.
.
.
"Wait, don't tell me because you and Damien walked arm in arm last night, you actually dreamt about him?" Heart asked, blinking in confusion.
"A wet dream at that," Athie slurred, a smirk on her dark lips.
"No! Not a wet dream!" I was quick to shout, my eyes darting between Damiem and Athie.
"But it was wet. The rain… what were you thinking?" Athie laughed, her dark eyes glittering with amusement.
"You're dreaming of me already?" Damien asked, walking to me, his green eyes seeming to pull me in.
"No, I wasn't…" I began to shake my head.
He came so close, our bodies had no space to breathe.
"Woah!" Faux cheered, clapping.
"What were we doing in the rain?" He asked, his voice dipping lower, and I gulped.
"No, no, it wasn't a dream. Someone gave me…just you wait," I pushed away from him, and dashed into the kitchen, searching the counter for the tea cup, then the sink. It wasn't there. I dug into the bin for the tea packet, but there was no trace of a tea packet.
Was it all a dream?
No. My gown was changed, and my cold was real.
"It wasn't a dream. I wasn't wearing this last night when I went to bed," I said, walking back to them.
"Are you sure?" Faux asked, "Do you remember wearing something apart from this last night?"
I looked down at my pajamas.
Truth be told, I didn't really remember wearing my nightgown.
Was it really a dream? If so, what sort of dream was it?
Why was I in the corridors? Why did I see that girl? Why did I see Damien?
<<<
Night came faster than ever along with sweaty palms, dry lips, and a pounding heart.
I could barely recognize myself in the mirror, with my hair cascading down my shoulders, my large doe eyes making me look more like the innocent creature I was.
The girls had decked me in adormments of the finest silver. My neck, ears, hair, wrists, and feet were caged in jewelries. I sparkled at every turn. If I went out to the human world with this? They would all die to speak to me.
Speak of beauty beyond comprehension.
"Let's go!" Athena said, grinning from my door, where she watched me stare at myself.
"It's just so surreal," I said, my eyes still on the mirror, even as I took steps back.
"Well, believe it, baby. If you're scared of tonight, I can actually trade you a wish. Give you some protective kind of mark or something," she offered, her lips shining with gloss as she smiled.
I shook my head slowly, returning her smile, "I'm not smart enough to bargain with you. Perhaps when Natalie or Heart is around, then…"
She suddenly threw her head back and laughed—her nose, eyebrow and lip piercings catching the light, "Damien would laugh if he heard you want the predators to protect you from me," she continued chuckling, finding her words funny.
"What's…that supposed to mean?" I asked awkwardly, watching her long earrings sway and dangle from her cute earlobes.
"This is Mysia High, girl. Not everyone is as they seem. Infact, the most beautiful ones are the most dangerous."
Hayden flashed in my head in that second.
"Speaking of beautiful ones, Hayden's stuff are still in my room," I said slowly, gesturing to his guitar and the shelf.
"Well, you gotta be careful. Hayden's stuff can stay there, but not his mirror. If his mirror is there…" her words trailed off, as we heard footsteps approaching.
"If his mir…" I continued.
"You're looking pretty. You sure you don't want your hair up in a tight bun like mine?" She asked, her voice louder, as she affectionately pushed my hair behind my shoulder.
Why the change of topic?
Just then, Hayden appeared, headphones on.
The moment he saw us, he stopped, released one ear, and looked at me, "I'm going in my room."
"Uh," I looked from Athie to him, to my room, "That's… that's not allowed. My things are there. You can't go in there when I'm not in," I said, but did he even hear me?
His hands were in the pockets of his white tuxedo pants, as he strolled casually to my door. I followed him instantly.
"Nice choice," I could swear I heard Athie mutter that.
At my room, I watched from the door, noticing how quickly his scent filled up my room.
It wasn't feminine, nor was it masculine, but it was pleasant, and seemed to shout, 'Hug me. You'll get the full blast of it.'
He strolled over to a bookshelf, and took a book. Then as he walked past me, he muttered, "You're dead if you touch my mirror collection."
A loud Bell seemed to ring in my head.
Mi… mirror collection!?
Not even one, but he had a whole collection in this room? I looked around in instinct, but the only mirror was the huge one in front of the wardrobe. Why was he creeping me out?
<<<
Everyone was bubbly, and radiant down the stairs.
Damien and Natalie were pretending to be Mr. And Mrs. Mysia—whatever they called themselves. Faux was on his phone, while Heart was busy deciding on what color of earrings fit her best as she changed it with a touch of her finger.
"Let's move, guys! I'mma get me some wishes tonight!" Athena said, walking to the door in her short black leather dress with tiny shoulder straps and a neck tie. She wasn't going with the blue dress code.
We all left the dorm, and the moment we walked into the large hall in which the Mysia Welcome would take place, all eyes were fixed on us. It suddenly felt like everything was happening in slow-mo. Hayden was a haughty prince; I was the noble princess; Athie was the bad bitch; Natalie was the Queen; Heart was the seductive beauty, and Faux and Damien were the handsome devils.
The people gazed at us from the theatre seats—each row of benches slightly higher than the last. The hall was vast, and had three stadium-like rows of seats, with stairs in between them for easy movement to access the seats. Aside the stadium rows, there was a huge dance floor, where more creatures walked. Drinks were served; beef, and all manner of assorted food were being passed around, and served.
There was an handsome waiter with blonde hair, pouring what was definitely blood skillfully into five glasses at the same time, making the ladies before him giggle and eye him. Girls passed by, laughing, and comparing jewelries. Guys hung out in groups, checking out the women. A few couples hung out close to walls, having intimate conversations, kissing or smooching.
"Attention, attention. Yes please, can everyone sit now?" The host, a white as sheet man with long wizened fingers announced as he grabbed the mic.
More people rushed in from behind us, as the doors of the hall were closing.
"Follow closely," Athie said, taking my hand. Her hand was warm.
I could notice the pattern. The rows were based on gender. Males on the first row, females on the second, males on the third. It happened in that fashion.
Athie and I sat on the fourth row, while Heart and Natalie disappeared completely.
"As you all know, we will crown a King and a Queen tonight. In a batte of the survival of the fittest," the host gave a dark laugh, and I felt chills race up my spine, as everyone went screaming.
"First up, ladies and gentlemen! We have the partner selection!" He winked at the crowd.
Cheers and ululation arose from the crowd, as excitement buzzed around like an electric current.
"I'm going to bag a really hot guy," Athena said, her white teeth contrasting against her dark lipstick.
"Now, are you ready to lose your senses for a fair selection?" The host asked, and the hall thundered 'yes'.
"What's that?" I asked Athie, moving close to speak lower.
"He's going to dim our heightened senses, so we can't cheat. Like sniffing our partners out, seeing them, or something. So we'll be basically human," she explained.
"Remember: Whoever your heart picks…"
The audience continued the host's words in a unified roar, "sit there real quick! And let time tick!"
Slowly, a plate materialized before us with what looked like a mini-boiled egg laying on it.
Athie ate hers. So did others, and marks of gold began to appear on their foreheads.
I ate mine. It was bland and tasteless, and instantly, my vision was zapped although my senses of hearing and smell were still perfect.
"Now, even row seaters, when your mark burns, you're to rise, move to the row below you, and pick a partner. For the left corner, males will pick females, and for the right, females will pick males. For the middle rows, you know how to pair yourselves. You have no fixed sexual orientation. Most of you know how it happens, right? If you're on a row with an odd number, you sit still," he reminded them.
"Athie, are we on the right or left?" I asked, looking around, even though I could see nothing.
"Right. You're just going to pick whatever guy you wanna pick. I wonder if the charm had any effect on you though. You don't even have abilities to begin with," she chuckled.
"Well, I can't see."
"What?" She burst out laughing, "Our vision is blurred. You mean yours was completely zapped?"
"Yeah. Everything else is fine though. My heari…"
"Gotta go. My partner calls," I felt her leave the seat, getting farther from me step by step, and shortly, my forehead began to tingle and sizzle, heat spreading through my face.
I rose, felt my way out of the row of seats, moved down a step, and walked in carefully. Hands began to pass me over to the next, as deep chuckles from males arose.
"Wow. She's pretty. Come over here, hon. I'mma treat you right." A baritone voice said. Never... He sounded scary.
Then I realized that: Oh, they could see. They weren't served mini-eggs.
"Hey, she human? Girlie, don't you want a fantasy with a vampire?" A guy called out desperately, his voice as soft as music.
Fear seized me. I kept letting them pass me over. I couldn't bear to sit on any of them. They kept whistling, laughing, saying things in low voices. Perhaps, things they would do to me. It was all a jumble of scents, but then…
I found salvation.
Quickly, I began to increase my side steps, "Sorry, sorry…" I muttered, as the familiar scent of paradise stood distinct amongst the choking scents all around.
Yeah, I didn't know him.
He was dangerous, but still…
He was my best bet.
I plopped right down onto his lap, and my burning faded.
Yes, you guessed right.
I plopped right down onto Hayden's lap