May I have this dance..? [Three-shot]

May I have this dance..? [1/3]

There is no perfection without flaws, no imperfection without strengths. When he discovered her, he was swept away by her balance of perfection and imperfection. She was deeply flawed, but had strengths, and when combined, she was a myriad of uniqueness he wanted to understand and keep for himself.

~.~.~.~

26th September; 07:00

Eyes of rich violet fluttered, dark lashes dusting her cheeks, as she scanned her surroundings and took in the school courtyard. All was silent, still, yet each step she took up the marble steps to the school door was weighed with wariness and caution.

Each rustle of leaves, each crack of branches, each whisper of wind, drew a tensing of muscles from her. Slender fingers coiled around the strap of her bag. Nails dug into the lined flesh of her palm to leave crescent-shaped marks of white. Leaves danced in the wind that lifted.

She sucked in her lower lip and nibbled on the soft flesh. The memory of her past, of that day ten years ago, was still fresh in her mind, refusing to leave, always lingering and haunting her tortured mind.

It had been on a quiet day like this when she was ambushed on her way home from dance class. Dragged into a deserted alley and beaten up for what little money she had. She had lain on the ground, curled up and sobbing, till he came. Lucien had stepped forward and helped her up, had brought her away for medical treatment, had looked after her.

Lucien...

Amarith sighed. Since that day, he had become more than her dance partner. He had become her best friend, her knight. He had waited for her, rain or shine, regardless of how late it was, to walk her back to the orphanage they had called home. He was always smiling that easy, relaxed smile of his, always there to soothe her ruffled mind and dispel her fears.

She hadn't needed anyone else—he was enough for her. Until an errant car and a drunk driver swooped down and stole him away a year ago.

It wasn't fair.

After his funeral, after having her life and heart shattered, she had transferred to Wisteria High School. No longer could she stay in Penacook Lake High School when every nook and cranny held memories of Lucien and his smile.

While Penacook Lake High School was the town's public dance school, Wisteria High School was the established institution recognized worldwide, and had produced many renowned dancers. It was reserved for the rich or the talented, and Amarith classified under the latter category. Having grown up in an orphanage, abandoned by her parents, she was far from wealthy. But she was an accomplished Standard dancer who could win awards and increase the school's reputation. And so, she had received a full scholarship that covered everything from food to housing.

It was a difficult step to take, but she had taken it. Without a backward glance, she had left her past and her memories behind, leaving the orphanage for Wisteria High School's dormitory. Yet, she held no regrets. With Lucien gone, she no longer had any attachment to the building and its residents.

A tingle of fear and dread shimmied through her thin frame as she moved down the corridor. It was too quiet, eerily so. Though she had always come earlier than the others, the school was never empty. Vincent Hale, Eve Hurst and Ren Cohen were always around, waiting to spring on her with flowery words and lighthearted dedications. The way they did to every other girl they meet.

The paintings of famous personnels lining the walls stared down at her, lifeless eyes scrutinizing her every move. Shadows leaped out at her; light reflected off the marble flooring glinted like yellow eyes of demons. The chandeliers hanging on the ceiling reminded her of the cobweb-coated candelabrums decorating haunted houses occupied by witches.