With nothing but the desolate faces of the hung portraits staring back at him, Ciel found himself alone in the usually crowded hallway. He was left in an intersection of other hallways and he couldn't remember which one had led him from the cafeteria. He looked down the small set of stairs Professor Michaelis had gone down and then the section across from it. Figuring it would be easier to find the cafeteria once he reached the lobby, the boy decided to test his, even if it was usually bad, luck and take the same route the professor had taken.
As he made his way down the stairs, a sudden 'chirp' caught him off guard causing him to lose his balance. Ciel grabbed onto the railing after slipping down a step. His luminescent eyes remained wide for a moment before he simply sighed. He picked up his dropped phone and noticed a new text from his cousin. The girls were heading back to their dorm so at least he just had to figure out how to get back to the lobby. The textbook that had been in his arms laid sprawled open on its spine a few feet in front of him. Picking up the book, he noticed a crisp sheet of notebook paper by his feet that must have slipped out. Ciel leaned back down and picked up the paper. The stained red ink caught his attention as well as the delicate script it was written in. It appeared to be a to-do-list of some sorts but a certain name caused him to read:
1: I. Leblanc - Finished
2: Check BSMT 3
3: Lock BSMT 3
4: E. Midford
5: Return to BSMT 3
Confusion struck Ciel as he skimmed through the words on the list. He didn't understand why his cousin's name was on the list or what the first name meant. He figured it was a school project list but what about the BSMT 3? While looking over the list in one hand and cradling the textbook in the other, Ciel followed the hallway out and miraculously ended up in the main lobby. He was half tempted to go to Elizabeth's room and ask the girls, but he wanted to relish the peaceful moments while Alois was still out of their dorm. The Sagittarius dormitory was bright and alive with students laughing and screaming in the lounge. He felt a wave of sadness as he passed by his old dorm on the first floor, knowing the only real friend he had made here was already miles and miles away.
X-X
The sound of water groggily stirred Ciel out of his sleep the next morning. The red velvet covers on the bed across from him were tosses diagonal on the bed, revealing black sheets. 'He must have came back when I was asleep last night…' He thought to himself as he pulled himself out of bed with a yawn. The golden spider-shaped alarm clock read just over 5:30 am. Classes were back on today and students had to report to 1st period by 6:45. Ciel made sure the shower was still running as he stripped out of his nightwear and changed into his uniform. He made sure his bed was made and grabbed his bag afterwards. Ciel mentally noted to set his alarm clock for 5am tomorrow to be able to get a shot at their bathroom and to get night showers.
Though many students were starting to fill the school hallways, Ciel was the first one in his class to make it to 1st period. He caught a brief smile from Professor Michaelis as other students sleepily wandered through the doors. The 45 minute class of analyzing literature flashed by too quickly and somehow he found his antisocial self returning the smile he had received at the start of class as he left with the flood of other teens. 2nd period of statistics, 3rd of European History, finishing with 4th of criminal law. The day seemed relatively calm and Ciel personally enjoyed listening to his new teachers and taking notes. Even Alois, who was in his 1st and 4th periods, had been quiet. Elizabeth and Rebecca met him outside his 4th period classroom and chatted peacefully among themselves on their way to lunch. He was still curious about the note and decided to ask the blonde about it later to see if she knew why her name was on the paper.
Elizabeth's group of girls were already gossiping away at their usual table. The two girls split up with him into another lunch-line as they made their way to the front. Ciel quickly grabbed a water and a cup of soup to get out of the ever growing monster of a line. The statuesque long glass windows by their lunch table shone from the incoming sunlight. He noticed outdoor tables and benches were set up into an outdoor courtyard. Already standing close to the door, Ciel slipped outside to get some fresh air. While he didn't mind Elizabeth and her friends, sometimes it was nice to be alone. Small trees were planted symmetrically in a line with sparse winter flowers surrounding the bottoms almost like blankets. The courtyard was practically abandoned due to the cold season with the exception of a single blonde seated far back of the area close to a marble fountain of a goddess with a bow.
Ciel stared quietly at the boy, surprised deeply at himself for wanting to sit with him. At the old boarding schools he had attended, it was always him found in the abandoned spots alone everyday during free time and meals. Thinking back to the note with red ink hidden deep in his bag, maybe his roommate could help shed some light on the first name on the list or BSMT 3. Taking a deep breathe and just praying this wouldn't blow back up in his face, Ciel made his way closer before silently slipping into the opposite side of the picnic bench. A sharp icy gaze scanned his face almost curiously before returning back to the notes in front of him. He sighed quietly in relief and cracked the lid open on his water bottle.
Ciel shook his leg under the table as he tried to think of what words to use. The list was most likely irrelevant to anything and unimportant yet it struck him for some reason. After another minute of silence stretched by he heard the page turn on the blonde's notebook.
"Are you just going to sit there fidgeting or are you going to talk?" Alois said with no particular interest in his voice, his eyes never leaving the notes in front of him.
Ciel felt a soft flush wash over him as he was yanked out of his thoughts by his voice. He hesitated for a moment before unzipping his bag and grabbing the note out of his folder. He passed the note to the other side of the table, pointing at 'BSMT 3'. "Do you know what this is?"
Alois' eyes scanned briefly over the note. He returned Ciel's gaze with narrowed eyes. "Basement 3? Not even here a week and already trying to break into the vault?"
Ciel felt his own blue eyes widen in surprise. "Vault? No I just didn't know-"
"The last person who was caught sneaking into Basement 3 was expelled. It's completely locked off to students. Didn't you bother reading the handbook?" The blonde's voice was similar to a scolding parent, it didn't seem the first time he had scolded 'bad' children. Silence stretched back between them as Ciel stared off at the fountain.
'Expelled? There's no way Lizzie would try and break into somewhere…. But why was it on the note?' He sighed quietly as he returned the note back to his bag, feeling even more confused than before.
"If you're really set on it, don't think I'm going to try and stop your little ass. The staircase leading down to Basement 3 is at the end of Corridor 7 on the first floor in the East wing."
Before Ciel could argue, his blonde roommate continued.
"Hannah will really be on my ass if another roommate of mine gets expelled so I'll go with you." Alois stated it matter-o-factly without a single concern for breaking school policy. Ciel stared back at him, his eyes even wider than before.
"We leave our room at 12 sharp after everyone's asleep. Be ready." With that final comment, Alois closed his notebook and slipped his bag over his shoulder. Ciel sat with eyes the size of dinner plates staring at the blonde as he walked out of the courtyard moments before the lunch bell rang, the chime ringing out and echoing sharply in his ears.
