"Hope."
The voice rang out clear and steady. It didn't sound at all exclamatory, as if someone was trying to call her name, but that was its intent, as Hope soon found out. Upon turning around and brushing a lock of reddish-brown hair behind her ears, she found herself looking up into the stinging jade eyes of Melanthe.
"Melanthe," Hope tried to echo her tone, failing miserably. "Wait a minute," Hope said, slightly frightened, as something dawned on her. "How did you know my name?"
"Oh..." she waved a hand carelessly. "I heard someone saying it in orchestra."
"I see." Hope said. "Um...you wanted to talk to me?" she inquired after a pause, continuing to pack her backpack as she knelt by her locker.
Melanthe nodded her assent. "Yes."
"What about?" Hope asked, head tilted slightly in curiosity.
Melanthe didn't answer, but immediately produced that enigmatic orb. Hope didn't see where it originated from; only that one moment it was not in her hand, and the next, it was. It was difficult to see, but it was even blacker than the pure ebony robes that Melanthe wore, and so it was distinguishable. She held up the sphere, closer to the lights. To Hope's fascination, it appeared to absorb the light rather than reflect it, despite its polished surface.
"When you look at this," Melanthe asked, holding the sphere in front of Hope, "What do you see?" Her rich voice easily penetrated the thick air, though it was filled with voices of rowdy students eager to return to their homes. Hope looked at it.
"...Darkness," she answered, quietly. "I see darkness."
"And when you look at me," she asked, spreading her arms wide, "What do you see?"
Hope didn't answer, so appalled was she. She didn't even know Melanthe, really, and here she was, discussing her appearance with Hope.
"What did you want me for?" Hope asked, slightly in awe, and very, very faintly annoyed.
"Don't avoid the question," Melanthe ordered. "I asked you: what do you see when you look at me?"
Hope's eyebrows furrowed. She wasn't about to be ordered around by a girl the same age as she was. Eager to finish the conversation with this mysterious and slightly rude girl, Hope finally answered, "I see a girl in black clothing."
"Yes," Melanthe answered. "That's what everyone sees, and I know you see more, more that you won't say. So sweet...so courteous...you're almost like Kira."
Hope just blinked. Who was Kira? And how did Melanthe know of what she thought, or her personality? Now, Melanthe was just starting to get annoying. She acted so superior.
"But I must ask you to be honest," she continued, fingering her blood-red star necklace with one hand. "This is very important. You don't understand now, but you will, in just a moment. What is it, exactly, that you see when you view me?"
Hope sighed, and finally realized there was no getting around this shadowy girl. "I see darkness," she said finally, in a voice almost like a whisper. It was true. Everything about Melanthe signified darkness - the blank, emotionless, piercing eyes, the blood red jewelry, the dark clothing...she was darkness, a physical form of darkness.
Melanthe stood there for a moment. "Follow me," she said, and began walking away...