Chapter Nine

Just Trust Me

If I thought the last week was the longest week of my life; then words couldn’t describe the way time and my life felt over the next two weeks. Not to mention that if anyone was awkward between Mr. Poloski and I, it was me.  Somehow, Mr. Poloski had managed to keep his cool, to treat me like normal even after knowing the truth about me.  However, I just couldn’t.  I couldn’t get over the fact that he was not only related to the man who history books say betrayed and killed my great-great grandparents and family, but who was also Royalty, a Count of Russia.  My awkwardness had become so bad that he asked for me to stay after class one Wednesday after class.

“Miss Peterson, will you please stay for a few moments before you head off to lunch.” Mr. Poloski said loudly before dismissing the class before the lunch bell rang.  Everyone turned to look at me for a brief moment before smiling at other people.  A few people voicing, “Ooos” and “Lisa’s in trouble…” However, it was Eric that gave me the weirdest look of all.

“Lisa, do you know what he wants? You’ve been acting really strange all week towards him.  Did you get caught skipping class again or something?” Eric said as he slowly got up from his desk, slinging his book bag over his shoulder before brushing his dark hair from out of his eyes.

“Um, no not at all, he probably just wants to talk about my assignment.  I haven’t really been able to turn in anything about my Russian side of the family yet.” I said honestly.  I had no clue what William, Mr. Poloski wanted, for all I know it could’ve been about my assignment or something to do with my great grandmamma, who he visited and spoke to every single day since meeting her almost two weeks ago.

“Oh, okay, well, do you want me to wait for you then?” Eric asked casually as he started to head for the door, distracting me from my personal thoughts.

I had almost forgotten that he was still in the room, lately I’ve been getting lost within my thoughts, daydreaming, thinking, and sometimes even plotting on how to get my family to agree on me going to Russia alone.  However, that situation I knew was a lost cause.  I had managed to get only Mr. Poloski to agree, but I don’t think he would’ve said no, even if he could.  Somehow my Nunna had gotten him to become a watchdog over me, which like I said before, became very awkward.  Within in two weeks of confirming who my Nunna and I were, he had managed to find a house and move all the way across town to where my mom and I lived, just to be closer to us.  It may just be me, but I call that a little obsessive and dramatic in my opinion, it wasn’t as if someone was going to come up to attempt to kill me.  Until a month ago, I had no idea who I even was, not to mention anyone else, but my Nunna knew.  To think that someone would even try to harm me in that way would be ridiculous.

“No, thanks anyways Eric, but you don’t have too.  Tell Mandy hey for me.” I said softly, as I looked at him, it was hard to believe that in less than three months I wouldn’t ever see him again, unless on breaks.  He had been accepted to Harvard, MIT, South Carolina, and Clemson, all with full ride scholarships for their engineering programs, either way he wouldn’t be on the opposite side of the country with me, which made me sad.  He and I always seemed to push each other more when it came to our academics.  Then again, maybe it was a good thing he wasn’t going to be going to Cali.  I still planned on moving and going to college there in less than three months and forgetting everything about the East Coast.

“Aight, well, I guess I’ll see you after school. You’re still going with Mandy and me to the library downtown, right?”

“Yeah, I’ve already told my mom that you were driving me home.  Thanks again.”

“Notta problem.  Aight well later.” He said as he left me alone in the depressing in classroom.

“So, you’re going to the library this afternoon you’re Highness?” Mr. Poloski said softly as he turned around to wipe off today’s notes from the board and overhead projector.

“Don’t call me that, never call me that!” I said shortly, and a little louder.  Of all places, of all things to say, why did he have to call me that in public? I said softly in my mind.

“Sure you’re Grace.” Mr. Poloski smirked back at me as he went to stack a few papers on his desk. Was he serious? I thought as I rolled my eyes at him, as I leaned against my desk.

“So, was there something that you wanted Mr. Poloski? Besides trying to rat out our little family secret.” I said as I crossed my arms.

“If anyone is going to know something is up between us, and rat out your family secret it’s going to be you, Lisa.” He said with a smirk and then his face became serious.

“Me? I’m not going to tell anyone.” I said quickly back.  How could he imply that I would tell my family’s secret, and even if I did who would actually believe me?  It took a full week to truly convince my own mother, after Nunna and I told her two weeks ago, and even since then I think she tries to find a way to not believe that she has a princess living under her roof.

“Lisa, I’m sure you’re not going to tell anyone, but your actions will give it away.  You’ve been very quick to leave my class every day since I first met Mrs. Vasilieva.  You’ve barely answered the questions that I direct to you, and when you do they are short.  Now, I know you’ve always disliked my class, but at least put some kind of an effort here.  The way I see it now is that you have two options.  The first, is you can either forget about everything that your great grandmother has told you, about you, about me, everything, to have self denial if that’s what you want to call it.” He started to explain.

“That sounds very good to me, and when I’m ready to accept the truth, which will be never, you’ll be the first to know Mr. Poloski.” I said sarcastically.  I knew there was no way to ever forget about whom I am, the truth about my Nunna, and who Mr. Poloski really is.

“Lisa, the second option is to simply accept the fact that you are a Grand Duchess of Russia, and when your great grandmother passes on, you will be the only heir to the throne.  Lisa, you have to take responsibility in the fact that you are the only person who can truly have your family reclaim the throne, to prove to the world that the myths are actually true; the Grand Duchess Anastasia truly lives.  However, if you do finally accept the truth, you must come to your senses and start being mature about your actions.” He said firmly.  What was he saying? I’m not mature? How are my actions immature? I thought insecurely towards him.  Yet, finally I took a deep breath, trying to really focus on everything that he was saying.  Of course he was right; it was the same thing that Nunna had me trying to teach me the last few weeks also.

“Fine, I’ll stop trying to make things awkward between us.” I said in a groan out in surrender.

“Good.  Lisa, I will help you as much as I can.  Trust me when I say that I know how you feel.  When I first found out that I was a Count, I literally laughed at my uncle and the rest of my family, and left.  Yet, as I spent more time researching, and then began to spend more time with them, I realized that it was a true honor to be in the family.  I could help change my family name from being a traitor to being a protector.  I could help in so many other ways than I couldn’t before, or at least of more access to resources to help more.” He chuckled.

“Mr. Poloski…”

“Lisa, you just need to trust me. Can you do that? Can you trust me to help you?  Can you trust that I will help you discover your family’s roots when we leave for Russia next week?” He said staring at me intensely, as he let his words sink into my mind. Now my mind asking the same question that has been turning in my mind since almost day one; can I, could I trust Mr. Poloski? He hasn’t really caused me not to trust him, except for the fact that he knew who I was before I did.  However, he still hadn’t given me any reason to not trust him.  Right then and there as I looked back at him, I knew that I had my answer.

I took a small breath as I nodded my head, “Yes, I can trust you, Mr. Poloski.” I said honestly.

“Good.  Well, that’s all really I needed to talk to you about.  I’ll let you catch the last ten minutes of lunch, but Lisa, do try to not be awkward about all of this.  Think of us as friends now or family.” Mr. Poloski said with a smile and a laugh.

“Ha, well, alright.” I said, trying not to be awkward still.

As, I exited the class and started heading towards the cafeteria my mind was running wild with thoughts and questions about Mr. Poloski, the trip to Russia, and all the times during class that I had made things awkward.  Yet, my mind started to really grasp the concept of something that Mr. Poloski had said, “…and when your great grandmother passes on, you will be the only heir to the throne….” I had never even thought about any of this that way.  Would I really be the only heir?  Could I even be someone who could claim a throne? Now I just felt way out of my league.

“Lisa?” The sound of Eric’s voice quickly pulled me out of my secret thoughts. My eyes focused on him walking towards me from the lockers beside the classroom. Had he been there the whole time? Had he heard? I started to freak out in my mind.

“Eric, hey, have you waited this entire time?”  I asked casually, trying to not give anything away.

“Um, not the whole time, I waited for a few minutes, but then you were taking a while so I went to grab us food.  He said as he pulled out a cold cut sub and a bottle of water from his book bag.  He got me food? Well, that was a first, and awfully nice of him, I thought for a brief moment before his words finally echoed in my mind.

“Wait, you waited for a few minutes?” I asked more intensely.

“Yeah…Lisa, I was going to ask you later, but um well, is Mr. Poloski on something? Why did he call you ‘you’re highness’ and ‘you’re grace’?” He asked as he started to walk towards the doors that lead towards the cafeteria outside.

“Ha, well I wouldn’t be surprised if he was on something, but I don’t know.” I said quickly, trying to laugh it off as I walked quickly in front of him.

Just as we got outside I saw Rachel and Mandy leaving and walking towards us, smiling and waving. I waved back for a second before Eric stepped in front of me, blocking my view of the approaching girls.

“Lisa, stop trying to change the subject, now, I know you think I’m not as smart as you, but I am smart, I know something is going on.  Lisa, what are you hiding?” He asked more intensely as he bent down to be eye level.

“Nothing, Eric. Now please drop this before they get here.” I begged.  Why was he wanting to know? I began to wonder.

“Lisa, just trust me, please. You’ve known me for how long? Now what’s going on?” He said a little more quickly and louder.

I looked around and over Eric’s shoulder, Mandy and Rachel approaching looking at me and Eric with confused looks.

“Eric, please…” I begged as I went to sit on a bench.

“Fine, but you are telling me later, deal?” He said as he turned to smile at our friends who had finally reached us.

“Ugh, fine.” I said with a groan. I tried to put on a smile for the girls.

“What’s going on?” Mandy said suspiciously.

Brrrrriiiinnnngggg….The lunch bell rung loudly.  Saving me from having to try to go into detail or make up a reason for the awkwardness between Eric and me.

“Nothing, sorry I got held after class.” I said standing up while taking a bite of my sub. I was so hungry, and confused.  What exactly was I going to tell Eric?  Could I trust him? I had just began to realize I could trust Mr. Poloski, but Nunna’s warning still echoed in my mind, “only few must know the truth.”

“Oh that stinks. Well I gotta go, but see yall at the library.” Mandy said quickly, as she rushed towards her next class.

“See you later Lisa.” Eric said as he headed off to his next class.  How was I going to tell Eric?  Would he believe me even if I told him the truth?  Why did he want to know?  Could I really trust Eric? I guess I was only going to know for sure after school, during the fifteen minute drive to the downtown library.  Man this was going to be one interesting, awkward, car ride, I thought as I walked towards my next class.

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