A Garden Of Roses

The cool September breeze brushes the hair from my face as I stare at the grand building before me.

"This is it. What I waited for my entire life." My voice mumbles meekly for it is still too much for me to believe.

The old cobbled building that towers before me is a prestigious academy only available to the intellectually gifted or those with deep pockets. Me being a student of avid study and shallow pockets. It doesn't matter to me now, I've worked hard for this chance and nothing will take that away.

The deep rose red of the withered brick gates taunt me as the metal doors remain open and other students in uniform walk in. I take in a deep breath and walk in with my schedule in hand.

Behind the gates lies a brief line of greenery that lines the white marble path to the glass doors guarded by tall sandstone pillars. My eyes dart around and marvel at all I could lay my eyes on. I look down at my schedule that was printed on highlighter yellow paper that has thick creases from when I stuffed it into my pocket. I step to the side of the crowded hall to allow others pass and stand by one of the potted shrubs by a window.

My eyes scan the page to see where homeroom was.

"Room 286-B." The print was in bold and hard to miss, but the problem is that I don't know where that is. I scrunch my face for a second as I think about how I missed orientation. "Well now's not the time to get mad over that, I should ask someone for directions." I huff in vague determination as I look around for someone to ask.

There was no problem finding a person for the hall was flooded with people it's just many were also in a bunch trying to get to there own class. I started to walk out when there was a brief opening only for me to run into someone or more like they ran into me.

"Woah! Ah, hi there. Are you alright?" I turn to ask someone hoping they were alright.

On the floor sat a short-looking boy with light brown hair that faintly covered his hazel eyes. His navy blue uniform hanged lose over his thin body, almost seeming too big for himself. His demeanor seemed timid and worried as his hazel eyes met my e/c ones. I bent down to help him up and collect the scattered books on the floor.

As we both scramble to collect the books both of us rushed to apologize "I'm sorry-!" Our words over lap in shared concern before the boy scrambled to his feet. We stand up and face one another with our own pair of awkward smiles.

"Sorry about that, are you alright?" I ask in a friendly tone, genuinely hoping I didn't hurt him.

His eyes dart around in a wild display of anxiety setting only on the ground. "N-no! I should be apologizing! I ran into you after all." His words were meek but carried no malice. His eyes glance up at mine before darting back down. "Are y-you alright?" He asks as someone brushes past us in mild annoyance.

"Yeah I'm alright. Let's keep moving so we don't run into anyone else, right?" I try to match my pace with his as we find ourselves traveling in the same direction. "So we're you heading?" I inquire as he keeps his head down. "I'm heading to r-room 284-B." He scratched his head as he mumbles out.

I smile slightly. "Too bad we don't have the same homeroom, mine is next to yours I believe." This small run in plays perfectly for now I don't have to worry about finding my homeroom.

The boy tries to bite back his disappointment by lowering his head to the ground. I couldn't see his face for his hair hung loose over his head. The atmosphere between us became strange as we continued to walk down crowded halls.

To clear the air I try to start up another conversation. "Hey, wow, I didn't even catch your name." I smile politely as he looks up at me with question filled eyes.

"M-my name!?" He stammered out in alarm. "I- my name is Ronnie, Ronnie Bixby." His tone almost sounds sour as he spits his last name but I don't question it.

I hold out my hand to shake his as we turn the corner. "Y/N, L/N. Nice to meet you Ronnie Bixby."

He hesitates slightly as his hand reaches out to shake mine. "R-Ronnie. just call me Ronnie." His face sinks back toward the floor as his words reach my ears.

This boy is strange, but his isn't spitting curses nor holding any unpleasant malice. I shouldn't think negatively on his behavior either.

I look back to the crumpled paper in my hand and look over my schedule.

Homeroom| Hendricks| Rm 286-B

Trig. Advance| Hendricks|Rm 286-B

Honor English| Brooks|Rm 146-A

Lunch |Cafe|lunch 3

Biology| Richardson| Rm 136-A

History (Country) |David| Rm 92-C

Phy. Ed.| Moore | Gym

My schedule seeming stacked as it is makes me think we would have at least one class together.

"Hey what classes do you have? We might be in the same room, you never know." I sound optimistic as I look up and over to the boy who was now caught staring.

"Ah! C-classes?" He fumbles with the books in his hand, searching for a yellow tinted piece of paper. "I have History, then Math after homeroom. Then after that lunch, English and Biology. Wait n-not in that order." He snuck a glance over to my paper, smiling. "We have the same classes for English and Biology."

I smile too, not knowing much about the fuzzy feeling in my chest as his droopy eyes light up in joy. "Heh, cute." I couldn't help but laugh at his own happiness. That was the blissful world we had for a while before I run face first into someone that walked right into me. My head bounced off there chest, almost causing me to fall over. I rub my head and look towards the stranger.

There, infront of me, stood a tall sharp looking boy with short red hair and pale blue eyes. his uniform hung unkept over himself, with the navy blue tie being loose around his almost unbutton suit jacket. he wore gold studs on either ear, making me think of some punk yankee style. A sinister smile crept along his lips as he looked between me and Ronnie.

"Hey Ron's! Long time no see! Who's this your with?" The boys gaze flicks between looking at me and Ronnie before the boy settles between us both. Behind the red haired boy merged a blue haired one, looking not too pleased with the situation at hand. His hair was in a long ponytail and his right ear was pierced with four different earrings.

Ronnie didn't look to happy either. His face fell pale, and twisted in a facade of controlled anger. "I-its been alright, Ethan." We're the only word he could stammer as his hazel eyes fixed themselves to the ground.

The boy with red hair seemed to be amused by Ronnie's response. Though it doesn't seem enough for Ethan as he slides his arm around my shoulders. "So~are you his girlfriend?" His eyes locked with mine, filled with a teasing gaze.

"I'm not his girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend-!"

Ronnie and I answered at the same time, my tone being flat and unamused while Ronnie being flustered in rage and embarrassment. Ronnie's eyes then met mine as Ethan turn his head, not letting go of my arm.

Ethan laughs at Ronnie's reaction. "Bah ha! Oh Ron, why do flustered? Well if you don't want her, I can certainly take her in my arms.~"

With that I push his arm off and grab Ronnie. "Alright. Whatever. If your done now Ronnie and I have to get to class." I pushed past Ethan and the blue hair boy with some difficulty but make it through none the less. I try to keep my grip loose so I don't accidentally hurt Ronnie as I drag him around the left corner.

As soon as I reach around to the other side of the corner I turn to check in with Ronnie as I suddenly realized I went rouge. "Hey, you alright?" My voice was gentle as I asked him but I couldn't see his eyes behind his thick bangs of curly hair. As I let go of his arm he hugged his books and kept his head down. Nothing was said between us as the hall became less crowded and the atmosphere between us became thick and laced with dejection.

"...t-thank you." Ronnie managed to spit through tight lips before brushing past me. "Your homeroom should be on the right, just keep going down the hall." With that Ronnie left without another word leaving me alone in a hall that was speckled with other people. There I did as Ronnie instructed and found my homeroom 286-B.