Black Rose

Chapter 6

I couldn't believe it.

My eyes refused to believe it.

"Uh Rose, I'm beginning to seriously wonder who no one is. They seem to be extremely grateful," Celia commented.

She and I were standing at the door of my classroom where we had a full view of the sea of blackness before us. Virtually every part of the room was covered in black roses. I was too stunned to speak, let alone comprehend the situation before me.

"Rose? Celia? Are the two of you ok?" Gail asked behind us. It was very early in the morning, and I'd come in a little earlier so that I could prepare for my classes.

"I don't think Rose can form a sentence right now," I heard Celia reply.

"What's going on?" Gail asked before she saw it.

"Holy mother of all things! This is what he wanted the keys for?" she asked lowly.

That did it. "The keys?"

"He drove by at midnight to ask me for the keys to the school. He wouldn't tell me why he wanted them. This is not ok," she replied.

"Who are we talking about here?" Celia questioned.

I ignored her and instead asked Gail. "Where am I going to teach?"

"I'll arrange for someone to get rid of the roses. For first period you can teach in Mr Reece's class since he has a free period. Please excuse me. I have a brother to give a stern talking to," she said before walking away.

"Ok, that was weird. What's going on Rose? What's all of this?" Celia asked just as I noticed an envelope taped to the wall with my name on it. I grabbed it and pulled out the note:

I can be very persistent. Have dinner with me.

OMB

Unlike the first note that came with the roses, this one wasn't on a personalized note. It was on a blank piece of expensive looking cardboard paper. It surprisingly smelled like him, and I'd forgotten that Celia was there as I sniffed the note, inhaling the heavenly scent.

"Why is she behaving like a lovesick teenager by smelling notes?" I heard Talia ask.

"You ask her. I seem to be getting nowhere," Celia replied.

"Holy crap! Your classroom is swimming in roses!" Talia exclaimed once she laid eyes on them.

"I know. I need your help with something," I told them.

They both agreed and I explained my plan. Some of the roses came as bouquets, while some came in those boxes. We managed to collect some of the ones in the boxes and put them together to form the word no. I took a picture of the word and sent it through to him. My phone buzzed just seconds later:

Challenge accepted.

I had no idea what that meant until five men walked up to us. They were all dressed in black clothing, which I thought looked suspicious. We were standing outside my class and I thought that they were coming to take the roses away.

I have never been so wrong in my life.

Instead they each had a jewellery box with them. The last thing I expected them to do was kneel before me, before they opened the boxes in sequence. In each box was a different piece of exquisite jewellery, and on the top of the box was a word. All five boxes formed a question:

Have dinner with me?

I could only shake my head, laughing to myself. Olivier Myron Black has to be the most cutely immature person I've ever met in my life. Celia and Talia were still in awe of the jewellery while I sent him a message: