ＩＭＭＩＧＲＡＮＴ ＳＯＮＧ

𝔩𝔢𝔡 𝔷𝔢𝔭𝔭𝔢𝔩𝔦𝔫

♟

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen."

I scowl as I stand in our local church with Nikolai by my side. "I don't get why we have to be here," I whisper sharply. My family has never really been religious. I know of some components of the idea, but we have never gone to church or prayed. In fact, we identify as Jewish, which clearly justifies my confusion at the moment.

He breathes out a short laugh at my discomfort. "We want to look good for the neighbors."

"Nikolai, that doesn't mean we have to change our religion. If you really want to go somewhere, go to synagogue."

"We want to blend in and look like we're part of a nice, suburban, Catholic, white family."

"That's stereotypical and I find it offensive."

"Maybe so, but it's what Papa wants."

I roll my eyes. "I couldn't give a flying fuck about what Papa wants."

A grandmotherly woman in front of us whips her head over her shoulder and stares at me. If looks could kill. 

As she turns back to face the front of the room, Nikolai sighs. "That's a lie."

I keep my mouth shut. Of course, I want to please my father. He's my father. Plus, doesn't everyone want to please Alexei Volkov? He's literally a god in the business world. I chuckle lightly at the irony of that thought. A god. And he's making us go to church. 

"Please remain standing for a moment of silent meditation," the priest requests.

I fidget with the hem of my skirt, which is far too long for my taste, and glance around the room at the people who bow their heads and close their eyes. Nik nudges me. "Meditate," he mutters, as quietly as possible.

"No." I snap back.

"Anastasia."

I scoff and glare at my feet. Once the priest completes the session, I attempt to scurry out of the aisle, only to be stopped by the woman from earlier. She's about my height, and her cold eyes bore into mine. "You are a disgrace," she spits.

I nod sarcastically. "Yes, I agree."

Her nostrils flare. "Have some respect and courtesy for the Lord and his children. Never have I seen such... such disrespect in a holy place."

"Look, lady," I snarl. "I don't want to be here. I-"

Nikolai kicks me as the woman's companions turn around. My mouth opens slightly as I gawk at the Formans behind her. I tip my head down politely before finishing, "I hope you have a wonderful day. May you be blessed."

She looks somewhat pleased as I brush past her and out of the chapel. I release a snort of laughter as my brother stares at me incredulously. 

"Ana!"

I throw my head back as my shoulders shake with giggles. "What? She was being bitchy!"

He grabs my arm and drags me to the car. "What the hell were you going to say to her?"

"Do you really want to know?"

He rolls his eyes. "No. You're just lucky you saved yourself before the Formans could notice." He starts the car.

"You mean before Kitty and Red could notice," I correct, smirking to myself as I recall the pure fear that had manifested itself on Eric's face. I know that if I had continued in the direction that my initial sentence was going, the woman would have blown up and I would have wreaked havoc. It would've been fun.

We pull up to my house. Before I can go inside, I hear my name being called out. I wince, stopping in my tracks and reluctantly turning to face the source of the sound. Mrs. Forman stands at her front door with her hands on her hips, a false smile on her face.

Nikolai gives me a meaningful look. I unenthusiastically follow her into her home. 

"Listen," she snaps urgently, spinning around sharply to face me. Admittedly, I'm a little stunned at her sudden change in demeanor from the bright and upbeat Kitty I have met. Maybe it's the irritable old lady that's with them.

"Bernice, Mother Forman, you remember, she was supposed to be with us for Thanksgiving? She's my mother-in-law, and she hates me, and I need to get more people around her that she likes and she said she likes you and I need you to come with me so she doesn't complain about everything as much," she babbles.

I raise my eyebrows. "She called me a disrespectful disgrace."

"Yes, but you blessed her."

I exhale heavily. "Okay."

Her face softens. "You will? Oh, thank you, Anastasia!" I bite my lip in distaste as she squeezes me into a tight hug.

She takes my hand and brings me to the living room, where Fez rubs the woman from the church's feet. I smile politely at her, assuming that she's Bernice. "Hello," I say simply.

She glances up at me and tilts her head, squinting her eyes. "Do I know you?"

This bitch. I patiently reply. "I'm Anastasia. We met earlier today at church."

"Oh," she dismisses, then realizes that I'm the girl who spoke during silent meditation. "Oh." Her mouth puckers and her face contorts into an expression of revulsion. "You're the rude one. Why are you here? Leave."

I almost laugh, but hold it in. She can't be serious. Any excuse to leave, though, I suppose. I send a shrug to Kitty as if to say, "Well, I did what I could!"

Mrs. Forman grumbles in frustration. "Oh... Anastasia, let's go down to the basement!"

Before I know it, she's pulling me into the basement by the arm. "Eric? Are you in here?" she calls. She sees that it's just Hyde and Donna and taps her leg nervously.

"Donna, why don't you come to eat with us?"

They both start to rise, until she adds, "Not you, Steven. Grandma doesn't like you."

"What am I supposed to eat?" he whines.

"Help yourself to the deep freeze."

He plops down on the couch as Donna mutters something to him and follows Mrs. Forman out. I skip down the stairs. "What are you doing here?" he scowls.

I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at him. What's his problem? Ass. "Grandma apparently doesn't like me either."

He finds a frozen fry bag and examines it.

"What are you doing?" I sigh.

"Getting some food."

"The fries are frozen, dumbass. You can't eat them."

He smirks at me and adjusts his sunglasses on his nose. "That's where you're wrong, Princess. We have a dryer."

He opens the door to the machine and tosses them in, pressing a few buttons before it starts. "How old are you?" he ponders.

I stroll to the freezer. "'Scuse me?"

"Just wondering." 

Creep. "I'm sixteen."

"Ah, so you're like a mini Jackie."

I toss him a pop, get one for myself, and sit next to him on top of the freezer. "No. I'm less annoying."

He clicks his tongue. "Debatable."

I don't respond. Instead, I examine the basement. I find a pile of records and start playing a Led Zeppelin one. At least their music taste isn't complete trash. 

"Man, can you stop touching our stuff?" he drawls.

"It's not yours. It's Eric's."

"What's Eric's is mine."

"So you have the same grandmother. Ooh, even better," I turn to face him with a foul grin, "do you actually have parents?" 

His face hardens. It's immensely gratifying, knowing that I've gotten to the core of someone so provoking. But something in the back of my mind tells me that I've gone too far. I know I haven't. It was a harmless joke, and if it was harmful, well... that just made me more powerful, right?

My face involuntarily softens, to the complete opposite of his expression. He isn't looking at me anymore, instead just staring blankly at his feet. Apologize. I don't want to apologize. I didn't do anything wrong. Apologize. He doesn't deserve an apology. He was an ass to me, so I returned the favor. Apologize. Goddamnit!

I manage to mumble out a "sorry". His head jerks up and he sits straighter. That was a mistake.

A smug smile creeps onto his face. "Did you just say sorry to me?"

I throw the leftover stick of my pop into a trash can. "What does it matter?" I sneer, caught slightly off guard by his quick regeneration. 

"You're the unapologetic type. You don't do that."

"So?"

"So you just gave in."

I roll my eyes. This guy is a weirdo. "Get over it. You child."

He lights up with glee as he jabs a finger at me. "And now you're trying to brush it off because you're embarrassed!"

I circle back to my seat and smack his hand away. "You are so immature."

"But I bet you like it."

I scrunch up my nose. "I don't. At all. Your immaturity makes the world a sadder place."

He slaps a hand on my knee. "Just happy I could help."

"Get your filthy paws off of me."

He smirks, not taking it off. "Why? Does it turn you on?"

"Do you want me to hurt you?"

He laughs, hopping off of the dryer as it stops. "Relax, Princess, I'm just jokin' around."

He grabs the fries from the machine as Eric and Donna stride down the stairs. "Hot!" Hyde hisses as he carries the bag to the table.

I sit on the couch beside him. "What are you doing?" Eric sighs. 

"Oh, just working on your report here, having some fries," he shrugs. 

I turn to him with a questioning look. "Report?"

"Yes, the one I was working on," he snarls.

"Ah, yes, you were working very diligently," I tease, knowing that Eric doesn't believe Hyde for a second. I'm just lucky I don't have to do any work yet. I start going to school at the beginning of the next week.

I snatch a fry from the bag as Kelso and Jackie stumble in, the former's hair a rat's nest.

"Finally," Donna huffs. "Where have you guys been?"

Kelso somehow stutters out an excuse. "W-We had to look for the paper, and... eat... and then some stuff happened, you know."

Eric stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Your shirt's on inside-out."

"Yeah, that's the stuff!"

Donna grits her teeth. "Where's the paper?"

"Right," Jackie sighs. "The paper wasn't on the three branches of government. It was on the four food groups."

"Okay, look. My dad's got the World Books. I'll just run next door and get 'G'."

Jackie volunteers to go with her. Before Donna leaves, she points to Kelso. "You can break up with her now."

As the door slams shut, Kelso slams himself down onto the lawn chair. "You know, I'm tired of everyone trying to tear my and Jackie apart!"

I laugh audibly, leaning my head on the back of the couch. Eric and Donna stare at me, confused, while Kelso remains oblivious to my intentions and Hyde chuckles lowly.

The idiot gave me his number not even a week before! And there he goes, complaining about his failing relationship. "Moron! Every day you say you're breaking up with her!" Hyde scolds.

"Well, you guys don't know her like I do!" He rips his shirt off to reveal the hickey on his chest. "I mean, it's not just the fooling around! She buys me stuff."

Hyde smirks at him, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "She hoovered your chest, man." I push him away disgustedly.

"You know what? I don't care," Eric fumes. "I asked you guys for help with my paper, and so far, you've done nothing."

"We put your middle name in."

"Jean-Claude?"

Hyde crunches on a fry. "That's two words."

"Well, thank god for Donna."

Just in time, Donna enters. "Okay, it turns out my mom sold some at the garage sale, but we still have 'B', 'X', and 'R'."

"Hey, Annie's parents are part of the Mafia, maybe they know!" Hyde beams.

I smack him upside the head and steal the bag of food from him.

Kitty rushes down the stairs. "Okay, kids. I have had an extremely stressful day, and I'm not proud of what I'm about to say, but someone needs to give me a cigarette. Now!"

"But, Mom, we don't smoke," Eric shrugs.

"Cut the crap, Eric, I am a nurse," she growls. "I know that one in five teenagers smoke. One, two, three, four, five, six. Now, I'm going to close my eyes, and when I open them, there had better be a cigarette between these two fingers! Come on, people, hop to!"

Since she's closing her eyes, I stretch over Hyde and place one of my cigarettes in her hand. "Thank you," she mutters shakily. "Light?"

Hyde reaches his hand up and lights it. Eric chucks it into the freezer as soon as Red emerges. I excuse myself, thanking Mrs. Forman for the fries.

"See ya, Princess," Steven smirks as I head out. Gross.

♟

Okay so I don't want to leave too many Author's Notes, but I just wanted to say that each chapter should be around the length of this one, which is about two thousand words, give or take a few hundred. That's all lol

As always, feedback, comments, and votes are always appreciated!

Love you guys,

Lissy