She was seated at the back of the new school hall, as always, isolated from the crowd. Her face was a mask of coldness as the choir's angelic voices rang throughout the large space.
  "Excuse me," A pleasant voice sounded and she turned her head, surprised. "Is there anyone sitting here?"
  She tried to smile, but it only turned out awkward, and shook her head. The girl sat down beside her.
  She turned to look at this newcomer, and noticed that the smile which she was wearing was radiant as the morning sun. She turned away.

  There was a vast sky above her head; and Sapphire felt as if she was flying; it felt so carefree. A beautiful day.
  It was the same girl whom she had seen yesterday. Both of them were walking along the same route to school.
  "Can I see your folder?"
  She held it out; and the stranger studied the gothic lolita with macabre makeup that was printed on her file.
  "Cool!" The enthusiastic comment made her feel surprised. "Even though… She's so sad…"
  Sapphire didn't pause to tell her that it was a he, and just smiled knowingly. "Yeah."
  "You walk by this way?"
  "Yeah."
  "Well—not many of them come by here anyway. Do you mind if I walk with you?"
  And so both of them walked.
  She was much shorter than Sapphire was, and she had a robust personality. She talked a lot, while Sapphire would listen, nod, comment once or twice, and they would switch topic. Her name was Amber. Short, bouncy, and cute were the correct words to describe her.
  Amber's cheerfulness brought her a smile which she had never shown anyone.

  It was not only "Sapphire" anymore, it was "Sapphire and Amber." Both of them went everywhere together. During the hot summer days, Amber would go to Sapphire's house. The first time she went to Sapphire's house, she had thought that she was stepping into a new dimension—the interior was of old French adornment. She who came from a normal family had never seen such luxury before, but it was not because of it that she had been friends with Sapphire. Sapphire seemed to know that, too.
  At Sapphire's house, they could do all they wanted to—draw, write, sing, play games (ff8?)…. And they'd talk enthusiastically about everything under the sun.
  Sapphire's fathers' property was big. It stretched over miles and miles, and most of them consisted of huge acres of forests. It was just useless property; she'd have said, but Sapphire and Amber played around in the forests a lot.
  Amber couldn't say anything to that.
  Then, one day, the two of them went walking around. Amber said something about tickles and Sapphire couldn't resist it. She poked Amber in the ribs, extracting an extremely adorable yelp. Then Amber tickled her, and Sapphire tackled her. The two of them rolled into a shrub, got tangled up, and came out laughing. Amber did not notice the way Sapphire had gazed at her, as she was plucking leaves off Sapphire's shirt. There was a rare show of emotion. Sapphire was usually so cold she could have been a robot, but this time something drifted into her eyes. Her smile was tiny, but it was so blissful and genuine.

  Time passed by. Summer was over and Autumn started; the trees of the forest were turning fiery red.
  Autumn, Amber met him. Amber and Sapphire were in the school library, looking at those cute Asterix comics, and Amber was laughing her head off.
  "Hey, shut up, will you?" He was a rude kid, and Sapphire was annoyed immediately. Amber mumbled an apology, while Sapphire glared at him. His name tag said "Jovin". Amber watched, red-faced, as he went back to continue stacking the books. Briefly, Sapphire wondered why such a rude kid would be a librarian.
  Jovin looked seventeen, but he was in reality two years younger than they were. His features were delicate; Sapphire could not help but notice how his eyebrows were nicely trimmed. His manner was cold, and distant, as if he never belonged to the world. His hair was beautifully raven, hanging into his eyes, making his small eyes seem smaller, at the same time framing his delicate features in such a way that it made them seem yet more vulnerable.
  Amber would beg Sapphire to go to the library, after that, for no reason at all whatsoever. The both of them sat in a corner, while Amber watched Jovin, and Sapphire watched Amber. Her emotions seemed void; even though it was hurting like hell.
  By mid-Autumn, Jovin was going out with Amber.
  It was more of a one-sided relationship; Amber was always making the effort and Jovin would occasionally say yes. Amber was usually shy, but she was determined.
  And with that, Sapphire was lonely again. She would be left in the forest, alone, walking by the stream, humming the song which they'd always sang.

  One night, she was lying in her bed, and heard the doorbell. When she opened the door, she saw a crying Amber standing there so frail and weak, so pained. Her body was bruised. She only cried when Sapphire held her tightly, and when Sapphire let her rest in bed at long last, Sapphire felt so angry. The anger flickered in her eyes, with the sadness, as she stared at the picture which Amber had thrown to the ground. It was a framed picture of Amber and Jovin.
  Sapphire drugged Amber the next day so that she would sleep so deeply that she would be oblivious to the surroundings, and set out to find Jovin. She saw with some satisfaction that he was badly wounded as well. Jovin did not answer her questions, and told her that he'd only tell her –if- she slept one night with him.
  Sapphire was enraged, but her anger did not show. She stared lifelessly, coldly at the boy who stared back in return, in the same manner as she did.
  The two of them went one of the cabins in Sapphire's father's estate. He didn't touch her; just sat there staring at the wall.
  Sapphire was wondering why. She spoke, but he yelled at her. The two of them quarreled heatedly and Sapphire shoved him, grabbed the knife which she had kept strapped under her skirt, and stabbed him repeatedly over and over again. He was lying there, and the blood was so red that when she had stopped, he was not even moving.
  She set the body on fire, and buried the ashes.
  No one came to notice Jovin's absence; Amber was crying so much that Sapphire's guilt melted away into sadness, as she occupied herself with comforting Amber. Amber moved in when even her own house reminded her of Jovin.
  Finally, Amber would go to school. Autumn was ending; and Winter was arriving. It had taken so long for her scars to heal.
  The two of them went to the library again. Sapphire wanted Amber to forget Jovin, and so there they were. But Amber only broke down once they stepped into the library, and in a trembling voice, when the two of them were alone, Amber finally told her what had happened. A group of boys, obviously Jovin's not-so-good buddies, had been offended by Jovin, and they had went for revenge. She did not state what the revenge was, even though it was obvious.

  A beautiful sunset.
  Sapphire was returning home after she went grocery shopping.
  And there she saw, Amber lying in a pool of blood, in the dark rich interior of the room, as Jovin had. It seemed so similar it was driving her crazy. She screamed, she cried, tried to wake Amber up, but it was no use; Amber was as good as gone. Her arms had scars, lots of scars, and the throat as well.
  Sapphire noticed a note in her hand. Briefly, she read it—it said that she had found out that Jovin was dead.
  She only threw it aside, and held Amber tightly. Her eyes were closed, in a pained expression, she whispered…
  "I love you."