Misreading Your Intentions (Eris)

[Roxy Silverling]

A thick missive rested on Eris's pillow. If she were to open it, several altered photos would fall out, the faces and heads of other people ripped out, leaving only Eris and Roxy together. Eris would recognize most of the memories that were depicted in the mutilated pictures. The photos were wrapped in a note that read:

Dear Eris,

Mrs. Stewbone received a mysterious white rose, a note to go with it was most curious, especially since that waste of space Gideon Smith delivered it. It sounded more like a message to me than to that old bat. But I could be wrong. If it's from you, send me a sign. I need to know you love me as I love you. The sooner you get rid of Abel and come to my side, the better off we'll all be. I can't promise I won't touch him, but I've already bled for you. I hope you liked the roses.

Your love,
Roxy

[Eris Raptis]

Eris was confused when she saw a thick letter on her pillow. Her heart sank. Had the other seniors decided she wasn't doing a good enough job with the Masked Lords? This past week was a royal fuckaroo. Was this their letter asking her to step down or bow out?

Cautiously, she tore open the letter, jumping as a collection of altered photos fell onto her bedspread. "What the fuck?" she gasped, picking a few of them up and examining them with a horrified expression. Among the creepy images, she found the letter. Eris read it several times over, trying to make sense of the insanity. Roxy was really starting to scare her. Hearing jabber and footsteps outside the door, she quickly gathered the photos and letter, crammed them back into the envelope, and stashed them in her trunk.

It was too difficult to communicate properly through secret messages. Eris thought she had been perfectly clear about wanting to be friends. Just friends. They needed to speak in person. Face to face. No cryptic messages. That was the only way this was going to get sorted out. As the other senior Pukwudgie girls entered the dorm, Eris exited. Not trusting Hyperion to deliver her message, she hiked up to the owlery, where she scribbled on a note and addressed it to Roxy.

We need to talk. Tell me when and where.

Since Roxy was the one that had severe restrictions, Eris would let her decide the time and place, so long as it didn't interfere with her other duties or plans. Taking her time to choose an owl, she handed it off to a little pygmy owl that wouldn't catch a lot of attention. "Try not to let Stewbone see you," she instructed the owl while offering a little treat. Then off it flew.

[Roxy Silverling]

Roxy looked toward the window where a little pigmy owl had landed, but it was too far to reach for the message it carried, without drawing Mrs. Stewbone's attention. She'd have to wait until the old bitty got up to do her walk, which was, by her watch, in only a few moments. She wanted patiently until the sound of a chair scraping against the stone floor could be heard. She kept her head down until the woman disappeared around the corner.

She quickly turned to the owl, taking out the message and a cat-like smile crossed her face. Yes, she would be reunited with her love. She flipped the paper around and scribbled Outside the Wampus rooms, one hour before curfew. She attached it to the little owl and patted it gently on the head before it took off.