- Chapter I -

The Lonesome Agony

Town of Tendulls,

Larkspur City

The sun's brightness blinded Jade after opening her eyes from another vague dream. Her sudden peek at the sun's magnificence has made her quick arise, "That same dream again." She then whispered. She had been waiting for her friend, Fedorah, long enough at the tree house that sleep had its way on her.

Jade decided to sit instead of lying down, for in this position she knew that sleep won't have to come and visit her once more. She abruptly questioned at how often had she dreamt of the same scenario these past few weeks. Until she recall that it all began when the first sign of spring appeared in their town of Tendulls. But at the end, Jade concluded that it may have been because of her fancy over the literary books she'd been reading since she was young.

"I knew I'd find you here." Her friend Fedorah said as she climb herself up the tree house. It was a tree house situated just a few short blocks from their home, where they come often to meet for their after school cramming.

Jade cheerfully greeted Fedorah, "So how was your official cram school?" she queried.

"Great." Fedorah shortly answered.

"Just like that, 'GREAT?'?"Jade asked, sounding like parroting her friend.

"Jade, you've been asking me that like far more than how my mom used to ask me."

"I thought you understand why, right?" Jade coquettishly reacted. This gave Fedorah a sudden fang in her chest as she responded, "I'm still wondering why your mom hasn't allowed you to attend school after that incident from our middle school. I don't see any reason for you to continue being home-schooled anymore. Like, look at you now, you don't seem like you're ill at all."

"It's still a puzzle even to me Fedz. And I don't have the courage to bring up the topic with her either." Jade admitted. 

Swiftly, Fedorah placed a sheet of flyer on Jade's lap, "how about this?" she offered.

Jade read the flyer, and it was an open campus invitation from the University Of The Corvinthian she'd been dreaming to pass in ever since she was young. 

However, Jade only gave her friend a sigh, "Impossible Fedz, surely mother won't allow me." She clinched.

"Who says your mother has to know? It's just an open invitation. We'll just go there and check the place. Well, unless otherwise you have plans of taking their entrance exam?" Fedorah concluded and with Jade's smiling reaction Fedorah couldn't help but exclaim, "I KNEW IT! I knew this is going to happen. I knew it! Oh dear! I should give an extra effort so that I can pass University of the Corvinthian too."

"You know it won't be that easy for a home-schooled like me to simply get an entrance examination permit. Anyway, don't you want to enter other universities other than the Corvinthian?" Jade asked.

Fedorah only gave her a laugh instead, "Come on girl? We're talking about Corvinthian? Corvinthian guys...Hot men?" she said emphasizing her enthusiasm to the hot college men from the said institution.

"I'm not after them." Jade instantly burst her friend's bubble, as she tossed the flyer back to Fedorah.

"I know. It's the boundless hall of books from their library, and their astrology program. Great! So when are you planning to decide who to date among those books you've read anyway?" Fedorah began teasing Jade again.

"Probably when I get to find out who is the best kisser among them." Jade answered as she heads down from the tree house.

"HEY! You're not supposed to answer it that way." Fedorah responds as she follows Jade down.

"Well, you asked for it." Jade said back, chuckling, as they both head their ways back home.

ӜӜӜ

Another day has come and it wasn't any new to Jade unless she visits Fedorah's place. It's only during noon where she can have her free periods from helping her mother with their flower arrangement business.

"Would you like to accompany me at your Aunt Elizabeth's wedding, Jade?" Her mother asked.

"Sure, mother." Without hesitation, Jade answered.

"It would be the day after tomorrow, don't you have any tutorial class with Fedorah on that day?" 

"I'll just have to cancel it."

"But that's—"Jade cuts her mother by answering back, "It is fine mother. I'm giving Fedorah a rest since her graduation ball is fast approaching." She said.

Despite being homeschooled, Jade is being paid for her extra coaching services for Fedorah so she can pass her university of choice. The money that Jade had been saving for long is long meant to be of use once her mother permit her to enter University of the Corvinthians. 

Suddenly Jade thought about Fedorah's offer. She wanted to tell her mother about the open invitation, but somehow she can't come up with an idea on how to begin with.

"Mother, lately I have been fancying over stars and constellations." She stated, trying to start a conversation with her mother. But her mother only replied, "Impressive." that only turned Jade's hopes down again. As soon as Jade finished her chores for today, she came rushing herself to meet with Fedorah.

Everyday seems a regular routine for Jade—except for today. She'll be meeting Fedorah not because she's going to coach her. Jade has decided to meet her friend to accompany her in University of the Corvinthians. It was pretty perturbing for Jade since she hadn't even told her mother anything about it. But for an unknown reason it was assuring her that the decision she made isn't wrong at all.

"Ready?" Fedorah ask excitingly as they both held hands in front of the tall gates of the University.

"I am." Jade breathe out a heavy one before they made their way in.

The University is jam-packed of snooping crowd. The numbers of visitors, mostly incoming freshmen, are scattered within the university grounds. All are probably aiming the same idea as what Jade have in mind—to seek admission in the university.

"They say University of the Corvinthians has the biggest land area among other universities here in Larkspur. What a wow Jade..." Fedorah began to commend, "And apart from that, it's also the home of some elite kids in town and nearby areas." She continues her praise as she points out the approaching luxury cars heading at the administration hall.

"But Fed, you've forgotten that this is the only university here in Larkspur that offers astrology major." Jade manages to chime her point in.

Fedorah barely smirk, "Ye and oh have I mentioned that they have this enormous library from where you can date tons of books all day?" She said mocking Jade once again.

Jade nudges Fedorah which silenced her instantly. "Let's head forth before it gets noon." Jade said, leading the way.

The two promptly find their way to the University's Astronomy Class Observatory. Jade became stunned upon entering the room, for it was indeed ostentatious. She had never seen any observatory even once and this is her first. So for her, being able to see it personally is such glory. 

"They have this huge telescope Jade, Look!" Fedorah amusingly said as she points the large telescope placed at the center of the room. Fedorah pulled Jade near the telescope. As soon as Jade place an eye on the telescope, she couldn't help but feel glee despite not seeing anything.

"I can't see anything Feds." Jade laughed.

"Could it be broken?" Fedorah concluded.

"I don't think so. Maybe I just need to learn how to use this one." Jade said as she stroked the metal control of the gigantic telescope.

No one was there but just the two of them and it was indeed amusing for there were no guards to secure the place either. And so after the telescope, Jade seek through the textbooks and played in the three-dimensional galactic diagrams of the cosmos. Undeniably, Jade felt happy and convinced about her choice of entering the university on the coming opening of semester.

"Decided?" Fedorah suddenly asked when they took seats near the window of the room.

Jade looked at her, though quite bemused, still her heart made the decision for her, "I wanted to try Fedorah, even if my mother gets mad." Jade responded. 

Fedorah smiled as she reaches her hand towards Jade, "then it's settled. Welcome back Jade!" she exclaimed.

But Jade refused to take it as she said, "Not yet Fed."

"How come?" 

"Not until I am officially admitted."

Fedorah placed her hand back on her side and instead she went to fetch her bag. Soon, the two head their footsteps towards the admission area and there they were assessed by the assigned personnel for admission. 

"Your case isn't new to us actually. You see, our university still gives considerations to potential applicants, apart from the advance test you'll be taking, we will also be needing some parental or your guardian's signatory on some important documents pertaining to your admission, Miss Gonzalez." The personnel said, addressing Jade.

"What if they're out of town?" Jade asked.

"It can be resolved through fax." The personnel immediately respond.

"Of course." And jade was left shut.

Jade was partly upset for despite the consideration they made for her home-schooling issues,—which she has the need to take some examinations in order for her to cope up—her parents or legal guardian still has to sign some documents pertaining to her admission. It's quite a burden for Jade since she already knew that her mother wouldn't allow her.

"Don't lose hope. There's still enough time for you to finally open it up with your mom." Fedorah said as they were finally outside the halls.

"It wouldn't be that easy." Jade responded immediately.

"Stop being pessimistic, will you?"

"I'm just being realistic though."

"You know what? Maybe we just need something to eat. Why don't we go and check their cafeteria?" Fedorah suggested.

But just when Jade was reaching for her purse, she suddenly realized that she has left her bag inside the observatory, "I think I might have left my purse inside the observatory." Jade said. How fool has she been not even realizing it sooner. They had been through the admission building yet it's just now that she had noticed it is missing, if not for Fedorah reminding to eat.

"I'll accompany you." Fedorah offered but Jade decline it saying, "I'll be fine. You go on. I'll head straight to the Cafeteria at once after getting my purse." 

Jade hurried back to the observatory room as soon as Fedorah went ahead. It took her almost five minutes to find her way there. And as Jade was about to twist the doorknob, she became quite startled for there was a sound of flute coming inside the room. She lightly opens the door in halfway to peek and it gave her a wonder when the room was empty—no one was there. A moment later, the flute's sound disappeared in the thin air.

I thought I heard someone played the flute, Jade thought. 

Jade decided entering the room to fetch her purse which she had laid on top of a wooden desk. As she was heading her way outside, a male voice suddenly greeted her, "are you a student here?" the voice asked. With just that, Jade rapidly felt the goose bumps appearing on her skin. It was though she felt like a suspected criminal about to be interrogated for an alleged crime. Although trembled for an unknown reason, she still managed to respond, "Sorry but I'm not."

The voice could sound quite young but he could still be a faculty or staff from the university. He might even report everything at instance, Jade thought. And this added the tension over Jade.

"Ahh... perhaps a transferee or could you be a freshman?" the young male voice asked again, sounding pretty friendly. But Jade remained facing him backwards, for she couldn't bare letting the stranger see her.

Jade tightened herself from the tremble, "freshman...S-Sir." But she barely showed a sign of shudder. 

"Sir? Forgive for asking much but why aren't you showing your face?" He suddenly said.

"Pardon me but I have to leave...Sir" Jade said as she runs outside, not entertaining the guy anymore. 

Jade can't still get rid of the incident from the observatory even after finally joining up with Fedorah at the cafeteria. The male voice lingered in her head which is drawing her to get even curious who it was. Until Fedora slip through her senses, "You found your purse but your expression seemed like you lost billions jade, it's creeping me." Fedorah commented after taking a mouthful spoon of her chocolate cheesecake parfait. 

"You bought smores parfait? I thought you said you're on a diet?" asked jade as she takes a scoop as well, diverting the topic.

"Well, it can't be helped." Fedorah gave her a guilty beam and the two ate at their heart's content. 

While Fedorah is still busy with her dessert, Jade's eyes become engaged in wandering around. Her eyes were quickly stuck with the presence of two guys—who just recently took a table—beside the left wall just a few meters away from them.

Jade wondered, Fedorah is right when she said this university is abundant with elite kids, she thought.

As she was about to remove her gaze, one of the two gents caught her eyes and smiled at her. The instance made her blush. Jade's face become cherry red. However, she still wasn't able to remove her gaze from them. And soon, the second guy looked at her and the mood she felt this time was entirely different—it was weird.

Like an x-ray shock, Jade felt as though she had been electrified seeing the second guy sitting next to the guy who smiled at him. She should never conclude based on her elusive outlooks but Jade can't help thinking, could they have met before?

The second boy locked his gaze on Jade's for the next five short seconds, until he released all in a pretty inviting smirk.

Everything registered inside Jade's head and she couldn't even express how she has been drawn by the two. She was expression-less yet she felt as though she really seen the face somewhere.

"Are you even listening to me?" Fedorah disturbing the moment while waiving her hand in front of Jade, made her friend return back to her senses.

"What was that?" Jade obliviously asked.

"How upsetting, you aren't really listening."

"I'm...well, I was just looking at—" but as jade was about to point the location from where he saw the two guys, startlingly, they were gone.

"Looking at what?" Fedorah asked after she scans at the empty seats before she looks back to Jade.

"Forget it. I thought I saw someone I knew." Jade just reasoned out. Good thing Fedorah didn't throw a follow up query, and just continued with her dessert.

Soon as the two finished eating, they went straightly home with their mouths forbidden from telling any details regarding about the open campus invitation of University of the Corvinthians. And Jade made sure that Fedorah won't spill anything about her admission to her family or to anyone else—most especially to her mother.

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[Please feel free to leave your comments and reactions on this story for it will be very helpful to me in any ways. Thank you.]

You might be wondering how to sing Queen Emerald's Lullaby for Princess Alexis from the first chapter, isn't it? The song was called REOZALIA'S WAR DANCE. When moments the Goddess Reozalia felt as though a war is coming, she antedates it by having her people commence a war dance, where strongest men from her herd will have the chance to fight her in a mock battle as the song plays, and whoever wins from her may have any of his desires be granted. 

While I was writing the first chapter, particularly Queen Emerald's lullaby, I was actually listening to THE GODDESS SONG which was composed & performed by ERUTAN. I'm not planning to plagiarize Erutan's melody. In fact, I am in debt of her music for it had become my motivational playlist to write the first chapter. 

[I hope you keep on supporting ROSE EVE by leaving your comments and feedbacks on the reaction board. Updates will take a bit slow for I also have other things to prioritize, nevertheless I would still keep the next chapter exciting to look forward for. Thank you and see you on the next chapter.]

~ Amedrianne