INNOCENCE (chapter one)

STARTING LINE

The main door has a sculpture of cherubim abreast the entrance. A girl was standing at the main door with wide consoling smile while looking at my direction.

As my feet touches the steps of the stairs, the wind moves strongly, my cotton skirt wipe abducting against my body.

”Welcome” her warm thin hands wrap around me, unclasps gently and invites me inside the building. I were amaze from what I am seeing; the red carpet along the floor way and the paintings in both sides that are all angelic. The interior was like a Greek style of house ages ago than an exclusive school, the ceilings have elegant chandeliers.

A church-like as the sun rays from outside strikes Gods images stained glass. I was like walking in the aisle for a wedding ceremony.

The girl begins to explain the rules reign over the school.

“First and foremost being part of this institution is not a track field but a maze.”

I hear what she’s saying but my head keep thinking for something -my life, my emotions and my future- I don’t know how to deal on my own.

“This is the 1^st floor it serves as the living room of the building. At your right side is the way through the Drama Theater. While at your left side is the prayer room.” I acquiesce.

No one can be seen around; classes starts before I arrived.

“There are two buildings dominated by this school, the other one is in the west side of this building.”

This school might be expensive, it reflects on how elegant it is inside out.

“You don’t need to worry for the expenses here, you’re arrival is just exactly for our need.”

Her word affects my curiosity, “What do you mean?”

“A sponsor had donated enough allowance for the students here, besides we know that someone will come,” glimpse at me. “That you’ll come” she said in a derisive voice.

“At any cost, I want to see the person who brought me here and thank him personally” I said without thinking if my tone seemed to be bossy.

“I don’t think so, he’s a busy man”

We walk through the stairways and reached the 2^nd floor. “If you trace that way” pointing the right side of the hall way, “You’ll see the dining room”

“This stairs is the way through the sports gym, the arts room, music room, and our mini museum.”

I stay in silence but nod, “Do you want to have a look?”

I shook my head; I don’t have enough energy to tour inside this enormous building. What I want is to go straightly into my room, put my things off and have a peaceful sleep.

We reach the third floor of the building but the hall seems not different from the last floors we passed by.

“The Supremes don’t want to change its appearance even decades passed. They believe that its structure will create new future for the students here.”

“Is this building has been used in history?” She laughed, “Not in history but for the future”

What’s the difference? History is the best path to track the future.

“Anyway, they don’t accept any suggestions from the students except for the councilors. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just explaining that there are limitations in this school. Never try to step on the line.”

“So, that President from the other building is-” pointing her forefinger in my face, “Not a type to deal with.”

And understanding your words makes it difficult for me…

Turning to the left, the things strikes my eyes are those paintings attached to the walls.

An angel in the garden posed as she was going to fly, her body was full of tattoo, no cloth, red-orange wings with blue and yellow color in lower part of it makes her sexy and charming.

At the left side of the wall are angels with Greek style of dress, handling different instruments "flute, harp, trumpet, and violin-like those I’ve seen in Greece, God and Goddesses alike. There was a green oil painting of an angel; her green heart-shaped wings are slightly curved in front of her.

“It is placed ages ago”

I can’t hold my amusement towards the school’s wall paintings, “It’s amazing!” I exclaim. I turn my head from left to right, sighs no one overhears what I’ve said.

She turns at me, “It’s your door,” point her thumb on the door at her back, “Thanks. It’s pretty far”

“I hope it’ll help you to move on,” she smile and I did the same.

“I’m going, condolence” she step on my left side and walk to her next destination.

When I’m about to barge in the room, my eye spotted the painting parallel in my door. It was still a picture of an angel but there’s something different, our eyes look exactly the same but obviously she was more beautiful and arousing. She’s sitting in a gold elegant Queen like chair -her eyes replicate crestfallen, lament and tormented. In her back was white and blue just like the heavens formation.

“Lady Rumely” the girl said. I look at the girl, her orange eyes are also gazing at the painting, shoulder-length hair dyed as the color of her eyes, “That’s what she called here.”

“She’s the future successor of Shamain heaven. Pretty and brave. But when it comes to love, her heart melts and forgot her mission,” she added.

The girl glared at me, “Life has intolerable facts,” walks away and slightly waves her hand. I glimpse at the painting and leads to my room.

The bed was placed at the left side of the room and has red curtains attached to the ceilings down to the rims of the bed. The linen was soft, smooth and floppy; refreshing as the ocean; as comfortable as I was lying in my mother’s arm. One florescent bulb centered in the ceilings and a lampshade above the study table, under it was a collection of different books "old yet dustless- a pencil pleat shaped tiebacks white curtains on the direction of the balcony in the right side of the room. I open the window and walk towards the balcony -it’s a glass window- its design was composed of still Greek Gods and Goddesses miniature.

Are the Managers here all from Greece?

My sight can cover the whole part of the University but when I lowered my head, I can only spot the big Acacia tree, the branches we’re dancing, the dried leaves we’re falling and the soft sound of nature was alluring and complacent to be in that place.

Why would I feel more isolated and afflicted.

The wind is too freezing and chilly, I close the window but a shadow of someone caught my eye, I put my attention back down the Acacia tree, no one is there and I continue setting up my things. The huge brown cabinet across my bed contains old ancient style of cloth, I remember what the girl said before; the Supremes don’t want to change its appearance even decades passed. They believe that its structure will create new future for the students here.

“I thought it was just the appearance” hand one of the clothes and place it in front of my body, “Well, it’s simple but elegant,” then I put it back inside the cabinet.

It takes hours when I’d finish, a knock at the door awake my stomachs rumbling.

I unclose the door, “Hi! Here’s your handbook” said the girl “Thank you.” I replied and get the handbook, place it above the table, I glance over the girl, she’s waiting outside my room, and forgot to invite her to come inside, “Sorry… please come in.” I invited.

“No, it’s fine, I just want to ask you if we can have dinner together but you don’t need to force yourself if you don’t like it, I’m just trying-” I heard her stomach growls, I smile.

“Actually I’m starving” her lips formed an upward curve, “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” she holds my right arm and tug me along the way through the dining area.

It was arranged in a buffet style, the menu seems to be all special, delicious and expensive. It’s all unfamiliar to me since my mother always prepares veggies for dinner. “Don’t worry, it’s all free. Eat until you can” I look at her for a second, as if the girl can read what’s on my mind. We sit beside the orange-eye girl I saw earlier.

“You’ll know a lot of things here especially the thing that bothers you” hearing that line I suddenly ask, “Do you have telepathy?”

“Normal people don’t have it.”

Astound, “What do you mean? You have an extraordinary-’’

I saw the orange-eye girl rolled her eyes, “Duh! Don’t be stupid. Of course she’s abnormal.”

“Having telepathy is not abnormality, it’s a gift.”

“Well, it’s a curse for some”

I widened my eyes hearing what they both said, “Curse for some? Is everyone here have that-”

“You’ve mistaken it Wil. I can see what’s on people’s mind through their eyes.” She contradicts and winks at me.

Before I even ask how it is possible, she intelligently answer my question, “Don’t you know that people have the ability to tell lies but no ability to hide the truth in their eyes?”

“Anyway, I’m Sharmaine Tumbaga, the one who handle transferee’s and each student’s profile. I’m also responsible for Brilliant Academy’s matters. You can call me Sharz”

“I’m Princess Sarah Enriquez, they often called me Sarah.” The orange-eye girl said.

“She’s Wilhelmina Zara, a transferee,” Sharz introduced me.

“I can ask her by myself and she can tell me all by herself,” Sarah irritatingly said.

I no longer apprehend what they were saying; I’m not in the mood since my parents had passed away last week.

I just examined the people inside the dining room looking from afar; the students are wearing two different style and colors of uniform. There are students who wear white long sleeve, plain white cotton and fabric skirts, black high sock and white closed shoes just like what my two new friends and me is wearing and for the boys, same style but they were wearing plain white cotton pants.

The other’s we’re violet long sleeve, stripe violet cotton skirt, black high sock and black closed shoes.

 “After having your dinner, please proceed to the Drama Theater. Thank you” the announcer repeats it three times before they turn off the microphone, the students starts murmuring.

“The Black Academy is the most influential here in the University.” Sarah look at other students who start murmuring.

“They prepare the activities for the whole class in this school,” Sharz added while eating her last piece of cake.

“So we have an activity this evening?” turning my head to every side of the dining area.

“Unfortunately, the Drama Theater is exclusively for the Black Academy its part of their academics while the audiences, meaning the Brilliant Academy, needs to write a reaction paper about the Drama that we’ve watched.” Sharz explained.

“What is the difference between the Black and Brilliant Academy?” I interrogate.

“That’s a good question. Well, most of them are from Royal Family in different countries, they’re appealing and interesting but too dangerous to befriend.”

Dangerous to befriend? My mind repeats.

They suddenly stand and drag me out of the area and walk to the Drama Theater

The first thing that I advert is the stairs arrangement of the seat, just like what I see in ordinary movie theater. Students from the Brilliant Academy sit near the stage while all the Black Academy sits in the upper part of the theater. They look all charming and professional, the facts why the other Academy admire them. They shut off the lights -the spotlight beamed in the center of the stage- the brimming red curtain opened and the person who seen in the stage was the narrator, she has long eye lashes, dressed in black crystalline gown and started the story, her voice is powerful and loud enough; no microphone used.

The drama is said to be a romance story, work of William Shakespeare entitled Romeo and Juliet. The guy who takes Romeo’s role is tall, dark and handsome. A perfect characteristic to be the leading man, has cute little dimples, base voice and sharp looking eyes. His way of releasing his dialogues seems that he didn’t rehears it but his voice is so gentle and manly which make him cool and amiable in the eyes of the audience with real emotions.

O, speak again, bright angel!
As powerful as my love suddenly sprout
As a winged messenger from heaven
Those sparkling immortal eyes

Is a way to my life, vanishes my death

Red-blooded lips that I want to kiss

Those are the lines he’d spoken; everyone from the brilliant Academy feel that the lines we’re delivered for them. His eyes we’re really sharp yet so melting. I become curious when I remember that he’s a guy not to deal with but as I can see, from the day class reaction towards him, it’s a bit confusing. The leading lady, who acts as Juliet is cute, has long hair and violet colored eyes. She got the right appearance as Juliet, innocent but willing to fight for her love, and when she addresses her lines, her voice we’re soft and captivating.

 

O Romeo, Romeo Montague!

You, who cannot deny his ancestry,

You, who cannot shout my name,

You, who cannot surrender thy blood

Why did I fell?

O, Romeo escape to this cursed fate

Stay with me for eternity

Forget your life, create new one

For my new life I’ll no longer be a Capulet

 

Those awful words of Juliet make everyone’s heart in pain, how could love be love in the eyes of them if they’re from families who treat each other as great enemies? I thought.

At the climax of the story, the audience shouts when another guy comes into the picture "thick eyebrows, brownish hair, white skin and kissable red lips-. He was too perfect to be human, too perfect to exist. They we’re using swords in fighting. The fight was ideal, many students from the white class reacts when the guy almost kill Romeo.

At the end, Romeo wins the battle yet decided to commit suicide beside her not knowing that she’s still alive and when she’s about to stop him it was too late, she cried and kill herself. The other part of the story is a young looking girl act as the leading lady’s mother. She acts as a professional. The love between them becomes love, a love of immortality.

Many students from the Brilliant Academy cried for the sad ending of the drama but for the Dark Academy it was just a drama, part of their academics and always a successful project.

At the last part of the drama, the characters introduce themselves. The mother named Rowela, the leading lady who takes the role of Juliet named Melody, the leading man as Romeo named Rod, he’s also the president of Black Academy,  and the attention getter of all, named Gee. It seems that he’s really popular for the white class.

I notice that the guy smile and winked at me. The lights at the theater open and the two girls pull me towards the exit.

“Oh my God, they’re really admirable, hey did you two noticed Rod’s dimples? It’s so cute! What about Gee’s eyes?”

“Sarah will you stop that good points of them? You’re giving me ghost bumps,” Sharz irritated and forge ahead of us.

“See what I mean?” She rolls her eyes upward, “She’s really an abnormal. She don’t even attract by the Dark student’s charisma.”

Sharz curved her eyebrows upward while slightly shook her head, “Really? Hey Wil did you find them attractive?”

I don’t know what to say "I’ve been really attracted to Dark Academy’s students but I don’t want to disappoint Sharz- “Uhm, I think…” the two glare at me waiting for answer, “People have different points of view” I smiled.

Sigh, “Just what I’ve thought you’re not going to answer directly,” said Sharz.

“That only means, she’s on my side” Sarah holds my shoulders while looking at Sharz in teasing manner.

“Whatever!” she turn her back at us.

“Wait, I didn’t say that I’m on the other side. I want to be fair” I said and give them a wide smile.

“It was like the love between Lady Rumely and-” Sharz cover her mouth, “It’s getting late” she interrupt.

The two walked through their room while I sneak in my room.

From this school and to the students here, are still mysterious for me. There’s something they can’t tell me directly or keep it as their secret, well I cannot blame them since it was just my first day here.

I arrived at this school as early as I thought yet my body feels tired in travelling and fixing my things, I lay down in bed.

The room is in complete silence until I heard footsteps inside my room, I open my eyes, a guy jumps in my bed and covers my mouth “Shhh… don’t shout,” the guy said.

“You might disturb the students who are deadly asleep.” I nod and he gently put away his hand.

He’s right, if I shout people might be disturbed. Besides I know that they would be on this guy’s side since they we’re too attracted at him earlier at the Drama.

“Where did you-” I look at the window, and check it.

Gee smirk while gazing at me observably, “You forgot to lock it.”

I know that I really forgot to lock it, there’s no person who’s able to pass through the window. But I guess, I underestimated the skills of the students here especially this guy who’s from Black Academy.

He circle and examine me from head to toe, stand before me and clasp my chin, “You’re cute!” he said.

I move my face away from his hand and step backward, evading his stares, move towards my study table diagonal to him, “I think you entered the wrong room.”

He sat on the edge of the bed and glare every part of the room, “I know… It’s pretty big for yah” he replied.

I become irritated. It’s too tiring day for me yet I can’t make a rest. I folded my arms above my chest. “So, why are you here… Mr. Gee?” I stare at him waiting for an acceptable reason.

Gee glance back, I can’t determine if he got mad when I called him in his name. Suddenly his mouth form an upward curve, “Even a newbie knows me” he said in overbearing tone.

“FYI, you’ve introduced yourself after the Drama” I remind him in a high tone voice.

“You’re intelligent” he replied. “You’re just stupid” I whisper.

He move forward and put his arm around my neck, his face near mine, “Are you saying something?” I push him to the window, “Why won’t you just go and return to your dorm and have a deep rest?”

On the spur of a moment his eyes stack at the door’s direction, “Someone’s coming” I trace his look and someone knock on the door. I move one pace at a time, feeling nervous, and disclose the door. There’s no one outside, my heart beats fast. I glance at him for a moment and when I’m about to shut the door, the corner of my eye caught the girl lying in the floor, I immediately grab the girl’s arm around my neck while Gee help me to put her at my bed.

“She’s also a dark class student,” starring at the girl’s long glossy shiny hair.

“Yeah, well I have to go” I stand, he put his mouth in my ears, “Don’t tell her that I went here,” then he jumps off the balcony and run away.

I was amaze and wonder, “Is he… a human?” I whisper at myself.

After a few minutes, the girl woke up; she first saw the ceiling before I, “Are you ok?” the girl nod. I sigh, “Do you want anything?”

The girl holds my face, “Can I stay here… with you?” she asked. We have an eye to eye contact before I speak, “Of course, anytime you want.” Then I touch the girl’s forehead, through this, the girl catch Z’s.

What does this girl have? She makes me feel that I owned her as my sister.

An hour goes by but I can’t make even a nap. I revel watching Melody’s consoling face but then I settle to walk through the window and feel the airs solidify coldness.

I touch the stone fence of the balcony and undergo a vision; a woman is standing in my place staring at the man, but the face is not clear because the vision is blurred. I notice that tears rolling over the face as if I’m the one who’s crying, the man lift his hand to reach the woman nevertheless it is impossible.

I actuate away my hand and gasps, my cheeks were wet of tears. The scene had a great impact in my sleeping soul, awakening my speculative senses.

I look at my hand and touch it, feel my own caress when a blood drops in my palm out of nowhere. I try to wipe the blood but as I remove the blood, it spread more and more until it scattered all over the fence of my balcony. I was panicking and falls into the floor because of fear and my eyes focus at the woman in white standing in front me.

I crawl backward near the side of my bed and close my eyes with my arms around my head.

Don’t open your eyes Wil, I don’t want to see it. I’m scared.

I keep repeating in myself. My body stops shaking of fear when I heard a soft and hypnotizing sound. The wind blows vehemently, my night dress almost carried by the wind. Now, I had the courage to uplift my head and stare at the balcony. No one is there, just the moon and the stars watching me for the night. I stand. My smooth hair covers my face, I tag it at the back of my ears and close the window and track the sound downstairs.

I pace forward at him but then he stops; I open my eyes felt tense, I don’t know what to say, the guy might be angry if I ask him wrongly but then I talk, “Did I… Did I disturb you?”

The guy face me, his red scary eyes were sharp just like in the drama he’d performed earlier. I could feel like his slicing me into pieces through his glares, but he didn’t speak and choose to pass over me.

“Hold on…” I exclaimed. My heart beat faster, he stopped walking.

What did I do? I’m really dead now!

I turn back, not knowing what to say or what is my purpose in making him to stop, “I…” stammering tongue, “I want to hear you play” I finally said with guilt inside, feeling selfish for saying it as a command and not a request.

I didn’t mean it but seeing his eyes, I was alarmed.

Rod move his feet forward in my direction and said, “What?”  I don’t want to repeat what I’d said because his eyes become sharper like a knife starting to cut my skin.

“Do you even know me to interrupt what I’m doing and please to stay with a careless and annoying girl like you?” I avoid his gaze.

“Y-you’re… You’re the President of Black Academy” I answered.

The guy holds my hair and put my bangs in the back of my ears, “Do you even know how dangerous I am for a thorn in the flesh like you?” his eyes meets mine, hold my right face with his right hand and whisper, “I can even kill you at this moment” he ended.

All cells had stops functioning when those words we’re clearly register in my mind. I push him with all my strength, but he didn’t fell, he’s still stronger than me. I breathe heavily and put my hand across my chest while gasping.

“Don’t ever try to cling on me if your life is important to you” it’s his final words before leaving her in the middle of the night.

I almost felt that he’s really killing me that moment, his eyes we’re scary… How can a human kill another human without any reason? Is he that brutal to do that to a person who had just agitated what he’s doing? He’s no longer a human owning such frightening words.

I decided to return in my room when I notice a man standing near the backyard. I stare at him but what I can see is his shadows, it’s too dark in his place.

That guy… I lie down beside Melody and gaze at her those unlawful words make him, different from her and Gee.

“Where did you go?” Melody sits as a greeting.

I hold the blanket; lay my body, “Why? Did I awake you?”

“I think so, you’re not here. Don’t leave me alone.” I nod at her and feel caress Melody give me.

I close my eyes, and a dream start, from the entrance gate of the school, to the floors of the building up to my room, it was not just a dream, and it was a vision of something I can’t explain. The air inside the room, the winds singing voices and the softness of the bed, I can feel it all.

I saw the lady was standing in the balcony, she looks happy and in love. A man jumps from the window. His arm grabs her waist and kisses her in her lips. I could hear their lines yet incomprehensible, as if I’m in the present time of the scene but they can’t see me. I know it because they didn’t pay attention on me. The two dance inside my room without music. Their faces was too blurred to familiarize just like my vision at the balcony, the night was freezing and romantic. I notice the girl was crying, he wiped her tears and hold her tightly in his arms. The guy kisses the woman in her forehead down to her nose until to her lips. The kiss was sweet and tender; I can feel the pressure of heat inside the lovers’ body. His lips over her lips, his hand is crawling inside her shirt, her long fingernails touching his hair, and their first night together happened. They make love.

I’m awake. My body is all sweat, gasping for an air.

Author's Note

I know some grammars sucks... still I want to know what do you think about the content. If this was good enough then I'll continue it but damn..I'm not good enough.. agh!

btw the lines from their drama is not the real lines on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I just change it to avoid plagiarism