I nodded. It had been stupid. Even if there was some way that Lish’s body and soul could be put back together, which wasn’t likely (and would probably be gross, given how much time had passed), I had no idea how I could get the souls from Vivian, or if it was even possible.
“Still, I think you’re right about the meaning of the poem. They’re dead but not released, because their souls are stuck. That’s something, at least.”
“For all the good it does us, right?” I sighed. He leaned in to give me a comfort kiss, but I pulled back. “Oh, don’t even think about it. Arianna will kill you if you mess up my makeup.”
He smiled, raising one eyebrow. “I’m fully planning on messing it up before the night’s over.”
“Good luck with that.” I left his room for mine, more than a little disappointed that my aha moment hadn’t actually solved anything. I couldn’t help but feel I was failing Lish in a major way, but I didn’t know what else I could do. I’d figure out this Vivian thing. Eventually.
At least I had the prom for consolation. Shallow, maybe, but I knew Lish would have wanted this for me. I could see her now, eyes beaming at me in approval. And I could see the tight line that
Raquel’s lips would form as she looked at the lack of sleevage and hint of cleavage. I could almost hear which sigh she’d use.
If I thought about them anymore I was going to cry, and I was wearing far too much mascara for that. I stared at my dress, touching the material lovingly, blinking back tears. I had dreamed of a prom for so long, I couldn’t believe I was going. With a boy I was in love with, no less. I would be as happy as Lish would have wanted me to be.
I wished there were a mirror in the room, but I didn’t need one to know how awesome this dress was. I had only stared at myself in it for like half an hour the first time I tried it on. And with the added touch of my high-heeled, peep-toe slingbacks in light gold, I was pretty sure there had never been a better prom ensemble in the history of the dance. Rather than jewelry, I rubbed shimmery lotion on my shoulders. I sparkled enough on my own tonight.
Lend knocked. I opened the door, grinning. His reaction was perfect. His jaw dropped, then he just smiled like he couldn’t believe his luck. I couldn’t, either. Believe my luck, that is, because as hot as
Water Boy was all the time, Water Boy in a tux was like ultimate hotness.
“You look amazing.” He held out his arm. I hooked my hand through his elbow and smiled.
“Likewise,” I said, trying not to laugh I was so happy. “Maybe you should have bought the tux.” He laughed and we went down the stairs to where his dad and Arianna were waiting with cameras. After about a million pictures (and I didn’t complain, I wanted proof, lots and lots of proof, of tonight), we went to the waiting limo.
The driver held the door open for us. I stopped, squeezing Lend’s arm. “You do know the driver is a troll, right?” I whispered, nervous.
He laughed. “Yeah, we know. Good family friend.”
We climbed into the back, the first ones to be picked up. After a few more stops to pick up John and
Carlee (who smiled at me and complimented my dress), we drove to a small restaurant for dinner.
The lights were dim and intimate, the decor elegant. We sat against a windowed wall, and I was glad—the plush bench seat meant I could snuggle in right next to Lend.
Then we drove to the high school. John complained loudly about how ghetto it was to have the prom at the school, but I didn’t care. Prom was prom. And there I was, at a prom, at a normal, wonderful prom, with my mostly normal, totally wonderful boyfriend. I felt like I was glowing I was so happy.
We went into the gym, which was decorated with twinkling lights and gazebos, and I realized I really was glowing. In the dim lights my arm was like a flashlight. I glanced down at my chest and immediately regretted the neckline I had chosen. If my arm was like a flashlight, my heart was like a miniature sun. I put my hand over it and looked around, panicked, until I realized that no one else could see it.
“Wanna dance?” Lend asked, leading me out into the middle of the floor. Trying to ignore my glowing wrist as he put my arms behind his neck and pulled me in close, I smiled. It was some cheesy ballad, but I didn’t care as long as it was a slow song. “So, prom.” He grinned at me as we slowly moved back and forth. “You like it?”
I beamed. “Better than Easton Heights.”
PARTY CRASHER
I already knew I was a disastrous dancer, thanks to the iPod ankle-spraining fiasco, but Lend and I threw caution and self-consciousness to the wind, flailing around in the middle of the floor with everyone else.
Lend pulled me out for more pictures. “Let’s just do a classic pose, okay?” he asked as we waited for the couple’s picture.
I shrugged. I didn’t know what he meant, and I didn’t care as long as we got the photos. Like I said, I wanted proof. We stood next to each other, his arms around my waist. Then, right when the picture was about to be taken, Lend dipped me, putting one hand behind my head and kissing me full on the lips. I was so surprised I would’ve fallen over if he hadn’t been holding me so tightly. As soon as the flash went off he pulled me back up.
“You dork!” I smacked him in the shoulder, laughing. “That’s going to be the weirdest picture ever.”
“Told you I was going to mess up your makeup,” he said, a smug grin on his face.
“Yeah, speaking of which, now I have to go to the bathroom and reapply my lipstick.” I reached out and ran my thumb along his bottom lip. “It’s a good shade for you, though.”
“You have lipstick here?” he asked, confused since I hadn’t brought a purse.
“Oh, never underestimate the ingenuity of a girl in figuring out where to pack necessities.” As much as I hated to leave him, I was determined to look hot all night.
“Aren’t you going to ask someone to go with you?”
“To the bathroom? Why?”
“Girls never go to the bathroom by themselves.”
“I’ll try not to be too lonely in the ten seconds it’ll take me to finish.”
He smiled. “Meet you by the drink table.” He put his arms around me, pulling me in close. “Hurry,” he whispered, then let me go.
I practically floated to the bathroom. A couple of other girls were in there, giggling about their dates and gossiping about who was wearing what trashy dress. I pulled the lipstick out of my bra. Being flat had its advantages in added storage space.
Retouched to perfection, I walked back to the gym and looked for Lend. As I made my way around the dark edges of the gym, I scanned them for potential trouble.
Rolling my eyes, I laughed. Tonight there were no vampires or faeries or crazy burning girls. As far as this high school was concerned, none of those things even existed. Lend waved to me from the drink table and, for the first time in years, I felt all the tension melt from my body.
Just as I reached him, a slow song started. We moved to the dance floor and swayed like everyone else. “You know,” he said, leaning in so closely his lips were on my ear, “I might lose all my masculine credit forever for saying this, but I’m pretty sure tonight is perfect.”
“Me, too.” If it were possible to die of happiness, you could have written my obituary right then.
After a couple minutes of the swaying, Lend shook his head. “We can do better than this.” He took my hand in his and began dancing us through the crowds in a bizarre imitation of the tango. As he dipped me backward, I saw John and Carlee, dancing so close you’d be hard-pressed to slip a sheet of paper between them.
Lend pulled me back up and grinned mischievously. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
As one we charged forward, using our outstretched hands like a wedge to break them apart. Carlee laughed and John jumped on Lend’s back, trying to give him a noogie.
“Boys, honestly,” I said, giggling.
“May I cut in?” a voice like liquid gold murmured in my ear. My spine stiffened as my stomach clenched with fear, and before I could scream a slender hand took mine and spun me away through the crowd. I tried to pull back but we were twirling impossibly fast, the room around us a blur as a sea of faces swirled around me. Reth’s arms around me were like steel bands.
“Lend!” I shouted, only keeping my balance because of Reth’s too-strong hand on my back. In a glimpse I saw Lend, his face a picture of panic as he tried to fight through the mass of dresses and tuxedos to get to us. Silk and sequins made a rainbow curtain, hiding him from my sight once again as Reth slid expertly through the bodies around us. Humanity, as always, provided no protection from him.
We broke through the edge of the crowd and Reth danced us straight through a faerie door and away from everything I had ever wanted.
“Evelyn, my love. Finally we dance.” He dipped me back, pulling my body right up against his in the infinite darkness. I closed my eyes, my head spinning, as I willed myself not to cry. Why couldn’t I have remembered to shove some dry bread in my bra along with the lipstick? Or an iron pipe?