Thalia Alpenheim.
She was a lone rose embowred in her own green leaves, basking under the subdued rays of hope as the swift wind of life tosses her around. Round and round she swirls in the endless loop of her past like a dance of snow in a dazzling...
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—003 ❝what is love?❞
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THE SECOND MY EYES OPENED, apiercing pain shot through my head, as if someone was banging on my temples with a hammer. My head throbbed with each beat of my heart, and my stomach churned with the familiar nausea that came with the monthly curse—I was on my period, which was just perfect. My body felt heavy and sluggish, and the thought of having to get up and face the day was nearly unbearable. I groaned and buried my head in my pillow, wishing I could just stay there forever.
I grudgingly pulled myself out of the warmth my bed provided and into the cold reality of the bathroom. I turned on the faucet and the cold water splashed onto my face, waking me up just a bit. I methodically scrubbed my body clean as I thought about the day ahead of me, hoping to wash away the doubts and fears that lingered in my mind. I knew I'd have to face the music and deal with the fallout of my actions.
With a sigh, I dried off and got dressed, determined to face whatever the day would bring. Rubbing my palms against the dark blue pleated skirt, I stared at my reflection before tucking in the crispy white button down shirt and pulling the dark blazer over my shoulders. The messy bun I did made my heart content as I studied my reflection and saw a girl transformed—the proud uniform the final piece of the puzzle.
I had thirty minutes before school began and so I ate my breakfast in a frenzy, devouring it in record time. I gave my mom a quick kiss on the forehead and bounded out the door, my school shoes skidding on the pavement as I ran down the street. Cool air caressed my skin as I advanced towards the bus stop, bright sunbeams slowly starting to make an appearance, warming up the atmosphere while the clouds continued moving.
I arrived at school ten minutes before the school bell would ring, heading straight for my lockers. As I moved through the hallways, the other students recoiled from me as if I were a contagion. They turned their heads, their eyes narrowed and lips moving in hushed tones. I felt their stares upon me, sharp and cutting like blades. I was a pariah, an outcast among them. I held my head high, my heart pounding in my chest—I would not let them see my fear, my vulnerability. I was stronger than they knew.
As I spun the dial on my locker, I noticed a familiar face approaching me from the corner of my eye—Anthea walked towards me, every detail of her appearance still as immaculate as it had been the day before. "Hey," she greeted with a small smile as she stopped besides me. "You left early yesterday, I suppose."
"Yeah, didn't want to risk a run-in with the Four Lords, you know?" I tried to laugh it off, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears.
Her gaze pierced through me, as if she could see into the deepest recesses of my soul and a soft sigh escaped her lips, "I'm worried for you. You've become a target."
