“No. I’m sure this will be perfect. Thank you so much.”
He smiled, and then shut the door as he left.
I carried the bag to the closet and hung it up. My fingers tingled as I carefully zipped it open to reveal a simple, yet elegant white gown. It had spaghetti straps, with a sweetheart cut, and was fitted around the bust and waist with shimmering iridescent beads. From the waist down, the material was soft and flowed to the floor. In another pouch, I found elegant, white high heels in my size. How did she know?
With about three hours left before the party, I zipped it back up.
I could hear Courtney and Lia laughing and chatting away, trying on dresses a room down.
Jeremy was with Caleb in his room, playing some war video game. The floor seemed to rumble and boom with sounds blaring from his surround sound.
It was their last day, and they were each having a wonderful time…without me. I knew it was inevitable, but I didn’t think it would happen this fast. I wasn’t the same girl who left LA a few months ago.
I yawned, still tired from the whole day before. I lay on my bed and decided to take a nap until they came back. Not too long after I rested my head on my pillow, I was out.
I stayed that way until I was rudely awakened by abrupt shaking. Lia and Courtney were jumping on the bed, trying to get me up.
“Wake up, sleepy-head. The party’s in an hour. We have to start hair and makeup,” Courtney beamed. She spent many hours on online, learning all the different makeup techniques.
“Can I just wear my hair back in a ponytail?” I asked.
“Emma. Are you kidding me? This is a Masquerade Ball, and there will be gorgeous guys all dressed up down there. You can’t show up with a ponytail. Courtney will be your makeup artist, and I will be your hair designer. Now, off to the bathroom Cinderella, or you’ll be late for the ball.”
I dragged myself to the bathroom. Lia plugged in the flat and curling irons, while Courtney spread make-up all over the bathroom counter.
She closed the toilet lid. “Sit,” she ordered.
“Yes, sir,” I said in a military voice. She huffed and rolled her eyes.
I sat there for forty-five minutes while they had their way with me. They both took turns beautifying themselves in between trying to make me up. They looked beautiful.
Lia used a darker makeup for her eyes, and added false eyelashes. Her lips were painted with bright red lipstick, which looked amazing against her straight black hair and honey complexion.
Courtney’s light brown hair fell in large ringlets down her shoulders. Her bright, blue eyes were framed with more natural colors, and dark mascara which made them stand out.
When they were done with me, they stood there with wide smiles, before turning to give each other high fives.
“I better not look like a prostitute,” I said.
“If you did, you would be high-end. Like an escort,” Lia said flatly. “Now we need to get you in that dress before we can give you the full reveal.”
Courtney went to the closet and grabbed the black garment bag, and Lia hung it on the shower rod to unzip it.
“Wow, girl. You are totally going be Cinderella. Just make me a deal?” Lia asked.
“Sure, what is it?” My eyes narrowed on her.
“When you finally choose your Prince Charming, I want the castoffs. Or, I’ll just take Dominic. He’s really tall though. I think the top of my head hits his belly button, but that’s okay. He can just pick me up and put me in his pocket. I’ll be his munchkin.”
Courtney looked at her with a deeply furrowed brow, and I burst into laughter.
“Sorry, Courtney. Sometimes she is just totally random,” I said.
“Yeah, sorry. There are times when my mouth needs to be leashed,” Lia added.
They helped me get into my gown and then slowly zipped it up.
“Oh. My. God.” Lia had her hand over her mouth. “You seriously look like an angel.”
“Are you ready to see our handiwork?” Courtney asked.
I took in a deep breath and nodded.
“Okay, close your eyes.”
I shut my eyes and they led me out of the bathroom and into my closet, which had a full length mirror inside.
“Alright…open!” Courtney said.
I opened my eyes and froze. I didn’t even recognize the girl staring back at me. She had been completely transformed.
The makeup was light and natural, with a slight shimmer to it. The natural colors highlighted all of my features. My eyelashes looked a lot longer with mascara and were perfectly curled up. My cheeks were lightly dusted in pink, and my lips were glossed in a rose color. The gown sparkled at the top and flowed perfectly to the bottom.
“So?” Lia asked.
I smiled, but was speechless.
“I think she likes it,” Courtney said.
“No, think she loves it,” Lia giggled.
“You guys are simply amazing, and you both look gorgeous,” I said. “Thanks. I’m completely…”
“Speechless?” Courtney asked.
“Exactly,” I said. I could feel my eyes begin to water.
“Oh no. Don’t you dare, Emma Wise. You better suck those tears back into those ducts right now,” Lia scolded.
I laughed and quickly pressed a Kleenex to the corner of my eyes.
They came and stood next to me. Lia wore a short black dress, which poofed out. Her black high heels were almost three inches tall.
Courtney also wore a shorter dress which flared out just above her knees. Hers was light pink, and had a big bow attached on the left side. Her heels were only an inch tall and were white.
We dug through the masks and found ones to match our wardrobe. Mine was a hand held Victorian mask, white with sparkles and white feathers on one side.
Lia had a black mask which covered the top half of her face, and Courtney actually found a pink and white one. The pink was darker than her dress, but it worked.
“Well, ladies. The party started five minutes ago. What do you say we make our entrance,” Lia said.
“Let’s!” Courtney cheered.
They both left ahead of me, so I stepped out and closed the door behind us.
They squealed and excitedly ran down the hall. I heard Courtney yell, “Don’t start the party without us!” Laughter echoed upward from the bottom of the stairs, followed by whistles and catcalls.
“You ladies look beautiful,” Dominic said.
Lia turned to me as she was heading down the stairs and squealed. “Hurry up, Emma. And, don’t forget your mask,” she whispered loudly.
I wanted to go back in the room and hide, but I sucked in a deep breath and walked forward. At least I could hide behind the mask. As I made it to the end of the hall, I lifted the mask to my face. When I reached the top of the stairs, all of the Guardians were at the bottom, along with Alaine. They were all facing the stairwell, looking at me silent - like stones.
Was something wrong?
I suddenly felt naked and wanted to run back into my room and hide. Then Kade pushed forward, from behind Thomas and Alexander.
My heart instantly swooned and then quickly picked up pace as he stepped to the bottom stair.
He was wearing an all-white tuxedo, with matching shoes. His hair was neatly combed back, and his face illuminated like an angel. His dreamy hazel eyes gleamed as they fixed on to me. The way he smiled, melted me to my core. Every step I took closer to him made my body tingle in anticipation of his touch.
As I focused on him, it was as if he and I were the only ones in the room.
“Hey, Emma,” Dominic called, breaking my concentration. I glanced up. He was wearing a black tuxedo with golden accents, and a golden mask covering the top half of his face. His hair was neatly brushed back, and he was holding up thumb. “You look ravishing.”
“Thanks,” I blushed. “Courtney and Lia created me.”
“Yes, we did,” Courtney said loudly.
“She’s l
ooks stunning,” Alaine said. “You ladies did an amazing job, and you both look beautiful as well.”
“Thank you,” they answered.
Music started to play and echoed down the hallway.
“Shall we?” Alaine announced, and winked at me as she started towards the ballroom. James escorted her, and I was wondering why Samuel wasn’t here. Maybe the protective barrier was still around the house, so he couldn’t enter. That wasn’t very fair. Alaine was exquisite, and carried herself with a stylish grace. He should be able to see her all dressed up.
“Shall we?” Dominic offered his arm to Lia. She froze, and then her head snapped to me. Her eyes were filled with an expression of shock and excitement. I smiled and nodded at her. She turned back to Dominic and linked her arm under his. Her face was lit up like the sun, and I knew he had just made her entire night.
“Thank you,” I mouthed to him. He gave me a wink in return.
Jeremy, dressed in long, black shorts and a black button-down dress shirt, walked up to Courtney and held his arm out. She grinned and took it, and they proceeded down the hall, followed by the remaining guests.
All except Kade.
My gaze focused back on his luminous face. At this moment, I was in a fairy tale, and he was my Prince Charming.
As I came down the stairs, he held out his hand to me. The pleasured look in his eyes pulled at my heartstrings. I placed my hand in his and he gently led me down the last stair, into his personal space.
He softly ran his palms over the exposed skin on my shoulders and down the length of my arms, until he captured my hands in his. I trembled against his touch, as electricity sparked through every cell. He leaned forward, his heated breath tickled against my neck.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. The warmth in his voice settled my tensed body.
“Thank you,” I breathed. Whenever he was this close, my mind went into a fog. “And you look amazing.”
A smile edged at the corners of his sculpted mouth.
“I want to kiss you, but I’m afraid it will ruin your lipstick.”
“I can always go back up and apply more.”
“No. We have all night,” he said, with a playful gleam in his eyes. “Besides, I don’t know if that shade of red is my color.”
We both laughed.
“Alright then. I’ll take a rain-check.”
“And I’ll be more than happy to redeem it,” he grinned. “Shall we?” He held his arm out to me.
“Definitely,” I answered. Butterflies swirled inside of me as I hooked my arm through his.
Chapter 20
He led me down the hall into the Ball Room. I was overwhelmed at the beauty of this place. The transformation was unbelievably gorgeous. Sheer elegance.
The large chandelier above us emitted a warm glow, sparkling off its teardrop crystals. The sconces along the walls were another source of warm lighting. Around the room, statues of Angels were up-lit, making them stand out. Crystal vases were set on smaller pedestals, carrying large bouquets of white flowers.
The DJ set up his booth in the corner. He dressed according to the theme, and wore a black mask, and a black and red cape. He had placed laser lights and speakers around the floor.
On the opposite side of the room were four round dining tables. White linen, fine china, crystal glasses, silver utensils, and the most gorgeous white floral centerpieces adorned the tabletops. There were two servers standing by, their arms folded over their chests, talking to each other.
Everyone started heading toward the tables to sit down.
The DJ suddenly changed the music and put on a slow song.
Kade stopped, then turned to me and bowed. “Emma Wise, may I have this first dance?”
“Right now?” I asked.
“Of course,” he said, holding his hand out to me.
I smiled and stepped forward, resting my hands on his strong shoulders. His arms encircled my waist, drawing me closer. I settled my head on his chest, while his sweet aroma enveloped me.
He and I were floating on a dream. The song, the man, the love we shared…it all spoke directly to me, and couldn’t have been more perfect. Kade was my everything.
He had loved me back to life, from the moment we met. His love and presence were my stability when the world became unbalanced. He had protected me, selflessly gave up his immortality, and now offered his mortal life for me.
There were two silver linings to Kade’s mortality. Not only would my love get to stay with me when the time came for the Guardians to go back to Midway, but his mortality also proved something. It established that our love, our strong connection, was fortified on more than a magical bond. I was not mindlessly in love, or made to feel attracted to him because of some supernatural forces. What Kade and I shared was real. I had a choice in the matter, and I willfully chose him.
Tears threaten my eyes, but I fought them. I knew I was the luckiest girl in the world. I was so blessed to have such a selfless, loving life in my arms.
I hugged him tighter and he smiled against my cheek.
We danced until the song was over, and then I stepped back and gazed into his eyes.
“Thank you,” I breathed.
“For what?”
“For loving me.”
His eyes softened. “It’s easier than breathing.”
“Get a room you two!” Dominic yelled from across the room. We both turned to him, and I blushed. Everyone was laughing, except Alaine. She shot Dominic a look of cease-and-desist.
I was so lost in the moment, I’d forgotten the room was filled with everyone else. Lia’s smile was as bright as a beacon, and the largest I’d seen yet. I could tell she was happy for me. She liked Kade from the moment she met him.
Taking me by the hand, he led me to the tables, pulled out my chair, and then sat down next to me. Lia, Jeremy, Caleb, and Courtney were also seated around our table.
“Oh my God. You two looked so magical out there in white. Seriously. You both look angelic,” Lia said. “It’s really not fair.”
I smiled. If she only knew.
“And, Emma, just at this place. It’s beyond amazing…like royalty amazing. I can’t believe she did all of this for Jeremy and me.”
“I can. She’s a very generous person,” I said.
“She must really love angels. Those statues are breathtaking.”
“Yes, she does have a thing for them.”
“Well, your aunt must have had quite an inheritance.”
“Her late husband was a doctor.”
“Figures,” she said. “And she invited all the neighbors. Do they not have girlfriends or wives?”
“Apparently not,” I replied.
She shook her head in disbelief. “I have officially deemed this place the location of all gorgeous people. You better tell your Aunt to keep a room open because I’m totally moving in. Well, maybe after college, and after I find a job,” she laughed. Pulling out her cell phone, she waved it around. “There may not be service, but I can still use the camera.”
Lia made everyone lean in for a quick picture, and then proceeded to other tables on a picture binge. She even went and snapped a shot of the DJ, who gave her a wild pose.
Before dinner was served, I watched Alaine stand and whisper to the rest of the group, before walking out. That was a bit odd.
I looked at Kade, and he leaned over to whisper, “Samuel is coming. She went to get him.”
I nodded, happy that he would be joining the event. It was only fair for him to get the chance to dance with Alaine.
But that also meant the protective barrier would come down. It was no wonder she alerted the other Guardians.
Our table continued to chat away, while the DJ played soft background music.
Caleb asked Lia if she wanted to dance after dinner, and she happily agreed. Jeremy also drummed up the nerve to ask Courtney, making her blush as she accepted.
I was glad to see smiles and laughter from my two best friends
on their last night here. I hated to see them go. They had been such a bright light in my new world. I had laughed more in the past four days than I had during my entire stay.
Tomorrow would be bitter-sweet. I hated saying goodbye, but also felt a little better knowing we could still keep in touch via email or phone. This time I would be better at replying. If I wasn’t dead.
After a few minutes, Samuel came walking in with Alaine on his arm. He looked so handsome. He was clean shaven, and wore a black suit with a silver tie.
Lia grabbed my arm and pulled me to her. “Your aunt’s boyfriend is gorgeous. And you know what’s super weird?” Her brow furrowed.
“What?” I asked.
“They could totally pass as your parents. You and Alaine look a lot alike, and oddly enough, you have his eyes.” Her brow furrowed. Then her eyes steeled on mine, and shot back to Samuel. She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Weird.”
“I kind of agree with you, Lia.” I smirked at her mightily accurate observation.
They were perfect together, and possessed a love that was completely transparent. Two beautiful hearts forever bonded, and it exuded from every pore.
Samuel walked over after greeting everyone, and leaned down to whisper in my ear, “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Lia, my friend over here, was just saying I have your eyes, and that I could pass as your daughter.”
“Well, you are very sweet, Lia,” Samuel said, turning to her. “Having Emma as a daughter would bring me nothing but happiness.” Lia held her hand to her heart and looked like she might faint. She was such a drama queen.
He continued, “It was nice to meet both of you. I’m sad I didn’t get a chance to know you better, but with circumstances as they are, it’s been hard to make it here.”
“Oh, it’s totally understandable. It was nice meeting you,” Lia said. Jeremy agreed.
Samuel turned to Kade with a nod, and then went to sit next to Alaine.
After dinner the tables were cleared, and a punch and snack table were set up.
The DJ wasted no time, starting the night with some dance music.
“Since its Jeremy and Lia’s last night here, let’s say we get this party started!” He screamed into the microphone. All the lights went off, and were replaced by the DJ’s laser lights around the dance floor.