Blonde curly locks around her face. Blue eyes that searched for her train. Pale skin that reflected off sunlight. A light pink dress with flats and gloves with lace around it all. Her movements were of a graceful butterfly. She carried a suitcase with her few belongs. Her grandmother with which she had been living with had passed away and the girl was left with nothing but a house in a new town and a few belongings. She was on the way to the new town that was called Roses. There she had a house that her grandmother had once lived in. The only thing that was wrong was that she couldn't find her train.
"Oh where is that stupid train?" She muttered.
"All aboard for train 65 for the town Roses!" A man called out to the crowd and the girl raced towards the man
"Um excuse me sir, but is this train heading to the town Roses?"
"Yes it is ma'am. Is this what you are boarding?"
The girl nodded and the man stepped aside to allow her to go through. She walked up the stairs and into the almost empty train car. She found a place to sit and did so. She looked out the window and waited for the train to begin moving.
The ride was long but the girl was soon able to get off. The few people who followed her went onto another train. She pushed through the crowd of people leaving the town and staggered to a stop when she was on a path. The path was surrounded by forest and flowers. When the girl looked closer she saw that in the bundle of flowers there wasn't a single rose. So much for the name of the town. She walked down the path until it turned to brick. The entire time she was starring down at her shoes or her suitcase in her hand. She looked up when it changed though and was rather impressed. The town had a beautiful gate that led to it and in the far back you could see a large building that the girl assumed was the academy that she was planning on attending.
She pushed on the gates and they opened with a loud creaking noise. She stepped through and nearly gagged at the strong smell of roses that filled her nose. The name made sense now. She walked through the streets that were practically empty. She looked down at a piece of paper in her hand. On it was the address of her soon to be new home. She looked down at the address and then back up to make sure she was at the right place.
It was a pretty building. It was a small cottage with a tree in the front that had a swing hanging from it. She went up the steps and opened the door. She fanned out in front of her then coughed when the dust that had builded up over the years reached her. She fumbled around for a light. She found one and flicked it on. The scene in front of her already made her tired. Dust and mold was built up in all corners and small places. Cobwebs were everywhere and the air conditioning seemed to be broken. She stepped through the door and it shut behind her with a bang. She sighed and dropped her suitcase. She was ready for a whole lot of cleaning.
After she had swept away the cobwebs and gotten rid of the mold and was halfway through with sweeping the dust up someone knocked on the door. She set down the broom and went to the door. She opened it and was greeted by a girl a little older than her.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Hi." The older girl smiled, "What's your name?"
"I'm Melody." The girl smiled.
"Melody. That's pretty! I'm Samantha Willos. You can call me Sam though."
Melody smiled.
"You're new right?"
Melody nodded.
"Okay. Well I'm going to just warn you. Stay away from the roses."
"The roses?" Melody repeated.
Sam turned and left.
"What do you mean?!" Melody called after her but Sam didn't even glanced her way, "The roses . . . "
Melody sighed and closed the door. She went back to cleaning.
She sat down on the seat that was there when she had moved in. She had found a bedroom and put her stuff in it after she had cleaned everything. She had called someone who fixed the air conditioning. She cleaned the fridge,the stove and the sinks inner workings. She had scrubbed the floors and walls. She had scraped off the mold and grime. She had used her broom to get rid of the cobwebs. She had dusted everywhere. Finally, it was clean. The cottage had a kitchen, smalling dining room, a second floor with a bedroom and bathroom and a living room with a fireplace. She got up and went to the fireplace. A box of matches sat next to it. She pulled out one and scraped it against the side of the box until it was burning. She threw it into the fireplace and the wood burst up into flames. The smoke going up the chimney and out the top. She waited a bit before going back to her seat. She knew she would have to get food soon. She pushed herself to her feet. She should get going. She walked out the door and sighed. She turned away from the door and looked at the houses in front of her. She smiled. What a beautiful town. She walked down the streets to a market. She bought food but found that there was barely any people. A man tapped her shoulder.
"Hello ma'am."
Melody turned, "Oh! Hello sir!" She smiled.
The man was in a tight suit with and rose in his pocket. His brown hair was greased back and he had dull gray eyes.
"You must be new."
"How'd you know?"
"Most girls wouldn't say hello to me." His finger touched the rose.
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Because I own a rose." He said in a calm matter.
"Does that matter?"
The man smirked, "Ma'am, what's your name?"
"I'm Melody. Melody Dollington."
"What a pretty name. My name is Levi Walker." He held out his hand.
Melody shook it gracefully.
"Would you like a rose?" He took the rose from his pocket and was about to offer it to Melody.
A boy around Melody's age smacked the rose out of the man's hand.
"What are you doing?!" The man or Levi yelled at the boy, "I had her good!"
"Quit fooling girls!" The boy yelled right back at Levi.
"What?" Melody felt confused.
"HE is trying to fool you!" The boy told Melody.
"I am not! Don't worry Melody, I would never do such a thing to a sweet girl like you!" Levi turned towards Melody.
"You gotta believe me! This man is tricking you! These flowers fool anyone! If someone presents you with a flower and you take it, then you instantly will fall in love with that person!" The boy looked desperate for me to believe him.
"That would make sense why Sam told me to beware of the roses . . ."
"Yes! See!" The boy took Melody's wrist, "Please, for your own sake. Don't take the flower."
Melody nodded, "I won't."
Levi groaned, "Really Matthew?!" He turned and stormed off.
Matthew breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you. I've been trying to protect the girls of this town. But it's so hard with people like him roaming the streets."
"Is what you said about the flowers true?" Matthew had released Melody's wrist and now smiled at her.
"Yes." He suddenly frowned, "I'm afraid so." Matthew smiled again, "Just know, don't take a rose from anyone."
Melody nodded, "I should be going though."
"Yes."
"I start the academy tomorrow." Melody smiled.
Matthew nodded, "Goodbye."
"Bye." Melody turned and left.
What she didn't see was Matthew grinning. His hand in his pocket. In the pocket, it held a rose.
