The world felt foggy, hazy, as if it were not truly there. Perhaps if Jon Jasper wasn't in the haze of his day to day work he would not feel such a sensation. He didn't enjoy all the work he had to do from day to day - it hardly ever changed, and if it did change in any way, then he didn't notice it. It continued to drone on and on and on.

But, of course, all he could do was release a sigh and hope that the day would either bring some sort of excitement or would end sooner rather than later. There was only one reason why he decided to remain at Cloisterham instead of seeking some sort of job. He was there for people - only two people, yes, but two people who would draw him there forever more. One, of course, was his nibling Elliot. He'd raised Elliot for many years in his inexperienced and rather young hands and therefore didn't know how he could leave them.

And, of course, he stayed for Rosa. She did not know the scope of his attachment to her, and perhaps it was better for her not to know - at least, not yet. One day he would muster up the correct words to express it, but for now he would have to be content with what little he could say.

He would never leave Cloisterham Academy as long as those two remained. He would stay there forever if he had to, only because he could not imagine a world where he was no longer near to either of them. It was, of course, far more difficult for him to get any sort of contact with Rosa as she was a student, but he could not help but hope it would work out someday.

As he released a sigh and glanced down to his work, he heard the sound of footsteps coming to his office. Before he looked up, he waited to hear if whoever was out there was truly trying to come to his office - it wasn't uncommon for students to want to spend time with Mr. Criss, as everyone loved the drama teacher (although he wasn't quite sure why...).

But those steps had stopped before his door. Without looking up, he said, "Who is it?"

"I thought you might have predicted that I would come here," Rosa's voice purred out. "I thought you might know, but evidently not."

"No...I did not."

"Well, I've arrived, Mr. Jasper," Rosa said, the hint of a smile resting upon her lips. "I apologize for never finding the time to come to converse you after class, but you must see...well, I am quite busy these days. It is precisely what happens when you're a junior in high school."

"Never mind that," he replied. "I just want to know what brought you here. I didn't ask you to come today."

"I am all too aware of that," Rosa replied. "I came on my own accord. You must have expected me to scrape together the time some time."

"Is it really so terrible to spend time with me?"

"Oh, quite the contrary!" she replied, those beginnings of her smile starting to grow. "No, I desired to spend far more time with you than I would've been able to if I had thought that I had anywhere else to be. I have depleted my schedule of all other commitments."

"Then you're free for anything," Mr. Jasper said.

"Absolutely anything," Rosa replied. "I suppose this is why you continued to ask me to see you after class was over. I know you've always wanted to speak with me...but I am also aware that you want, well, you desire more than speech. That much is certain, at least from my view."

"What do you mean by 'more than speech'?"

"Why would you ask me about it? If it's what you've desired for ages now, then who am I to retract it from you? Besides, I've craved the same from you, perhaps just as long as you have. It's been difficult to shade such emotions, but now...now I am free to speak and act as I please. I don't have to worry about Elliot getting between us any longer. Elliot does not matter, not in the solace of your office."

"Elliot hasn't been getting between us."

"Oh, dear Jon," Rosa said, pursing her lips. "Regardless of how much you adore your nibling, you must admit that my...er...relationship with Elliot has been getting between us for as long as it has been present. As much as I do adore Elliot, I must admit that I do not desire them to come between us any longer. Whether it be Elliot's words or actions, I..."

"I...I understand," Jon said. "I just didn't think you would be able to find any moment out of Elliot's sight to say any of this. I'm glad you're here now."

"I thought you'd be," Rosa said, a small smile appearing across her lips. "I just pray that you are...shall I say...more glad for my presence in the current moment?"

Jon tilted his head as he looked over to her, attempting to decipher what she was saying. Of course, her words weren't meant to be deciphered as he looked on - they were meant to be explained out to him, sooner or later. But he couldn't help but wonder just what went through her head and why the particular words she chose were the words that spilled out from her perfect lips.

"Why is it that you can't seem to say anything straight?"

"I wouldn't be the fair and fascinating Rosa if I allowed myself to say precisely what was in my mind," she replied.

"The fair and fascinating Rosa," he repeated after her. She wore a triumphant smile upon her lips, unable to keep the edges from pulling upwards. There seemed to be the hint of a smirk in it as well but he didn't mind - no, it made her look as lovely as ever. "Of course. The fair part has nothing to do with that, but the fascinating..."

"I have to do something to keep everyone guessing!" Rosa said. "But I think that you've guessed the reason I've come here by now, at least...you must know what I mean. You must know."

"I wouldn't say I know, but...well, now that you say it, I do think I know why you came to me today."

"Marvelous," Rosa said, lowering her voice down to a whisper. She didn't move at all, but when he stepped forward she remained in place. She kept her eyes transfixed on his, letting him see straight into the steely blue windows to her soul. She stayed there, allowing him to begin to embrace her...He reached out his hand, intending to take her head into his hand. Then he could continue to move forward until their lips met, finally...

But before his fingers could even brush her cheek, she stepped away with her smile turning into a smirk.

Of course, the smirk was terribly attractive when it was on her pretty face, but it was a full smirk nevertheless. This was not the coy girl who had invited him to come closer and closer just moments before. No, she was mocking him. She was making a fool out of him, pulling away and laughing at him.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm wondering what you're doing!" she exclaimed, letting out a laugh that stung in his ears. "I cannot believe you were willing to go so far - I thought you would've realized...oh, my!"

She laughed and laughed and laughed. Perhaps she would never cease her laughing - but he had to act in some way before it caused him to lose his mind.

"I thought you said you wanted-"

"I thought I just said I never said anything outright," she replied.

And with that, she turned to dash out the door, continuing to laugh all the way. He followed her, listening to the sound of her laughter piercing the halls. She was laughing at him, still laughing and laughing and laughing. He loathed it more than he could say - but he knew he could catch up to her. He could make this work out.

"Rosa! Rosa, come back!"

"And why should I?" she replied, her voice ringing out though she faced the opposite direction of him.Rosa glanced back right before she exited the office, just to perpetuate the image of her taunting half-smiles in his mind.

"If you truly want me that badly, you'll have to chase after me. Pursue me. I won't let you take me that easily," she said, allowing her smirk to remain on her face. Oh, she was so proud of herself. So proud. But she knew that he would do just that - he would pursue her.

He only wished she did not make the chase so difficult. If it were simpler, then it wouldn't be so frustrating. However, he had to admit there was something titilating about the fact she was always tantalizingly near and yet a bit too far. Rosa had always been right there.

She wasn't too far away, not yet, he could go after her. He decided there was nothing better to do then to go after her. He began at only a brisk walk - he was significantly taller than her, it couldn't take him too long to end up beside her once again.

When he spotted her again, he found she was standing still, facing away from him. Her feet were firmly rooted in place, as even though she could clearly hear that he was coming up behind her she didn't budge or turn around. She didn't move at all aside from her head. He moved forwards and made a move as if to embrace her, ravish her, to carry her away so that it would just be the two of them.

"Rosa," he murmured.

And then she was gone. The halls of Cloisterham were gone as well. They'd disappeared as if they'd never been there. It was all gone.

"Damn it!" he yelled. "Damn it, damn it, damn it."

"Now, now, stop that yelling!" a woman yelled back. "I have other customers who don't want to listen to all of that racket, dearie! What is it? What's wrong?"

"She's gone!" Jon yelled back. "She...she is no longer..."

He closed his eyes and tried to will himself back into the halls of Cloisterham, tried to wrap his arms around Rosa once again, tried to get her image back. She had been there. He knew she'd been there. How could she have disappeared? How could he be...well, he didn't even know where he was, but it certainly was not Cloisterham!

"Look at you, clawing around in the air if there's actually something there," the woman said. "Calm yourself! Can't have your yelling all over the place. If you really want to keep flailing about then I won't stop you - at least that much is quiet."

"She was just here!" he continued. "Rosa! She was there! She was...she was right there! Rosa...Rosa Burgos...you must know...she has to..."

"The only she I know of around here is me," the woman replied. "And I can't say there's been any Rosa around here any time soon. Sounds like she wasn't there to begin with, sorry to say."

"Damn it!" he replied through clenched teeth. "I could've...I...I was so close..."

"Sorry to say it, but you weren't close enough. I'm sure you'll see her again sooner rather than later," the woman replied. Though Jon was compelled to snap at her about the multitude of ways she did not understand his strife, he ended up just brushing himself off before standing up to peer at her.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

"God, I swear you ask this every time."

"I...I'm not good with names."

"Well, maybe you'll listen this time," the woman replied. "Paula Yu. You think you might want to keep that information, especially considering I'm the only one who will provide you opium in this century."

"Opium?"

"Yes, dearie, opium. Comes from poppies, you know? I didn't realize it would be so effective for you, but perhaps that's why you keep coming back for more. Didn't think you were going to come back after what happened last time...can't say I mind it though, as you are one my best costumers," Paula said.

"I'm one of your best customers," Jon echoed after her. "Okay. Wonderful. Opium. I..."

Jon couldn't shake away the fog which seemed to consume this entire situation, this entire moment. It just didn't make sense to him no matter how he looked at it.

"Just plain opium," she said, shaking her head. "Never heroin like the average addict. No, you need to be special."

Jon wanted to respond but he didn't know how. This woman evidently knew him rather well, in the way that a shop keeper would know a costumer who continued to come back time and time again. The problem was that he didn't remember coming back time and time again. He didn't remember her as anything more than a vague feeling that he knew her somehow in the back of his mind.

"Well, dearie, looks like all the effects are starting to wear off - the main effects, I mean," she said. "You're going to have to go soon - you probably have somewhere to be."

"How...how much do I owe you?"

"You are a forgetful one, aren't you?" Paula said. "Thought you were never going to come back. Maybe you just forgot all the hell you brought with you last time. You already paid me, but I certainly don't mind tips. A woman's got to make a living somehow."

"Oh yes, of course," Jon said, deciding that despite the profound gap in his memory which would cover this time he would rather avoid getting into conflict for the moment. He wanted to know what was going on, but the woman - Paula - seemed to think he already had all of the answers. The truth was that he didn't know a thing. Nothing.

The last thing he remembered was Cloisterham Academy - not the dream he had about Rosa, but the actual halls of Cloisterham. He remembered being done with the school day and being happy that he could leave.

"I...I, um, well...I have to say, I'm a bit confused over what happened."

"They always are," Paula sighed out. "I can't tell you what happened because I don't sit inside of your mind. But I'm sure everything will clear up soon enough. You'll see."

"No, I don't think you understand - I, well, I don't remember getting here or anything, and I...I don't know..."

"The opium will do that to you, dearie," Paula replied, lifting her shoulders up into a shrug. "Never taken it myself or anything, but I've seen the after effects of it on folks just like you. Those are memories you're not likely to get back until the next time you come around.""When I have more opium, you mean," Jon said.

"As long as you remember to come back," Paula said. "And I think you will. Sounds like you were close to having quite a good dream before it all fell apart, yeah?"

"I...I guess so," Jon replied. Yes, of course, he'd wanted to take Rosa for his own within that dream. She'd ran away from him, laughing, but then let him approach her...he'd been so close, it had felt so real...it felt like far more than just a matter of fiction in his imagination, and yet...

"Do you know if I said anything while I was...er...dreaming?"

"Nothing that you weren't awake to hear," Paula replied. "I mean, you were kicking and shrieking as you woke up - even if you don't remember most of what happened, at least you should remember that."

Paula knew she shouldn't retract the truth, but to her it was far better than lying - she knew he would most likely be able to see right through anything she said. But if she simply held it back, then she could keep everyone safer. She knew she had witnessed something which should have been held private from her, but now that she had the information she would withold it.

She would do the same thing time and time again - she would treat her customers well, knowing that it was the best way she could sustain herself even if it was a risky business. Then she would drive them off, hoping that she never had to interact with them outside of their delirious states. But there was something about this Jon Jasper fellow who made her feel more alert - something was amiss.

But she would not attempt to find out anything more about him at the moment, nor would she be able to. He already left the bar, already deserted it to go off to his normal life. As normal as a man who smoked opium's life could possibly be.

Of course, Mr. Jasper was on his way back to Cloisterham Academy - the night was quickly turning into the day and he could not afford to be late. The early school day was just beginning as he arrived in his classroom. It was a near miss, of course - he would have to be more careful in the future. If he ever went there in the future.

The morning class ticked by in its normal fashion, each second becoming more painfully tedious than the last. This day in particular was especially terrible because of the after effects of the previous night. There was only reason he allowed himself to keep suffering through it. That reason was in the second period, the only thing he could look forward to at all...

And so the next period came, and there she was. Rosa looked just as radiant within the fluorescent lighting from the school ceilings as she did within Mr. Jasper's mind when it was led astray. He didn't know just quite how she did it, especially as she was not actively trying to appear so lovely...or perhaps she was trying to look so lovely...

It did not matter. He had a chorus class to teach, including Rosa and her radiance along with her pout - she evidently did not enjoy coming to the choir classroom every day, but he knew there had to be something more beneath her constant sour looks.

If he hadn't smoked opium just hours ago, perhaps Mr. Jasper would've had an easier time easing into his day yet again. He didn't know why he kept smoking opium, aside from the fact that it was terribly addictive...he couldn't remember starting to smoke it in the first place, only finding himself addicted to it and desperately trying to pass it off as being a strange collector's hobby.

He wondered if any of the students suspected what he did. Jon Jasper could not figure out how any one of them would be able to have such foresight, but he'd been surprised in the past.

Secrets at Cloisterham were very precious if they could remain secrets for long. Fortunately, however, most of the chatter went on among and about the students. Far less of it had to do with whatever the teachers got up to whenever they were not at the front of a classroom.

Despite his self-assurance that the students wouldn't figure him out, Mr. Jasper could not deny that he was not feeling well. How could he be? He was still waking from the opium dream he'd been within, one that was hazy and yet he could remember what happened all too sharply.Rosa. Of course. There she was, sitting beside the new girl. Helena, Helena Lanka. She was whispering to Helena, caring enough not to be disruptive but not enough so that she made an effort not to be caught. Usually she would speak to Jasmine sitting beside her, but she'd invited Helena to another nearby seat.

Those Lanka twins were not truly part of the choir, at least not yet. They were only sitting in to begin their transition into the choir. Rosa seemed to adore them, and that meant that he needed to separate her from either of the Lanka twins as soon as possible. But, for the moment, he would have to let them remain in their spots in order to avoid suspicion.

He would try to avoid situations like this - running into Cloisterham, realizing that he might be late to his first class of the day because of what he did at night. But he could remember this happening time and time again - perhaps it was because of the thrill that he continued to do it again and and again and again. And then, of course, there was the matter of addiction.But when he stood before a class of high school students, dazed and exhausted, he had o force himself to think of just about anything except the matter of addiction.

He knew that half the students didn't want to be there, despite knowingly auditioning for the advanced choir and working to become part of the elite. Sometimes he didn't want to be there either, if he was to be honest to himself. It was boring - he didn't have to be a student to realize that. Sing a song. Sing another song. It was endless.

Jon Jasper had built himself a good reputation throughout his three years at Cloisterham Academy thus far. He just had to pray that despite whatever he might do when he was not within the walls of 

Cloisterham that reputation would stick.

Rosa had already pulled out her music folder and was going through it as if she was looking for something. Somehow even this simple action was enough to make her look ethereal - her dark curls cascaded down from her shoulders as she bent her spine to make certain she could look in the folder.But then she turned to smile at Helena, handing her a piece of music. She was talking to her about something, and he couldn't hear it. He wanted to know what words were passing through her lips as she sat there. He simply must know.

"Okay, everyone," he called out. If he couldn't find out what the two girls were conversing about, at least he could end the conversation where it stood. "It's time for us to begin. We have a lot to work on today. The winter concert is coming up faster than you might think."

As his eyes flickered over the group of students (most of which had their arms crossed and their backs slumped up against the back of the chairs - horrible posture that would hopefully be corrected when warm ups began), he saw that Rosa had continued her conversation with Helena in a whisper.

"Now," exclaimed Mr. Jasper. "We will begin class. That means we all need to be quiet."

He scanned his eyes over the class, letting them linger for just seconds longer on Rosa. This time she'd fallen silent. She had her gaze cast up towards the ceiling. There was little interest to be found within her eyes at the current moment, but it was of no matter. At the very least she could rip her attentions away from Helena and then give them to Mr. Jasper.

One day, though, there would be more to give.