Post by Poe on Dec 20, 2008 16:42:04 GMT -5
"How I detest this weather..."
The frozen ground beneath Cicily's boots cracked as she stepped across the mulch of the flowerbeds. The beautiful flowers that flourished here in the spring and summer, and even sometimes in the fall, hung limp and dead, the heads of once tall and proud flowers grey and brown with the frozen clutches of winter's death grasp. Very little green poked its way through the frost and ice and the slight layer of snow, but there, twirling in her fingers was a sprig of holly, the green and red of the leaves and berries a blur as she twirled the stalk between her thumb and forefinger.
Her breath left her mouth in great, billowy, white clouds like a freight train and she scowled.
Snow was not Cicily Stone's strong point, especially not when it was cold snow... Because heaven forbid it be warm once in awhile. Next to her, a low chuckle escaped the mouth of a tall brown skinned man that walked next to her, his form hidden to any watching eyes by the tall brick walls. No one would know any better. Most were probably tucked away into a cozy room, enjoying a hot cup of tea and reading a good book anyway. Who would be watching from the windows of the ever frightening Florence Academy anyway?
The man next to her, Bryce Sanders, continued to smile. "Then why, pray tell, are you out in the cold, Miss Stone?"
He glanced down to the holy leaf he'd handed her, still smirking slightly as she fondled the leaves as if they were... something else. With a loud sigh she flopped down onto one of the many benches of Florence's garden, resting her head in a white gloved hand. "Because the headmistress seems to insist that fresh air will do me good."
"What did you do this time?"
Cicily's chocolate brown eyes glared up at him, hard and unamused, while Bryce continued to chuckle. Stupid Gypsy. "Nothing too horrible," she muttered, thinking about how she'd fallen asleep during the assembly prayers this morning and then once again during a test in French, leaving a long line of ink down her paper, nearly soiling her dress before the headmistress caught her dozing off once again in her next class- Music.
All these late-night trips to Fantasia were starting to take a toll on her, and her body was beginning to let her know.
It was true, the cold air was waking her up slightly, making her blood pump faster to keep her warm. But it almost wasn't worth it. She yawned, and Bryce put two and two together, but before he could say anything, voices could be heard on the other side of the wall. His eyes seared with slight panic and he looked at Cicily, shaking his head, bending quickly to kiss her lips- bold as you please- and she jumped up, almost letting out a shriek, before he covered her mouth with his hand.
She stared up at him, her dark brown eyes nearly matching his skin, they were wide, scared.
"Just thought I'd do my part in waking you up, Cic," he whispered, a smirk tugging on the corners of his lips. "Don't think anything of it."
Cicily's eyes narrowed as he withdrew his hand and then retreated into the sparse shadows of winter and left Cicily alone on the path.
Three young girls walked by, the source of the noise, all talking in excited tones about the gypsies staying for the winter- which they'd never done before. They were planning their secret trip to the gypsy camp, completely ignoring Cicily as they walked by, and soon they too disappeared.
With a sigh, Cicily sat back down on the bench, looking down at the holly in her hand, her fingers gently stroking the green leaf, twirling it again. A smile formed on her lips, and she shook her head at herself, wondering how long she'd sit here in this blasted cold before she took pity on herself... Or perhaps the headmistress did and she was whisked back inside to the warmth of Florence with a cup of hot tea and a blanket tucked under her chin, because they couldn't risk her catching her death.
That time, though, was obviously not now.
The frozen ground beneath Cicily's boots cracked as she stepped across the mulch of the flowerbeds. The beautiful flowers that flourished here in the spring and summer, and even sometimes in the fall, hung limp and dead, the heads of once tall and proud flowers grey and brown with the frozen clutches of winter's death grasp. Very little green poked its way through the frost and ice and the slight layer of snow, but there, twirling in her fingers was a sprig of holly, the green and red of the leaves and berries a blur as she twirled the stalk between her thumb and forefinger.
Her breath left her mouth in great, billowy, white clouds like a freight train and she scowled.
Snow was not Cicily Stone's strong point, especially not when it was cold snow... Because heaven forbid it be warm once in awhile. Next to her, a low chuckle escaped the mouth of a tall brown skinned man that walked next to her, his form hidden to any watching eyes by the tall brick walls. No one would know any better. Most were probably tucked away into a cozy room, enjoying a hot cup of tea and reading a good book anyway. Who would be watching from the windows of the ever frightening Florence Academy anyway?
The man next to her, Bryce Sanders, continued to smile. "Then why, pray tell, are you out in the cold, Miss Stone?"
He glanced down to the holy leaf he'd handed her, still smirking slightly as she fondled the leaves as if they were... something else. With a loud sigh she flopped down onto one of the many benches of Florence's garden, resting her head in a white gloved hand. "Because the headmistress seems to insist that fresh air will do me good."
"What did you do this time?"
Cicily's chocolate brown eyes glared up at him, hard and unamused, while Bryce continued to chuckle. Stupid Gypsy. "Nothing too horrible," she muttered, thinking about how she'd fallen asleep during the assembly prayers this morning and then once again during a test in French, leaving a long line of ink down her paper, nearly soiling her dress before the headmistress caught her dozing off once again in her next class- Music.
All these late-night trips to Fantasia were starting to take a toll on her, and her body was beginning to let her know.
It was true, the cold air was waking her up slightly, making her blood pump faster to keep her warm. But it almost wasn't worth it. She yawned, and Bryce put two and two together, but before he could say anything, voices could be heard on the other side of the wall. His eyes seared with slight panic and he looked at Cicily, shaking his head, bending quickly to kiss her lips- bold as you please- and she jumped up, almost letting out a shriek, before he covered her mouth with his hand.
She stared up at him, her dark brown eyes nearly matching his skin, they were wide, scared.
"Just thought I'd do my part in waking you up, Cic," he whispered, a smirk tugging on the corners of his lips. "Don't think anything of it."
Cicily's eyes narrowed as he withdrew his hand and then retreated into the sparse shadows of winter and left Cicily alone on the path.
Three young girls walked by, the source of the noise, all talking in excited tones about the gypsies staying for the winter- which they'd never done before. They were planning their secret trip to the gypsy camp, completely ignoring Cicily as they walked by, and soon they too disappeared.
With a sigh, Cicily sat back down on the bench, looking down at the holly in her hand, her fingers gently stroking the green leaf, twirling it again. A smile formed on her lips, and she shook her head at herself, wondering how long she'd sit here in this blasted cold before she took pity on herself... Or perhaps the headmistress did and she was whisked back inside to the warmth of Florence with a cup of hot tea and a blanket tucked under her chin, because they couldn't risk her catching her death.
That time, though, was obviously not now.
