The Real Ram

Chapter 38

 I open my eyes to the sound of something crashing. I hear Trish curse and look to see her in the bathroom. I get up and ask, "Trish you alright?"

"Zoe, sorry did I wake you?" I walk to the bathroom and see scattered bits of a hand held mirror. I look at Trish and she sighs, "It fell off the counter, I wasn't watching."

I grab a hand towel and help sweep it into a mini pile, "That nervous, huh?"

"No, we've had harder battles than what we are going to have today."

"That's not what I meant," I say brushing the bits on the broken mirror onto the frame. I glance at Trish, "Today's Visiting Day, isn't it?"

Trish sighs and pulls the trash can towards me and I dump the mirror, "Yeah, it is."

"Don't worry, everything will be okay."

"Just wait 'til you meet my mother, then you'll see why I'm so nervous," Trish leans over the bathroom sink.

"Is she really that bad?" I ask.

"Where do you think I get my anger, impatience, and lack of self control from?"

I laugh lightly, "She has your same ability, right? Water control?"

Trish nods looking to me, "In her younger years she was revered as a prodigy in water bending," She sighs, "and because she was so good, I am expected to live up to every single accomplishment she made."

"What did she do to get such a good rep?" I ask as we finish getting ready.

Trish puts on her shoes, "She once took down a team of ten Raven members when she was on a mission. All the while she was protecting her injured team members and the kid they had to save."

"Wow."

I open our room door and step in the hallway, "Her very presence scares the crap out of most people, but then when they see me...my mother just feels disappointed that I don't carry that kind of demeanor."

"I know a ton of people that are intimated by you," I say.

"They are intimated by me because they fear me. But people weren't scared of my mom, they respected her. I don't think I'll ever get that response by this compound. Not like my mom."

"Trish," I stop her, "You have incredible power. You may think you fall short of your mother, but I know you don't. Yeah, you aren't revered as much as she was, but you need to realize that you aren't her, and that when you grow older you'll develop a different title. You don't need to succeed in following her footsteps, you just need to follow your own and see what you can accomplish."

Trish smiles and wraps me in a hug, "You're a good friend, you know that?"

We arrive for breakfast and sit down with Shawn. "Where's Beast?" Trish asks.

"He's over there, getting some food. He woke up late today and he's still a little scatter brained."

"Woke up late, don't you mean on time?" Trish says.

Shawn laughs a little, "Yeah basically, I'm going to get a bagel, you want to come?"

"Sure, do you want one Zoe?" Trish asks as she gets up with Shawn.

I shake my head, "I'm good I'll go get something a little later."

"Okay, be right back," Trish says and she and Shawn leave. I notice their hands brushing, almost together but still unsure.

Suddenly someone sits beside me, I jump a little and Maud says, "Good morning. Did I scare you?"

"A little, my fault I wasn't paying attention. Oh, and good morning."