April helps me get ready in my room. The gala is in about two hours and Splinter, after lots of explaining, finally let us go.
April is helping me zip the back of the dress when a thought comes to my mind.
"April?" I ask her.
"Mhm?" She responds.
"How did you meet the brothers?" I ask.
April stiffens a bit and sighs. Sitting down on the bed. I slip off my heels and follow suit.
"I-..." She rethinks her word choice. "My parents. Mainly my dad. He would...hit me."
April rubs her arm and looks away.
"My dad would come home drunk at night and threaten my mom and me. Saying he 'has a gun under his pillow' and 'he isn't afraid to hit us.'" April takes a deep breath in and tries not to cry.
"So. One night. My dad came home, and I ran out of my window. I ran far and came across a manhole cover moved so someone could enter the sewers." April smiles. "I was confused and when I looked up I saw all four of them. They were surprised I spotted them and they fell to the ground. I laughed and said they looked funny."
"Let me guess. They were offended?" I laugh.
April agrees giggling. "Yea. Once they realized I was a friend they basically adopted me. I didn't live with them but during the night I would come and spend time with them to escape my father. Even Splinter realized I was only a child with good intentions."
April sighs and I put her hands in mine.
She looks at me and smiles. "I think I was eight at the time. The turtle brothers were seven."
"Wow. That young?" I ask. "You've known them pretty much half your life."
April laughs. "I guess so. But yea, that's my sob story. Since I'm in high school I asked for my own dorm. I don't know anything about my dad now, other than he's in jail. My mom checks in occasionally with me. And-"
I interrupt her with a hug.
April smiles and hugs me back. We sit there for a moment when April pulls away, wiping at her eyes.
"Let's go to the turtle tank. The other's should be waiting for you." She smiles at me.
"I don't know if I'm ready yet." I sigh and lay back onto the bed.
"Why?" April asks confused.
"I'm new at everything now April! I've never had a best friend, never been dress shopping, never been to a party, What do I do? How do I act? I know Leo is gonna be talking into my ear but the problem is he is gonna make me look stupid." I laugh awkwardly.
"Well. The thing I know to do at party's is to be yourself. If no one likes you that way then they can go shove a tree up their nose." April lightly hits me in the arm while we laugh.
"Ok. I just need to be myself and stand up for myself when needed?" I double check.
"Exactly." April nods. "Ready now?"
I think for a moment. "Not yet."
I go over and grab my shrinkable bow and and a few arrows. Tucking them into my pouch I always wear.
"Now I am." I smile as we exit to leave for the gala.
YOU ARE READING
A Rose by Any Other Name
FanfictionThis book is about my OC for rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles! Her name is Rosalina and she was the first mutant that ever was considered "successful" after Draxum tossed her aside she was considered dead until the accident she was able to c...
