put it behind you."

"Yeah, but still... They were only two years old when the mutants disappeared." She used her forearm to dab her forehead, clearing it of nonexistent sweat. "Am I crazy for wishing they could have gone their entire life without knowing mutants existed?"

I shook my head before looking out the windows into the other room, where other students picked vegetables from the rows of potted plants.

Stacy laid a hand gently on my arm, drawing my attention back to her. "I meant to ask this earlier, but are you okay? Cause you didn't move when I tried to wake you for your class."

"Yeah, I'm alright. I was just exhausted." I grabbed a strawberry and set it in my basket. "I don't know why Sergeant Carter didn't cancel his class."

After Ms. Jacobs got carried away, Troy and I snuck off to our dorm rooms. He had insisted on making sure the room was clear, and I allowed it just to appease him. Once he left, I locked the door and collapsed onto my bed, falling into a coma-like sleep. Too exhausted to eat, let alone dream. And I hadn't woken until a little before noon.

"Right. It was his co-worker, for Pete's sake. It's the least he could have done." She smacked her lips, leaned her hip against the planter, and folded her arms.

I started to nod when she gasped dramatically and tilted forward a bit. "Oh, my god. You don't think he..." She glanced at the doorway, checking if the coast was clear before lowering her voice. "Was involved, do you?"

"No! No way." I immediately replied, to which she arched an eyebrow. "Well...Maybe. I mean... it certainly says a lot about his character if he would still hold classes after one of his co-workers is injured." My stomach knotted, and a lump formed in my throat, rejecting the word injured.

She hummed, plucked a strawberry, and handed it off to me before grabbing one for herself. Just as I was about to take a bite, Ms. Eve poked her head into the room.

"Ladies, we'd be finished collecting the food for dinner tonight if you spent less time talking and more time working." She said, leaning against the door with a brown basket tucked underneath her arm.

I glanced down at my less-than-half-full basket, the results of my labor after an hour's work. A quick peek at Stacy's basket revealed the same amount as mine before I dropped the strawberry I was about to eat inside.

We mumbled a quick apology before she turned to leave.

"Wait, Ms. Eve!" Stacy called her back. "Can we ask you something?"

She sighed before stepping into the room and dropping the basket on the floor by the door. "Sure, I can use a little break."

"How long have you worked here?"

"Oh, it's been..." She puckered her lips a bit and looked out into the next room, appearing in deep thought. "Ten years now."

"Do you like it?"

"Yes. What's not to like?" She plucked a few strawberries and dropped them into our baskets. "Okay, I admit it's not as exciting as running around with weapons strapped to me to protect people or even creating cures in a lab, but I'm helping in my own way."

She glanced between us with slightly narrowed eyes. "But why are you girls so curious? I know you aren't that interested in horticulture. So what is it you really want to ask me?"

Stacy sniffed and nudged me with her elbow. "You ask her," she said, low enough so only I could hear.

"Um...which teacher has worked here the longest?" I asked, figuring it would be better to build up to the question we both wanted to know.

"All teachers and staff have been here since the school opened. We've helped it grow and prosper into what it is today, and in turn, we've become a family." A fond smile spread across her face, and her eyes glazed over as she became lost in her memories.

Family? Yeah right. I resisted the urge to scoff. Sergeant Carter hadn't even canceled class today after what happened yesterday.

"Did everyone know each other before coming to work at Blackstone?"

She shook her head. "Nope, we all met here. Some of us bonded instantly while the rest took a little longer to open up."

"Was Sergeant Carter one of the ones that took longer to open up?"

"Yeah, he was dealing with some uh... personal problems at the time."

"Oh. Well, is he married or have any kids?" Stacy questioned.

"Why are you two so interested in him?" Ms. Eve warily asked, picking up a stray stem and slipping it into the pocket of her brown coveralls. "Please don't tell me one of you has a crush on him?"

"No, we were just curious and wanted to know more about our teachers. Especially after what happened yesterday." I quickly answered.

"Oh, okay. I understand, and I'll pretend you told me the whole truth." She grinned. "No, He doesn't have kids. Nor is he married. But I believe he was engaged."

"Did they break up?"

"No, he lost his fiancee a few years ago."

"It wasn't mutants was it?" I held my breath, waiting for her to answer Stacy's question.

"N..." Her voice cracked before she cleared her throat. "No, no breast cancer. If I remember correctly, he usually takes time off every anniversary of her death."

Wow. I couldn't believe a man like that still existed, cherishing relationships and connections long after their significant other passed. I thought most had adopted the 'life is short' lifestyle, preferring to change their sexual partners as often as they changed their underwear, especially during these times.

It was silent for a moment as we absorbed the new information.

"Girls, I don't know if he would like it if that information got around. So can you keep it to yourselves? The staff and teachers know, but..." Ms. Eve trailed off, running her fingers through her hair, tousling her short curls.

"Yeah, of course." We answered in unison.

"But he hasn't been out with anyone else?" I asked.

"I don't know about that. You would have to ask Sergeant Carter that question. But from what I could tell, I don't think he ever got over her."

"Oh, man." Stacy softly sighed. "Was the anniversary yesterday by chance?"

"Yeah, it was. And I don't blame him for not showing up. I wouldn't be in the mood to celebrate Family Day on the anniversary of my fiancee's death either. And I don't know anybody that would." She turned to me. "Do you?"

"No." I softly replied, a twinge of guilt and remorse twisting my insides.

Stacy's face looked as gutted as I felt, but at least now we knew the truth.

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