The Right Flower

Part 1: Red Roses

It was a feast in the Faye Mansion. Plates, spoons, and forks clattered against each other as the maids carried them over to the dining table. The wine glasses were being thoroughly cleaned and red roses were the pick for the floral arrangements.

Gabriel Faye was overseeing the events right now, he was watching how every maid and butler was fixing the event. "No! No! Put those roses in the middle! I want three vases!" he barked at the maids.

Why was a feast to happen in the mansion though? What was such a big deal for such an elaborate event to be planned? It was Valentine's day and the head of the house threw a feast for his fiancé, Charm Rosemary.

The mansion was bustling with excitement, the maids gossiping over how they hadn't seen the head of the house so happy in so long. Unfortunately, that happiness came with a price. Upstairs stayed Violet Faye, the only daughter of Gabriel from his previous relationship.

Valentine's day had been the same day that Violet's mother passed away. She had gotten into cardiac arrest and died. Violet had been at the tender age of eight when it happened, it was a tragedy to say the least.

She watched her father get engaged to the woman who broke apart her family and it had greatly darkened her heart. She was once a kind, careful, and happy young girl. But with the tragedy that struck, she became cold, uncaring, and ruthless even.

Her best friend was once there by her side but he slowly drifted away as he saw what she had become. He felt helpless, as if he could do nothing to help her. So, he left her and continued on to date the most popular girl in school at that time: Olivia Rosemary.

Violet grew to resent the popular girl. After all, she had everything Violet didn't. She was popular, kind, and beloved by all. She also had Violet's ex-best friend wrapped around her finger. Violet could only compete in a way she knew. If Olivia was the burning sunlight then she would play the freezing night. She had gathered her forces and made her way to the top.

If Olivia ruled with understanding, she would rule with fear. They were two polar opposites and Violet hoped that right after high school, she would no longer see that girl's face.

Maybe she had spoken too soon.

It had turned out Charm Rosemary was the mother of Olivia Rosemary. Violet didn't even think for once that they were related, there were a fair amount of people with the last name Rosemary. She felt like a fool, like she should have seen this coming. The first time she saw Olivia walk into her house and be introduced as her 'future stepsister' she almost clawed Olivia.

That same day her father had called her unruly and unladylike, that she should learn a thing or two from Olivia. She was livid when she heard that and she had shredded every paper she could find and every glass she could get her hands on that day.

The moment Olivia walked in, she turned into the beloved of the mansion as well. She was known as a sweetheart by the people who worked within the mansion. Violet was angry. Not only did Olivia rule the school, but she was the same at home. Olivia was the sweet princess while Violet was the fiery dragon.

It was the first time Gabriel was throwing a feast in the mansion on Valentine's day, and now that he finally did Violet was not happy about it at all.

A knock sounded on Violet's door, "Miss Violet, Master Gabriel has requested for you to get ready for the feast." a butler said.

Violet recognized the butler's voice, it was Fred Bluebell, one whom she had known ever since she was a baby. She found that he was the only one who understood her in the mansion. Everyone was too caught up with Charm or Olivia.

"You can enter, Fred." Violet responded, playing with her dark brown hair. A lot of people used to say she looked just like her mother. No one could tell her that now unless they saw a picture or a painting of her since she was deceased.

Fred entered the room and immediately noticed the fifteen-year-old's somber expression. He sighed, "Miss Violet, I know you are sad but you know your father will be mad at you if you don't attend." he warned. He had grown to care for the young girl and even though he did find her rebellion quite amusing from time to time, the consequences she faced from her father were not worth seeing for it.

"And since when did I care about that?" Violet sneered, dropping the lock of hair she was playing with as her eyes darted to Fred. "He can go scold me and ground me all he wants, it's not like I'll listen." she continued.

"Miss Violet, you know he doesn't just scold you." Fred said, not wanting to go into detail about the punishments she went through. "You know you're inches away from him sending you to a boarding school, right?" he reminded.

Violet sighed, "I know." she replied. Fred's eyes softened as he heard the girl's voice in that phrase. She sounded like she wanted to cry, he remembered the broken eight-year-old girl he had to comfort everyday. But then again, who's to say she wasn't still broken?

Fred could only rub the girl's head before he had to leave. He knew that he would still be called for duty and that others would begin to look for him soon. "Don't do anything we'll both regret, Miss Violet." he said, turning his back on her and leaving the room.

And just like that, Violet was left alone again; on her bed, huddled at the back of her headboard and hugging her knees. She buried her face in it and began to cry. She didn't want to attend that stupid feast. She just wanted to go see her mother.