• “Thank you.” She curtseyed and both sisters broke into laughter again.
    Aurelia broke off first, a little frown of concern crossing her face and Isola stopped as well, concern stitching itself on in quick succession.
    “You okay Aurelia?”
    “Fine, but Isola, I have to tell you something important.”
    The girl gulped down a golf ball.
    “What?”
    “I got a new job.”
    Concern switched to surprise successfully and Isola stared at Aurelia in bafflement.
    “Why? Professor Rowan was nice enough to give you the job and…”
    “He was the one who told me to change.”
    Aurelia then proceeded to pour out the rest of the day’s happenings and left Isola feeling winded at the end.
    “I’m glad you found such a nice place to work in,” Isola started once she got her tongue back, “but what if you get ambushed again? The Hearty Romina is further away from home than the Herinodia Hospital.”
    “I’ll think of something.” Was Aurelia’s reply and not a word more was said. She stood up and headed into the kitchen, probably to make dinner and Isola leaned back in her chair, concern flooding her. Her sister was her only family left; she couldn’t lose her, refused to anyway. The girl picked up the latest copy of her favourite magazine, Glam, and proceeded to indulge, until dinner was ready that is.
    “Aurelia! I think I have the answers to your problem!” Isola sprang into the kitchen minutes later, startling her sister who dropped the bowl of sauce onto the floor. The gooey red mixture splattered all over the floor and covered both sisters’ toes as well. Aurelia sighed as she looked at it; next she set her eyes on Isola.
    “What is it?”
    Over a dinner of sauce less spaghetti, Isola explained her plan and passed the bright, eye catching page to Aurelia.
    “Feeling like your being stalked?
    Wanna take up self protecting classes?
    Join us at Sirandi Road. We offer all sorts of lessons.”
    Underneath was a series of classes, prices and dates.
    Aurelia looked into her sister’s eyes over the top of the page.
    “You know what? We’re in.”
    The following day, Aurelia and Isola had signed up for the course, Isola, for basic karate arts and Aurelia, for the newer and slightly more advanced Energy Blade class. Both had signed up for the most similar time slot, with Aurelia’s starting later by a whole lesson.
    They parted at the entrance of the place, eyes gleaming in anticipation, each to their own destination, Isola, back home to start on another one of her numerous projects and Aurelia, to the Hearty Romina to start her first shift working there.
    Aurelia wiped her hands on her apron before she picked up the dish and pushed the doors open on her way out into the crowded restaurant.
    “Here’s your order sir.” She chirped as she slid the dish onto the table before the man who grumbled a rather sleepy thanks before he dug into the heaping pile of pasta on the plate.
    Another table hailed to her and she darted across to pick up their order, surprised to find that she was actually enjoying herself as she alternately picked and dropped orders and dishes from all the different tables, occasionally trading friendly words with them as well.
    She wondered why this place wasn’t even more popular with the younger crowd, it was full of friendly atmosphere and cheerful faces, often what attracted the youths in Herinodia, unless they were looking for trouble of course. She pushed the image of graffiti scrawled walls out of her mind as she wiped down the table and removed the empty dishes off another table.
    Just at that time, another person hailed her and she darted towards the kitchen to deposit the dirty dishes before she snatched her pad and pen from off the table.
    “And what can I get you today?” She asked in the cheery way that was starting to get very familiar with her.