Black Rose

Chapter 1

I was standing in front of an office door in the Moonlight Dorm at 7:30 a.m. A brass plate set into the door read: ALPHONSE SCHUBERT'S OFFICE. The door was of the finest material which was painted in a dark brown.

I tried to press my ear against the door to hear something but to my disappointment, I heard nothing. The dorm was silent and no students were in sight because they attended classes. Everyone else except me.

I knocked lightly on the door and here a “Come in,” from the inside. I slowly turned the bronze doorknob and walked in, only to be greeted by a “Hello, Angie.”

“Hi, Al,” I replied.

One could say that I’m a totally peculiar girl. I mean, who would greet the principal a casual hello after causing trouble? The answer would obviously be me. Alphonse Schubert was dressed in long black slacks, a turtleneck the color of snow, and black leather shoes.

I wore a black lacy gothic top with a huge black ribbon tied in a rose positioned on my chest, a black lacy neck accessory, white sleeves that are apart from my top with black ribbons, black stockings, and knee-high black boots. I was a 17 years old teen, Alphonse was 28. I had mismatched eyes, an emerald left and a crimson right, Alphonse’s was a pair of deep blue orbs. I was British, he was German.

“Please sit,” he gestured to a chair by his desk and I sighed before sitting down. His office walls were painted a light shade of blue and its shelves were cluttered with books, pictures, and artifacts of important value.

“So, you do know why you’re here right, Angie?” he asked.

“Oh, please. Pete has already given me a short ‘briefing’ on why you wanted my presence.”

I groaned in an anticipation of misery. Who in the world likes freaking sermons? I, no doubt, surely despise them.

“I am very disappointed with you, Angie. I have received complaints from the Blood Dorm concerning your behavior towards some of the students that reside there. It’s the 20^th complain this week and I am stressed! What did you do this time?” he stated with a depressing sigh.

“It was an accident, really!” I defended, “Well, actually it’s sort of an accident. You see, I was walking in the cafeteria with Alice when the Darrow sisters blocked our way. They were picking on my best friend and not realizing that the Paella in my tray had garlic in them, I threw it at their faces then they started to burn and stuff. Maybe you should try concocting anti-garlic meds for them now other than those day walking and image reflecting pills you’re giving them.”

Alphonse buried his face in his palms and exhaled deeply. He stared at me for a while before standing up and walking to a drawer that held my “neat” record. I rolled my eyes after. I noticed something at the center of his desk and stared at it. A solid gold, ten-inch pendulum suspended from a pyramid of three gold sticks. The ball of the pendulum was a large, deep green emerald.

I could feel him looking at me as I flick the pendulum with my finger. “Not a very beautiful piece,” he said, opening the folder he was holding,”but not without value. By the look of its stone, I’m guessing that it may have come out of a Turkish sultan’s collection, probably in the late eighteenth century. What do you think?”

I shrugged.”Maybe, but it might be older, perhaps early eighteenth century. No doubt it’s Turkish, though. The gold is finely worked.”

Alphonse returned his attention to the folder he was holding and I watched the gentle sway of the pendulum. I looked across the desk and asked,”So, is this still going to take more time? I’m missing two class periods already.”

“We still have something to talk about.”

“Personally or is it about my record?” I joked and saw a smile curve his lips.

“I'd say personally. I keep up with your activities through your teachers and all but your personal life is quite different.”

“Touché,” I grinned. We were always like siblings. We’re close, we exchange secrets, and more of those sibling-like stuff. “Well, I could say that things are getting pretty interesting.”

He raised a brow. “Anyone I know?”

“Probably, but before we could go into true confessions, don’t you think that this isn’t the right time and place to talk about my personal life? Well, I know that you’re my legal guardian and all but you’re the head of this enormous Academy. You have works that are much more important to deal with that me,” I shrugged.

Then he stood up and pulled me into a tight embrace. “I know, I know. But it’s just that I can’t stop worrying about you nor do I have time to see you other that you being sent to my office every week and all,” he muttered by my ear making me shiver.

I pulled away and smiled, “I better be going, Al.”

He nodded and moved away before rustling my hair with his big, strong hand. “I do hope we won’t meet again in this office with the same complaint very soon,” he teased.

“Don’t worry. I won’t work you too hard. I’ll try to restrain myself as much as possible.” I grinned.

He laughed,” When you say not to worry, is when I worry the most.”

I looked down at the pendulum. It slowed considerably and was nearing the point where friction would win out.

“Nothing is forever,” Alphonse said, “No perpetual motion.”

“Very true,” I replied, “and too bad. Bye, Al”

“Goodbye, Angie.”

I leaned forward and extended my index finger into the pendulum’s field of motion. The emerald stopped against it. I smiled at Alphonse before leaving his office.