(OCTOBER) Homecoming Dance

A small sigh escaped the Student Council President’s lips, checking off the last thing on his long to-do list (and this was only the “party edition” to-do list). It was already dusk, and the small, circular lights that hung from the trees began to light up – almost one by one, it seemed. The greyish-blue tents with the “ever so stylish” navy blue ribbons and a “touch of gold sparkle” Ms. Nelson so graciously crafted (and would never let him forget it) were set up right across from one another, with the spitting fountain right in between them. Andy almost failed to see the string of lights inside of the tents as well. It was aesthetically well placed, if the blonde had to say so himself.

He took a walk to the pastry table, decked out in the most delicious of sweets; macaroons, cakes, cookies – there was even a small chocolate fountain in the center, for dipping fruits. Andy was not one for sweets but he did want to give that chocolate fountain a try… But he’d never actually admit that, as he turned down numerous baked goods from a good portion of the female student body who believed he was Drewe. He shuddered at the thought of it.

“What’s so charming about him anyway?” the Student Council President muttered under his breath. The way some of those girls threw themselves at him as they thought he was his brother baffled Andy. It was certainly clear that Drewe wanted nothing to do with them afterwards. Why were they still coming back? It was really pathetic, actually.

Shrugging off the whole notion of the heart-breaker and his entire colony of dejected concubines, the more subtle of the Pryde twins returned to his duties, checking up on the table of drinks across from the table of sweets. Plastic cups shaped like champagne glasses were spread out on the table next to pitchers of ice cold water and fruity beverages. Of course there were coolers underneath the table for anyone who wanted sugary drinks like soda. Finally his walk ended to the DJ booth, where his Student Council Vice President Emma stills stood, holding a clipboard of her own.

He almost didn’t recognize her for a moment, and she wasn’t even wearing her mask yet. For one, she had her hair an a rather refined updo, which showed off much more of her face than Any had ever seen before. The petite bookworm also had her contacts in, which overall just made her look so… different. It was a little weird, as he wasn’t used to it. That wasn’t to say that she looked weird. Oh no, Emma cleaned up nicely, and looked very elegant. Besides, he shouldn’t have been talking about weird anyway. It just so happened that Mr. Pryde had contacts in himself, much to Dani’s coaxing. It was his first time wearing them, and he felt a bit uncomfortable. The whole process of putting things in his eye terrified him more than he thought and had to lie down to put the small, flexible clear lenses in his eye.

His clothes also made him feel… odd. The blonde teen was used to more loose fitting, casual clothing. Not ties, button down vests, gloves… that sort of thing. But again, much to Dani’s coaxing, he wore all of those things just to please her. “Hey Emma..” he spoke softly, unsure of whether or not he should be complimenting her or asking about the preparations for the dance. He chose the latter, simply because students were going to be piling in any minute now. He also chose the latter because compliments were too much of a bother for Andy anyway. He was never sure how to go about them and would rather not make a total buffoon out of himself.

“Is everything set for tonight? I know it’s kind of last minute, but I’ve been rechecking everything, and it all seems okay to me. How about you?”

Absent-mindedly putting his hand in his pocket, Andy’s fingers came in contact with a smooth plastic surface. A look of confusion overtook his face, before pulling out his black mask. Oh, right. He almost forgot about his own mask. “Well, I guess this takes the fun out of things, I guess, since we know who each other are…” He chuckled slightly, tying on his mask. At last, he was finally (semi) ready for this big dance party.

It had been nearly a week since Emma had been promoted from Senior Representative to Vice President. The position had been sitting empty since the beginning of the school year, and it had become quite the 'hot' topic at meetings. When Andy eventually offered the tiny soft spoken brunette the position - in which she gratefully accepted - it hadn't been surprising in the least bit to the rest of the Council. Actually most were relieved. Their President took his job very serious, and he was overall intimidating at times (most times) to the underclassmen, and not to mention the workload that must come along with it! No Thank You! They had a life!

The heaps of responsibilities that came with being in council leadership was indeed a force to be reckon with!  The minute Emma accepted the Vice President position she was head deep in work - and for the rest of us non-midgets (as Kyren once so kindly put it) that'd be about shoulder deep! There was so much to do aside from homecoming preparations, and Andy had been shouldering the burden all on his own without asking for much help. It was rather admirable to youngest Stills.

Lowering her clipboard Emma's hand came up purely out of habit to adjust her glasses - which at the moment were replaced with contacts. Sighing at how silly she must have looked, the young teen settled with brushing aside a loose piece hair that escaped it's curly updo. It was rare for Emma to fancy herself up, but her mother had insisted that today was a special occasion and to allow her to do her "baby girls" hair. Emma didn't mind actually the whole thing was rather nostalgic. It took her back to when she was a little girl hanging out with both her parents and Kyren in the mornings, sitting between her mothers legs as she gently ran a brush through her short brown hair.

Arranging the delicate updo of flowing curls that gently swept against Emma's creamy shoulders wasn't the only thing Mrs. Stills had done for her daughter. The single mother had also taken her - as well as Kyren - out to buy suitable clothing for their formal dance. Though both the siblings profusely refused the doting of their mother, it had fallen to deaf ears. She just wouldn't take NO for an answer, instead she promptly reminded them that it was the ONLY thing in life she truly loved doing! That spoiling them is what made her happy! Were they going to rob her of that happiness?! I think NOT! The small Still's family had ultimately left Amore Mall with Emma's lone dress, while sneaky Kyren had somehow slipped through the cracks claiming nothing fit him correctly - surely her mother would take him out for another shopping trip if she coaxed him enough.

Wearing the very same dress her mother had bought, Emma ran her free hand over the soft white fabric flattening out a crease at the fold. The style was simple yet classy stopping right above her knees - which were covered in matching sheer stocking. The lacy lining rested slightly beneath her collarbone before meshing with her chiffon sleeves. Slight hues of makeup could be spotted as well, which also were added by the gently hand of Mrs. Stills before Emma had rushed off to help finish up with the preparations.

The courtyard transformation was jaw-dropping to say the least. The strands of light within the surrounding trees lit up one by one like little clusters of fireflies. Pulling herself away from the radiant scene Emma checked 'Lights' off of her “ p a r t y    e d i t i o n”  list that was nearly a mirror copy of the presidents, and hurried off towards the DJ booth knowing it was almost time to let in the eager masqueraders. Music and Security were the last two check points on her list. She needed to make sure the music that had been brought along was appropriate for such an occasion, and talk with the Valevanian Campus Security to  ensure the student's safety was being taken into consideration. Keeping Valevay's reputation squeaky clean was also one of the director top priorities! In response there was a zero tolerance policy in affect at all school functions! No fighting, no alcohol, and no hanky panky! The consequences of being drastic . . . . . . . . . . . if caught.

Finishing up at the DJ Booth Emma turned to find Andy approaching. Upon her earlier arrival he had been extremely busy helping with the a tent fiasco, so she hadn't had a opportunity to speak with him.  Mr. Pryde looked rather nice all dressed up. Though those words would NEVER leave the Vice Presidents lips! Granted she wasn't a completely shy mess around Andy - due to working side by side with him as class representatives for the past 3 years. Emma had only told one boy that he looked nice before (aside from her brother) and that resulted in a mudpie to the face in second grade! Which promptly followed by Kyren taking matters into his own hands! That same boy left school that day covered completely in mud and tears! Complement boys was extremely uncomfortable for Emma and she definitely wouldn't be starting with Andy! Instead she greeted him with a friendly smile.

"Everything is coming together wonderfully! It truly looks amazing!" She assured him, taking one last peek at her list. "All that is left is to speak with the security, and then we can get this party started." Andy's black and blue shimmering mask immediately caught Emma's attention. She resisted the urge to pull her own mask out after all that would only further spoil the fun. Lena had made it specially for her, though Emma was sure to remove the gaudy feather's that had been attached. Surely Lena put them there as a joke knowing good and well that her petite friend would never prance around with such a thing attached to her face! Parting ways with Andy, Emma finished up her duties as music began to fill the courtyard. Masked students slowly arrived decked out in beautiful dresses and suits along with matching masks. Seeing all their hard work come together was rather gratifying, and now was her chance to make her own identity a mystery for one single night. Masked, Emma slipped into the growing crowd keeping an eye out for some particularly unruly brown curls belonging to a certain Wilder she'd been longing to see.

Lissa was extremely nervous about this dance, she didn't want to come here in the first place but she slowly approached the courtyard, feeling extremely out of place..She'd chosen a soft black dress, though her mother was not happy about it-thankfully her bruises on her arms were healed and almost gone, but her back and legs were still a horrible bruise covered mess.

The girl really didn't care about the dress, her mother had insisted on helping her buy it, though the woman never understood why her daughter, the only one of them that, insisted on wearing only clothing that covered most of her body like a nun despite how warm the island almost always was.

Lissa stopped outside the courtyard. making sure the mask was situated firmly-last thing she wanted was someone recognizing her in this embarrassing dress..or to have it fall off in the middle of the dance-and she breathed a nervous breath and entered. She was extremely glad that, at least, at this dance, she wouldnt get laughed at for nobody dancing with her, after all nobody would know it was her.

Lissa didn't know what to do with herself once she got in there..and felt like she stuck out badly, so she just stood there a bit ill at ease, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Reaching up to her face she nervously twisted a piece of hair around her finger that had fallen  free of the clips her mother had insisted on putting her long blue hair up in. Lissa felt foolish gotten up like that.


Lissa's Mask


Lissa's Dress

The courtyard had filled up with lively music and masked students about a half hour before Drewe graced everyone with his presence!  The scene was set up as a fancy romantic rendezvous , so all the hard work had already been taken care of. Huffing he fiddled with  the wrinkled collar of his white button down shirt. Dressing up would have been a sitch for the wealthy Pryde if he didn't have to duck out of the dorm before his clingy roommate could catch him. Kenta was definitely something else, and Drewe had never encountered someone quite like him before . . .  

Adjusting his solid black mask, Drewe strolled over to the pastry table that was being occupied by a group a giggling girls complementing each other on their mask choice. Easily winning them over with a simple complement he lured the best dressed one off towards the dance floor. Wrapping an arm around her slender back he pulled her into his solid frame. Once the music picked up he twirled her around beneath the twinkling string of lights beginning their dance on the lush green dance floor.

It was finally here, the event of the year! Valevay's Formal Homecoming Masqurade Ball. It was no secret that Danielle had been looking forward to this all month long. Not because that meant she could dress up in fancy outfits and parade around with a mask, but because it was night that could lead to many many stories that could possibly further her and her friends positions in the newspaper club Dressing up was a plus, and of course the journalist did just that! Her tulle soft pink skirt draped down just below her knees, and her white strapless top was covered with a matching pink shawl that wrapped over her bare shoulders. Keeping in mind that she might have to sneak around a little or climb a tree or two to get in on the biggest scoop, she passed on wearing heels and slipped on a pair of boots.Combat boots to be more precise. Yep, she was ready!

Arriving at Valevay Dani was very impressed with brother's handiwork on the Courtyard. If she could identify him, hiding behind one of the many masks, she would be sure to let him know that it looked absolutely stunning. Positioning herself between the two boy's that had accompanied her tonight -one with a digital camera as his permanent accessory - Dani linked her arms with them both. With her writing materials tucked secretly into the side of her skirt Dani looked to both her companions, "Well, lets get this show on the road!"

The courtyard of Valevay High School could be seen easily from where they were all currently parked. It was all lit up and absolutely beautiful. Truth be told, Fred kind of expected it to be. Valevay was the school for gifted or rich children and with the way this masquerade ball was set up - with tents, dining tables and glittering lights and decor - it really showed. Though he wasn't a student, he was dressed to kill in the dress clothing he usually kept reserved for when they attended church. A sly grin was on his face as he looked over to Casey and Raph, then to Keith. The three of them were also dressed in their best clothing. "What's the matter Keith?" Fred teased the middle schooler, "You're not going to puss out on us, are you?"

Though the young artist usually wasn't one to crash a party he wasn't invited to, his role was an important one - to hack into the school's security system and make sure they didn't get busted! Now the only reason the long haired boy even agreed to this in the first place was because it was a mission of love. His older brother's kind, gentle girlfriend was the vice president of the student council and instead of being able to relax and have a fun, romantic evening with Chuck, she had to make sure the dance was a success.

What kind of a school makes a sweet, delicate girl like Emma do physical labor?! She should be pampered and doted on and have plenty of time for romantic interludes with his bass playing brother! As much as he liked the idea of going to Valevay himself someday, he was going to have to correct their grievous error.

Flipping open a brand-spanking-new laptop he'd gotten from Bowie, Keith started getting right to work as John blew smoke from his cigarette before leaning over to plant a kiss on Celi's cheek. Mimi was with her, and Mehi was shyly waiting with the pinkettes. After a while, Keith closed the laptop. "All right, the security system is down for the next two hours. That's about the best I can do without things looking suspicious." The young drummer pulled out his cell phone, "Also, with my phone I've already hacked all the cell phones on the campus."

An awkward silence stretched on for a few moments before Keith asked in exasperation, "What?" His brothers shared a look of discomfort. "You mean that all that time you've spent on the computer since you've gotten it was spent hacking phones?" Terry asked, quirking a dark eyebrow. "Yes, but trust me, it's only a precaution in case something happens. Now, since I can't pinpoint Emma's location through the camera on her phone, it means she must have it in a purse or something." Keith explained. The twins' mouths dropped, "You can spy on them through their phone cameras?!"

“Oh thank goodness, I thought we’d never get here.”

Lorilynn sighed, placing a hand atop of her forehead, ignoring Rebecca’s little “Hey, that’s my line” comment. Though, she wasn’t wrong. Lorilynn and Lena had taken their sweet time getting ready, but that was mostly Lena’s fault! First, the redhead made light, (and most likely good natured) sexual comments while the white haired dancer was changing into her dress, which embarrassed her a great deal! Then, she had to share cosmetics with Cholena because she rushed her out of Valevay with only her dress, shoes and a few pieces of jewelry to make her way over to Becky’s house. On top of that, she had to secretly adjust Becky’s (well-tailored, if she may add) pantsuit to keep her from shooing her away.

Though, she couldn’t complain as of right now, they were here now and looked as beautiful as the décor did. She’d have to find whoever was responsible and commend them on their excellent skills. Lorilynn adjusted her mask that Lena insisted to make before turning to face her lovely “dates”.

“So, now that we’re here, would anyone care to dance with me?” Lorilynn laughed lightly, tucking one of her freshly curled locks behind her ear.

As her arms linked with his, Gary turned his attention away from the fancily dressed guests and to the blonde journalist next to him. “Yeah, before we do that, you mind telling me why you’re wearing boots exactly…?” he questioned, looking her up and down. Dani always talked to Gary about how excited she was being able to dress up; her eyes would shine as she did so too. But then she goes and adds a pair of combat boots to her outfit. He wasn’t sure whether that counted as fully dressing up or not.

Though, the photographer wasn’t dressed up as “traditionally” as his mother wanted him to be – nor did he have an actual date like she wanted him to have (unless you counted Dani and Carson as dates). Gary wore a simple white t-shirt that had a printed bowtie near his neck. He wore a simple grey blazer over it complete with matching slacks and some plain old dress shoes.

His favorite accessory was his camera – but it wasn’t just an accessory. No, it was a superpower – like an all seeing third eye or something along those lines. Gary thought he’d snap a few shots of the scenery first, sneaking a shot or two with unsuspecting models Dani and Carson. Lowering his camera a little, Gary gasped,
“Is that a chocolate fountain!?”

Chuck stood with his brothers and their girlfriends while they cased the joint. His stunning blue eyes traveled over the loveliness of Valevay's courtyard. It was positively breathtaking. Emma had really outdone herself with all her planning. And speaking of Emma, she was the whole point of this operation. The shy, soft spoken bookworm made his lips curl in a fondness he didn't mind openly showing. Just thinking of her made his heart soar. But they'd arrived later than he'd wanted and now there were several students milling about.

Nevertheless, Chuck looked like he had just finished some kind of modelling job for a magazine, despite John being the model of the family. He was dressed in a classic black suit with a crisp white shirt beneath, a black and gold vest and white gloves. This was an outfit that had clearly never been donned by the young bassist before, as it was spotless and pristine. Even his dress shoes had polish to them. This suit had been payed for with roughly a full month's pay of working overtime and doing music gigs. But it had been worth it. If he never had another chance to wear nice clothes again, it'd still be worth it so long as he could have this night with his beautiful girlfriend. With one final grin towards his brothers, he was ready.

"Let's do this." Chuck said, raising his mask to his face.

Lizzie was excited about the dance ever since she had first heard about it. She just knew it would be incredible. She was right that moment standing in front of her mirror after having just pulled her new strapless red and white dress on. She smoothed the body hugging shiny red material down over her hips, admiring the beautiful white detailing that led down one side to fully encompass her thighs. the full flaring skirt began at that detail and the thin red skirt flowed over a creamy white underskirt which completely hid her feet and legs beneath it.
"LIZZIE!!!!!" came a shout from the other room. "Hurry up or we're going to be late!" Shaking her head, Lizzie gave an inward groan. Her sister just didn't understand the need to look absolutely perfect. She knew she would probably wear the same thing she had worn to countless other dances. Lizzie quickly grabbed her purse, stuffing her cell phone in it, and grabbing her mask from her dresser she made her way into the living room where she stopped in stunned disbelief, confronted by her sister's appearance. She was wearing a dress that Lizzie had never seen before and made her own dress look conservative...more Lillian's style than Lizzie's.

her sister's light blue dress had a top that could blind you, most of the material had been cut away leaving only thin bands of material that sparkled when light hit them. The front of the skirt was much higher than in the back where it dragged on the floor a tiny bit Lizzie thought Lillian looked amazing but she also thought looking that way, people would mistake her sister for herself! She was certain no one would look like her sister.

Lizzie chose to not make any comment except the expected one. "You look great Lilly. People might actually mistake you for me!" she said with a grin. "Do we have everything?" At her sister's confirmation, she headed to the door with her, on their way.

When they arrived at the school's courtyard, the sisters paused at the entrance, in awe at all the beautiful decorations, completely transforming the place they spent every day into an unrecognizable fairytale world. The place looked even larger to Lizzie now, with everything spread out and set up. The two girls put their masks on at the exact same time, and stepped into the courtyard, both smiling in excitement and looking forward to the night.



Lizzie's Dress

Lizzie's Mask

Lillian had just come out of her bedroom, and she was almost completely dressed. She only needed to locate her shoes, having done her hair before she had even put the pretty light blue dress she was now wearing, on. She loved how the skirt was long, and allowed easy movement, and the front was a bit higher allowed her even more freedom of movement so she wouldn't trip. absolutely perfect for a night of dancing.
Her attention wavered from the chore at hand when she heard loud sounds coming from the other side of the house. Her sister was making an awful racket as she tore through her own things looking for her own stuff.


Finally Lily spied her own pair of light blue heeled shoes half stuffed under the couch. Apparently her sister had decided to try them on and then decided she didn't need to put them carefully back in their box where she had taken them from.

She quickly slipped them onto her feet, bracing herself with one hand on the kitchen's door frame. As she shouted for her sister, she grabbed her mask and her own bag. She just couldn't forget her phone, what if God forbid, something were to happen?

A sound of footsteps made her turn toward them, to see her sister coming out of her room, looking amazing. the red dress looked stunning on her twin, and she said so, moments after Lizzie had complimented her own dress. She tried not to giggle at her sister's look of stunned surprise.
when they reached the school, Lilly looked around and admired the lovely decorations around them..she hardly had time to say anything to her sister, when she saw her putting on her mask, and she followed suit, stepping into the courtyard at the exact moment as her sister, although she did not stick around. She immediately headed in a different direction, and started a conversation with the first person she met

Lilly's dress


Lilly's Mask

"hi" mina said into the phone receiver. At a question from the person on the other end, she replied, "Not much, just getting ready for a school dance." Keeping the phone securely held up to her ear by balancing it between her shoulder and her ear, she pulled the dress up and her little sister Poppy helped her zip it. She nodded her thanks to the younger pink haired girl and returned to ger phone conversation. "well, I certainly hope he'll be there, I don't see him near enough as I should be." She laughed."Putting you on speaker phone now because i need both hands" she said.

She set the phone down on her dresser and began doing her hair and makeup, taking particular care with it, all the while continuing to talk, telling her friend all of her plans. "I just know he's going to be so happy to see me. I know I'll look a lot better than that flame broiled thing he calls his girlfriend. " she giggled "Omg you should see it. WAY too red of hair and the freckles are crazy."

She listened to her friend talk a little more, making a face at a comment she made, and turned to her bed, picking up her shoes off of the pink bedspread.sitting on the bed, she was still within voice range of the phone although she did have to raise her voice a tiny bit. " Hang on a second, I'm getting my shoes on." She finished with the shoes and stood up. Mina went to the dresser and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was satisfied with how she looked, and she smiled. "hey I have to go," she said into the phone. "Don't want to be late." she paused as the other girl spoke. "mhm. sure." another small pause. "okay. bye. I'll call you tomorrow."

She picked up her bag which had her mask in it. She wasn't going to risk dropping that in the mud thank you very much.She made sure her kittens were comfortably napping in their large play area and left the house.

Upon arrival at the school. she pulled her mask out of her bag, and put it on. She had to admit the decorations were phenomenal. If she found out who was responsible she would have to tell them what a great job they did. In the meantime, she walked through the courtyard enjoying the decorations and the beautiful clothing many of the girls wore. who knew so many of them had such style?

Mina's Dress


Mina's Mask

Wrapped in a towel, Keylee left the bathroom, her feet leaving small puddles of water behind her as she made her way to her room to where her dress waited. She had fallen in love with the sparky green dress on her most recent online shopping binge and ordered it immediately.  It had arrived just in time, she had been worried that she would have to wear something she didn't particularly like, borrowed from her sister.

Pushing open her bedroom door, she spared the dress hanging there a look, as she made her way to her desk and sat, still in her fluffy white towel.She hit the "play" button on her CD player, which she had on the dresser, so she could listen to some music while she got ready. Of course it was some she had burned of Chepe's music several years previous. It and he were a huge part of her life ever since she had met him in California all those years ago. He was her very best friend.

Keylee generally didn't worry too much about her looks, but tonight she chose to dry her hair with the hairdryer owned by Lali. She turned it on and uncomfortably combed trough her long brown hair, moving the dryer over it, until it was almost dry but not completely.

Keylee stood and, letting the towel fall onto the chair she went to her dresser, and pulled out her underthings. Slipping them on she then went for the dress on the back of the door. She carefully pulled it on, her legs still damp from the shower and so the dress' thin material stuck a bit to her skin. It was somewhat irritating but she knew it would dry.

She rummaged in her top right dresser drawer until she found what she was looking for. dropping the wide green ribbon on the dresser she located the hairbrush she had dropped there moments before and she brushed her hair to smooth it before pulling it back into a very simple half ponytail. Holding the hair with one hand she used the other to grab the ribbon and slide it under the hair she had separated, tying the hair up in it which created a loose look. This was what she had been aiming for and she smiled at the overall appearance in the mirror.

Walking to her large closet, she used her toes to reach in and pull each shoe out so she could avoid having to bend down. Keylee carefully positioned the shoes with her toes and slid her feet easily inside. Looking at her bedside clock she realized she needed to leave right then, and, not forgetting to get her mask, she headed down the stairs and out the door.

reaching the school's courtyard she gave a wide smile. It was stunning! Hopefully whoever had done all that work was now able to sit back and enjoy the dance. After all they had earned it!
She started to walk inside, but realized she had almost forgotten her mask. Breathing a sigh of relief that she had not made that mistake, she slipped it on and stepped into the courtyard, the bright lights making her dress appear to sparkle and she looked around to see if she recognized anyone.


Keylee's Dress

Keylee's Mask

Lena was extremely unhappy with the current arrangement. Ever since Emma had selfishly taken on that nonsense title of “vice president” at her little club, she’s had little to no time to spare for her supposed best friend. Since her bookish bestie had prior responsibilities to handle before the dance Lena tagged along with Lorilynn and Rebecca instead. They were cutting it close . . .  fashionably late as Lena previously assured them. “Oh thank goodness, I thought we’d never get here.” Lori complained, prompting Lena’s freshly scarlet lips to curve into a playful grin. She knew the comment was most likely directed to her - due to some previously coy remarks. How was she supposed to know Lorilynn was such a shy and pure lady? Well now that she did of course she’d take advantage of it at every opportunity!  Out of affection, of course!

As promised upon arrival the self-proclaimed designer shot a quick text to Chepe informing him that she had arrived at the dance, and gave him a little heads up to look for the girl in the little black dress. Lena had used all the extra time she now had on her hands to redesign one of her old dresses into the masterpiece she was wearing tonight. Its long sleeves were delicately laced to match the color of its dainty bodice, and seeing as Cholena had legs for days she would definitely be showing them off. Also she made it a priority to chase Andy down multiple times to insure her ensemble was well within the dress code. Though he profusely declined her many attempts try it on for approval, he did assure her that though “she was cutting it dangerously close” it was within school rules. Perfect! Hell would freeze over before she ended her night short – especially due to a wardrobe issue!

“So, now that we’re here, would anyone care to dance with me?” Lorilynn laughed lightly, tucking one of her freshly curled locks behind her ear. You didn’t need to ask Lena twice. Slipping her phone back into her matching clutch she grabbed not only Lori’s but Rebecca’s hand as well. “You seem like a girl who could handle two at a time!” she joked before whisking them off to the middle of the dance floor.

Between songs Drewe had flawlessly changed dance partners to a cheerleader he knew particularly well. His hand snaked around her lower back pulling her into his soft frame, and quickly closing any distance between their bodies. Mr. Pryde knew better than to be outright with his intentions, but with Camille it was a bit different. She already knew what he was up to so it was redundant to play his little games with her. Yet that didn’t stop him from putting on a show on from all those around them. Being as charming as ever he complemented her on how lovely she looked tonight before gracefully leading her further onto the dance floor.

As they danced their way through the crowd a flash a pink caught Drewe’s attention. Of course the mini devil was here! Danielle had been so excited for the dance she had showed up at his dorm to flaunt off her dress to him, as if he cared. Between his new roomie and that little leech, he wasn’t sure which was more annoying. She seemed preoccupied with some classmates, so Drewe took advantage of her distractions leading Camille to the other side of the dance floor, out of her line of sight.

The only apprehension with an outdoor event of any kind on the island is its unpredictable weather. Thankfully (to the council’s relief) tonight’s weather was near perfect, though the air did carry a slight chill due to the setting sun. The breeze was soft and welcoming swaying the leaves gently on their branches; creating a beautiful display of sparkling amber that danced across the courtyard thanks to Andy’s genius idea of stringing “twinkly lights” through the trees.

The studious of the two Pryde’s should be proud of his handiwork. Emma sure was! The courtyard transformation was breathtaking, and the swell of accomplishment could be seen on the small brunettes face in the form of a broad smile. She’d settled herself for the last few minutes near the table adorned with a various refreshments. Claiming a fluted glass of sparkling cider she brought it to her rosy lips sipping as her eyes scanned the length of the now crowded dance floor. Unable to gather enough courage to approach a potential dance partner, Emma settled with swaying to the music. The hem of her ivory dress brushed gently against her legs as it swung from side to side, matching the beat of the DJ’s instrumental piece. The night had just begun; certainly she had more than enough time to build up the courage to make a bold uncharacteristic move. She was determined to have a good time and keep to the plan! And that plan? Well, let’s just say it involves a certain handsome musician that had been taking up the majority of her thoughts recently. Now if only she could spot him in this parade of masks.

To Emma’s surprise her search was cut short by a husky voice, “May I have this dance?” This stranger masquerader was dressed to impress similar to the majority of students in attendance. His silver mask cleverly covered the entirety of his face, leaving his identity a complete secret. His thick brown locks were slicked back into a tight bun, leaving Emma to wonder if it was hiding some familiar curls. After all why would anyone aside from Chuck approach this wallflower? With a hesitant nod Emma reluctantly allowed him to take her hand, leading her to the dance floor. Just by the feel of his soft hands Emma knew that he was in no way her Wilder. Instant disappointment! Emma hoped it wasn’t too obvious as he turned to her. His hands were soft and un-calloused as though they’d never seen a day of hard work in their life. Unlike those of Chucks . . . just the feel of his rough hands holding hers sent butterflies free in her stomach. No butterflies…it was definitely a letdown. Well unable to back out now (mid twirl), she would have to make the most of this dance.

his little sister was helping him get ready. They had gone out earlier together with their cousin Larissa and the two girls had made him buy a brand new outfit. he hadn't really wanted to. Chepe hated dressing up, and he didn't care much for clothes shopping for himself either. His sister and cousin had laughed at his reluctance, and tes had reminded him that Lena would not be happy if he looked like a clown, which prompted Chepe to imagine showing up in a bright, blinding yellow suit, the color of the jeans he had that his girlfriend hated so much. Larissa had cut out on their way back to his dorm room, stating she had to get ready for a date of her own that night, leaving her younger cousins with a wave and a quickly spoken "have fun!"

Tes had her own reasons for not letting him wear what he had-no not a yellow suit-Lena would have been happy to know he didn't own one. It was a simple reason. The only nice suit her brother owned was the one he had worn to their parents funeral and she did not want the memories attached to that suit to ruin his time tonight. So now she was helping him. They had brought Chinese home earlier and she had been specific on the kinds of things NOT to eat. "Don't eat onions or garlic your breath will smell..don't eat beans you'll be farting all night and everyone will run from you He had laughed and reminded her what they had ordered didn't have any of those things in it.

Finally it was time for him to get dressed and Tesanee went to get the new suit she had left laying neatly over the back of the couch against the wall. She carried it over to her brother who had just pulled his head out of the closet, holding his shoes in his hand. Pushing the clothes into his free hand she grinned. "Here, bro, go get ready." He took it and disappeared into his room, and Tes sat down on the couch to wait for him. After a few minutes he reemerged wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt underneath it. Tes gave him a sneaky little smile. "You're not done yet big bro. come here." "What?" he said. ""yeah." came the reply. "I'm going to do your hair. AND you are going to wear this." She gave him a shit eating grin and dangled a tie that matched his clothing in front of his face. He stared at her. " I am NOT wearing that!" but he knew his sister would win. She always did just for the fact he couldn't say no to her. The little girl had him wrapped around her finger and by God the kid knew it! When he didn't come to her she went to him and proceeded to slip the thing around his neck. "Why do I have to wear this?" he said. "It's not like it'll be missed if I don't"
Tesanee gave him a look and shook her head. "Lena Would notice instantly, I'm willing to bet, if you didn't. Now shaddap and take it." She laughed at the look on Chepe's face. It was a perfect mixture of shock, disgust and resignation that his sister was going to win.

Now that that task was done she motioned for him to go sit on the couch which he did. Sitting down beside him she said "Turn around..back toward me bro." He did and she began brushing his long black hair to get the tangles out "I could do this myself Tes, you know," he said with a laugh. "I know but I want it to be perfect" came her reply. When she had finished brushing his hair out she gathered it up into a ponytail and brushing it straight back, making sure it wasn't going to look like an uneven mess and tied it securely. Tossing the brush down on the couch she stood up "Guess it's time for me to go back to my room Chepe."She said


Tesanee waved at her big brother as she opened the door to leave, her cell phone in her hand, "Now you look good enough to go." She liked how the clothes she had helped him pick out earlier looked..Much better than the bright yellow suit he had jokingly suggested he wear previously. tes knew that this dance might help distract him from the memories of the accident, especially once he saw his friends all dressed up. This was one reason she had wanted to help him get ready, so that she could distract him and make his night get off on a good foot. She only hoped that the memories would stay away and not haunt him tonight. She wanted her big brother to have a good, fun evening like he deserved. She might not say it but she loved him more than just about anyone she had still living. She gave him a hug. "You have fun tonight." Just before she left she took his picture with the phone camera. He didn't even notice it so she left quickly closing the door, before he happened to become suspicious.


Chepe turned to Angel and patted her head and his dog tried to jump up on him.. "Angel Down" he said. He was expecting his cousin any minute to walk to the dance with him so he called her to her large kennel with her blanket inside, and she went in reluctantly. "Don't worry girl." he said, putting a couple of her favorite toys in the crate with her. Luckily he had already let the puppy out to do her business so she should settle down rather quickly to sleep while he was gone.

At just about the exact second Angel's kennel door closed his phone began sounding it's text message alert, and he pulled the phone out of his pocket to read it.
It was from Lena, telling him to look for the girl in the little black dress. Shouldn't be hard to find her.  He quickly typed out a response to her telling her he would be in a dark blue suit with a red mask, and that he would be there soon.

Just then a knock on the door came and he knew it was Gadiel, and he opened the door. he grabbed his mask from the end table, called a goodbye to Angel, who gave a sharp bark from her crate, and pawed the door, not wanting to be left behind. "It's ok girl. I'll be back." he said. Quickly they left the dorm firmly closing the door behind them. They got into a very interesting conversation while they were walking, and almost before either of them had realized it, they were there.

They arrived at the courtyard and positioning their masks they went inside, Chepe hesitating just a moment to appreciate the scenery around them. It was beautiful and well done. The one responsible had done a phenomenal job and he made a comment to his cousin. After agreeing that it was indeed amazingly done, Gadiel slipped away and Chepe walked further in, scanning the courtyard for Lena.

After a few moments searching the crowd he found her, with two girls. Her black dress looked amazing on her and he just stared. The short black skirt made her legs look longer than usual. For a few minutes all he could do was stand there in complete amazement and watch his girlfriend. He wasn't sure how he'd been lucky enough to end up with her but he sure wasn't complaining. She always had a way of making him smile when he was around her. Lena was fun, beautiful and, he thought talented. He loved her confidence too.. Hell he may as well admit it to himself, but he loved everything about the girl.

He approached the small group of girls and greeted them before turning his attention to her. "Lena, you look beautiful" he said, giving her a smile

Chepe's Mask

A sudden warmth rushed across Lorilynn’s face. It was only after her initial shock of Lena's lewd comment did her freshly plucked eyebrows furrow together in irritation. Upon her glossed lips was a scowl. “Ugh, Lena,” she scolded, doing her best to ignore Becky’s roaring laughter, “what’s wrong with you? You’ve got the wrong girl – I’d never!”

And besides, proper ladies didn’t speak of such crude things in public. Though, speaking of things like that in private was another story, and Lorilynn might be willing to talk after a few glasses of chardonnay.

The embarrassment was gone as quickly as quickly as it came when the girls hit the dance floor. Familiar pop songs got her feet moving, hips shaking, and lips singing the catchy choruses she had repeated a million times over. As their laughter and chitchat filled the nighttime air, Lorilynn could feel a sense of camaraderie and belonging – something she felt she’d been lacking before her arrival to Rai Island.

A few more songs had gone by before someone’s presence had caught her attention. Mask or no mask, Lorilynn could tell it was Chepe. His usual friendly demeanor sold him out, and who else would have the courage to approach Ms. Nelson so boldly? With her right hand on her hip, she eyed him up and down jadedly.

“Chepe,” she greeted casually. What could she say? She was still a bit miffed about the paint war last month.

She didn’t fail to notice how affectionately his green eyes roamed over Lena, and she couldn’t help the impish smirk on her lips. “Ah, I think we should leave these two lovebirds alone,” she teased, and motioned for Becky to follow her.

Maybe tonight she’d find some dapper gentleman to share a nice dance with.

This...was going to be a long night.

With a groan, Kieran dragged a pale hand through his inky black hair and was immediately scolded by his sister for it. "Yer no' goin' ta leave yer hair lookin' nice a'tall, are ye?" Fionna tsked at him, straightening the lapels of his dark gray jacket. Dark 'gray' as a sky full of thunder clouds, but at least it wasn't black according to her. So what if it was the color that spoke so dearly to his aching heart and tormented soul? It soothed his pain, if only a little. If only he could emulate his little sister's strength and try to move on and smile.

And speaking of the Irish lass, she was freshly showered, dressed and all made up perfectly. Her dress was like something he'd expect a faerie princess to wear - all regal and delicate, yet commanding attention. Her pale skin and soft dark hair made her beauty stand out all the more and he smiled a little sadly. His younger sister was blossoming into a beautiful young woman and it was breaking his heart a little coming to the realization that someday some young fellow would come and snatch her away, leaving him to wallow alone in misery. But he'd be damned if he'd let himself stand in the way of her happiness.

"Ah, lass. Ye look right beautiful tonight. Try no' ta break too many a heart or we'll have many a sap cryin' o'er yer pretty face." Kieran remarked, pulling his purple tie taut. Fionna merely stuck her tongue out at him and dabbed some liquid foundation under his eyes, smoothing it over the dark circles that plagued his otherwise handsome face. "Shut yer mouth, dear brother." She said saucily, making him chuckle. Typical humor from their homeland, where many people didn't know how to accept compliments. Glimpsing in the mirror, he saw that the foundation masked his dark circles well and he waited patiently for his little sister to finish.

When she was done, his oddly colored amber eyes seemed to stand out a bit more but in a good way for once. If he were more confident, he'd admit that he looked quite dashing in this getup, but he settled for a small smile and a thank you to his sister before offering his arm to escort her to the dance.

It wasn't long before the two foreigners arrived at the school's courtyard and took in the gorgeous scenery. "Ooh, it's so lovely!" Fionna gasped as she twirled about playfully, particularly fond of the twinkling lights, "S'like a faerie kingdom!" With that, she donned her mask and set off to explore her immediate surroundings. Kieran stood still as a shadow, feeling suddenly very alone and rather awkward. He wasn't exactly prepared for this sort of social situation and quietly donned his own mask, taking a deep breath and hoping desperately that his anxiety wasn't obvious.

Kieran's mask:

Fionna's mask:

Fionna's dress:

Underneath the crescent moon and string lights that twinkled as prettily as stars, Camille knew that this homecoming dance, her last homecoming dance, was easily the best she’s ever had. With coquettish smirks and the proximity of their bodies, she and Drewe were practically the center of attention.

Because Mr. Pryde always had to be the center of attention.

And as he looked at her with just a hint of passion in his eyes and huskily complemented her on her attire, maroon painted lips couldn’t help but say, “I know,” with a sort of coy smile across them. He led her in dance until the next song came on, and that meant that the next girl would be in his arms as he told her all she wanted to hear in a honeyed voice.

After they finally parted, Camille thought to look for her next dance partner, only for her to stop in the middle of the dancefloor in a sea of couples that twirled about her. He had caught her attention momentarily, as they seemed to lock eyes for a fleeting moment before he looked away.

She thought nothing of it at first until she was sure he looked in her general direction again with hauntingly unusual golden eyes that seemed to pierce right through her. He just stood there, stiff as a board, as did Camille, watching how anxiously his eyes roamed over the entire court yard.

If the gossip from the other cheerleaders were actually true, this was the new transfer student that had the girls swooning with his accent, from where, she couldn’t exactly remember. But she could confirm this since the two of them shared English together. Kieran, she remembered the name.

And when he made no effort to move, the sound of Camille’s heels clicked on the stone flooring, walking straight past a rather bold student who stuck out his hand and offered to dance with her. She managed the warmest smile she possibly could, and with and outstretched hand, she asked, “Would you like to dance with me?”

He hadn't thought she'd caught him looking at her the first time and played it off like he'd been looking over the lot of the student body. It was kind of true. He had been... for about ten minutes before he'd spotted that girl from his English class. If memory served him correctly - and it should, considering he'd memorized the names of all his fellow classmates - her name was Camille and she was a well known cheerleader for this school. There was no way a girl as popular as her would be willing to talk with a haunted weirdo like himself. Hell, she probably barely registered his existence.

But she was absolutely stunning tonight. It was hard not to gawk at her like some young bucko with the way that dress hugged her body. It wasn't as if she didn't always look nice either. But damn! Why did she have to look like that right now? He was already uncomfortable enough! He found himself sneaking another glance, but this time she definitely caught him as her gaze locked with his. Shite... And she was coming over to him!

Oh no.

She probably knew who he was, despite the mask, despite him not saying a single word. His eyes always gave him away, blast it. As she drew closer, his body started to tense up in anticipation. Her hand reached out to him, her smile warmly inviting as her lovely voice asked for a dance. She was deadly that was for damn sure, and he wondered briefly if she was a professional at flirting specifically with Irish guys, because she seemed damn good at it. Kieran cleared his throat nervously but accepted her hand, pulling her knuckles to his lips. At least he managed to remember his manners.

"This joint's right teemin' but I'd fancy a jig er two wit' ye." He said softly, pronouncing his 'th' sound more like a 'd', but he followed her to the dance floor and pulled her into an easy waltz. After all, he wasn't quite sure how classically trained in dance she was. Best to not assume anything, he decided. Kieran moved her across the dance with a fluid grace as if they were part of some fantasy movie or choreographed dance. He twirled her and swept her effortlessly as the song played, a small smile curving his lips. Perhaps tonight wasn't going to be as bad as he thought...

Teemin'? Camille thought to herself as Kieran led her in dance.

Whatever it meant, her classmate still agreed to follow her out onto the dancefloor while his lips mustered a ghost of a smile, and that was a small victory all in its own. Getting newcomers into the Valevay spirit was something cheerleaders were supposed to do. The smiles she received for her enthusiasm were somewhat of a bonus, including Kierans. In fact, she couldn’t keep herself from smiling along with him.

This dance was different with the one she shared with Drewe. There was a notable space between the two of them, and if she didn’t know any better, Camille would say that was Kieran’s plan to begin with. It also wasn’t as passionate as the dance with her former dance partner either.

In fact, she’d call this one rather whimsical.

The way he twirled her so gracefully made her feel as if she were in some sort of fairy tale as the belle of the ball, and for a brief moment, a small, breathy giggle escaped her. “This is much better than standing around by yourself, isn’t it?” she asked, her smile genuine. “Don’t be so shy next time. There are plenty of people here that would love to talk and dance with you.”

"I'll try an' remember tha'." Kieran said as he swept her in a graceful half circle, not once losing step, "English 's me second language though." Again, his 'th' sounded more like a 'd', but he didn't seem to notice his pronunciation mistake. He did, however, spin her a little closer, then dip her as the song ended. He smiled down at her and brought her back to her feet,making sure she was steady on those heels before relinquishing her hand.

The next song started up as her fingers were just about to slip from his hand. Without even thinking about it, he gripped her hand and pulled her back against his chest. "One more, please." He murmured in her ear, then twirled her away from him, before bringing her right back to him. She was much closer now and Kieran quickly moved the two of them to the beat, guiding Camille effortlessly through the very distinctive and unmistakable moves of the tango. He realized belatedly that she had no idea how to perform the dance, so he guided her through it with fluid actions and a satisfied smirk when she saw that she was picking it up quickly.

Camille wondered if Kieran kept to himself because of that slight language barrier between him and the rest of his classmates. It sure would make sense. Even so, that sister of his was quite the opposite of him, bubbly and high-spirited.

She stayed silent, her small smile still intact when he dipped her as the song faded out. When she was able to steady herself, the corners of Camile’s lips curved into one last gregarious smile before her fingers began to slip away from his. The sudden grip on her hand was a little startling, but not as much as the way he pulled her chest and breathed in her ear about wanting to share another dance.

Inigo eyes, still widened as he twirled her, narrowed just slightly as soon as their bodies found each other. Her lips curled into a mischievous smirk. Someone learned to shed their shyness pretty quickly. Was that little act was all just for show? As she did her best to follow Kieran’s lead, Camille grinned. “So was all that earlier some kind of act to get me to walk over to you? Because if so, I think I’ll have to watch out for you.”