Finding Beauty (Believe)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

This has not been edited.

The light of the moon shines a path through the dark narrow staircase I run up to avoid the fire surrounding the castle. Everywhere I look, the prince is nowhere to be found, but the sad cries and cracks of the flames eating all things that encircled it. Reaching the top, I catch my breath at sight of a dark shadowy figure that stands at the edge. Instantly, my body goes numb and anxious to see the mysterious figure before me.

"Madeline," I hear a soft voice wake me from my dream. Two blue eyes stare at me with concern as Damon gives me his sweet smile.

I blink my eyes quickly and look around to see the classroom mostly empty. "I fell asleep again?" I say in disbelief. Ever since last year, my freshman year of college, I've been slowly developing this same dream and growing more restless in my sleep. It's surreal, but my boyfriend of two years, Damon, has been my grasp of reality.

A soft kiss is planted on my forehead after Damon says, "I'll lend you my notes later. I have to get to practice before I'm late again." He stands up and throws his backpack on, revealing his brawny tan arms underneath his plain black shirt. "Don't fall asleep in your next classes," he says quickly while giving his blonde hair a quick fix as he begins walking down towards the exit.

I watch Damon leave, his shoulders back and walking proudly. Sighing, I look back down at my stuff on the table, trying to collect my thoughts about the dream. It was the first time that I've ever seen that dark shadowy figure appear. Could it have been the prince that I was looking for all along?

"Son, you can't be falling asleep in class every day," says Professor Lismore to the student in front of me. He wore a denim button-up shirt with tan jeans that are tucked into his brown leather boots. He has light brown hair that is gelled up and out of his face, highlighting his broad jaw line.

"I get it, I get it," the student waves off Professor Lismore. He stands up to reveal his tall height, collecting his things in a black backpack with a light brown leather accent. "Pops, philosophy is too easy... could you try to make it more challenging so I won't fall asleep?"

Everything about this guy made me feel warm inside, a feeling that I couldn't understand. Maybe I've had him in a different class of mine that I couldn't depict at the moment, but one thing that really caught my eye is the small red glow from his ring.

A big ruby red circle gem that's embedded into gold plating that matches Professor Lismore's square ruby gem. The two notices the glow from each of their rings; Professor Lismore's eyes grow large as he covers the two rings with his big palms. Quickly his eyes search the room, stopping to stare at me.

"Kyler, leave now," the Professor urges, pushing the boy towards the exit with his eyes glued to me. Kyler fights back, but reluctantly leaves the room; a couple students still in class discretely look in our direction.

Instantly, a wave of concern washes over me, causing me to pack all of my things into my backpack before I notice a faint glow from myself. The ring that I've been wearing all my life, the one that I've never taken off, suddenly has a different appearance from the usual round cut opal gem surrounded on a thin silver band.

"Could I see you outside of class, Miss Gould? I'm assuming," Professor Lismore asks with his green eyes still enlarged. I gather my tan leather bag and tuck my hands into my high-waisted jean shorts, in hopes to hinder the faint glow from my ring.

Stepping out into the empty hallway, I stare down at the marble floor in fear of what Professor's next words will be. Maybe he's come across this sort of reaction from our rings before? If there were any ethical explanation at all...