In a rush, I made my way back to the Saint Cecilia dorm. I ran as fast as I could. I heard someone shout that running wasn’t allowed in the hallways, but I did not care. I was running too fast for them to catch me anyway. On my way back, I noticed that school life had already started, and I could hear music coming from the classes all around me. Even in the courtyard garden, some people were practicing together in a little ensemble. Although I wanted to, I had no time to stay and listen. I needed to warn Lise and Rosalinde. I hoped I wasn’t too late.

When I finally arrived in my room, I immediately unpacked my cello and started by saying “I think I was attacked by that wraith you mentioned.”

Immediately the room turned dark, and I stood in front of Lise and Rosalinde. Before they started talking they looked at each other and I could tell they communicated everything they wanted to say to each other in that single moment. I felt incredibly jealous of Rosalinde. I guess it could not be helped since they spent the whole time together, but it reminded me of the fact that Lise and I used to be like that.

Lise looked up at me with worried eyes.

“What happened? You were gone so much longer than you said you would.” The two of them said in a synchronic choir. Ever since Lise became Rosalinde’s familiar this kind of freaky thing had happened more and more. “It’s just a ghost thing,” Rosalinde said when I asked about it like it was nothing, but I could not help but feel uneasy about it. Both of them were always vague if I asked questions about how the ghost world worked.

For the time being, I managed to put my jealousy and worries to the side, and I started telling my story, but instantly the fear and terror from that horrible experience started to take over again. I was losing control. Immediately, Lise walked over to me and plucked a tear from my eyes before eating it and then she slapped me out of my emotional overload. I fell to the ground while panting. I really had trouble dealing with these pure emotions coming over me in this room. Even though I knew it could happen, there really was no way to prepare for it because when you realized it was happening it was already too late.

Although Lise was the one that ate my tear, I noticed Rosalinde also watching my memories. They saw everything in the way I remembered it. It was like they were both connected.

Rosalinde looked me in the eyes and said, “Don’t worry, we will protect you. Since he already checked your hairpin, he is unlikely to check it again. We will put a spell on it. Next time we will turn the tables on him.”

She then looked at Lise for approval who nodded. Then they joined hands before both touching my hairpin on the other side.

“Make sure you always wear it.” Rosalinde then emphasized. “As long as you wear this, I can protect you.”

“You will also have to talk to Nastya. The wraith clearly knew her. She might be the key to getting rid of it.” Lise then said before exploding in an emotional outburst and shouting “I hate that I have to send you to another girl!” It seemed the ghosts also experienced these pure emotions since Rosalinde quickly took her hand and Lise instantly calmed down again whispering “That’s right, I’m dead,” while she smiled gratefully for the intervention at Rosalinde.

“It’s time for you to go again." Lise continued. She walked up to me and gave me a kiss on my nose and immediately I was transported back to my room. I sat down basking in the lingering feeling of that kiss that she managed to sneak in.

However, even if I was supposed to be resting, I did not get to bask in these feelings for long because I was disrupted by someone knocking on my door.

I went to open it to be faced with someone I did not expect.

“I came here, especially for you, and then they told me you were sick,” Aleksei said. He checked me from head to toe and then continued with one of his usual insults. “You don’t look any worse than usual.”

He looked at the cello that I was just unpacking and said, “Take your instrument and come with me.”

“Wait, what are you doing here?”

“Didn’t they tell you? I am your cello teacher. I thought it would be a good way to stay close to Nastya. But I do not like driving all the way up here for nothing, so I came to see if you really were too sick to play.”

“But don’t you have other students?”

“Hah!” He snorted. “Just follow me. You’ll see.”

We walked toward a classroom where 10 students were waiting. Sara waved happily at me, but nobody else dared to utter a word in front of Aleksei who gave off the aura of a strict tyrant and people also seemed to be intimidated by my presence since I scored so high on the entrance exam.

“This is Fleure, my first student. I know she does not look like much, but she taught me looks can be deceiving. My only reason to be here is to teach Fleure and her little one.” He then said pointing to Sara.  “I am under no obligation to teach any of the others anything. So, what I am about to offer you is 100% optional. Next to your regular lessons from the other cello teacher, I’m sorry, I forgot their name, I arranged with the school board that you can get an extra class from Fleure that will give you extra credit. She will be the one teaching you while I supervise. I will not interfere if I agree with what she says, so I doubt I will have to say much at all.” He had started using my name since I made a few transcriptions, but he kept on playing that not remembering a name game rather persistent with everyone. But of course, he packed a different insult in there to make sure my blood was boiling too. That man could be so infuriating. I am sure that he would be leaving unsatisfied if anyone in the room wasn't pissed off at him.

A lot of dissatisfied mumbling could be heard among the students. I could understand that. They had probably hoped to get lessons from Aleksei himself when they received an invitation to come here. The only one smiling brightly at the news was Sara. “This is the best!” She shouted. Then she turned to the other students and said, “I never learned more than when she was teaching me you should be happy!” Some of the other students became curious about me because of Sara’s words but certainly not all of them.

“Silence!” Aleksei shouted. “There is no use in the future that all of you are here together. We will now make a schedule for these extra lessons. Once a week will suffice. Sacrificing your free time to get a chance to impress the conductor and some extra credit should not be a bad deal.”

That seemed to have convinced the few that were still brooding. Sara walked over to me and said “It’s good to see you are feeling better. We were really worried!” Then that broad smile of hers formed on her face. She looked genuinely happy that I was up and about again. I considered myself lucky to have a best friend like her.

Even though Tine had made me promise to rest today, it seemed that my schedule just got packed to the brim as Aleksei was just going to let me start today without preparation.

“What on earth am I going to teach them? You could have talked about this with me. When am I going to practice myself? Do you realize how many hours a week you just cost me? Is it even allowed to blackmail them like that?” I shouted when only Aleksei,  Sara, and I remained in the room.

“I cleared it with Frank. He said it was okay as long as I supervised. It’s a good opportunity for you. I think it will be good for you to learn where others struggle.” Says the man that only had one student in his entire lifetime. I am sure he was doing this mostly because it was a way to teach me without having to work himself.

“I have no idea how to do all that. I only helped Sara a little. I do not know how to teach.” I debated.

Aleksei just waved his hand as if I was worrying over nothing. “I will help you with your pupil. What’s her name again?” He pointed at Sara. Now he was doing his old game with Sara without her being in the room… “Sara,” I answered a bit irritated. I just mentioned her a sentence ago.

“Right.” He answered. Like I just answered some question on a trivial tv-quiz. It made my blood boil that he was playing that game with Sara. I hoped she would not feel hurt. My eyes turned to see how she was taking it and to my surprise, I could see she was doing her best to hold it in and not burst out laughing as if Aleksei and I were performing a comedy sketch.

Aleksei ignored her and continued.

“The rest of the cello students are orchestra chaff. They do not need to know about the language of music. They just need to play everything as close to the score as possible. I just arranged that you get to train your own cello section of the orchestra. I know your father loved doing stuff like that. Exciting, isn’t it?”

This was a 180° turn from his usual mantra. At the same time, my heart started to beat faster at the mention of my father. Rationally I knew that I should not be this angry at him, but my feelings were a different cup of tea. Just thinking of my father gave me a sharp pinch inside my head and filled me with anger.

I hated the fact that ever since Aleksei knew who my father was, he constantly had to bring him up and tried to make me do things dad's way. Aleksei was forcing me to walk in dad's footsteps. I wanted to play the cello. I did not choose this conducting stuff, and I most certainly did not want to be forced to do the things my father loved to do.

“Wasn’t I supposed to be here to learn all this stuff? You are acting as if I can already do it. Can’t you even teach me how to teach?” Not that I think Aleksei knows much about didactics.

“Just learn them to play like you want them to play it. That is what I did with you.”

It was like talking to a wall. I hoped my other classes would be different and that I would actually learn something in this school.

Lise’s POV

I gave Fleure a kiss on her nose to send her back. It was the closest to a living touch we could get. I felt a deep sting in my chest, I knew that it was impossible for us to be together in the way she wanted, but I still got jealous beyond measure about each and every girl around her.

Fleure had always been like that. Quiet but attracting the attention of plenty of others. Luckily, she was shy and completely oblivious to it. She even used to be scared of talking to other girls when I was not around. I always had my hands full making sure the dangerous ones were kept at bay. I had read enough romance stories to know that the childhood friend usually draws the short straw, so I made sure that would not happen to me, and I did my utmost best to make Fleure’s world revolve solely around me.

But now, things had been forcibly changed, and however romantic I considered Fleure’s attachment to me to be, my games had brought her to the point where she would happily kill herself to be with me. I know that if it wasn’t for her aunt, she probably would have done just that in the early days after the accident. Thinking of that I felt guilty for monopolizing her like that. But I did truly madly deeply loved her, and I could not have predicted that I would die. I wanted to be with her forever. It seemed that I wasn’t able to break the childhood friend’s curse after all.

Unfortunately, even if Fleure would commit suicide we would not be reunited. It does not work like that. If she kills herself, her soul will be forced into eternal servitude, a faith worse than fading away. I felt sad. I knew it would hurt me to come back, and watch her get over me, but at the same time, it was just too hard to see Fleure so damaged. It was all because I wanted her world to revolve around me, just like mine was about hers. This had all been my doing. I needed to help her to get over me however much it would hurt me, I needed to make her happy again. Only this time, it would have to be in a world without me.

Tears started to form in my eyes and suddenly I felt a hug to comfort me.

That hug made the dam burst. “It wasn’t supposed to be this way.” I sobbed.

“I know, I know.” Rosalinde patted my head and the worries started to wash away. I got filled with pleasant warmth and the both of us basked in her gentle and soft feelings together. Rosalinde had been an incredible emotional support to me and sharing each other’s feelings and thoughts had brought us extremely close in a really short time. Rosalinde almost felt like a part of myself at this time. At times, it was even hard to differentiate between what I was feeling and what she was feeling.

“I know it’s hard, but you are helping her,” Rosalinde whispered.

I know that. Nobody gets a chance to do something like this for their loved ones.

“But you will have to tell her to let you go at one point. She won’t really move on otherwise.”

“No,” I replied defiantly. “I will do no such thing.” I was sure that would only hurt Fleure, and she was unstable enough as it was. “I want her to be the one to realize that she moved on. I will be that 14-year-old girl forever. She is already turning into an adult and her relations with those around her are changing at a quick pace.”

I could feel Rosalinde growing impatient with me. “I hope you know what you are doing. You really don’t want to end up like me.”

I could feel Rosalinde’s sad and lonely memories, and I gave her a hug to comfort her. She had it so rough. I could not imagine what it would be like to be locked in this room alone for 200 years.

Slowly, I could feel Rosalinde’s mood change in my embrace. Although for some reason I could feel that she was still nervous. When she could not hold it any longer she broke free and said “I have some things to teach you. If we are going to take this wraith down, it will be easier to do it together. We will make him suffer since he hurt our Fleure!”

I could feel that Rosalinde was doing her best to protect me, and I was happy that my attachment to Fleure had clearly gone over to Rosalinde too. Although each time I talked to Fleure, I could also feel some irritation well up in her, probably because I wasn’t tackling this whole situation as she wanted. Sometimes she became downright sad while I chatted away with Fleure. Was she also sad that we could not be together? I did not really understand her feelings since they often contradicted themselves and as I said, it was sometimes hard to distinguish between her and my own feelings making things even more confusing.

In any case, I quickly learned that Rosalinde was a lot sweeter than I initially thought, and the fact that I had been scared of her in the beginning only made me laugh now. But considering the way she bound me when we first met, can you blame me for being scared? I thought she was about to make me fade and do something terrible to Fleure. These memories made me conscious of my familiar collar. She might be my master, but she did not abuse the power she had over me through this collar. She even gave me the same powers over her through her pact. However harsh some of the stuff that she was doing was, I have come to realize that she was only doing her best to help me. I was sure that I was going to miss her once I finished what I came to do and went back to the other side.

I nodded determinedly and said, “Just tell me what to do! I am ready to learn.”