Charlotte Petrova/Kaz and Charlie pt. III

She stopped herself from sagging in relief and arched her back, crossing her arms over her chest, "I suggest one of you should drive him back. I'm sure he has a busy schedule," she said, not looking at Kaz anymore.

Her head whipped around to stare at him, her jaw dropping. "*What?*" She asked then flickering her gaze towards Christie then back to him.

She closed her mouth for a moment before saying, in Czech, "I can't. I told you. I can't. I have to go back with them. They'll drag me back by my hair if I don't."

Her heart thudded in her chest. Have Kaz...at the academy? It was like her lives had separated themselves into two different lives. Her duchess life and her life in Prague. Two seperate entities that she never thought could merge. She forced herself to not look at Christie again. "Why? You're happy here. You have a great life, why would you...why would you leave your siblings?" God she was such a hypocrite.

She stared at him in silence. Oh, Jesus. "Kaz," she said quietly, "I am not your priority. Don't you dare make the same mistake I did. You'll regret it." She turned to look at Christie for help.

"Don't talk to her like that," Charlie snapped at him, still not reverting back to English. "Kaz, please go. I can't take you away from them. It's not worth it."

"You knew that," she snapped, pushing at his chest, "you were fine with it an hour ago. You knew I was leaving in the beginning. I told you not to get attatched."

"Then, I suggest you get out of here, Kaz, because you won't get the life you want if you follow me. It's different there, especially if the royals think you saved my life."

She inched towards Christie. Saying in Czech, "don't do this, don't do this."

She turned to look at her with creased eyebrows, "sure," she replied.

Her jaw dropped, silent for a minute as she forced herself to think through it. "If that's what he wants," she eventually said.

She turned to glare at him. "Thanks, Kaz," she said, "I'd go get your family, then. Should we wait?" She asked, looking at Christie.

She looked after Kaz before moving to Christie, offering her hand. Her stomach churning. This was it. Whatever's going to happen, will. At least she'll have Kaz? Her stomach twisted harder and she winced. No, she didn't think it would be a good thing. Not after he found out.

She met her eyes but didn't respond, didn't even smile. That place wasn't home. Not anymore. Despite this, she gripped her sister's hand and forced herself not to react to the transport.

She looked around, not letting go of her hand.

She stumbled after her, grabbing onto Christie's arm to stop from falling, before frowning, "geez, you were prepared," she replied. She'd really fallen off the wagon in Prague, she'd lost all her muscle.

"Oh, right," she replied, finding her pace, her mind still on her body. She'd be destroyed in P.E. "Guess I became too comfortable there."

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"If I was still as paranoid as I was in the beginning, I probably would have gotten better strategies and methods to notice if you found me. Look over my shoulder more. It was just a comment." She said, wincing.

"I'm back with you," she corrected before slipping her hand out to make her way to the limo. "Reckon anyone's going to start yelling?" She asked her, out of curiousity.

"He's not my father," she muttered. "And fine, I can deal with my mothers wrath. I can forget about it by night and I will never have to relive it."

"She won't be able to say it, not with Kaz," she replied, "and let's admit it, our mother is strange."

"Oh, no one really, he was my next door neighbour. He was the one who drove me to the station earlier."

She flushed, sinking into her seat, "no, no I didn't do that. He's just a friend."

"Or maybe I'm blushing because of what path you jumped to," she muttered, "no, i wasn't. i hoped he went home and stayed there."

"I was surprised you so easily did it," she replied, "regardless, you realise he and his siblings can debunk the entire story, right?"

"True..." she replied, "you'll like them, I think? Ones quiet, the other's a bit of a musician and the other is...hard to explain."

"She's just eccentric," she said, not sure how to explain it, "that's all. Neither of the girls are like me, if that's anything."

"No, no it's not," she replied before looking out the window, "I know where we are." She was surprised this, "we're only ten minutes away from the academy."

"It's hard not to," she observed, "it's not the type of place you forget. Hey, how's Chris and Selene? Are they still together."

OOc: do they know about her pregnancy

OOC:Idk

She hummed before holding her breath as the academy came into view. "It hasn't changed," she breathed out.

"Oh? Like who," she asked out of politness

"Oh, okay," she replied taking a look at her, her eyebrows creasing, like she was looking for something but the pulling in of the car dragged her out of her thoughts and she took one last look at the academy before slipping out.

TIMESKIP

She sat in the principal's office, of all places, in one of the seats across from their desk. She was told her mother would be in shortly and wondered if the waiting game was a tactic, make the suspence even worse.

She rubbed her temple and looked back at her with a sigh, mouthing 'wish me luck', before rising from her chair, turning slightly to look at her mother. Her back was straight, her hands curled into fists by her sides, slightly gripping the fabric of her shirt.

She met her eyes, forcing back a flinch and swallowed, "mother," she replied, "you look well, have you gotten a new haircut? It suits you."

Her heart was beating in her chest, her thoughts similar to Christie, except also thinking *thank goodness she didn't leave*. Charlie couldn't remember a time where she was alone with her mother. "Oh, definitely," she said, biting her cheek.

She fought back a reaction to the look, gripping her clothes harder, "well, I escaped the basement due to it being a bit...unpleasant. Being kidnapped and losing ones agency really does raise a need to escape. I thought you would have been happy...the months of knowing I was kidnapped, held under ransom, must have eaten you alive."

She yelped as she was hit, her other hand going over to protect it, rubbing the spot, "I have people to back me up, Tiara," she mumbled, "they're arriving tomorrow morning. They can tell you I was." She was digging a hole, she knew that. Someone was bound to uncover her lie, and she was never a particularly good liar either. Rathered to stay away from the topic than straight out lie.

Her stomach sunk and she flushed, "I don't really want to believe it. But it's the truth. And it's the only thing you're goin–" She stopped herself. She'd never really been the one to antagonise her mother but she had the same level as pride as her, she'll concede to that, and she'd be damned if someone wounded it. But her fear of her mother did temper that pride. "I'm sorry for the worry that it caused you, mother."

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She let out a shaky breath, "you realise...it would just be easier if I told the truth. A lot less...damning of the Novaceks," she said with a blink, knowing that probably didn't make sense, "but hey! That wasn't so bad."

SHe paused, her jaw dropping, "well...I thought I was protecting you. I mean, you lied to her and I thought...we...are you telling me you expected me to tell the truth?"

"Well, whatever happens, we'll deal with it when it happens. No use stressing about it now, what's done is done. Not like she'll kill any of us," she mused.

She bit back a reaction. "Yeah, maybe, though, he could be very much alive. It's not like there's been any dukes being killed in the past few decades so...who knows." He was alive and kicking last time Charlie checked which was...oh, a month ago?

She bit her lip. "Come on," she said eventually, changing the subject, "lets get to the dorms or something. I'd hate to be around when class is let out."

She turned to look at her with raised eyebrows. She never was one for vague philosphy. "What?" She asked, hoping Christie wasn't picking up on her uneasiness on the topic.

"I wish I couldn't," she replied, "but you seem to be around me like a wasp. I can't but mind you."

She grinned at the glare, "hurry up," she said, slipping out of the room, "so, are you still hung up over whats his face?"

"Oh, right," she said with a blink, "good. He was an ass."

OOC:Can we timeskip to the dorms lol

TIMESKIP TO DORMS RIP

"Oh," she said, looking around before flicking the curtains back to look out the window, "are you going to sleep, then?"

She looked at the clock. "It's nearly six. Slightly acceptable time to sleep," she said, scratching her chin. "I mean...no use going to be awake but half asleep."

She looked at her sister with a frown. Now was the perfect time to leave again. No one really knew she was back so it's not like anyone was on the look out to stop her. PLus, she felt her bank card, filled with money she stole from her mother, in her pocket. She'd get away with it. Be far far away before Christie even wakes up. The Novaceks would...would get what they need. An education. She told herself that over and over again. The Petrova's wouldn't bother them if she was gone, Christie would make sure, out of obligation, guilt even, that the Novaceks were left under the radar of their mother. Wouldn't she? She bit her lips, not moving her eyes. Could she do it, though? Was she that cruel? To have her sister find her, give her the confidence that Charlie was secured, then leave? Christie could forgive her once, but twice? Christie probably would, Charlie knew she'd forgive Christie a thousand times if the roles were reversed...was her secret worth it that much? She covered her mouth, forcing the tears back down. She wouldn't break down. Not now, not ever. He'd win. He'd win. She turned back to the window...it was so tempting, though. To just sneak out. She'd never been heavy footed, no one would notice or even bat an eye. Plus, she was wearing clothes that no one would associate with Charlotte Petrova. Christie Petrova...perhaps. If anyone did notice her, she could probably get away with being her sister. They looked similar enough. She turned away. Enough. Enough. Enough running. It's not like she did anything wrong. She walked over to her room, her new room, and pushed the door open and bit back a moan. So many boxes to go through.