Romani Noor is an aspiring chemist- well, possible ex-chemist, after she can no longer afford the rise in her university tuition fees.
Her best friend and sister, Juno, is living across the country with her wife, sending Romani occasional cheques t...
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"What's in the other envelopes?" Slater's voice rings out, dragging my attention away from the stunned boys staring at their new – and first – identities.
"Hm?" I shake my head slightly to clear it, wiping away the tears that are just about threatening to fall from my waterline.
Slater's face is stoic, voice thick with unnamed emotion as he nods at me, "The two envelopes you're holding." He clarifies.
Only then do I look down and remember the other two envelopes I'm clutching onto for dear life.
My lips part in an 'o' and I quickly close it again, gnawing on my lip as I decide whether to tell then just yet.
They've already received some pretty heavy stuff, maybe that's enough for today...
I peek back at Valentine and River, the former looking at me with tear stains on his pink cheeks, and the latter staring at his passport and all the other documents like they're not real.
I look back over to Slater who looks at me half expectantly and half concerned.
I clear my throat before I speak and decide to be brave, "Well, since you're you know..." I swallow, "...real people and all now," I gesture towards their hands and try not to cringe at my less than adequate way of expressing that, "I thought you'd need something to do with all your time." I tell them nervously.
River finally lifts his gaze and looks at me with expressionless eyes, the only evidence he isn't a statue being his occasionally – yet unnaturally sparse - blinking.
When none of the boys say anything, I swallow and just hold out my hand containing one of the two envelopes.
Their eyes dart to it immediately and its Valentine who steps forward and takes it from me gently. I pull my hand back before it can brush his, folding them under my breasts as I watch them anxiously.
They seem to detect my nerves, sending me apprehensive looks before zoning in on Valentine opening the envelope.
River and Slater read over Val's shoulder as he pulls out some documents, their eyes moving back and forth as their expressions grow slacker with each word.
Feeling the need to explain myself in the heavy silence, I start rambling, "It's just that, this place would be so empty- and I thought you could use it for fighting lessons," I twist my hands together before widening my eyes, "Legal ones I mean! You know like self-defence," I shrug, "Oh! And I was thinking maybe childrens classes on the weekends," I grin, thinking of a small class of kids learning how to box, "And maybe-"
"Romani," Val's voice silences me, and I snap my mouth shut, my gaze darting to his unusually serious one, "These are the deeds to the club" He states before shuffling the papers, "And full ownership to our apartment and bakery." He holds up another document.
I nod at him, confirming his statement, "Yeah." I breathe out, swallowing hard at their unresponsive expressions.
"Why?" River suddenly asks, and the tone of his voice has me flinching ever so slightly, shrinking into myself when I start to doubt my actions.
