Desire Of The Fallen

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The first thing Annabelle remembered when getting out of Heathrow Airport was the slap of clean, wet, and cold air that greeted her. Wind whistled through the bare branches of the trees. The sky was cast with grey clouds, and the cold, drab winter day appealed to Annabelle more than warm breezes and sunshine. Now, in her dorm room, she could barely believe her eyes. 'It's so... different!' she thought as she unpacked her suitcases. 'No boring country side views, no mean high school taunting, and no silly rituals!'

Her dorm room was surprisingly spacious, with two twin beds, stripped of their sheets, two desks and chairs and a table and small couch as well. Annabelle's head snapped in attention as she heard the sound of coming footsteps. The door swung open to reveal a girl, not just any girl, but a girl dressed in a tight mini skirt, revealing much of her short white legs, a neon pink tank top and blond hair. 'Oh, her hair!' Annabelle stared at the girl in open shock, for the girls' fair hair was dyed, with two purple and pink in streaks that fell to her shoulder.

"I'm Coral! You must be Annabelle, right? Lovely to meet you! Don't you find this dorm room wonderful? I think it's absolutely fantastic! Oh my, aren't you pretty! You're eyes aren't green nor blue, exactly in the middle!” Coral exclaimed, very fast. Annabelle just dumbly stood there gaping at the girl in complete awe barely registering the compliment "Oh thanks! Hi." Coral unceremoniously dumped her suitcases onto a bed and said "It's short for Coralee, my name that is." Her face was adorned with makeup and her baby blue eyes searched Annabelle's face for some kind of response.

"Umm, yeah, that's nice." Annabelle lamely searched for words. ‘Smooth Annabelle way to start fresh. Now she'll think you're a total loser.’ Coral started unpacking and putting her clothes, which were all colorful, into the dresser next to Annabelle's, while speaking absently "So I saw this new hot guy move in, who is so incredibly hot, and he's single, and totally rich and he has the most adorable eyes. Light blue, like the sky. And he totally checked me out while I was checking him out and-" Annabelle was completely lost, but she guessed that maybe this was how Coral made friends, by talking about the hot guys that move in near you.

"Ugh, I absolutely have to change!" And on Coral dashed to out the door in search of the common bathroom, in a yellow flutter of clothes she picked from her suitcase. Annabelle resumed thinking about her plan of attack. 'I should make a joke! What was that one? With two scientists...' But before she could fully remember, Coral had returned, and this time Annabelle got a proper look at her.

Coral had a small, heart shaped face and pink, pouty lips. Her honey blonde curls cascaded down her back like a downy, golden cloud, with two purple and pink streaks. Her round cheeks were the faintest pink, like the softest brush strokes of a professional artist. Her eyes, ringed with long dark lashes, were a deep baby blue, imitating a calm sea, but bright with exuberance. She came donned with a yellow frock with a ruffled hem, beneath a short, white jacket. A broad white belt with a black buckle was cinched at her waist, flaunting an enviably neat, curvy figure. In her hands there were a bundle of clothes which she threw on the couch. Annabelle gazed at her like she had seen a fairy, and Coral raised one eyebrow and cocked her head to the side, beckoning her.

"Come on Annabelle!" Coral insisted. Annabelle had been immersed in her thoughts and did not notice the sweet chirpy voice of Coral calling her. "I absolutely have to show you that guy!" “Oh wait!" Annabelle exclaimed "I need to know where the Library is!" "The Library? I don't even know if there is one, but I guess we could find it and go see the guy on the way back!." Coral replied with a puzzled look on her face. "Are you like, a scholarship student?" "Yes. Let's go." 

Outside the girls' dorm building, there was a large expanse of grass, with pathways made of cement weaving through towards the red bricked class buildings. Adjacent to those, was a sports field, including a basketball court and a swimming pool. 'Not bad Mom and Dad. Not bad at all.' Annabelle mused as she was whisked away by coral toward the Administration and Headmistress Offices near the boys' dorms on their right. 

Inside the Administration edifice, Annabelle searched with Coral for any sign of a library, but instead they found a gang of students chattering loudly. As soon as Coral spotted them, she squealed with delight and ran to hug a small, curvy girl. Annabelle sighed and quickened her pace to meet the group. They were five girls who were gathered around Coral remarking her new hair style. "OMG! Pink and purple is so your color!" A particularly short girl screamed. One very pretty olive toned girl with brown locks of straight hair grabbed Coral and said in a high pitched voice "Did you or did you not see the guy with blue eyes and golden chocolaty hair?!" 

"Shirley! I so did and he checked me out! I repeat, Checked. Me. Out." Coral almost yelled, Shirley and Coral then proceeded to scream excited indecipherable gibberish. Annabelle had been utterly confused, and she could not care less about 'hot guys' and their eyes. She halfheartedly observed the interior of the building. Wood paneled floors, glass doors that revealed women behind desks and stacks of papers and walls that were wallpapered with flowery designs on a background of maroon. A sheet was marked with directions to various places, library included, on a soft board, and Annabelles' heart leaped.

The voices came to a still, and suddenly everyone was looking at Annabelle, as if now realizing her presence. "Hi." Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat. This triggered Coral who introduced Annabelle with more enthusiasm than a cheer leader. "This lovely lady is Annabelle Lakewood who happens to be a scholarship student and my new roommate! We're already great friends!"

Shirley now critically glared at Annabelle, as much enmity that was possible was packed in her thin face. Her brown eyes pierced Annabelle, and made Coral say "Whoa, what's wrong with you? Never seen a pretty girl before?" "Just leave it Coral. It's not worth it" Annabelle, used to this sort of torment, dragged Coral away, to the library which was only a corridor away.

Coral changed moods faster than an adolescent teenager changing television channels, and Annabelle was astounded to see her perky and cheery again as she led her back outside and in front of the large building of the boys' dorms. Right near the entrance of the building there were a dozen or so windows stretching across and Coral dragged Annabelle to one near the bottom.

Coral carefully bent down and picked up a small pebble from the grass. Annabelle just stared as Coral flung the pebble. It sailed in a beautiful arc and struck the glass with a soft click. A boy appeared, but one that almost took Annabelle's breath away. With eyes light blue like the stained glass in churches, and hair a concoction of dirty blonde and chocolate brown curls. Annabelle blushed furiously as the boy smiled at Coral and she winked at him. Yes, winked. His pale blue eyes, the exact color of the cloud less sky they were standing under, moved over to Annabelle and gaped at her. His sharp cheekbones jutted out from under his glass like eyes, with evenly tanned skin and from Annabelle's perspective, he shone with an almost ethereal beauty. He grinned at Annabelle and she quickly turned around to hide her face. 'Curse my skin from showing every emotion!' she thought, annoyed at the paleness of her skin for revealing every hint of blush. When Coral had put her arm around Annabelle's waist and walked her away, Annabelle still could not forget the boy’s smile. ‘That smile could feed the homeless.’