THE RUSSIAN'S OBSESSION

The rule

Chapter 2

(The rule)

Rosalie's POV

"Dear Miss Rosalie, it's with great pleasure that we grant you a scholarship access into Calonia College"

I read it the first time, then the second and fifth time just to be sure that I wasn't dreaming, I thought maybe if I blinked the message would disappear, but it didn't, it remained there, real and bold, ringing me in head.

I've gotten scholarship.

I've gotten scholarship!!

"Oh my goshhh!!" I exclaim, I scream so loud that I hear mom dropping her gardening tools and rushing up to my room, she burst in through my door, face masks with fear and worry as she rushes over to me.

"Liebling! (Darling) Are you okay? I heard you scream, are you alright" mom's searching me as she questions, she's pulling and turning my clothes to see if I've hurt myself, just when she's almost naked my, I let out a whine.

"Mama! I'm fine, nothing bad happened" I say, reassuring her.

"But I'm sure I heard a scream, I'm not that old to be imagining things" Mom's voice is normal again, though she wants to know what happened, she's not as frightened as earlier.

"Yes I screamed, but it's a happy scream"

"Happy scream? I thought scream met something bad-"

"Mom, I've gotten a scholarship into Calonia College"

Mom pause, she stares at me in confusion, one of her eyebrows going up. I open my phone and show her the Email sent to me, she starts to read allowed, skipping a few lines like I did, when she got to the last line, her voice got louder almost like a squeak.

"Dear Miss Rosalie, it's with great pleasure that we grant you a scholarship access to Calonia College. Oh my goodness! Liebling, you've gotten scholarship" Mom's squealing now, her voice almost as light as mine, she starts pulling and giggling, causing me to laugh too.

She pulls me into a deep hug, kissing my head as she whispers "you're a great child Liebling"

We stay like that for a moment until I hear a sniffing sound, I jolt up immediately and mom turns her face away from me, I move to stand in front of her and removes her palm from her face, her teary eyes met mine.

"Mama, what's wrong? You don't want the scholarship?"

"What, no! How can I not want it, I prayed so hard for you get it and now that you did, I'm so happy!" Mom replies, tears rolling down her cheeks as she speaks.

"Then what's the problem Mama" I'm at the verge of crying too if she doesn't stop. Mom holds my palm against her cheek, she smiles brightly, her chocolate brown eyes pop with color reflecting my darker brown eyes.

"There isn't a problem Rosa, I'm very happy and got emotional, especially when I realized you'll be going all the way to Russia"

Oh, right.

Calonia College wasn't in Berlin, it isn't even in Germany, it's located in Russia, my dream country. They're a lot of colleges here that offers scholarship, but I chose to apply for Calonia high because it's always been my dream to school there, I've always wanted to visit Russia since I was five, I've heard wonderful stories about the place and can't wait to go there. I studied super hard when preparing for the exams, I had to go through all my high school book, which I practically dumped immediately after graduating. I read PDFs, textbooks, even paid a visit to our street library to study more.

At the period, I became stressed and tired from constantly reading till late night, straining my eyes and body, I'd wake up looking fatigue, worn out, eyes swollen and face pale, hair messy with dirty pj's that I should have washed weeks ago. Mom didn't like that I was stressing so much, she said she's going to save up enough money to sponsor me, but I know that'll cause her so much trouble, I didn't want her going about borrowing money and being insulted, I'd rather study hard for months.

At one point, she even begged me to drop out of the scholarship program, she pleaded with me to let her sponsor me, that I was too young to be trying to secure a whole future all by myself. I understood that she was worried and cares about me, but, ever since my dad passed away, mom has endured so much to get us where we are now, she's taken extra and extra jobs, barely having two hours of sleep everyday just to make sure I'm never lacking clothes or food or any school requirements.

Now it's my turn to work, it's my turn to do the best I can so I can give her the best she deserves.

"Mom, it's fine okay. I'm going to Russia to study, not to live forever. I'll pay a visit every single chance I get." I say softly, tears makes mom's eyes glassy, she's holding herself from crying.

"I wished you applied for schools in Germany Liebling. You'd be much close to home, what if something happens to you while you're away, we don't have any relatives in Russia"

"Mom, I'll be fine and nothing bad's gonna happen. You've seen me, you know I can take care of myself" I say with a cheeky smile. Mom chuckles, her face still emotional.

"Yes I've seen you Liebling, I've seen how you wake up late, how you still put on your pj's till you want to go outside, how you basically can't cook, how you hate looking for new clothes and doing the laundry. I've also seen how you'd rather eat snacks than cook actual food, how half of your clothes are baggy and oversized, I think, yeah, you can take care of yourself"

I'm laughing hard, so is mom, like is she serious? How could she say all that about me.

"Going to Russia isn't a bad thing Rosa, but you're a woman now so you have to be very careful, you have to keep one rule while you're studying there"

"What rule mama?"

"Never fall for a Russian Mafia"