After a long summer day, Knightley walked clumsily from to his day job at the mall and found a letter in his apartment mailbox. The letter was printed on very nice custom envelope paper with a rich floral fragrance of expensive perfume. It was also a fancy straw color with a golden wax stamp, and once he ripped open the envelope an impressive-looking printed note fell out into a patch of pansies and daisies that lined his parent's front yard. He picked it up and brushed the bits of soil off his fingers.
The note was printed on gorgeous detailed stationary:
"Dear Mr. Avery Knightley you have been cordially chosen out of the top ten graduates in different countries within the school systems working amongst our specialty exchange program for your extraordinary talent in string instruments. You may accept or decline enrollment. Our prestigious private higher education academy is in France but ran by our family and its the sister of the original school which is from Britain. We look forward to meeting and housing you!"
Owner of St. Rosé Higher Education & Private Academics,
Mr. DesRosiers
The fragile and delicately built American man with the face of a woman puffed in surprise. He couldn't believe his own eyes.
He really was going to a school for rich artsy people based on his grades alone! He read about the three available St. Rosé Academy's online but never knew he would ever get a letter from them as they were very expensive to go to so only wealthy families paid to send their children there. It was also the school attached to the Rosé-Hathaway Orchestra which was famous worldwide for having the best classical musicians and world-class ballerinas from their The Rosé-Hathaway Ballet company. Graduates could be networked to other companies and theaters but being good enough to join their company was an impossible honor. Avery was nervous about leaving his middle class home in America to travel to Europe, but he had always dreamed of going to France, so his anxiety was tempered by his excitement.
"There has to be a catch to this thing," Avery's face flushed and he shook in surprise and shock, a single hand over cheek and nose, so many feelings enveloped the young adult.
"Am I really that talented!? I cannot actually be that talented? Why me? Really??"
After picking a few flowers he walked the rest of the way home and took his time to pet and feed his pet albino angora rabbit Bijou which was in his room. The room was painted the color maroon just like his rabbit's eyes and the metal fan in the corner made a loud clacking noise in the summer heat and cooled his bedroom down. He dropped the flowers into a crystalline vase on his dresser.
"I guess I have to bring little Bijou also since it's a room and board sort of college? I don't know. Maybe I should tell dad and mom I am leaving this autumn to this place. I am still shocked that I even get to go." He crossed his arms as he pondered.
Avery fell asleep for a nap and his mother came home about an three hours later and woke him up.
"Avery, can you be a dear and go to the grocery store and brought home your favorite. Ingredients for your favorite recipe of mine! Mille-feuille!"
Avery got up, grabbed the vase and ran downstairs to greet his mother. She told him to help her put away the groceries. Avery's mother was an older woman... maybe in her late fourties. She donned a casual black dress with black tights, and a cream sweater. She was very beautiful for her age and her hair color was dark brown, 5'8" with blue eyes.
"When your little sister and stepfather get home please set the table for dinner."
"Mom, you know how I graduated not even a year ago from High School?" Avery's expression seemed flushed. He handed his mother the vase of flowers. He was even shorter than she was.
"Yeah, what about it sweetie?"
"I got a letter of invitation to an overseas private art college for super rich people. I must have gotten invited because I made a top overall grades listing for the U.S. in the musical arts or something."
His mother stared in disbelief as a coffee cup she held in her hand crashed to the floor and broke into a million tiny ceramic pieces. "Are you serious? Thats so shocking but amazing at the same time. My little talented baby dear is going somewhere special in life? That's so amazing! I need to tell your father as well. We also need to pack your things including your rabbit and three season's worth of clothing and undies until you come home for Christmas. I knew you were talented at the violin but it's a great surprise to know you're going to St. Rosé for college!"
"Okay mom." he said meekly with a smile.