A Fallen Rose [V2]

02

Rose stumbled on her way to her first class. A dark hand reached out and gripped her arm firm. Steadied her. She looked up and couldn't help but gape. Ebony eyes looked down at her, bright and alive. They sat on a dark-skinned face composed of gentle curves and hard makeup.

Plush red lips twisted into a half-grin. "Steady on there. Don't want to face-plant the corridor on the first day. That would be embarrassing." The voice was husky, light.

"Right. Um, thanks."

Eyes rolled. The girl pushed wild curls back from her face and twisted her body to walk alongside her. "You're a first year student too, right? I saw you in the intro assembly."

"Yeah," Rose breathed. Her eyes flickered from the girl before her to the end of the corridor. She was going to be late if she didn't hurry. "I have to go. Thanks for... that. Bye." 

Great. Now you just sound rude.

But the other girl didn't bat an eyelid. She was nodding her head. "Of course, sure." Her half-grin was back, sheepish this time. "Don't want to be late, huh? Nice meeting...you."

She'd started to trail off, because Rose was already gone. Like a skittish cat, disappearing into the shadows before anybody noticed her too much. It was better to be invisible, anyway. Safer. Or at least, that's what she told herself.

---

You shouldn't have come here.

Rose had assumed that she was invisible. Hidden amidst the library books. Lost in the furthest corner of the room. She'd been desperate for solitude after the long, raucous morning. Still, her heart had yet to return to a normal pace.

Head in a book, Rose had been determined to remain unnoticed. Her corner was dark and misty. There was only a slip of light, provided by a murky, forgotten window in the corner. Weak, compared to the artificial glow that drenched the rest of the room.

The books stacked on the shelves made the air dusty, stilted. The dryness hurt her eyes. Rose had just put her book down to give them a break, when she'd caught sight of the scrap of paper on the table. Right next to her bag.

Her eyes squinted to read it, still watery. The messy scrawl was difficult to decipher, but she managed. Only once she'd read the note, Rose wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

You shouldn't have come here.

She didn't have a clue what the words meant. But before she could begin to muse over the note, a shadow cast over what minimal lighting she had already.

Rose looked up into those same ebony eyes she'd seen earlier that day, only this time they weren't as warm. Maybe it was after her abrupt dismissal in the corridor.

"Hello again, stranger." The girl gestured to the empty library. The hand movement was almost regal. "Do you want to be alone, or is this just an unfortunate incident?"

Stunned, Rose didn't respond immediately. She watched the girl like a deer caught in headlights, utterly helpless. "Uh, maybe." Instantly, Rose wanted to slap herself in the face. Uh, maybe? Was that even an answer, Rose? She waited with baited breath for the girl to laugh. To call her a freak. To walk away.

Instead, she jerked her head at the empty seat before her. "Mind if I sit?" But she was already doing just that. The chair scraped across the rough carpet like sandpaper. The moment she was seated, she began to inspect the chipped black polish on her nails. "I'm Amber Stone, by the way. In case you were wondering. And before you ask, yes, I am serious about the name. It's a prime example of just how pretentious my parents are."