The Beautiful and Divine

Chapter One: Exordium

I drag my freshly sharpened pencil across my art notepad the blank fine-grain heavyweight cartridge paper slowly turns light gray as I apply light pressure, shaping a small circle. I do a sketch of an average person before I go back in to add pen ink to replace the pencil and just to create small details. Such as two eyes, a nose, two eyebrows, a mouth, and two little ears. I escape reality entering my daydream world, letting my mind guild my pen gracefully over the canvas. I let my thoughts and feelings out through my drawing slash writing music.

All my flow gets disrupted by my teacher shouting at me, "Are you even listening to me? This information is important for the exam. You know better than to distract yourself by drawing, I'm going to call your parents about your behavior." my teacher Mrs. Zelote heavily sighs staring me down.

"I expected more from an Erebus, that family of yours has such a reputation in the world. Then you, Ms. Erebus came along and debase that name." All my fellow classmates look to me with an annoyed and yet sad expression, "Go to the principal's office and wait for your parents there. Now." I gather up my books and notepads before I shuffle past her into the deserted hallway.

My chest tightens with dread as I think of what my teacher said about me being a disgrace to my family's strong name. All she said was true, I'm the only member of my family to ever fail at everything in school. I just want to be a writer and an artist but that isn't acceptable to my family's standards for their children. My whole lineage has been of power members of this society or influential people in the country. I'm an only child born from Mr. and Mrs. Erebus and their biggest disappointment.

My parents have tried to have more kids believe me on that, after two miscarriages they got me. A lone baby girl, first one in three generations. Most of my kin are made up of many boys who strive to be just like their fathers, rich and vigorous. Being an Erebus is supposed to be a blessing all people wish for if they only knew how it was like to live with such an origin as an Erebus. My great-grandfather was a secretary of the state Michigan, his wife, and my great-grandmother was the chief of police.

Other members of my family have been a step under the president, basically impossible standards to maintain unless you do become the president. In that case, you win and nothing else can top it except if you keep it going down through your kids. I shouldn't even joke my parents would take that seriously, not me being sarcastic. I should get to the office before my teacher sees me standing outside the classroom. I lift my feet letting them thump as I walk to the principal's office to wait for my parents.

I lightly knock on the wooden door of Mr. Lico's office, I lean forwards on my tippy toes to look inside the room. I spot him sitting at his small but neatly organized desk, writing out report cards for the student's parents. Lico raises his head looking at the window, seeing me standing outside his door waving me in. I twist the rounded handle on the door pushing it open before I step inside his element, closing it behind me. The principal motions for me to sit down in the plain blue plastic chair in front of his workspace.

I stride over to the pale seat, placing my backpack beside it before I sit down folding my hands over my lap.

I avoid eye contact with Mr. Lico for what seems like hours of silence before he speaks, "This is the seventh time you have been sent here for the same habits of drawing in your classes, listening to music and ignoring your teachers, and lastly writing songs about very inappropriate things in your notebook." Keeping an unusual mellow tone as not to be confused with being yelled at.

"I'm not going to call your parents, and I will make sure your teachers don't either. What is going on at home? You were doing beyond amazing for the last four years then out of the blue you are failing all your classes, dressing in all black, and not talking to anyone." My school principal stands up, walking around his pine wood desk before kneeling in front of me.

In a disarming way like Lico is trying not to intimidate me, almost as if I was a kid being asked to tell the truth about something I lied about. The saddest thing is that even my principal has noticed the change in me when my parents haven't, the people who live with me! I remain silent looking down to my small pale hands, I notice that I covered with my long sleeved black velvet sweater. Mr. Cory scoops up my tiny hands in his, placing his strong hands over mine in a comforting way. I feel my heart strain to pump blood through my chilling limps, a large lump forms in my throat.

I watch my vision of the school principal burr with salty tears, I can't cry like this not in front of him of all people. I try to swallow the ball in my throat but fail, he sighs heavy as if he is trying to take away the weight on my shoulders. Hanging his head down, he lightly clutches my little hands. I'm going to lose it, I can feel it it's happening. Brick by brick, my walls come tumbling down just like Jericho everything crashes to the ground.

The deficiencies that took me years to build all cave like nothing, I show my pure vulnerability by letting a loud sob. With that Cory looks up at me seeing all my pent up emotion slips down my cheeks. The tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down my face. Without a single word he wraps his arms around my shoulders, holding me to his broad chest. I feel my body tremble and shake violently as I let myself weep after keeping it caged for years.

I lean my head towards his muscular chest, hiding my face in his white ironed work shirt and black tie. Mr. Lico is only ten years older than me only being twenty-eight and the youngest principal I have known. After I wail and cry for eternity I manage to calm myself down enough to even speak. I have no idea how long it has been since I entered his office but it feels like it has been days for how tense the atmosphere is. I sense something about how he feels towards me, he can see through my act of being just a rebellious young adult.

"I'm- so so sorry Mr. Lico, I shouldn't have cried like a child in front of you like that." My weak voice throbs out, "No, it's ok to cry. Once in awhile it's good to have a long hard cry, please tell me what is going on and I can try to help you." he pleads to me.

"I can't- my parents will find out. It would only- make it worse." I feel myself starting to blubber again, "I won't let them find out about it. I would do settle things before I could find a way to remove you from that toxic home." Cory reassures me.

"You are eighteen and of legal age to leave your parents care,-" No, "I can't leave who would take me in or keep me safe from their wrath?!" I almost shout.

"I would." Lico states as if it was a fact, "How? You know how much power my whole kin possesses! Nothing or no one can keep me safe." I sniffle clearing out the last of my stupid emotional wreck self away.

"Just keep this between us please, I don't want anymore pity from anyone." I request, "You know I will, I always have. I have heard you crying in the bathroom before, if I have someone has." Cory stands up walking back behind his desk taking out a piece of paper writing something on it.

"Here. If you want to get away from them call my mom she will call me and I can come and get you." Lico hands me the slip of paper folding it in half, I take it putting it inside my front pocket.

He keeps me till schools over instead of calling my parents, letting me leave on the bus. The long journey back home is going to be hell, the other teachers are going to tell my parents and my life is over.