They were living their very own version of:
'I Know What You Did Last Summer'...
Ever since the crime they committed when they were teens in boarding school, Wade Lancaster, Tatiana Petrov, Daniella White and Arthur Carlton have been paying for thei...
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October 2014
Quebec City, Quebec
Tania noticed her father as soon as he stepped inside the dining hall and so did everybody else. Vladmir Petrov was the kind of man whose presence called for attention everywhere that he went. When he entered a room, the energy changed, always. It wasn't because of the beefy bodyguards that surrounded him 24/7, but because of his aura and appearance.
He had an imposing figure — six foot three and a well built physique. The combination made him look younger than his fifty years and made him stand out among skinny men. Mr. Petrov went to the gym five times a week and participated in all types of sports. Every man wanted to be like him and every woman wanted to be in his arms, that was just the kind of man that Tania's father was.
He was handsome with his thick and wavy dark mocha hair that he wore in a quiff with short, scissored back and sides. His facial features revealed that he was a man not to be messed with, strong jawline and chiseled face with dark stubble and mustache. He possessed a prominent nose that had been once broken and left to its imperfections and expression lines on his suntanned skin. His wolf-like blue eyes could make a person freeze with just one glance.
Cladded in a tailored three-piece grey suit, double-cuff crisp white shirt and knitted silk tie, silk pocket square, and brown leather monk strap shoes, Vladmir Petrov looked like the man of high status that he was.
Tania rubbed her sweaty palms on the material of her tunic and slowly walked up to her father. Vladmir's face broke into a smile, causing the corners of his eyes to crinkle. When Tania reached him, he gathered her in a bear hug. Despite what he did for a living and what he stood for, he was still Tania's father and she needed his affection like she needed her next breath of air. Tania sunk into her father's big arms, inhaling his spicy cologne mixed with his body soap.
"Printsessa." Vladmir said in his gruff voice as he stepped back and rested his large hands on his daughter's shoulders.
His eyes drank his little princess in and Tania could see the love and sadness behind them. When he looked at her, he saw his late wife, Katya Petrov. Tania had her long brown hair and wide brown eyes. Sometimes she couldn't help but feel that he resented her for taking away the love of his life. Like if he could choose between Tania and Katya, he would rather Katya had lived.
Tania's eyes stung with tears, but she blinked them away. She couldn't cry, not in front of her papochka. One thing he had taught her was to never show weakness, because if you did, you would be right where your enemies wanted you to be, trapped and weak.
Tania's first inkling that her father was different from other fathers, came when she was six and found a gun hidden under his bed. She had been young and didn't really know what it was, but she knew that it wasn't good, by the way her father shouted at her when he saw her with it. Second was how everyone feared him and treated him as though he was some kind of god. Then the older she got, the more she understood that there was far more to her father than meets the eye.
Sometimes she would go downstairs and find her father sitting by himself in the dark. She'd make a joke, then he would start chatting away as if nothing was wrong, though they both knew otherwise. It was just their way of dealing with the things they couldn't talk about. Tania knew that her father was protecting her – what she didn't know couldn't hurt her – or maybe Mr. Petrov just didn't want his daughter to know about that side of his character.
"You look strong and beautiful just like your mother." Mr. Petrov murmured through a very thick Russian accent.
Tania blinked up at her father, but still managed to plaster a smile on her face. There was an awkward silence between them. Mr. Petrov knew that his daughter was still angry at him for what he had done during summer break.
He cleared his throat. "Let us get out of here."
"You have to meet my teachers first." Tania told him.
Family Weekend was an important monthly tradition at Hollis. It was always on the first week of a new month, it started on Friday and ended on Sunday. It was designed to provide many opportunities for students' families to interact with their teachers and advisor, attend athletics and art events, enjoy campus and socialize with other Hollis families.
Students were allowed to leave campus and return Sunday afternoon. Mr. Petrov always booked the penthouse at Hôtel du Vieux-Québec and that's where he and his daughter spent the short time together. He gestured with his hand that Tania should lead the way. As they walked towards the door, Tania peeked a glance at Didi. She was still sitting by their table, waiting for her family.
Tania wondered if Didi's family would come, the White family were not your ideal family. Evelynne Travers (Didi's mother) was bitter to her daughter ever since her husband left her for another man and Roshawn White (Didi's father) travelled across the country with his new beau, who happened to be ten years his senior.
Didi's parents hardly ever made it to Family Weekend, but whenever they did, they always ended up arguing. Everyone at Hollis knew them by now.
When Family Weekend ended and the two girls were back in their dorm room, Tania could see the sadness in Didi's eyes. She thought she hid it well, but Tania saw it, she saw past her flawless facade, because she was the quiet girl who just sat in the sidelines and observed everything and everyone without them knowing. And also, because she and Didi were more alike than they knew.
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