Ghost in the Roses

Chapter 14

"Do I bore you, Mr. Rivers?!" the sound of my name comes crushing down.

I should have been taking notes all along, but the last thing I recall doing is sitting down at my regular seat. The rest is a blur.

"Sorry, sir. Can you repeat please?" my posture springs up.

"The laws that determined the ruling in Lady Valybrig vs. Sir Koronof?" Sir Dima folds his hands behind his back.

Shit. I didn't realize we were that far along into the discussion.

"Umm... the ruling, right. It's...um..." even though I perfectly know the answer, nothing intelligent went past my lips. All I could do is make noise that only resembles speech.

"Mr. Rivers, leave my class," Sir Dima decides that I wasted enough of everyone's time.

"Yes, sir," regretfully, I get up.

This never happened to me before. Always, I come to class prepared and deliver. This is messing with my head and I've got to get her out of my mind. Sit on the hall bench is all I can do. In silence, I hear someone's muffled voice behind the classroom door answer my question.

Why did I ever had to meet her? Why did she choose to dance with me? Who is she? I feel so stupid for becoming such an easy target. Ever since that night, I realized that I'm just a dumb little lamb.

There's still an hour and a half left of my banishment, then I'll have a second chance in a different class to redeem myself. Until then, I'm left to wonder the hollow halls. So, it catches me by surprise to find that the corridor isn't completely soulless. In a corner of my eye, a shadow turns a corner. Which is unusual, since our uniforms are bright white.

In the much calmer past I would have let it slide and not give it a second thought, but under current circumstances I feel necessary to follow.

Like a slithering serpent, I'm careful to catch the spot where I took notice of the sneaky ghost. My peaking eyes see nothing. That only heightens my senses. I know what I saw. It's real...and intelligent. It must have known that I would follow, otherwise it wouldn't hide away from me.

I step out in plain view, hoping to entice the predator that roams the halls.

"Anita, come out. I know you're here," I'm stern, but not loud enough to cause an echo.

She knows that if she doesn't cooperate, I could get a lot louder; something that she wouldn't want. We're in my world this time.

"Hi, Adrien," she gives up her sanctuary behind a column.

"You shouldn't be here," I grab her by the upper arm to keep her from sneaking away.

"You're right. My entry is not authorized and I'm not welcome here," Anita looks me dead in the eye.

My hand squeezes harder. I should expose her for what she is.

Anita gasps, but dares to keep looking at me, "Then alert your superiors. All you have to do is point me out. Just yell."

I hold of her as she awaits her fate. This is up to me. All I have to do is squeeze harder and alert the hall guard. If she's going to try to escape, I have the authority to use greater force and unable her. I can have her arrested. I can have her imprisoned. I should have her arrested and imprisoned.

Yet, I can't. I won't. Instead of doing what I'm supposed to, I let go. But as smart as she is, she doesn't take the chance to flee.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper.