The Pomegranate Society

One Alina Starkov One Year Earlier

One

One Year Earlier

Alina Starkov

"You want me to go to a Royal University party?" Alina Starkov looked at Genya Safin skeptically.

"Come on!" the pretty, redheaded girl with the silver eyes begged. "I've told you for years that you should meet my cousin! This is finally your chance."

Alina rolled her eyes. "I don't want to be set up."

"But you're perfect for each other!" Genya insisted.

"You won't even tell me his name," Alina reminded her, "how perfect can he be if you won't tell me his name?"

Genya hesitated. "It's complicated. But Alina, you need to get out more. Just because you're a scholarship student here at the boarding school doesn't mean you can't have a life."

From her bed where Alina sat cross legged, she rolled her eyes. "Genya, do you think I would do anything else other than stay home if I had a choice? I'm an orphan. I don't exactly have parents paying my way. I only work on the weekends and that's if I can get a work permit. I'm not exactly swimming in cash and going out usually costs money."

Genya smiled. "That's why this is perfect! Look, I'll drive us. You can meet my cousin---"

"Are you sure this has nothing to do with that engineering major who hangs out at the library? Wasn't he wearing a Royal Ravka University sweatshirt?"

Genya blushed. "Look, this isn't about that alright. I think you should go. Get out, meet people. Like my cousin, who I think you're going to wind up happily married to with six kids. And a mansion."

Alina raised an eyebrow. "You've got my wedding planned out somewhere, don't you?"

Genya smiled. "Maybe. But only because I insist on designing my own bridesmaid dress."

"Fine," said Alina "I'll go with you to the ridiculous party. But only because you've mentioned your cousin is rich."

Genya smirked. "That's my girl. Look, you'll have fun, I promise. But we've absolutely got to do something about your clothes!"

Alina looked down at what she was wearing, which was a pair of old jeans she'd had forever, a blue shirt, and tennis shoes. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she asked.

"Nothing," Genya said, "if you're going to be a nun. Here, let me find you something."

She went to the closet they shared in their dorm room. All of Alina's clothes fit in the small dresser drawer they also shared, and the closet was mostly taken up by Genya's things. Alina had spent most of her time in an orphanage, until she won the scholarship at the Ravka Young Boys and Girls Academy. She was given a small stiped for her lunches and school supplies but anything else, she had to buy on her own.

She spent most weekends tutoring or working at the student store to make money. Genya's life was vastly different. Genya was the daughter of a Lord, she had credit cards with names Alina couldn't even pronounce. She spent her evenings at clubs or weekends shopping with friends.

It wasn't as if Alina wasn't ever invited, but it was hard to go to places where the meal cost more than her school lunches for the week did. Genya was one of her dear friends but they came from very different families. Genya spent her weekends at places like The Little Palace in the country side hunting with her aunts and uncles who ruled the country. Alina doubted very much any of them had even been to an orphanage, unless it was for a charity event of some sort. When Alina left school, she had no doubt she and Genya would never see each other again that's how different their lives were.