disclaimer : Nope.
notes : Revised, Alyss is will of the abyss.

a twisted fairytale
a story of love written by
fateful melody
• •

"Alice, make sure you don't forget…"

"Got it."

"And be sure to…"

"Mhmm."

"Alright well I will see you later tonight or…"

"Sometime tomorrow, my moneys' going towards the second one."

"Would you quit that!?"

The girl assumed to be Alice finally stole a glance away from her breakfast to give attention to the only other person in the room. The person's lanky form now happening to be towering over hers, hands placed firmly on narrow hips. If the woman's body language hadn't given it away, the look of pure irritation and the echo of her stilettos being continuously pounded into the floor sure was a give away to her displeasure. The young girl simply raised her eyebrows as if she was perplexed to why she was on the receiving end of such gaze.

The older, yet still quite attractive, version of the girl mimicked the expression before hardening it into another ice cold glare. One in which Alice had inherited, but hadn't mastered nearly as well. Luckily, these looks were of common if not daily occurrence meaning she had built up walls of defenses for it. She still didn't have a defense, she soon realized, for the banshee that was released when the older woman opened her mouth.

"Do not give me that Alice! I am your mother and you will show me the respect I deserve!" The woman now revealed to be her mother either didn't hear the snort that came from Alice, or chose to ignore it as she continued on, "I know I'm not around much lately, but I'm doing the best I can to take care of us. Don't you understand that?"

Her mother's tone had softened by the time the last of her words had escaped her lips, and her annoyed look had succumbed to a gentle smile.

"I know I'm not the best mother…"

And that was quite enough, she had decided.

"Alright well I'm leaving for school now, see you tomorrow."

"Eh…?" Her mother blinked a few times as she glanced at the spot her daughter had occupied a few seconds prior, the fact that she was no longer there finally registering. She jerked her head to the right and ground her teeth violently as she watched a dash of color shoot out the door.

"DAMN IT ALICE!"

Alice hadn't heard, or rather chosen not to, her mother's screech as she quickly trotted her way down the side walk towards her destination. She lazily slung her book bag over her shoulder and looked down while she kicked a pebble to go along with her trek. Anyone who had just witnessed the kitchen scene might think Alice was simply a moody teenager going through their melodramatic 'I hate my parents -and-everything-else' stage in life. Others might just view her as a cold hearted bitch.

Maybe they were right.

Maybe she was one of the, maybe she was both.

She knew one thing that wasn't a 'maybe' and that was: she didn't care.

Ever since she could remember Alice had lived on the teetering edge of the poverty line with her mother after her parents split up. Her dad had moved all the way across globe to America taking her sister, Alyss, with him. It was just the adventurous and spontaneous part of his personality that Alice had been happy to gain as personality quirk as well. She still kept in constant contact with her sister and him, but it wasn't the same.

Alyss and she had always been inseparable up until the time of the divorce being called things like 'attached at the hip' and 'two halves of a whole'. There wasn't one place you could spot one of them without seeing the other. When she did move away it left Alice with a deep sense of emptiness that she had yet been able to fill. Feelings of resentment and jealousy were at times present but she would never admit to. Why had Alyss gotten to go with their father? And why had they had to move?

…why was she left behind?

Questions like these would never be answered because she would never voice such thoughts. She couldn't blame her father for wanting to get away, though. The reasons for the split had been their mother, after all, with her unfaithful tendencies. That was just the type of person her mother was, believe or not. Evidence being that every man even after her father had not lasted for long. It was for this reason Alice's father was put on such a high pedestal when compared to his former spouse.

With a father who had quite the upstanding reputation, one could wonder why Alice and her mother were put in such financial circumstances. Her father and sister were not wealthy, per say, but were easily put into a different social class. No doubt had crossed her mind that her father had sent her mother money to help cover expenses. Though, this income was spent to buy new scantily clad outfits to impress the latest older rich man with commitment issues. Her mother's so called successful career was being a mistress. From wealthy land owners to company CEO's to realtors involved in fraud. If the man had earned more than six zero's on his last pay check, he was eligible bachelor in Alice's mother's eyes.

It wasn't something Alice chose to pay attention or pass judgments on. It was her mother's life, after all, and she could do whatever she pleased as long as it didn't directly affect her; which in itself was a contradiction because anyone else could see that it did.

She had been happy not to receive any of her mother's rather "redeeming" qualities.

The only reason she had been able to make it through these many years without going insane or suffering from some type of mental illness after her father or sister had left was because of one simple person.

This one person could bring even someone like Alice to smile at the thought of him, and she did just that as memories of the two swarmed her mind. The morning the two met at the bus stop, the first day of second grade, was memorable enough… It had resulted in a fight and one crying after all.

…Cheshire had sworn to put her five feet under if she ever told a soul. Not that she was scared, she could easily still take him on, or at least that's what she told herself. Despite the obvious fact that he had changed rather drastically from the adolescent in her memory. He now had grown quite taller than her, at least a head or two, and had developed muscles in all the right places…

Alice almost slapped herself for such a thought. This was Cheshire, the boy that she had grown up with and had seen as an older brother. An older brother that had developed quite nicely in the looks department, but still, her brother.

It was depressing, she had to admit, that their walks to school were non-existent anymore. Instead of spending every waking moment together, like back in the old days, they were now resolved to just spending time together when their classes got out.

You see, Alice had inherited one of her mother's few redeeming qualities: her determination. This determination was fuel that drove to one her proudest accomplishments, being accepted into Pandora Academy. Due to receiving the highest marks in her classes during junior years, the opportunity to enroll in the elite school arose by receiving scholarships for her hard work. This meant that her and Cheshire not only didn't have the same classes anymore, but didn't even attend the same school.

Pandora Academy was notorious, even across the world, due to the noble and wealthy families that attended there from kindergarten. Family riches and social statuses were next to only the reasons why students had the right to attend there. To say only a select few outside these boundaries were enrolled due to their marks was an exaggeration. So for Alice to attend there, it wasn't overemphasizing to say it was nothing short of a miracle.

She scoffed in disgust at the thought. Why were judgments based on how much pocket change one had rather than their actual character? Such a world would only be in fantasy.

She had learned to deal with it due to the fact that if she graduated from such a school she would easily be given opportunity to attend any university she wanted and follow any career path she desired. That was one of the great things of attending Pandora Academy- next to all graduates could become whatever they wanted. And from there on she could make her own way for herself- not have some man take care of her like her mother.

That was one thing that her mother and she were vastly different in. Alice was fiercely independent and hated being given things from pity. That part of her mother disgusted her.

She looked up and shielded her bright purple eyes from the onslaught given from the sun as she arrived at school. She casually walked through the gate and courtyard where many students sat in their designer outfits, and top of the line accessories. Their condescending remarks and meaningless conversations drifted into her ears, which she simply chose to ignore. Especially when she noticed groups of them glance her way, giving her the usual up and down, before hurriedly turning back around and talked in hushed whispers.

"Do you see what she's wearing?"

"How did she even get into this school?"

"Ha! forget about her clothes. Look at her shoes."

"Poor thing...she's a social atrocity."

Alice glanced down casually at her simple wear and shrugged nonchalantly not really seeming to mind what they thought of her. Why would she? They would be working for her someday after all after she graduated and rose to the top of the corporal world. She picture faces that gave her snobbish looks morph into ones of terror and pleading. She held an evil glint in her eye as she laughed manically at the thought.

The previous group looked at her startled before quickly scooting away to the opposite end which made them receive a toothy grin in response. Satisfied, she entered the large brick building letting out a big yawn as she completed the action.

"Are you perhaps trying to catch flies or something with that Rabbit?"

Alice finished her yawn, stretching her back out somewhat like a cat, and didn't even bother to look in the direction of the source of the voice. "Don't you have something better to do with your time clown?"

Clown referred to the famous Xeres Break of Pandora Academy, known as one of the 'Princes' of the school. To say he was very popular- especially with the ladies due to his charming personality- would be quite the understatement. The seven princes, himself included, were looked up to like Gods at the Academy. But Alice was one not to be awed by such. In fact, he annoyed the hell out of her; him along with the rest of his damn little posse.

Break's face broke out in a smile at her response, grasping his hands together in satisfaction. "I'm so glad that my Rabbit has finally come up with a cute pet name for me as well! That means your huge fondness for me is growing even larger." He continued to ramble on cooing on about how he approved.

Alice rolled around on her heels angrily to face the boy, "If by fondness you mean- loathing then yes your assumption is correct."

He tsk'ed wagging his finger back in forth as he reached with his other hand in his pocket for another lollypop. She watched as he delicately tore it from the wrapper and placed it in his mouth.

"My little Rabbit does enjoy playing hard to get. But that's okay I love playing games." His tongue darted out to lick the treat ever so slowly...His tongue swirled around the top and she bristled as their eyes locked. She quickly turned around as he let out a pleased laugh which was interrupted by a smack on the head.

"Hey Alice-chan, how are you?" Sharon walked up happily greeting the other, tucking her fan away behind her back. "Hope Break hasn't been harassing you for too long."

Alice gave a sound as if to protest the fact that he could bother her in the least bit, but in truth Alice couldn't have been more grateful when Sharon had shown up.

Sharon Rainsworth of the great Rainsworth household, her family was known for being very rich and very powerful. She had a deep bond with Break that could be interpreted of a sibling love-hate of sorts which baffled Alice. She had no idea how someone like Sharon, who despite her social status was actually very friendly and modest, was friends with someone like him.

"Who me? Never." Break smiled dazzled passing females who turned into ravaging fan girls swarming the older boy. Not wanting to give up this precious moment to escape, she grabbed the younger girl's hand and darted down the long hallway.

She stopped at the end of one of the wings, her breathing being slightly harder than before. Sharon was as well, "Well I guess that's one way to make an exit." She smiled up Alice before adjusting the bow and fussing slightly over her hair making Alice sweat drop.

Even though Alice and Sharon were what you could call friends they were rather different. Alice didn't seem to mind- Sharon was one of the few that she could put up with at the school.

"So Alice-chan..." She made her last adjustments to her appearance, "Are you going to check out the announcements of the test results? Even though I'm sure you'll definitely get the highest marks again."

The girl being addressed began to walk and Sharon followed. She clenched her fist smirking with victory, "Damn right I got the highest marks! That's the only way I'm going to this school in the first place, after all!"

It was true, even those that got accepted to Pandora Academy because of their marks still had to pay, even though it was only a ¼ of the regular students' expenses. That amount was still out of reach by a vast amount for someone like Alice, but by having the highest marks at all of Pandora she was able to have her whole tuition paid. It was rather convenient.

"That's so embarrassing."

"The dignity of the school is going to be questioned with…commoners like her walking around."

"It really is shameless."

"I guess poor Sharon-chan is on charity duty today."

Sharon clenched her fist in anger as she heard the comments of her peers as they passed. Really- was this school full of this many snobs? She looked over at her friend giving her an apologetic look which immediately turned into a look of surprise to see Alice wasn't fazed in the least.

She sweat dropped as the black haired girl pulled out a chicken bone from what seemed to be nowhere and began to gnaw on it. Maybe she was beginning to understand why she was constantly being called odd...

Alice raised an eyebrow as if to say 'What?' as Sharon continued to throw her side glances. She sighed smiling. Alice was Alice; that was the simplicity to it. She was no one else and she wasn't going to act like she was. This was one of the things she admired about the girl.

Alice looked over at Sharon who seemed to be daydreaming and she wondered slightly what the girl was thinking about. Deciding she was done, she tossed the bare bone over her back making it land it the trash bin behind them.

Caught up in her own thoughts she didn't even notice the other figure coming her way until they crashed right into each other. Alice rubbed the sore spot on her head softly as she muttered out an apology, but halted when she saw the gentle smile and who the smile belonged to.

Vincent Nightray, of the powerful Nightray family. Their family was arguably the most powerful one at the school- his and Sharon's that is. He was also known as one of the ever so popular Seven Princes of the school.

Alice's soft apology quickly turned into an angry howl, "Oi! How about you look where you're going next time!?" Sharon sighed at the girl's behavior, she really was rather shameless.

The black haired girl didn't even have time to react as the boy quickly swept up her hand and brought it close to his face. He lightly brushed his lips over her knuckles before looking up at her with his bi-colored eyes and charming smile to the boot.

"You're ever so right, my apologies. Now I will simply have to think of a way to make it up to you."

His voice trailed off but Alice snatched her hand rather roughly out of his grasp trying to keep her temper in check.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." She managed out through gritted teeth. She grabbed Sharon's hand and proceeded to drag her the opposite way of the boy who smile melted into a smirk as they disappeared from his view.

"Really Alice, is it so difficult to act like a civilized person?" Sharon asked exasperated as she finally was released from other girls grasp. She sighed at the look on Alice's face as if saying she'd been ruthlessly insulted.

"Me!?! I am civilized. It's those idiot 'Princes' who need lessons in mannerisms. I've already have had to deal with two of those damn pretty boys today." She scoffed crossing her arms as if what she was saying was the absolute truth. They were perfect examples of shallow, superficial morons who got everything handed to them on a silver platter just simply because of the name they bore. And she simply detested this.

Sharon's look of disappointment easily shifted into a smile as she shrugged and laughed seeming to say it couldn't be helped. Looking up she saw a few students gathered around a board and she excitedly pointed. "Oh Alice, look there are the results! Let's take a look!"

Alice laughed as she watched Sharon run up and push through the small crowd. She waved her hand as if it was no concern, "Like we even need to check. But I guess I'll just have to simply confirm the fact for you." She walked up behind Sharon whose figure turned shockingly still making her misinterpret her actions.

"Oh don't worry Sharon I'm sure you'll do better next time-"

"Uhm no Alice that's not it, take a look."

She blinked twice before looking up at the ranking list and had to rub her eyes multiple times to make sure they working right. It felt like a pail of ice cold water had been poured over head all while a 800 pounds of weight had been thrown across her shoulders. Placing her hand to her face she swayed slightly as if about to collapse at any second but Sharon quickly grasped her arm, concern written all over face.

She shook her head in disbelief as her emotions soon changed to fury.

"JUST HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?!"