by Valia Lind
"Jade! Noel and I are just friends."
"Yes, which means you'll have fun together and can come with Caleb and me. It'll be great."
"Did you put him up to this?"
"I would never. He wanted to ask you, and I told him it's a great idea."
"Jade."
"Maddie. Come on. You cannot not go to the dance."
"I mean, I could." I was actually thinking about it because it would give me a good excuse to sneak over to the library. But now, I think I'll be scratching that plan off my to-do list.
"Madison Hawthorne, you wouldn't. It's our first dance together. We both have to go for that to be true." The pout she gives me is one powerful sort of magic because I can feel myself giving in. Plus, I know Noel and I would have fun. My mind drifts over to another boy in my life, but I scrap that before it can take root.
"Fine, fine, fine. I'll suck it up and dance the night away." I tumble back onto the bed, throwing a hand over my forehead.
"You are so dramatic," Jade laughs, and I know I just made her very happy. I guess it won't hurt to have a little fun once in a while. Just then, a knock sounds on the door before a letter is pushed under it. Since Jade is standing up, she grabs for it first.
"So, do we actually know how the whole note thing works?" my roommate asks, glancing down at the paper. "Is the knock attached to the magic that makes the paper appear under our door?"
"You're asking me this like I know the answer." I laugh, as she hands me the note.
"Well, this is your school." I shrug at that, glancing at my name written on the paper.
"It's a magical delivery system. That's all I've got," I reply, opening the envelope and pulling out the note. A huge part of me is hoping it's from my sisters, or Mama, telling me dad has been found, and I can breathe easier. But no dice. The note is short and to the point.
No training for the rest of the week.
See you next Monday. - Aiden
"What is it?" Jade snatches the note in alarm, reading it quickly. She glances up at me, a bit of confusion clouding her eyes.
"You looked like something was wrong," she says slowly, keeping her gaze on me. I try to shrug it off. "Maddie?"
"It's just weird is all. He's been so adamant about training. It's weird that he would cancel."
"Aha."
"Stop that." I point at Jade, taking the note back and dropping it on my desk.
"Whatever you say," she continues, before clapping her hands together. "But this is perfect because we can now pick out dresses together!"
"Dresses?"
"Yes! Since we can't leave campus to shop, they're bringing the shop to us. Today at four. I thought I would have to sneak a dress for you, but now I don't have to."
She's very excited and I can't exactly fault her for it. The faculty knew what they were doing when they announced the dance. Students have been in a state of elation for days. But as Jade settles down for her own studies before shopping and dinner, my mind drifts over to Aiden as my eyes find the note on the desk. It's odd for him to cancel. Something must be going on.
When it's twenty minutes until four, Jade basically drags me out the room and down the stairs. Her excitement is contagious, and I find myself getting into it. I've never been one for fluffy dresses or high heels, but that's because I spent most of my childhood in the woods with my dad. There have been a few times where I've dolled up, but all the major celebrations are reserved for after we've come of age. Since I'm away at school, I miss out on the summer Litha or the moon cleansing ritual. Thunderbird Academy has one of their own, but it's not until I've reached the upperclassman level.
"How exactly are we paying for these?" I ask, as Jade and I line up behind a group of girls. I see Christy and Vera closer to the front, and the shorter girl waves, while Vera throws a nod our way.
"We're not. They announced this in one of my classes. The faculty is supplying the dresses and dress shirts. They're even setting up a flower stand."
"How very teen movie-esque of them," I say, but not unkindly. It's nice to know that those who run this school are taking a personal interest in our lives. It would be so easy for them to just focus on the academics. But not only are they putting themselves in danger to protect us when the time comes, they're making sure we have a full high school experience.
"I think it's pretty amazing of them." Jade smiles, and I answer in kind. We move forward slowly, staying in line. It's a little surprising how organized this whole process is. I mean, they are dealing with a bunch of teenagers. But I love the fact that everyone seems to be on the same page. Maybe it's true what they say, and difficult times do bring people together.
When we reach the front of the line, we step through the doors to one of the classrooms which has been revamped to look like a clothing store. There are hanging rods set up all around with dresses, shirts, skirts, and even a few suits. On one side, they've also set up dressing rooms, with a few full-length mirrors. Currently, one of the mirrors is occupied by a pretty girl in a dark purple pantsuit. Her long blonde hair spills over her shoulders, and she looks powerful and ready for anything while the color complements her complexion.
"Wow," Jade breathes out next to me, and I glance to see her watching the girl. "She looks amazing. I could never pull that off."
"Me neither. I think she's one of the fourth-year students."
"Come on." Jade tugs on my arm, pulling me toward the racks filled with clothes. There are so many colors and material options, everything swims in front of my eyes for a moment. Jade begins pulling items out, happily holding them in front of her body for inspection. I take my time, walking down the aisles, hoping something will jump out at me. I'm almost at the end of the row when something does.
A tiny sliver of green material is sticking out between the reds, so I walk toward it, pulling it out more fully. The color reminds me of the forest around my hometown of Hawthorne, the fresh leaves mixed with evergreens. It's a floor length, off the shoulder, emerald satin beauty, and I'm instantly in love.
"You have to try it on." I'm so mesmerized, I don't hear Jade come up to me. I glance over my shoulder and she tugs my elbow toward the dressing rooms as I grab the dress. She's carrying three with her, purple, pink, and red. I have to say, I see her in the red.
I let her go first, and after she tries the others, red is the winner I thought it would be.
"What do you think?"
"I honestly love it," I reply, as she twirls in front of the mirror. From my sisters, I know it's a tea length strapless sweetheart cut. Harper wore one to her homecoming. The red reminds me of the apples we picked in the Autumn, and I squish the melancholy threatening to overwhelm me.
"I do too! Now you. I want to see that number on you." She wiggles her eyebrows up and down, and I can't help but laugh. She brings the kind of lightheartedness to my life that I need right now. It would be too easy for me to get bogged down by my own mind.
When I step into the dressing room, I undress quickly. Once I pull the dress over my body, I know it's the one. It settles over my skin as if it was made for me. The length is perfect, touching the floor enough that when I rise to my tiptoes, it barely grazes the ground. The off the shoulder cut shows off more skin than I'm used to, but it also makes me feel as powerful as that girl looked in her suit. When I run my hands over the full skirt, I discover that the dress has pockets.
"Holy moly, Maddie," Jade says, when I step out to look at myself in the mirror. "You look incredible."
I do my own little twirl in front of the mirror, completely in love with the dress.
"Wait, does it have pockets?"
"It sure does!"
"Amazing!"
The fact that we're this excited about pockets just shows me I have no choice but to get this dress. It feels heavenly against my skin and makes me feel empowered somehow. I notice the line still out the door and quickly rush to the dressing room to change back. I think I could've stood in front of that mirror forever, and that's someth
ing new for me.
I've never been one to dress up because I never understood the importance behind it. I love what I wear, but it has always been more about comfort than fashion. That dress definitely showed me what a good outfit can do for my confidence.
"I can't believe we both found dresses," Jade says, linking her arm through mine as we carry our purchases toward our room. I'm about to answer when someone calls my name. I turn to see Noel heading toward us, and I know exactly what's about to happen.
"I'll just take that," Jade says, reaching for my dress before taking a step away.
"Don't leave me," I plead.
"Be nice," she replies, before rushing up the stairs. I turn in time to see Noel watching Jade retreat before he gives me a warm smile.
"Hey, Maddie."
"Noel. How's it going?"
"It's going. Do you think I could borrow your time for a minute?"
I want to say no, but I also don't want to hurt his feelings. I give him a nod and he leads me toward the front doors. Once we're outside, we head to one side of the staircase, away from the busybody onlookers. There always seems to be someone around.
"So, what's up?" I ask, ready to get this over with.
"I was wondering if you would like to go to the dance with me?"
His direct question takes me by surprise. I really thought he'd have to work up to it, but he just dives right in. I kind of appreciate it, to be honest. I already told Jade I'd say yes, but this makes me actually want to do so.
"I'd like that," I reply, and I can see him visibly relax. "But can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"I thought you'd ask Jade." That's not really a question, but I see his eyes cloud for a second, and I know I guessed it right.
"Maddie..."
"It's okay. I would still love to go with you, I just wanted to know if my suspicions were right. And I want to make sure you're going with the right person."
He laughs at that, which makes him look even cuter than usual. I can definitely see the appeal, even though I've never paid much attention before.
"Jade is going with Caleb."
"I know that." I watch him steadily, and he shifts from foot to foot.
"I was going to ask her, but he beat me to it."
"Why ask me?" I'm not upset, just genuinely curious.
"Because I consider you one of my closest friends, and I think we will have a blast together."
And just like that, my heart swells, and I realize how special he is to me. Somewhere when I wasn't looking, he's become one of my closest friends too. Without hesitation, I throw my arms around him, and he catches me easily. It's the kind of a hug that chases all the clouds away and fills the heart to the brim. I needed it more than I could've imagined.
14
The rest of the week flies by at the speed of light. The only noticeable drag is my lack of combat training. I'm trying not to let it affect me, but the fact that Aiden has gone MIA is keeping me a bit distracted. It also makes me search every hallway and classroom, waiting for him to show up. I'm annoyed with myself, to say the least.
"Earth to Maddie." Jade waves her hand in front of my face as Christy and Vera giggle in the background. The four of us are in our room, getting pampered for the dance tonight. The girls and I have all put on face masks, and Christy is currently painting Vera's nails dark blue. The shifter's dress looks like a galaxy and suits her perfectly. Christy chose a hot pink number, and I have to say, it's made for her. It's just as bubbly as she is.
"Sorry, sorry," I mumble, concentrating on the task at hand. Which at this moment involves picking out the perfect shade of lipstick for both Jade and myself.
"This one," I announce grabbing the tube out of the stack. "I don't think you can go wrong with a color called 'Firemen's Kiss'." Another round of giggles as Jade takes the lipstick and swipes it across her lips as a test run. Not to brag, but I can tell it's the perfect shade.
"You are a genius!"
I laugh, taking a little bow, as my heart squeezes in awareness at the scene in front of me. While I've never been much on makeup and spa days, my sisters, plus Krista, have done girl’s night rituals much like these for years. They've always included me, even though I'm so much younger than them. Looking around, I feel that pang of homesickness that I usually keep at bay. I haven't heard from them all week, and on top of Aiden going missing, my emotions are at an all-time high.
"We should probably start getting ready with a bit more speed to our movements," Vera says, blowing air on her fingernails. "We're running out of time."
The rest of us glance over at the clock on the wall as Christy gasps.
"Vera! Why didn't you mention it sooner?" The other girl just shrugs, which is so like her. I don't think I've ever seen her lose her cool. Christy scrambles to her feet, rushing to the bathroom to wash up. There isn't much room to fit all four of us in, so we take turns.
Once my face is nice and scrubbed, I let Jade do my makeup. I could do it myself; I'm not a complete novice. Harper made sure her status as the second oldest sister was intact by teaching me all about eyeliner and mascara. But now that we're here, I want something more special. I could never achieve the perfect smokey eye, and I want to do the dress justice.
It doesn't take long for Jade to doll me up. She's a master, that much is clear by her every day striking looks. But when I finally turn and look at myself in the mirror, even I'm surprised by her skill.
My eyes look bigger, outlined perfectly in golds and silvers, making the green pop. The lashes are fuller than I've ever seen them, partnered with a subtle cat eye. There is a tiny amount of highlighter on my cheeks, just enough to make my skin glow. I realize we didn't decide on a lipstick when she moves in front of me once more.
"I think a subtle pink, almost nude color, will be best." She raises the tub at my eye-level, and I have to agree. The color reminds me of rose quartz, one of my favorite crystals. I'll be wearing a bracelet with the stone around my wrist.
"Now who's a genius?" I reply, letting her apply the lipstick as well.
The hair is next, and I do my best to curl it halfway down my back, before I pin it to one side. It's a look I've seen Bri do for one of her dances, and I've always wanted to try it with the right dress. When it's time to finally pull the material over my body, it almost seems surreal.
Each part of the process, from the cleansing mask to the smoothing of the skirt over my hips, made me feel empowered. I didn't do this for anyone but myself, and I tuck the feeling closely to my heart to carry with me forever. I just learned a valuable lesson, and I hope I never forget it.
When the knock sounds on the door, there's no hesitation as I pull it open.
Noel stands on the other side, black suit, white shirt, a green tie the color of my dress. I'm not sure how he found the exact shade, but he looks great in it.
"Wow, you look amazing," he says, grinning at me.
"You clean up pretty good yourself," I reply, answering in kind.
"Did they manage to talk you into heels?" Noel asks, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. We had a whole lunch discussion about how I was not about to wear any sort of heels to this shindig. I would break my neck, and probably something else in the process.
"We compromised," I reply now, raising the bottom of my dress so he can see the black booties I have on. They have a small, two-inch heel on them, but they're wedges. If I needed to run, I'd be all good to go.
"Love it. It's totally you."
And with those words Noel chases away any reservations I may have had about the evening. He gets me, and I don't have to pretend or hide around him. That's what friendship is, being yourself with someone who understands you. I give him the biggest smile and he loops his arm to offer me his elbow. After a quick bye to the girls, I shut the door behind me. Without hesitation I place my arm through the opening and together we walk toward the ballroom.
I'm not going to pretend and say it's not weird that my school has a ballroom. Someti
mes I feel like this place is right out of the late 18th century. I can almost envision Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett dancing right alongside us. The only thing missing is the candles as the only means of lighting.
When Noel and I reach the double doors, we line up behind all the other couples waiting to go in. I can hear music coming from inside and people talking and laughing.
"Is it me or is there a lot of pink?" Noel asks, as we study the people around us.
"It's not you." I reply, because girls and guys alike are sporting all kinds of pinkish shades. I've never been a huge fan of the color for myself, especially since it looks weird with my complexion. But some of them are really pulling it off.
"Oh, there's Jade," I say, just as my friend and her date finish descending the stairs. She looks incredible in the little red number, her hair swept up into an elaborate updo. The red lipstick is a perfect accessory to her dramatic cat eye. She looks like one of those Hollywood bombshells, minus the platinum hair, her shade is a little lighter. But it doesn't take away from her beauty. I'm not the only one who thinks so.
"Wow." Noel's barely whispered admiration is not missed on me, and I give his arm a little squeeze. He tears his gaze away from my friend and gives me a sheepish smile.
"Don't worry, I agree," I tell him in a conspiratorial whisper. He visibly relaxes, but his eyes dart toward Jade once more. The boy really has it bad. But I honestly don't mind. Jade could do much worse.
"Come on," I say, pulling him toward the doors as the line moves. "You owe me a dance."
He grins down at me and then we're inside the ballroom. The place has been decorated with glowing lights all around. It's like standing inside of a gazebo on a Christmas night. It's magical and incredibly perfect for the atmosphere. I see quite a few Fae moving around the room, making sure everyone is having a good time. While we don't have many at the school, everyone knows they're good for throwing a party. Which is why all of them are on the party committee.
There are already people dancing. The music is a mixture of current and older songs, and I would be lying if I said I'm not getting swept up in all of it.