Hannah's POV

Jessica and I walked through rain, umbrellas up. Our dresses were getting wet, so we began to run.

I stood outside the door and sighed as I saw the crowded room, stuffed with boys and girls.

Hillary ran after us, calling our names. I laughed and waited for her. She pulled on our arms and suddenly we were in the crowded hall.

It was stuffed and I looked left and right, immediately wishing I'd just not come. This was not my atmosphere and, from the sickly look on Jessica's face, it wasn't hers either.

"Come on," Hillary laughed. "Let's go dance before the boys arrive."

We pushed our way through the moving body's and danced - awkwardly, yes, but we still danced. The DJ played track after track. I didn't realise all the boys coming in, or the time passing away until I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned to see the boy from before. God he looked handsome. I blushed at the thought and was thankful that it was so dark in here.

The boy smiled. "May I just mention how beautiful you are, Hannah?"

I smiled and thought about what I'd be thinking. If only he could hear my thoughts right now, I'd be so embarrassed.. "Um... thank you."

Jessica had disappeared and Hillary was dancing with a boy, the name of whom I didn't know. I turned back to the boy and smiled.

"I am sorry but I don't think you told me your name last time we met."

"That I didn't. My name is William." He replied. I smiled, it was the kind of name I'd always imagined my dream guy having.

I didn't let these feeling show however, I just nodded. "Are you... what brought you here? I haven't seen you around before," I asked him.

"I only came 5 days ago. My brother's and I are new students here. I dare say you won't of seen us yet."

"Um... may I ask why you asked me to the dance?" I asked. I was bursting with questions but was afraid he would tire of my asking, so I tried to pick out the most needed one's.

"I saw you in the yearbook. You were just so beautiful and you didn't crowd me the minute you saw me... I dare say you are like no other I have ever met," William told me.

I blushed again, feeling very insecure knowing that he'd probably read about me in the yearbook. God knows what the teachers had said, I never bothered looking.

"That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me," I told him, and he smiled.

"Why? I can't imagine how a boy could resist," he added, a smile still spread across his face.

I shivered. He was bombarding me with complements and I wasn't sure I liked it anymore. It was feeling a little... off.

I didn't notice the rose he slipped into my pocket, the rose that seemed to change colour to red.

I found myself dancing with him and wondering what Jess was doing. I could see Hillary, she was sat at a table talking to the boy, but Jess was out of my sight.

Where was she? I needed to ask her something.

"I'm sorry, I need a little air," I told William, and sighed as he said "I'll come with you." I knew it was the gentlemanly thing to do, and that's probably what he was thinking, but I needed some time alone to think.

I wasn't going to lie however, his presence did made me feel safe, and I warmed at my heart every time I saw him, even though I usually went for brown eyes as they reflected my own.

But I needed time to think, away from the intoxicating power he had over me, to clear my head. Because when I was in his presence I was a lovesick girl like the rest of them, I needed to be myself again.

If he truly liked me, he'd like me for me.

The balcony was beautiful, a large section with little roses engraved into the bars surrounding the platform, and the gentle breeze that greeted me as I walked outside made me shiver, and it was good to be away from so many people.

"So, tell me about yourself, Hannah." William suddenly asked, coming over to lean on the railing and face the breeze, as I had done. I blushed, thinking.

"I was born here, in England, and have never moved. My mum is a doctor and I want to be one too... I've been at this academy my whole life and have never once thought about transferring." I told him.

He smiled and picked out a white rose, identical to the one he had given me earlier, and slid it into my hair. I smiled and felt it, the featheriness of the petals and the light feeling it had on my head.

"You're so pretty," and then William had a hold of me, wrapping me in a tight embrace. I squirmed. What was he doing?

"William... please... get off... you're hurting me..."

Suddenly I gasped. He held a bottle in his hand, a thick black liquid. He held it tight and unscrewed the lid. Was it poison? Was he going to kill me?

I felt tears fall from my eyes as I squirmed. The night had been going so well, why did it have to turn out this way?

He held the bottle up to my nose and covered my mouth, forcing me to breath through my nose and take in the smell of whatever was in the bottle. I instantly felt light-headed and my vision blacked out as I fell asleep.

***

Jessica's POV

I was dancing with Hannah and Hillary, enjoying myself. But I need the toilet, and how could I deny a full bladder? I didn't want to embarrass myself by creating a puddle.

I whispered where I was going in Hillary's ear and she nodded. The toilet was just through the doors to the left of the hall, and as I went through them I noticed the corridor was silent.

Why did that feel so wrong?

I dashed to the bathroom and did my business. If only I'd not gone, it may of not happened. But who was I to decide my fate?

I walked out of the bathroom, focused on getting back to the dance, when I heard a thick voice behind me.

"Jessica?"

I turned around and my hand instantly fell the my nunchaku, but the boy in front of me posed no danger. I relaxed and asked "yes?"

He had wavy black hair and tender green eyes, a smile filled with sunshine and a body to die for. Who was he, mr happy?

"My name is Vincent. I believe I sent you that dress?" he pointed to the dress and I blushed. "- and the flower you wear in your hair." I blushed a little seeing he'd noticed. The flower was technically part of the outfit but it contrasted the dress nicely so I wore it anyway.

I resisted the urge to reach up and pat the flower, because lord knows how stupid that would of looked. I kept my arms by my side and said "So you're Vincent, the mystery man?"

He chuckled. "Yes i am, princess. Would you care to join me for a glass of wine?"

I thought about it. I'd had wine once before, at my cousin Georgia's wedding. It had tasted OK, but what if he got me something and I hated it?

Oh well. It would be rude to say no.

"Alright." I told him, and he took my hand. I wasn't sure what else to do other than hold his back, and he led me back through the bodies and over towards the make-shift bar.

Vincent sat down on one of the stools and I sat next to him, doing my best to pretend I knew what I was doing. For some reason I really didn't want to show myself up in front of him.

He ordered me a wine and told me to go sit at a table. I did as he asked I noticed Hannah talking to the boy from earlier. Hannah seemed to want to get some air.

Suddenly Vincent was back with the drinks. It had a white wine with a small white rose in it, whilst he had red. I didn't know what types they were.

I took the rose out of the glass and pocketed it in the small pocket of my dress, before taking a sip of my wine.

It was delicious, a weak burning in my mouth, and I loved the taste. I took another sip and he smiled.

"You look beautiful, Jessica."

"As do you," I told him, and he laughed.

"Do you like white roses?"

I thought about it. "yes, they're very pretty. They are in a way different to red... and pink is just a horrible colour the worst I've ever seen."

Vincent laughed again. I liked his laugh... it was deep and muscular yet somehow light, with a sense of joy in it. He made me feel safe and secure, even though I didn't know him at all. Still, his obsession with the roses was starting to creep me out.

"My lady I can assure you I will not anger you with any pink roses. The white are my favourites, like this one-"

He picked up a small white rose off the floor and I couldn't help but feel I saw a hint of red flash across it as he picked it up.

I shivered. Who had dropped this rose and why did it feel so strange? Why had that same thing been left on the floor?

"It is beautiful, is it not?" I reached over and took the rose from him. Examining it closely I could see that it WAS red - a faint red coating the entire rose.

BLOOD. I dropped the flower, pushing myself away from it.

Vincent stared at me worried.

"Is something wrong?" He asked. He looked genuinely concerned, unaware of what I'd just witnessed.

"The rose..." I gasped, still in shock at what I'd just seen. Had it really been..?

"It was coated in blood,"

Vincent turned from worried to paranoid.

"I am sorry Jessica, and I hope you will forgive."

And then he reached over, placing two fingers on my neck, and pressed.

And then there was nothing but black.

***

Hillary's POV

Jacob turned up 5 minutes after I did. He took my hand and kissed it, and I blushed furiously. He smiled.

"It's good to see you again, my lady. May I have this dance?"

"My lady?" I laughed. He smiled. "you are my lady. To show it, will you take the rose?"

"You gave me a white rose last time," I laughed.

"It is a symbol of the day we met," Jacob told me, little dimples forming by his eyes. "And also a symbol of true love. Two symbols I find perfectly fitting to the two of us."

"In that case," I told him, "I will."

I took the rose he held and smiled.

"Then I can take you, my love. And you will be mine... forever."

This story is being edited. This chapter has been edited.