Chereads / Theatre of the Crimson Circus Troupe / Chapter 3 - Archived Tale The Night of the Ball

Chapter 3 - Archived Tale The Night of the Ball

The curtains opened again but the scenery had changed. It now looked like a formal prestigious school building.

The school opened it's doors welcoming the students of the new year.

A a petit girl with platinum blonde hair and grey eyes. her skin was porcelain white and she donned a red blazer over her grey knee length pleated skirt. She had black stockings and white low heeled shoes with a red bow and soles. Under her blazer she had a simple white dress blouse and a black bow tie.

She quietly sang a song trying to ease her evident nervous pace.

"Dress up for this spring of roses

Rouge tinges your pale skin

This light will never go out

We'll put on the butterfly night

And awaken again in the garden of dreams

One day, we'll take each others'

hands

And return to this place once more"

"Don't forget

The day you passed through the iron gates

Trembling, trembling

As you climbed the staircase

"You held your letter of admittance

Crested with a lily

Close to your fluttering heart

It had no map drawn on it

You were lonely

But you were a good girl

I was like that too

God watched over me

"For the first time,

You found a place of your own

Quietly nodding,

Your smiling friends did too

We are together

In this gorgeous moment

Dress up for this spring of roses

Rouge tinges your pale skin

Sunlight on the cheeks of a girl

Is her proof of having fallen in love

"To try out

Our future,

There's a witch's forest

Overgrown behind the castle

Aphrodisiacs are bewitchingly displayed

Those who can resist

Were brought up thoughtfully

With a drop of chastity

We lose our way on the path

If we can't turn back

"Then we'll put on the dark winter

And pierce the shadows with unknown prayers

So we can melt even the frozen moon

With our holy song

"Dress up for this spring of roses

Rouge tinges your pale skin

This light will never go out

"We'll put on the butterfly night

And awaken again in the garden of dreams

One day, we'll take each others' hands

And return to this place once more"

She stopped when she saw another girl with long chestnut brown hair. The girl with brown hair glanced at her. She had a kind expression on her face. "hi my name is Miranda, what is yours?" she asked.

Miranda was at first a polite girl and she quickly became friends with Rayes.

But her nature seemed somewhat toxic. She would play horrible pranks on Rayes and say she was just kidding or playing. She would tease her or give her blunt criticism and then say she meant nothing by it irregardless of Rayes reaction. She would often do things that were harmful and try to get Rayes into trouble for them.

Despite it all Rayes seemed to excel in every subject despite being nervous about her first day. However some girls were a little jealous that she was "naturally gifted" and pretty. Three girls with blonde hair who she knew to be Amy, Suvette, and Mackenzie appeared.

They were her bullies but despite her efforts no one would believe her if she said that these girls were bitches behind the backs of teachers. One of them, Suvette most likely, had slapped her into a wall of the school. Her eyes glittered, welling up with tears.

They were about to continue more violence when another girl with dirty blond hair showed up. She had crystal blue eyes the girls school uniform and a expression that emanated authority. The other girls seemed to confirm this by cowering in fear.

"Why are you doing this? If you have a problem take it up with the adults." she stated coldly. the other girls hurried to leave.

"I apologize for my conceited classmates", the girl stated calmly handing her a silvery blue handkerchief.

"it's all right I am used to it." Rayes smiled weakly. "hey I know you," she blinked. "You're Samantha Papillon, right? the most popular girl in school you were talking to my friend Miranda earlier"

"yes that's me I just came back to get a book I left here"

"it's a good thing I did forget. we do try to discourage bullying here. Oh Would you like to come to my party? We are celebrating the people who worked hard and passed the test the other day. I recognize you as one of the people who passed. I would love for you to come, I hear you're one of the smartest girls among our school." Samantha said trying to convince Rayes to go.

Rayes hesitated then agreed. "Oh but I don't have a proper dress-" she said suddenly feeling dismal.

"Don't worry I'll send you one to your dorm", Samantha reassured. "o-o-okay",Rayes said nervously.

Samantha left thinking that she could finally have a friend who wasn't with her because of her status.

Another girl was watching them. Her silhouette suspiciously resembled Miranda's. She noticed how things seemed to be going her way. She then disappeared.

In the background, two other shadows appeared. It was two girls wearing a tailed jacket and knickers. they appeared to be wearing boots but it was difficult to tell as they were only shadows. Their main factor was their hats which resembled skeletonized spiderweb "mad hatter" top hat.

It must have been the Doubloons twins.

Their shadows came from behind two gray/ dark brown pillars forming a gate, adorned with candle sticks and wrapped with black ribbons.

"do you know? do you know? have you heard the news?" one girl asked "appearing" from behind the pillar.

"there will be a party held this evening by a famous girl at school!" the other one stated as she "appeared" as well.

"oh my!" the first one said.

"I love parties! especially costume balls!"

"1 2 3! 1 2 3!" while one girl said this they had both suddenly changed clothes. one was wearing a frilled ball gown and the other a simple suit attire.

"but.... it's really a trap. A cruel deception". they were wearing the clothes they had on before.

"1 2 3! 1 2 3!" they were back to the ballroom themed clothes.

"how shameless can they be?"

***time skip***

After school at her dorm, Rayes found a white box that was usually light.

Inside she found a navy blue layered ornate frilled floor length dress. It had a off shoulder straps and six red rosettes. four on the center going vertically down the bodice of the dress and one on both of the shoulder straps.

'isnt it beautiful? all I have is this simple Red thing!" Miranda said her eyes practically shining at the dress.

"oh Miranda! I didn't here you come in!" Rayes felt oddly nervous around her friend as of late as though an unseen presence was trying to warn her of something.

She stared at the dress Miranda was holding as she compared it to hers.

Miranda did have a lovely red dress with silver designs and white lilies on it.

"speaking of which that dress had to be expensive where did you get the money?" she questioned.

"Samantha lent it to me", Rayes said placing it back in the box very carefully.

"ohhhh well time to get ready for the party! we have to glam you up!"

"wait what? why do I need to-"

but at that moment she was pushed into the bathroom.

\****/

After a major makeover for what Rayes thought was a silly party, they were both ready.

Miranda had her hair twisted in a bun.

Rayes had her own hair in a low bun. She felt uneasy about this party.

Like something was wrong but she couldn't place it on what.

Maybe it was just her imagination.

\*****/

"ah so you came! I knew the dress would look lovely on you, Rayes"

Samantha looked like a different person.

Samantha wearing wears a purple suit with a purple bow tie and purple gloves. She had a black jacket with faux black fur cuffs. Her shirt has three black buttons. Her purple leopard print trouser-shorts are held up by a black belt with a gold cresent moon buckle. Her shoes are purple with gold buckles and heels.

Her hair had been pulled back into a low ponytail.

While her expression held authority earlier she now seemed relaxed and all smiles.

"It's quite close to Halloween isn't it? maybe I should have made it a masquerade ball..?" Samantha wondered aloud.

"oh I don't know this is quite lovely as it is." Rayes smiled.

She learned that Rayes was a lesbian and had taken an interest

The two were getting along quite well until without any warning a boy appeared and insulted Rayes before demanding she dance with him.

Not waiting for an answer he dragged Rayes to the dance floor leaving Samantha alone. Then Miranda walked up she saw the two together and pretended that the boy was her boyfriend and that Rayes knew this. She also accused Rayes of stealing her boyfriend everyone joined in siding with Miranda who was telling everyone how embarrassed and humiliated she was that her friend would backstab her like that.

Miranda said she didn't want to be friends anymore and left.

Samantha tried to cheer up Rayes saying that things could have been worse. But Rayes was now in a dismal mood and no longer wanted to be at the party.

However not wanting to give up Samantha insisted and danced with Rayes.

Perhaps a new friendship could blossom.

*Curtain closes*