Chapter 1- First Sight

"How did I end up here?" She stamped her foot in frustration. She heaved an exaggerated sigh as she looked around. Rose hedges a good 7 or 8 feet tall surrounded her. Their bright red blossoms opened happily to the bright sun overhead. She resisted the urge to break one, instead she satisfied her anger by glaring at their cheerful disposition.

"Oh sure, that's fine." She muttered, "Mock me all you like. I don't care!" She turned away from the hedge to an identical one behind her. "I'm being flippant to roses..." She cradled her forehead between her fingers.

She began to walk. Her head held high in false confidence. The perfectly manicured lawn beneath her sneakers felt spongy. When twenty minutes went by and the sun was directly above in the sky frustration was replaced with desperation.

A white gazebo peaked out of the hedge a few meters later. She threw herself onto the bench burying her head in her arms on the stone table.

"I swear to God I'm going to kill her and burn down this damn maze!" Just as she was about to scream a cool voice lilted onto the fragrant air.

"I wish you wouldn't."

Her head snapped up in surprise. The scream swallowed by surprise died in her throat. A boy with black hair and thin metal rimmed glasses sat at the table with her writing in a notebook. So startled was she that she couldn't speak.

"Those roses were imported from the gardens of Versailles and it took quite a bit of time and money to establish them here." The boy continued. His tone was even almost bored with insincere politeness.

"I didn't realize someone was here." She spoke after a long pause. "Excuse me."

She stood stiffly. Her shirt clung to her body from the sweat accumulated from her time in the maze. Remembering why she was there in the first place she raised her chin haughtily. She looked down at him with her best look of contempt. Her hair flipped out behind her as she sauntered away. His irritatingly calm voice stopped her.

"Are you by any chance, perhaps, lost?" There was subtle smirk in his voice.

"I wouldn't call that a brilliant deduction." She muttered wryly to herself. She began to walk again.

"May I be of assistance?" He pushed his glasses up his nose causing the sun to glint off of them.

"I'll be fine, thank you!"

"Oh?" His long strides caught up to her own easily. "Which entry did you come into the maze?"

"I see no reason to share that information with you." Her brows came together. She didn't even know how many entry points there were to the maze much less which one she came through.

The corridor came to a cross. She looked left then right and stepped forward. As she turned to go right the man spoke again.

"There's a dead end that way."

"I would appreciate it if you would leave me be."

She turned right anyways. Her stride became brisk as she hurried away from him. She turned the corner and was met with a dead end. She spun on her heel. Her face smacked into the man's chest. A breath later his hands encompassed her shoulders and held her out. His grip was firm and gentle as if there were a mathematical formula of pressure to apply and he knew the answer.

He sighed. It was the type of sigh an adult gives a particularly troublesome child. Anger and embarrassment rose in her. She took a deep breath, her fists bunched up at her side. He adjusted his glasses.

"Miss, please allow me to escort you out of the maze." His gaze searched her appraisingly. Her shoulders slumped beneath his fingers. Her blonde head simply nodded in assent. She avoided meeting his eyes her pride clearly hurt. "This way please." He held out his hand to usher her forward. Her heard the smallest of "thank you"s.

She followed him silently through the corridors of dark green leaves. He always waited at the end of each turn to allow her to proceed first. The chauvinist display grated at her nerves. At last an open area of grass broke into sight. She smiled with relief.

"Ah! Thank you." She bowed her head.

"Kyoya-kun!" A blonde boy shouted across the courtyard. An large group of boys followed.

"Kyo-kun, we thought you were lost! Don't go wandering off like that, kay?" A young boy with strawberry blonde hair clung the Kyoya's arm. A startling tall man with stern but stoic features stopped close by. He grunted in agreement.

"Where were you?" Twin red heads appeared each of their slightest movements in perfect unison. "The king was about to throw a search party for you."

The platinum blonde boy who called for Kyoya originally looked over the shoulder of a androgynous brunette. His lilac eyes brimming with tears. He whimpered Kyoya's name.

"Sorry about that." He adjusted his glasses. "I was escorting..." He looked taken aback. "My apologizes, we haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Ootori, Kyoya. Please to meet you..."

The girl had been using the commotion to inch away unnoticed. When the conversation found her she looked distinctly uncomfortable. She avoided their earnest gazes.

"Thank you for your help." She bowed again. Her movements unnatural and awkward. His gaze seemed to know everything. She felt her anxiety raise with each passing moment. "Excuse me!"

She spun on her heel and walked away so quickly it seemed she would break out in a run at any moment. She disappeared. Her long hair catching the light as she turned a corner.

"Ah?" Karou and Hikaru's voice rose. "She left quickly." They shared a look that melted into devious grins. "What were you doing in the maze with her?"

"I assure you, we just met."

"Hm? But who was she?" Haru spoke up for the first time. "I thought you knew everyone."

"Indeed." The uncertainty had been gnawing at the base of his stomach. Kyoya flipped through his phone. "If she is indeed a new student, she would have to be the American transfer. The daughter of giant beverage conglomerate- Pemberton, Leah."

"That would explain that outfit." The twins shrugged to themselves.

"What was wrong with her outfit?" Haru asked.

They looked to each other and sighed heavily.

"Kyoya what's wrong?" Tamaki approached him.

"I've never had my information be so off before if that was Pemberton-san."

"I guess even you can be wrong sometimes."

Kyoya didn't answer. His gaze lingering where she disappeared. In his files was a picture of a heavy set brunette with a full face and bright blue eyes. The eyes and height were similar, but the rest of his information was a far cry from the slight girl he met in the maze.