Verochka

Tatyana Vera "Verochka" Addison-Dale.

She was pretty dresses with combat boots.

Fairy wings with spiked collars.

The first time Donovan ever set eyes on her she was kicking a coke machine. She was dressed in a cute pink dress, the skirt set into ruffles - almost like something a little girl would wear. Only she had a pair of stripe socks that came abover her knees and a set of purple boots on her feet. Her hair was obviously dyed, a dark black-purple with reddish-pink highlights - pulled up into a messy pony tail. She wore a pair of pink Skullcanday headphones and a lollipop in her mouth.

As he walked passed on his way to the Headmaster's office she looked up at him with blue-green eyes and grinned before running off in the direction he'd just come.

The next time he saw her was lunch.

Coming from a small town school to a larger school was a difficult transition for Donovan. He didn't know anyone, and everything was just like in the movies - perhaps even worse. The popular kids ruled all. Donovan was a novelty for about three seconds with them. One kid in his first class - Peter - seemed set on scooping up a 'new friend'. Donovan went along with it since there was no way he was ever going to be popular here. At lunch Peter introduced Donovan to his group of friends.

One snickered a "Can we call you Donny?" to which Donovan firmly told them all "No, and no one is to ever think of doing such a thing." He faded into unknown conversation, picking up only when something he knew came his way.

She walked in, a tall and lithe blond male at her side. The popular females turned their noses up at her, and she merely grinned back in return, saying something that from this distance Donovan couldn't hear. He couldn't even read her lips to find out what she had said.

"Who's she then?" he asked Peter. Was the blond her boyfriend? They didn't seem like a couple. There was something off about the boy.

"Her name's Tatyana," announced Annabelle, one of the vocal of Peter's group of friends. "The guy is Alexander, only everyone just calls him Lexu. She thinks she's special or something because she's got famous parents. Sharona hates her because her father refuses to let her model for him."

"I don't follow the celebrity scene," Donovan admitted.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Fashion," he almost spat. "Models, A-list celebrities. She gets star-treatment everywhere but here - unless you're a teacher. Then you suck up to her."

"So she's a snob?"

Annabelle clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "She's lovely. Sweet, caring, and a wonderful person."

This confused Donovan. "But why the hate?"

"Because she hates the labels of high school. She doesn't like to fit in a clique, so she's either your friend or your enemy. But never try to get on her side to get to those parents of her's. You know the model Juliet Morhan?"

Donovan shrugged. "Heard of her."

"Her father is Lake Dale; Juliet's agent. Well, her adopted father is."

"What's her real father do?"

"Thats a black stain," added Nicolas, a green eyed red head. "No one knows. Even Tatyana."

"Her name sounds foreign."

"So does Donovan," snickered Peter.

"It's Irish." Donovan was very particular about his name.

"Tatyana is Russian. She's got two fathers."

"A lot a gossip surrounding her then?"

Annabelle chuckled. "You have no idea. Her mother is Noelle Addison. She's a photographer too. Only she does those big fancy premiers and stuff - so she's not home often." She scooted her chair back and began to rummage around into her bag. After a few minutes she pulled out a rolled up magazine. Flipping through the pages she found what she was looking for and passed it to Donovan.

He knew he had seen this girl somewhere before. She was photographed with a beautiful woman with vibrant blood red hair. The two bore a striking resemblance to one another, almost like sisters but not quite.

He scanned the article "Photographer to the stars Noelle comes before the camera to bear all," he read aloud.

'Noelle Karon Addison is the source of many amazing photographs of everyones favourite celebrities. But while she hides behind the lense to look at stardom, fame lives within her own home. Rumors abound about her relationship with the one and only Lake Dale surround her and her daughter; Tatyana.

Noelle, the first think everyone wants to know - what's your relationship with Lake Dale?
(Chuckle) Well, it all started a while ago. He was late for a show, and as fate would have it he crashed into me. It all began then. We talked a lot and found we had so much in common. He was only nineteen - only just getting into the profession. He'll kill me when he reads this, but oh well. He was cute, few years younger than me, but I thought 'What the heck?' and asked him about his relationship status.

And?
(Another chuckle) There was no 'yes' or 'no. The way he explained it made me realise something I had already spotted but didn't want to admit. He was, perhaps 'broken' is not the best choice of words, but he wasn't one hundred percent who he should be. A part of him was missing, and even if I couldn't help in the way he needed, I could still be there to help ease the pain. Its not a subject people constantly gossip about because both he and myself feel that if people haven't figured it out for themselves then they must really be quite stupid. The term best used for Lake is 'Gayer than a tree full of parrots'. (She laughs) His boyfriend is such a hunk that you have to look twice before it settles in that he's interested in the same sex.

So this must be the infamous Mr. Utkin then?
Dimitri is amazing. He's a perfect father figure for my daughter. Lake is not quite suited for a fraternal position, but the role he plays in Tatyana's life is one I would never change. We joke that he's the maternal figure when I'm away. He knows more about women's clothing than I do anyway! (Chuckle) He came into my life before my daughter was born and I knew he'd forever be a part of her life that I let him be the one to name my daughter.

Hence the Russian name Tatyana then. What does she think of these two men?
She loves them to pieces. My job takes me all over the world, and sometimes even Lake too, is forced to travel. But Dimitri is the rock that keeps this family together. He stays home to make sure she stays in school, and while not everyone is ready to accept the fact the main portion of her family is made up of two homosexual men I think she is blossoming wonderfully.

But don't you think that the influence of two men in her life is making her more masculine? Your daughter is not what many would say 'a model student'.
Tatyana is fine the way she is. If people have a problem with it then they should talk to me. I'm her mother; it is up to me who I place my daughter in the care of. She's an individual - and while I admit she's not as a hard studier as both Lake and myself would like she is smart in her own way. Tatyana, if you're reading this - go do your homework (Another laugh).'

Donovan looked up at the others, then glanced over at the girl who sat with the punk kids, perched on the cafeteria table, waving her hands animatedly as she spoke.

The third time he saw her, he said "Hello, my name is Donovan"