A/N: Oh me oh my. Never thought I'd have such a relaxing vacation away from the story. I've finally thought about it a lot and decided to change MANY aspects of it, especially the plot. Actually, it's not so much the plot since it's almost the same in a way, but more like the base of it (how it's presented). Kind of like instead of hugging a person and telling them you love them, you give them a heart candy and run away blushing. Nice huh? Er, well I tried hard enough and I think I managed a more interesting base for the story because the last one wasn't wholly keeping my interest really. Anyways, I hope you guys don't mind. I tried bending the current info you guys have to fit with this one, and I personally think it fits quite nicely if I must say so myself :3 Sad part is I just made it a whole lot more complicated (for both you and me). I'm trying I'm trying…
Note: A few verifications in case you guys don't know (or I forgot to mention. Stupid deja vu) since I'll start to work on other characters now. Everyone is in the 10th grade apart from Joshua (9th) and Aion, Rizelle, and Fiore (11th). Yes, I made Azmaria older than Joshua because I made her much more mature and it seems more suitable in my opinion. Adult and other future characters like Elder are teachers, campus supervisors, etc. I also find that there is a difference between a dean and a principal even if dictionaries say deans are head of school. I believe principals have higher standing even if both cannot exist at the same school. So in my story, a dean holds practically the same position as a vice principal.
P.S. - I decided it's too confusing with the chapter numbers so prologue is now considered chapter 1 x.x
Disclaimer: I said I don't own it! Leave me alone! (-fends off accusations-)
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Golden Mirage
Chapter 10: False Alarm
A graceful hand picked up a tall, black, shapely cut piece and moved it in front of a tiny white one standing erect one space from the edge.
Rosette watched her hands as droplets of blood dripped from her eyes.
"Joshua…"
She halfheartedly inhaled some blood before her eyes slipped out of focus and into blackness. A pair of warm arms wrapped around her when even her senses numbed leaving her unconscious. She seriously had to stop fainting like this, she thought. It was getting to be a habit and she had enough appalling tendencies as it was already. Now about the warmth, where was it coming from? She tried to move but found it difficult since there seemed to be something heavy lying on top of her hindering her movements. Groping around, she managed to weakly pull an arm free and reached up for whatever that invisible object was. Lifting her eyelids groggily, she quickly shut them again to save her eyes from the bright burning rays of light. Light cool fingers tapped her cheek then palm following, the whole mysterious hand cupped her face. She could feel the other person sitting on half her body with his or her face breathing right in front of hers.
What an idiot. Get off my stomach. A rough snarl rumbled in her throat and in response, she heard strange coughing. No, it wasn't coughing. This person on top of her was laughing. So much for being sick in bed. Wait…bed! Rosette's eyes flew open to find Joshua right in her face, grinning broadly and clamping his nose to keep from laughing out loud.
"What the hell?"
"Rise and shine sleepyhead!" Joshua trilled. He hopped off her bed and walked towards the door. "Hurry up and change, we need to get home soon." He turned around and tossed her clothes behind him where it landed softly into Rosette's lap. She looked down and realized she wasn't wearing anything. Gaping at his retreating back, she wrapped the blankets tightly around her and slid back under the covers.
Why am I in the school infirmary? Her head throbbed making her drop the thought entirely. With a grunt, she pushed the sheets off her head and pulled on her tank top. As she slipped into her faded jeans, she felt a lump in the back pocket. Reaching behind into the fabric, she pulled out a sapphire ring. The jewel had the same exact color and brilliance of her eyes and her eyes widened at the sight of it. What in the world was her mother's ring doing in her back pocket for? She could only wonder.
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Tapping her foot impatiently, Rosette jabbed at her cell phone again. Where the hell is he? she thought impatiently. That boy always left her behind when she needed him most but pops up when she could care less.
"-If you have a call to make, please hang up and try aga-" the female operator started. Rosette snapped her phone shut and bit her tongue. Shit.
She walked around campus hoping to find someone she knew. Of all things she would do if in extreme emergencies, walking home was not among those listed. Sighing, she wandered across the quad and stopped in front of a vending machine. Ice cream. That was what she needed right now: rich, cold, and refreshing. Stress apparently liked to thrive on her body like hungry fungus. Slipping in the dollar, she pressed the usual buttons and waited for the routinely humming of the vacuum sucking up her delectable treat. She bent down and reached her hand under the flapping window and caught the cool popsicle right before it hit the bottom of the slot. Turning her back on the machine, she ripped off the plastic, aimed for the trashcan, and missed horribly.
"Naturally graceless hm?"
Rosette twirled around to face the unidentified speaker. A girl slightly taller than her leaned on one leg with her hand to her hip. Her lengthy scarlet hair was pulled up into a high ponytail where it swayed gently in the nonexistent wind. She wore a tight, off shoulder lavender top finished with a slightly fluffed knee length skirt. On her feet, she wore lovely matching light purple heels topped with sparkling laces. She sported several other expensive looking accessories but Rosette wasn't gaping at any of these things. What made her stare was the humongous blue gemmed ring she wore on her left ring finger.
What? She's married! The girl smirked noticing where the sloppy blonde was gazing.
"Hello. I'm Satella, Satella Harvenheit," she held out her hand sophisticatedly, "I don't believe we've met properly before."
Rosette still had half her popsicle down her throat unaware that she was drooling down the stick. Realizing that the girl in front of her had expected her hand in return, she sucked the treat stuck to her teeth and held out the same hand oozing with drool and melted fruit juice. Satella jerked her hand back disgustedly at the absolute commoner in front of her.
"Mmph-" Rosette mumbled mouth still full. "Momesht Mushofuh."
Satella sneered, "Pleasure to meet you…Ms. Mush." Rosette regained her composure and swallowed the popsicle, stick and all.
"Um, why are you here?" she mustered. The red-head looked at her in shock but waved it off simply.
"Don't you know?"
"Know what?" Satella smacked her forehead like she was looking at a foreigner who was slow in the head.
"Prom," she said simply.
"It's today?" Rosette gasped, finally choking on the lingering stick in her throat. By now, Satella had lost her patience with this mush girl.
"NO. I'm a prom nominee. I'm checking the ASB room to make sure I'm chosen, which I obviously should be," she said matter-of-factly.
"…that's nice," Rosette muttered blankly. She had more important matters to deal with right now like finding a ride home and didn't need one of those rich arrogant girls that were always in her face every moment of her school life. Turning back to the trashcan, she spit out the stick and started walking towards the front gate. "Bye," she waved.
"Hold on a minute!" Satella huffed. The preoccupied blonde ignored her and continued to amble away. She clenched her skirt in irritation and after a minute or two, haughtily clattered after her. "Where are you going?" she asked. Heels just weren't meant to catch up to others, especially someone who didn't hear what one had to say. "God…damn you! Stop..walking…ya hear?" she breathed every few steps.
"What do you want?" Rosette ground out, turning around again. The girl stopped in front of her adjusting her dainty shoes and glared at her. "Well?" she asked impatiently, "I'm busy you know." Satella opened her mouth and closed it again. What was she walking after this girl for? She shook her bangs out of her hair and crossed her arms.
"What are YOU here for?" she asked indignantly.
"Nothing," Rosette answered flatly.
"Then why are you here?" This plain girl pissed her off, Satella thought scrunching up her nose. Why did she even care what she was here for?
"I'm not supposed to be. Look, unless you have some way to whisk me home, stop bothering me antennae-head," she snapped back. Her temper was flaring nicely again. A lovely flame grew in the pit of her stomach heating up the lines to her hotheaded brain. Yet again, she spun on her heel and stalked away.
Reaching over the tiny piece, the hand lifted up a similar piece to the candle-like one and moved it alongside its twin in front.
"WAIT!" the girl cried out, a hint of desperation audibly noticeable. This time, Rosette didn't hear her clanking after her.
"What is it NOW? Did I somehow magically break your heels and you need help?" She closed her eyes and sighed. Whipping around, she choked this time on her spit. On the ground, Satella sat clutching her heel looking pathetically mad at Rosette. Jeez, she was good at jinxing herself AND other people, she cursed.
"Well don't just stand there! Help me!" she honked. Rosette slapped her hand on her cheek and dragged it down her side in exasperation. Of all people she had to run into…why this one?
A shadow on the other side of the board reached for the tiny white pawn and lifted it gingerly, ready to strike.
"You owe me for this," she demanded.
"I do not. YOU broke my shoes and now you have to repay me!" Satella screeched.
"I'M NOT THE ONE WALKING IN THEM!" Rosette bopped her hard on the skull. "Stupid rich asses," she added silently. Satella pouted grudgingly but allowed Rosette to half carry her to the front of the school.
Faltering, the shadow smiled and replaced the pawn back on its original square…
Looking away defeated, Satella mumbled, "What do you need…?" Rosette smiled triumphantly. Finally, she was getting somewhere for once.
"A ride."
-End Chapter 10-
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A/N: Yea yea another short one. You guys can throw as many tomatoes (and ice cream) at me as you want because I'll just eat them:D I'll just let my author notes take me to 2000 words again somehow…It'll work, I swear. Anyways, the chapters will get a bit boring for now because I have to introduce everyone and that itself is quite a tedious job. Also, I hope you guys eventually like my new story outline (which won't be visible right now) although you can't really compare because you never saw the whole thing of the original. I guess I'll tell you guys eventually (maybe at the end of all this). It's really interesting why this story was such a "golden mirage". You'd be surprised at how much a single word could say despite the simplicity huh? Well, I decided to go with the trend and do dedicated chapters too (and since I finally hit 10 chapters/ 9 + prologues. Maybe I should hold a celebration every 10 real chapters, not every 9th XD) Ok, dedication question: I need ideas on how the current 'met' crew will meet with each other. Example, Azmaria becoming closer with Rosette, Satella meeting one of the other two, etc. You get my point. So, ideas anyone:) Most interesting idea wins! (this is such a typical dedication topic -.-;;)
P.S. – I reached 2000 words :3 (-peace sign-)