Take the Blame

The young, pale woman took a step forward, then another. The bickering of her parents echoed out into the streets of London, the rain pouring down, the noise only bouncing off those walls she hated ever so greatly. As she began to mutter, her words faded into the collection of water slamming into the ground at varied speeds.

"Here we go... They always say the first is the worst."

Her voice wavered as she placed a delicate, pale hand onto her umbrella's handle, extending it before slipping under it. Her black, shimmering shoes clacked as she walked under the thick blanket of rain, protected by her black parasol. She held it tightly as the gales of 19th century southeast England thrashed at her violently, some near to knocking her off balance.

Her lengthy, brown hair began to fly wildly as the gusts of wind lifted the chestnut locks from her back, suspending them as she fought the blasts of air to get to her school.

The first day of school always seemed the worst for some unfortunate girls and boys, but in her case, it was quite exciting.

That would soon change, very soon.

She took a step into the gates, when she was immediately halted by a tall man. A very, very tall man, at that. She looked up at him and wobbled on her pale, thin legs, almost falling backwards, the man catching her before she could reach the floor.

Her nose scraped the tough, asphalt grounds before the man's arms were wrapped around her. He steadied her, before reprimanding her.

"Madam, you are too early. The gates do not open till 6:30am."

True to his words, she was exceptionally early, as the time was just reaching 6:00am. She nodded, stepping outside of the school's elaborate golden gates, with the letters "RAYN" carved into said shimmering golden doorway.

RAYN was the acronym for her boarding school; Royal Academy for Young Nobles. It was a little confusing and partially scary as the acronym sounded alot like the weather 'rain' and it was raining quite heavily as she stepped in, and it gave a sort of dark, strange, ominous feeling to the school she would spend almost her whole school life in.

She hadn't had much experience with boarding schools before, all she really knew is they had quite strict rules and you would never be paired with the opposite gender in a dormitory.

"Thank God for that..."

She muttered as she walked off, pacing the street slowly. She had close to nothing to do besides walk around and maybe get a little exercise, as she didn't know whether they would make them do some sort of physical education and if so what it was, so she simply admired the rain as she walked around.

Soon, shops began to open.

First, a boutique. Next, a grocer. Then, a bar.

One by one, the women and men running the shops would turn the signs around, of which stated they were open, and left the door open for customers to file in and out, of which they did, some with bags, some with uniforms, both with intent to purchase, and others just regular beings such as her staying on the streets and wandering mindlessly.

She took a glance at the pocket watch in her blazer pocket. The watch stated the time perfectly fine; 6:32. She had read the rules at least 2 times, so it was burnt into her memory that registration started at 7:00am. She decided, as the school would most likely be open now, to stop dwindling and find her way to her registration room.

She began to make her way over to the school, the ominous feeling still hanging over her head like a thunder cloud. She took a few steps in, stuck to the pathways, listened to the signs showing her countless directions, and...

She crashed into a boy of honey blonde hair, coupled with two blue eyes. His uniform was less than impeccable after the accident, a headache growing from the impact into the hardwood floor.

Her books were flung out of her messenger back across the floor, some hitting the boy's perfect face. She gasped as she got up, tears leaking out of her pale eyelids.

"I-I-I-I'm r-r-really sorry, s-sir, I'm j-j-just ver-very c-confused--"

He cut her off in the middle of her stammering sentence, picking up his bearings, then a few of her now scattered books out of courtesy.

"I see. Be careful next time."

He handed her the books, watching her face turn pink. She was so embarrassed, but he looked so... dreamy. He was so... perfect!

"You're in 7w2, right?"

He asked the disoriented girl, curiosity dripping from his tone as if it were a thick, viscous honey dripping from a utensil.

"Yes, I am."

She replied, her face going rosier and rosier by the second, slowly regaining composure as she struggled to stop herself giggling like an immature child.

"We can go together if you wish; I am also in 7w2."

Her face went red. She already had a little feeling growing into stomach, but now he was in all her classes?!

"Oh, fantastic..."

She whispered under her breath, the boy catching wind of her words.

"Oh, are you unhappy? I'm sure I'll sit next to you, you're the Newcaste girl, aren't you?"

She turned around, very confused and worried. How did he know she was a Newcaste? Was her reputation really worse than she thought...? Nevermind that, she didn't even know the boy. He could've been sold something of theirs.

"Y-Yeah, why?"

He smiled at her with a devious grin, his face contorting to fit the smirk on that perfect pale face of his. The blonde locks shifted as he leaned closer, stretching his arm out to shake her hand.

"My name is Vincent Maguire. We're in alphabet order."

She looked so upset, mostly embarrassed at the fact she had to sit next to someone she had just bumped into. She hid her head between her brown pigtails, looking up at him. Slowly, she took his hand, looking up at him with round eyes.

Round... red... eyes...