I never saw another butterfly

E

everstrange

Guest
Original poster
Just an overview as posted in request in case we forget:

You're attending a nameless school in the middle of nowhere. A school that isn't known by the government and run by faculty that at times, seems almost other-worldy with their wicked smiles and their taste for evil. This is a school for the rejects, the unwanted, and the undesired. It's often advertised to parents as a last stop, last resort school. The students were juveniles, victims of family troubles, victims of circumstance, and intellectuals too dangerous for the outside world. The only people who know this place exists are the successful and rich alumni; but when you ask them about their experience, a terror flies into their eyes and become almost instantly tight-lipped.

The students seem to be oddly behaved and terrified. Whispers and rumors only exist in the shadows of the place. And at night you hear screams... the screams of those who toed the lines-from odd ends . You are convinced that you must escape this place and you aren't gonna do it alone.
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Shade plunked herself down next to Daniel and grunted in disgust.

"I hate this place! I'm serious I want out. I never get answers, the teachers teach squat, and everyone is so.... quiet for being teenagers," she whispered to Daniel.

She sighed, pulled out a book, and began to eat. At least the books were stocked well and the food was delicious. Small things like this kept her anger from going full on ever since she got here. She wasnot an angry person.
 
"Can't help you there," Daniel answered softly, her soft green words giving him a taste not unlike soda in the back of his mouth. He almost wished she hadn't spoken, as he had been nearly ready to begin working out a mathematical problem that was giving him trouble, which would have given him a sensory overload, but even then, it would have been worth it. Shade was one of the few people whose colors and tastes blended perfectly together. He could listen to her talk all day, if she would let him.

Watching her eat out of the corner of his eye, he returns to the task of twirling his pencil around his fingers, humming softly to himself. He wasn't being tactfully indifferent, far from it; rather, he was fully intent on getting out of the school, but he knew he had to plan carefully if he was going to. He needed to know where he would go afterwards, how he would hide from the prying eyes of the government, and, most importantly, how he would blend into the general public. His synesthesia was bad enough that he could get a sensory attack just from being on a public bus. Indeed, in math classes here, he had to do most of his work in the hallway with a monitor to make sure he didn't break for it, so he wouldn't get an overload during class.

Reaching over, after making certain no one was looking, he gently patted Shade on the shoulder, trying to reassure her that everything would be fine.
 
Shade looked up from her book at the feel of Dan patting her shoulder. "I distracted you from one of your problems didn't I? Sorry." She bumped his shoulder to make him look at her. She felt weird if he wasn't looking at her; part of the feeling was due to the fact that sometimes he was on another planet and she could tell in his eyes when he was.

"You know you really shouldn't overload yourself again like that today. This morning was the one of the worst...for lack of a better word, episodes."

She shifted herself so her back was slightly leaning on Dan while she rummaged through her enormous messenger bag looking for a book. She pulled out two books, one a leather bound journal and another a worn out, torn book. It was Shade's favorite poetry book-a collection of famous and not so famous poetic works. Shade handed the book to Dan after she shifted herself back into a sitting position.

"Let's have you see what Plath has in store for us today... The Rival, page 43," Shade said as she stole Dan's pencil. She opened her journal and began to write; when she heard silence, Shade looked up at Daniel. "Yes, I expect you to read it to me. Poetry is beautiful read aloud. Now get to it."

She loved listening to Dan read to her. It was something else. He had a habit of somehow managing to read with so much emotion and his voice had a soothing quality. Since they were not allowed to listen to music, poetry would have to do. Shade resumed writing in her journal.
 
Daniel couldn't help but groan when she mentioned the overload that morning. It had been his fault, really; he had been losing himself in his thoughts again, focusing on mathematics and the map that appeared in front of his eyes when he did, when someone said something that must have been hilarious. Despite all rules, the students around him had begun laughing, and the mixture of colors, tastes, and the map caused him to fall out of his seat, having what could only be described as a seizure while his mind tried to organize the sensory information into its proper places. It had felt like his brain was trying to escape his skull, and when the overload passed, he was left with a blinding migraine and a desperate need to puke up his breakfast.

Sighing when she more or less forced him to read to her, he silently opened the book to the correct page, taking a breath before delving into the words. He didn't particularly like his voice, it felt like a scratchy color, deep yellow-ish in hue maybe, as he couldn't sense his own voice, and he could hardly see how Shade liked it so much. Beginning, he said, "If the moon smiled, she would resemble you..."

Continuing through the poem, he was glad that not many other people were around, so that he wouldn't jumble up the words with theirs, and made sure he didn't stutter as he read aloud, watching her write as he did.
 
The bell rang not long after Daniel finished the poem Shade had somewhat forced Daniel to read. He complained about it sometimes but he was always compliant whenever she asked, or in most cases, demanded, he read to her. Shade closed her journal, put it away, and stuck Daniel's pencil behind her ear. She stood up and heaved her bag strap over her shoulder.

"So free period... wanna go outside this time?"

Students were allowed a surprisingly amount of freedom, but no one ever took it. Shade often had a habit of pushing the lines, but never broke them so she never got in trouble. Outside was allowed during free period though the library, lunchroom, study hall, or your bedroom were highly recommended. Half of the people afraid of the Ethereal Gardens so they generally avoided outside all together; the other half were just seemingly mindless.

Normally Shade when she felt like going outside, she stuck with the Orchard or the Courtyard. She always wanted to explore the Ethereal Gardens and figured out why they glowed at night but they were forbidden.
 
"Sure," he answered, gathering his things. Handing her the poetry book, he got his own books into his bag before standing, snatching his pencil from behind Shade's ear. Tucking it away into his bag, he grinned at her before waiting for the other students to leave the room, his logic being that if he left last, the hallways would be quieter as well, and he would have less a chance of sensory overload. Finally leaving, following Shade, he immediately began humming to himself, trying to drown out the colors and tastes the other students' voices gave him.

Holding onto the back of Shade's shirt, so if he went down, she would know it, Daniel followed her closely, keeping the tune going. Thankfully, it wasn't that loud in the hallway, and it only got quieter as students disappeared into their classrooms. When it was finally quiet enough, he let go of her shirt and stopped humming, straightening. Standing up, he was taller than Shade by several inches, but when he was trying to keep the colors and tastes down, he slouched to her height.

Holding open the door outside for Shade when they reached it, on the bottom floor, he said, "After you," with a slight smile.
 
Shade protested when Daniel stole back his pencil. "Hey I was still using that! I was gonna give back I swear!" she said while displaying a fake frown. Shade sighed and lead the way once everyone left the room. She always felt like a momma duck leading the way whenever Daniel held onto the back of her shirt--she didn't like it; it made her feel all motherly and wrong. Shade understood though, she also didn't want to leave him behind.

When Daniel held the door for her, she sent him a big smile. "Awww schucks. You really know how to treat a lady. Too bad I'm furthest thing from."

She proceeded through the doors and felt the slight breeze. Shade danced around in the sun, she really loved it out here. Shade lugged her book bag and her poetry book in hand with Daniel in tow to the courtyard. She choose the ancient oak in the middle of it and decided to climb it. Shade left most of her book bag of the ground climbed up with a lthree books in tow. She climbed to the second branch that was thick enough and comfortable enough for both them to sit comfortably on-usually with Daniel leaning against the trunk and Shade leaning on Daniel.

"Oi! Bring a pencil," she pouted. "I forgot mine and you've got an endless supply as it seems!"
 
Seeing her climbing up the tree like a monkey, Daniel shook his head at her, though he was grinning. Setting his things down next to hers, he dug through his bag until he found the pencil he had taken back from her. His tree-climbing skills were less developed than Shade's, and it took him twice as long to get to her level. Sighing when he did, he took his usual spot, leaning against the tree. Letting his legs hang over the sides of the branch, he handed her the pencil.

"What did you need the pencil for?" he asked her, thinking that it was probably only so that she could nab another of his pencils. "What books did you bring?" he continued, looking over her shoulder.
 
"What else do you need a pencil for? To make marks! Or measure something. Or this case to writeeeeeeeeee" Shade replied.

She waited impatiently for Daniel to get up-he really needed work on those climbing skills of his. They might need them. She sat leaning against his chest so he could look over her at the books. They didn't allow for anything more than accidental or "reasonable" physical contact here. Shade often missed affectionate touches; she didn't grow up with much, but her friends had been her source of affection when she had friends. Daniel was comfortable.

"Let's see. My journal which you know I'll never ever leave more than a foot away from me at all times. A sketchbook for when the pleasure strikes you to you know solve complicated math problems that I always try to get you to explain or perhaps to sketch me a map of somewhere I've never been." Shade chuckled to herself, she was lucky when she understood one. "And Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carol"

She looked up somewhat awkwardly with a big smile- the kind of smile where you knew Shade wanted something.
 
Seeing that smile, Daniel sighed, feigning reluctance. "What are you, five?" However, he grinned and took the book from her hands. "Must I really?" he asked, though he was being rhetoric. "Someday, I'm gonna start charging for this, and then where'll you be?" He smiled. Not many students had any money, though he had his own secret stash of money, gathered from offering services to some of the students. He knew that as soon as he got out of there, he would need to have enough money to set himself up for a few days, at least until he could get a job or something. He just hoped Shade was smart enough to do something of the same. Even still, if needed, he would definitely help Shade with anything, no matter what, when they got out.

"Where do you want me to start?" he asked, opening the book.
 
"I am always five!" Shade replied and giggled with giddyness. "I just like to listen to stories when I write. And you knoowwww you want to!"

Shade pulled out her journal and begin sketching a flower. "If you start charging me," Shade said mindlessly, "I'll guess I'll just have to find a clever way to pay you. Maybe something like kis-"

Shade stopped herself as she turned red. "Uh... the beginning? I...I don't know?"

She was so flustered that she stared at the page for a few minutes. "Stupid..." she muttered to herself. "Stupid Shade"
 
Daniel couldn't help but smile when she said that she could pay him with kissing. Of course, the word was cut short when she realized what she was saying, but it didn't take much imagination to figure out what she was saying. He began reading, starting with, "'Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, 'and what is the use of a book,' thought Alice 'without pictures or conversation?'" but he was also listening to Shade.

Pretty sure she wouldn't even notice if he stopped, he did just that, and leaned forwards, deciding to have a little fun with her embarrassment. Placing his lips next to her ear, he whispered, breathy, "So...if I start charging you, you'll have to kiss me...? I can live with that..."
 
Shade jerked up at his remark. She leaned forward while closing her journal and said: "Okay, I'm done"

Then she proceeded to push herself off the branch and landed on her feet after a quick roll. She ran a few paces away and settled against the wall of the courtyard, hugging her journal to her.

When it come to this kind of affection, this was new to her. Sure she cuddled and joked around with her friend before, but they were friends. She had a boyfriend before but she couldn't remember much of him; it was liked he was blocked. When Daniel picked up on her feelings, the first thing that popped in her head was fight or flight. She always choose fight, but this time it had been flight.

Shade heard a set of footsteps on pavement and she straightened herself up immediately. She ran towards the book bag and grabbed her history book and tried to look like she was studying. If she got caught doing something else than studying again during free period, the trouble she would be in. It was such a small offense but they took it so seriously. She couldn't remember what the man had said what kind of punishment it would be, but she remembered the room number.

Room 13, the room of screams.
 
Daniel had been following her when she abruptly turned, and then he too heard the footsteps. Turning around as well, he practically dove for his bag, taking out his mathematics textbook. Almost as soon as he glanced at the numbers on a page, he saw the looping numbers appear in front of his eyes, and just beyond that he could see the numbers arranged spatially, and he tried to drown out the sounds of birds and simply outside.

Occasionally, as he pretended to study, he would glance at Shade, wishing he could say something to destroy the tension, even though he knew that any moment now, either or both of them could be taken to Room 13, for the simple act of touching affectionately. He was glad that they hadn't been caught earlier, when he had been whispering to her. That definitely would've been worthy of Room 13. In the boys' dorms, they were able to hear the screams of some poor soul who had broken a rule. The screams were so loud and mangled that even he couldn't figure out who they were, their colors and tastes running into greys and dullness.

Just as the footsteps got closer, he dropped his head again, losing himself in the numbers of the book, but careful not to go too deep, in case people started shouting and gave him an overload.
 
The pair of footsteps stopped for and turned towards the students. Out of the corner of her eye, a teacher and the janitor stood watching them. She knew they were trying to determine whether Shade and Daniel were faking it. Shade was glad she had been smart enough to sit far enough away from Daniel. There was a thick root between them-not big enough to truly separate them, but rather give the apperance. She peeked at him and caught his eyes looking at her.

Shade sighed, leaned towards her book bag, pulled out her history notebook and a pen. She resumed by turning to the right page and started filling out the page's end of chapter questions for authenticity. The teacher and the janitor soon walked off. She kept focused on her work in case they were spying on them.

Shade turned to her actual homework and proceed to do her work. She might as get some actual work done during free period.
 
As soon as the coast looked clear, Daniel opened his bag, taking out a piece of paper. He wrote, Look, I'm sorry about...that. and discreetly passed the paper to her underneath the root, keeping a careful watch out for the teacher and janitor that had been there just a moment ago.Using another piece of paper, he passed to her, You don't have to be scared of me...I wouldn't ever hurt you.

Sighing heavily as he turned back to his work, he changed his math textbook out for a literature one, deciding that if either of them began speaking, it would be best to not have numbers hanging around his vision and overloading himself. He wished they could talk again, so he could relive the wonders of her voice...What it did to him...it was nearly magical.

Eventually, he couldn't stand the silence any longer. Quietly, he murmured to her, "I'm sorry if I misread that. Please, forgive me."
 
Shade didn't see the paper Daniel had slipped under the root until he told her "I'm sorry if I misread that. Please, forgive me."

Without looking up, Shade responded: "I-I don't know why I ran... just something told me run so I did. It was fight or flight and for some reason... *sigh* I was being stupid and I...." Shade looked up into Daniel's eyes. "I didn't expect you to respond like that. "

She put her book down and looked around before determining it was safe. She edged towards Daniel. Shade sat her feet and with her knees on the ground. Her hands were shaking as she put one on his leg and leaned forward.

And she froze. "I don't... I don't know what I'm doing..." Shade leaned back a little. "But...I like it."
 
Instinctively, as Shade placed her hand on his leg, he did an all-over look around, making sure no one was around to see them, just like she had. Finally, when he deemed it safe enough, he gently placed his hand upon hers, smiling softly. With that, he whispered, "I like it, too..." before leaning forwards enough to press his lips to hers.

God. Kissing her caused her colors and tastes to explode all over his mind, and it almost felt like he was having an overload, but right before he did, the sensation stopped, but it was still there, building up beneath the surface. It washed all over him, and he wished immediately that he could continue like this forever.

He pulled away a second later, both to let her stop if she wanted and to make sure no one was watching again. "We can't tell anyone," he whispered, knowing that Room 13 was what would happen to them if someone found out.
 
Shade was a bit breathless from the surprise of this kiss. "I don't care," she responded instinctively.

Shade leaned in again but stopped herself. Then she had an idea and formed a very, very wicked smile. She stood up casually, looked around, picked up their bags and slipped them in the bushes. Shade walked back over and then proceeded to heave herself back up the tree. They had about 20 minutes left in the period and she wasn't gonna waste it. The tree would give them enough cover.

She could feel herself coming back a little bit from all the excitement. "You coming or are you gonna be a pussy about this?"

Shade was still nervous but she wanted to kiss him. She liked the way he kissed her. It was so unexpected and emotional and yet so Daniel. Shade waited impatiently for Daniel. "Are you coming?" she crooned to him.
 
"Yeah, yeah," Daniel said, taking his time in going up the tree, both because of his skill and because he wanted to force Shade to be patient. He had caught her smile, but wasn't sure what to make of it, as it could mean anything. Pulling himself up to the branch she was on, he leaned against the tree trunk, and asked, "Okay, so what is up here that's not down there? We've only got," he checked his watch, "less than twenty minutes, you know. I don't plan on being late, either." He sighed, thinking he had it figured out. "You're not going to make me read to you again, are you?"
 
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