A/N: OK so I wasn't very pleased with the last chap and it was quite evident that most of you aren't either. Anyway I decided to do better but since this thing is done I reread and rechecked it only. The plot is on strong.

Kinshima – I appreciate the insight of my grammar and punctuation actually. But it was quite evident that it was Marie (in the first scene) who spoke bec. Rima is on a plane leaving for Paris (check chap. 23). So there was no way she could talk and inter-act with Takuma. And , quote : Then all of a sudden, Shiki speaks on the plane and it's back to Marie. I didn't quite get it. Did you ever mean Shiki and Marie talking in the end? I appreciate your review though and thanks for giving me an honest criticism. You were a help!

P.S. I also made a mistake about forgetting to put this -x- in those scenes for chap. 24. this must've been the reason for the confusion. again, I'm so sorry!

On to the story then!

25

She arrived. finally. FINALLY! she wanted to kiss the ground and sing in high spirits. for a moment, she had forgotten all of her problems. The very first thing she saw was the beautiful sky with all it's silver stars. Then as her gaze lowered down, she saw the breathtaking Eiffel tower. Her saliva hitched up her throat just by looking at it. She bit her lip and walked step by step to take a cab.

She spotted one.

"Bonjour" greeted the driver. "Where to madame?" He asked in an accent filled with French.

"Err, to le fait de modeler université."

The cab drove into the city lights and it was so breathtaking that she regretted not buying any camera for this.

-x-

She looked up and saw THE school. school? more like a manor, no a palace. It was twice the size of Cross Academy. although it's wall colors reminded her greatly of Cross. She breathed deeply and knocked twice on the wooden ornate door.

"Yes?" A woman peeked at her appraisingly.

"Um, hi. I'm Rima Touya. I'm looking for mistress-"

"That's me." The door opened wider and the dainty woman let her in.

"You look lovely mademoiselle!" She complimented. taking her fur coat and her baggage.

"Ah, thank you mistress."

"I am glad that you arrived here safely. I take it that you trip was enjoyable on the least bit?"

"Yes it was okay, thank you." Rima examined everything inside. the huge carpeted staircase,high golden frames and the candelabra at the most center part. It was like back in those century old movies.

"I will tour you tomorrow morning around. I'm sure the students would be pleased to meet you. right now you must be exhausted from jet lag, why don't we go up and I will show you around to your dorm room?"

"That sounds great." Rima agreed.

"Follow me then."

The halls were deserted. Of course it was inevitable. After all it was 1 A.M. in the morning. who would go and lounge around here? She was curiously looking at the frames that were on the walls. endless faces of beautiful people,paintings and paintings of it.

Then she saw one particular frame that made her eyebrows go up to the tip of her forehead. "Oh."

The Mistress heard her reaction and turned to look at what she was staring at.

"That's Senri Shiki." explained Lena. " From Tokyo. he's also a model, it was Marie Hinato who painted this. Ms. Hinato is a well-known model and artist here. you must recognize him?" She asked Rima. Senri Shiki was sitting on his garden house, the vivid chestnut hair was very remarkable and his smile was pleasant.

Rima's heartbeat started to pound so hard. Then her eyes closed and she slowly shook her head. "No. I don't know him.."

"Very well. let us move then."

"yes please." Rima agreed whole heartedly,before she had the urge to rip that painting apart and stomp on it's frame.

-x-

The first rays of Paris sunlight hit her, it was evening(for her and the rest of the vampires that is). she wanted to sleep. But then, she realized she had to change her sleeping patterns. She wasn't inter-acting with vampires anymore. She had to be extra careful about that. She grabbed her dosage of blood pills and took them.

from the windows, she saw the wrought iron structure that still was breath-taking. Eiffel tower was indeed one-of-a-kind. She prepared herself for the morning's lesson.

Gym class, yoga, french class, german class, english class,cosmetics class, art class,pictorial class.. Rima sighed. everyday was like this.

Three hours gym class, two hours yoga one for german,english,french and art, three hours in both cosmetic and pictorials. twelve hours in all. Her mind was exhausted just thinking about it.

She had to wake up 5 A.M. in the morning and do some jogging, enter the huge gym and work on her legs then on her arms and stomach. Rima moved on then to yoga. She did a lot of strecthing and her body ached, and hurt. Then her head ached more memorizing all those accents and words they were asked to copy and recite next meeting. In cosmetic class, she relaxed a little because she just had to sit there and apply everything on her face. During pictorials, she had to stand up and do those poses the artist would ask. At the end of her first day, she was literally walking like an old woman, she collapsed on her bed gratefully and slept. ready for another morning.

- x-

Rima woke up in the middle of the night, blanket askew and forehead sweating. She had this horrible nightmare of eating camera lenses and drinking chestnut-colored water.

As she tried to lower down her heart beat, her thoughts came across to Senri Shiki again. It was disturbing, to say the least. She had, by all means, attempted to forget any thing that would lead her to think of him. and still he was there in her head. the endless black and white re-runs of memories.

unforgettable mermories.

It was pitiful , because all she ever had now was memories. Funny how those mind things work. When you see the person you've been eager to see for ages, you'd forget about any crap about retention. But when you can't see them anymore, you'd start musing again.

complicated.

That was the life she had left in Tokyo. once again- pitiful.

And the bigger issue was, how was she going to survive Paris if she had only very little money?

Keeping Shiki's money check never crossed her mind once. nor did she regret the merciless tearing of it into pieces.

This was her problem. Not his. or any body else's.

-x-

"I will pay you twice the amount if you let me rent this plane to Paris." Marie dropped a bulging envelope.

"B—but , madame , I am sorry but someone has already—"

"Cancel them. I have always been a priority client right?" she demanded. "Or shall I contact your manager and fire you here?"

"No , please!, I.. I shall inform the other tenant to cancel." The worker bowed fearfully.

"Good I want to go Paris two hours from now , Prepare everything else."

"Yes Mademoiselle." He bowed again and scrambled for the telephone.

Marie stared out the agency window with content. Shiki was going to pay. And Rima, is going down. No one was going to dump her easily because it was an insult to be. So , she had come up with this ingenius plan. She was going to Paris ahead of Senri and may the best woman win. They just wait and see who suddenly placed them to shame.

-x-

What do you guys think about this? Let me know. oh and to all those who Favorited me , this story and my other stories a big THANK YOU SO MUCH! I will mention you all once chapter 30 is up! :)