that hung around the room blinked above me as I sat on the edge of my bed, my legs dangling toward the floor. Celine sat at her desk in front of a portable light-up mirror, primping her freshly curled hair with a comb. She already had on her dress for the Founder’s Ball, a floor-length, emerald green silk gown that shimmered under the lights. I could have been jealous as I looked down at my own simple knee-length dress, but I was just grateful Mattie had packed me something to wear.
My dress was a short A-line in deep violet. The V-neck bodice transitioned into an ethereal chiffon skirt that flowed around my hips and thighs for an elegant yet minimalistic look. I was pretty sure Mattie, or anyone else for that matter, would look a lot better in it than I did.
“Remind me why I have to go again?” I groaned.
It was the last day of September and a full month since I arrived at Empyrean. I had never gone to any of the dances in high school, so the idea of going to a formal dance was nerve-racking.
“Come on! Not again,” Celine paused her lipstick application long enough for her to roll her eyes at me and shake her head in an exasperated fashion.
“It’s a tradition for first-years,” she repeated for the hundredth time.
“But why are we required to have a date?” I asked more in protest than as a question.
A smile played on Celine’s lips as she eyed my reflection in the mirror. “Okay, I actually made that part up.”
“What?! Why would you do that?” Going on a date made me more stressed than going to the dance itself.
She shrugged. “How else would I get you to go with Dean?” She pressed some powder on her face with a fluffy pad.
“Is Nathaniel going?” I asked Celine’s reflection in the mirror.
“I think so,” Celine replied.
“Does he have a date?” I feigned disinterest.
“I don’t know.” She flashed me a coy grin in the mirror. “Why?”
I rolled my eyes at her.
She snapped the powder compact closed and stood up. “Done!”
“You look amazing.”
“Now it’s your turn!”
“Ugh.”
“Stop acting like I’m dragging you to your death. Dean is a hottie, and you’ll have fun with him! We’re going to a dance. It’ll be fun!”
“Fine.” I sighed and went to sit in her chair.
I watched in the mirror as Celine freed my wavy hair from the knot I put it in. Her brow furrowed as she began to concentrate on my makeover, and my thoughts involuntarily wandered back to Nathaniel.
A knock at our dorm room door announced the arrival of our dates. Celine opened the door to Alan and Dean. The smartly tailored black suits with crisp white shirts they wore emphasized their height and broad shoulders. Their hair was slicked back off their faces. Alan’s tie was green to match Celine’s dress, and Dean’s tie, purple to match mine, completed their dapper looks.
“Celine,” Alan greeted her. “You look amazing.”
Celine giggled nervously. “Thanks”
“Hi, Eva,” Dean said. “You look stunning.”
I smiled. The flirt. “Thanks,” I replied. “Don’t you two look dashing?”
Alan and Dean beamed.
“Shall we?” Alan offered his arm to Celine.
“We shall.” She giggled and linked arms with him.
Dean also offered his arm to me, and we walked together to the ball.
The Assembly Hall was already bustling with people when we arrived. I looked around for a moment, taking in all the sights and sounds. It was decorated with luminous fairy lights and colorful streamers that draped from the ceiling and sprays of wildflowers that adorned each table. The aroma of the flowers mixed with the scents of perfume and cologne that lingered in the air as people moved about the room. Balloons tumbled along the floor and popped into the air each time someone bumped them. Everyone was dressed in their finest, and the dance floor was already jammed with students bouncing to the thumping music.
The four of us formed a circle on the dance floor with Jessica soon joining us. I almost didn’t recognize her in her slinky black dress, a far cry from her usual baggy clothes. Unsurprisingly, Sara had a date and was hanging out with his friends instead. The five of us laughed and raved to the roaring music.
The inevitable slow song split our little group up as our dates took us by the arm. Dean’s hands wrapped around my waist, and my hands rested around his neck as we gently swayed back and forth to the soft melody. He peered down at me, a dreamy smile on his face that was all too expressive and eager to please. He was so handsome, so perfect. Malibu Ken. We were so close together, literally in each other’s arms, and I felt… nothing.
Every time I looked into his pretty blue eyes expecting a spark of attraction, all I found was my reflection looking back at me. No matter how hard I tried to fool myself that this should be a special moment with him, it just wasn’t there. Instead, my eyes searched the crowded hall for any sign of Nathaniel.
Dean suddenly pulled me closer to him. I held my breath as he leaned in, his lips almost touching my cheek.
“Look over there,” he whispered in my ear and nodded behind me.
As Dean loosened his grip on my back, I peered over my shoulder at Celine and Alan, who were slow dancing. Her head rested on his shoulder, and both of their eyes closed as their bodies swayed in sync as if they were lost in their own world.
I looked back at Dean, who flashed the biggest grin at me.
“Aren’t they cute?” he said.
“They look so happy together.”
“Should I go and interrupt them?” he said with an impish expression.
“Don’t you dare!” I swatted his chest. “You’re going to ruin it for them!”
“Fine.” He feigned disappointment. “I’ll have to remember to give Alan a hard time later.”
“I’ll come after you if you scare him away from Celine,” I joked.
We both laughed.
I think he had also come to the realization that we didn’t have any romantic chemistry because he spent the rest of the slow dance hilariously providing comedic commentary on the other couples around us, and we quietly laughed our way through the end of the song. As our group of friends formed a little circle on the dance floor again, I realized that I did feel something for Dean after all. He made me laugh and brightened my heart, like a dear friend.
Before I could blink, several more songs had passed as fast as a whirlwind. I basked in the last streams of adrenaline still coursing through me, and my forehead was damp with a little sweat from all of our feverish dancing.
“I need a break,” I told the others.
“Me too,” Celine said, letting out a sigh.
The others agreed, and we made our way through the crowd toward the tables that lined the hall. I spotted Nathaniel at a table before anyone else did, but I quickly looked away, not wanting to let on how eager I had been to find him. My heart raced as I tried to focus my attention on anything else. Why was I so drawn to him? Why did my thoughts keep wandering to him whenever I was alone? All I knew was that I couldn’t seem to help it.
“Hey!” Alan said. “Nathaniel’s over there.”
We headed over to the table where Nathaniel sat across from another girl I didn’t recognize. As we reached the table, she got up from her chair.
“Looks like your friends are here,” she said to Nathaniel. “You guys can have my seat.”
She looked a couple of years older than me, so I assumed she was a third- or fourth-year student. She had the most intense yet iridescent sort of beauty, like what a magical fairy might look like if I ever saw one. Her hip-length light blonde hair was pushed back with a glittery headband, and she had large doe eyes with deep blue pupils. Her floor-length sapphire blue satin dress and gold earrings shimmered in the low light.
“Oh, you don’t have to leave!” Celine said politely.
“Yeah, I don’t need to sit down,” Alan agreed.
“Thanks, but I need to figure out where my date disappeared to. Have fun!” She waved to the group but paused as she walked past me. “Love your dress. Purple is my favorite color.”
“Thanks.” I smiled awkwardly, and she walked away.
“Who’s that?” Jessica asked Nathaniel.
He shrugged. “Don’t know.”
“Really?” Celine asked dryly. “So, you just sat there and never spoke to her?”
“Nope.” He mirrored her dry look.
I mean, was it really that surprising that a beautiful girl would sit next to him and he wouldn’t say a word to her? Seemed like classic Nathaniel to me.
“You don’t have a date?” I asked as we sat all sat down at the table.
“Nope,” he repeated, also not surprisingly.
Without trying to be too obvious, I finally got my first good look at Nathaniel that night. He must have gotten ready with Alan and Dean because he wore a pressed white shirt, similar to theirs, but paired with a navy blue tie, which he had already loosened around his neck. His black suit jacket was slung over the back of his chair. Unlike the other guys, he didn’t bother to slick his hair back and instead styled it as he usually did. His shiny silver cufflinks sparkled whenever they caught the light.
My heart fluttered and beat faster as I was captivated by the devastatingly handsome sight of him. His exquisite physique, that smooth tie around his neck, and the way his shirt clung to his body… it was all too much. My fingers itched to tear off his tie, rip open his shirt, and feel the warmth of his skin against my own.
Whoa, Eva. Get a grip.
I bit my lip and steadied my breath. My mind screamed at me to tear my eyes away. But it was too late. Nathaniel caught my gaze and locked eyes with me. I smiled back casually, though the butterflies in my stomach were fluttering frantically, creating a whirlwind of emotions that I could barely contain.
He looked away as Dean leaned over to him. They exchanged a few words with Alan now behind Dean, and Nathaniel stood up.
“We’re going to get drinks for everyone,” Dean announced.
“Okay.” We responded.
After the boys left us, I nudged Celine with my elbow.
“I see you’re having a good time with Alan!” I teased her.
She giggled. “I am!”
“I’m glad.” I smiled at her.
“How are things going with Dean?” Jessica asked with an eagerness in her eyes that I didn’t expect.
I shrugged. “He’s cool but not really my type.”
Celine looked at me mischievously. “Maybe Nathaniel is more your type?”
Jessica smirked and raised her eyebrows at me.
“Funny,” I snarked as I tried to calm the butterflies somersaulting in my belly.
“I don’t know.” Celine squinted at me. “I’m pretty sure I saw you stare at him one too many times.”
“Oh! You should ask him to dance!” Jessica urged.
“Ha,” I scoffed, though I could feel my cheeks flush a little. Fortunately, the hall was dimly lit. “I think he’d rather die than be caught on the dance floor.”
“But you can ask,” Celine egged me on.
“Yeah, you should definitely ask!” Jessica piled on.
“You two are impossible!” I protested.
The guys returned to the table laughing loudly with their hands full of drinks. Except for Mr. Grouch, of course. Nathaniel just had a smirk on his face.
“What’s so funny?” Jessica asked as they distributed the cups. My pulse quickened as Nathaniel settled into the chair beside me.
“Someone froze the punch bowl right after we got our drinks!” Dean explained, delighted.
“Did they catch who did it?” Celine asked. “They said no powers at the dance.”
Alan shook his head. “Nope, he got away.”
“Do they need someone to unfreeze it?” I asked.
“Nah,” Dean answered. “One of the chaperons was already working on it when we left. It was pretty awesome, though.” He laughed.
“Don’t listen to him.” Celine rolled her eyes and turned to me. “Stuff like that will get you suspended.”
We chatted amongst ourselves for a bit, drinking our cups of punch, until the other girls decided they were ready to get back on the dance floor. Dean and Alan got up as well.
“Go on without me,” I said. “I’m going to sit a little longer.”
Jessica’s and Celine’s eyes bounced between me and Nathaniel. Then they looked at each other, giggling to my utter mortification.
Dean, ever the gentleman, began to sit back down to accompany me.
“No, Dean. Go with them.” I urged.
“Are you sure?” he asked, uncertain.
“Yeah.” I smiled at him. “I’m a big girl. I’ll be fine.”
He nodded and left to join the rest of the group.
It was just Nathaniel and me sitting at the table now. I awkwardly smoothed the skirt of my dress and then sipped my punch slowly as we sat there in silence for a few minutes.
“I don’t need your pity,” he asserted.
My head snapped toward him in confusion. “Huh?”
“You don’t need to feel sorry for me. I’m fine. Go with Dean.”
“I—I don’t feel sorry for you,” I stammered, a bit surprised he would think that.
I certainly did not pity him. Nathaniel was a hunk from a wealthy family with popular friends. If he wanted a date or a girl to dance with, he could have had his pick.
“Why aren’t you dancing?” I finally asked, not knowing what else to say.
“I don’t want to,” he answered curtly.
“Why are you here if you don’t want to dance? Aren’t you bored just sitting here all night?”
His eyes darted at me, but his face kept a blank expression. “What are you, the dance police? I just don’t like being crammed with all of those sweaty people and loud music blaring in my ears.”
I nodded and smiled. “I get it. You value your personal space, right?”
He smirked and nodded once.
The intense tempo of dance music mellowed out as the next track began to play a soothing love song. I hesitated, pulse racing. Dancing with Nathaniel would only make the feelings I’d been trying to ignore surge to the surface. But one dance couldn’t hurt, could it? Summoning my courage, I stood up.
“Dance with me,” I said.
His brows furrowed slightly with shock. “What?”
“Come on. It’s a slow song. No sweaty bodies or blaring music.”
He started to protest, but an unusual confidence came over me. I tugged at his arm and demanded, “I want to dance with you.”
His gaze rested on mine. I searched it for a sign of annoyance or anger but didn’t see either, so I held his stare with the cutest pouty face that I could muster, determined not to let my nerves get the best of me. Finally, his lips parted in a small smirk, and I think my heart stopped beating when he rose from his chair.
The arm I had been tugging suddenly slid back, and he clutched my hand firmly, his fingers intertwining with mine. The sensation of his skin against mine sent a rush of electricity coursing through my veins. My breath caught in my throat as his soft, warm fingertips brushed mine, and my heart raced at his touch. For a moment, I froze in place, but I quickly recovered.
As we joined the other couples on the dance floor, Nathaniel tensed up slightly. Clearly, he was not used to this. I haven’t been to many dances either, but I was determined to pretend I had. I took a step closer to him, placing my arms around his neck and pulling him in. He hesitated for a moment but eventually wrapped his arms around my waist, sending a shiver of excitement through me as he pulled me close.
We moved to the music, stiff and awkward at first, but as the song went on, we slowly relaxed and let our bodies move in sync.
“I didn’t think you were going to come,” I admitted softly.
“And miss seeing you dressed up?” He smirked. “Not a chance.”
His dark hazel eyes smoldered as they met mine, replacing the impassive mask that he usually wore. My breath caught at the heat in his gaze. My cheeks grew warmer the longer I looked at him, a wave of emotions washing over me, the spark I had been looking for. He pulled me closer, as if he sensed my feelings until my head rested on his shoulder.
The rest of the world faded away, and it was just us cocooned in our own little bubble. Being so close to him was mesmerizing, the heat of his body pressing against mine. It was as if we were made for each other, two halves of the same whole. His woodsy scent wrapped around me like a snug blanket that I hadn’t realized was missing until then. At that moment, being in Nathaniel’s taut arms felt so right, and his warmth spread through me as we moved slowly to the music.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered into my ear, sending a bolt of electricity down my chest.
I avoided looking at him, frightened of the possibility that he was being sarcastic and that the dream I found myself in would fall apart. Instead, I snuggled into him closer, sinking further into his embrace. I could have stayed there forever.
