First Impression II: At Second Glance

Chapter Twenty-Five - The Brewing Storm

Chapter Twenty-Five – The Brewing Storm

Whenever I thought of that year's Winter Ball, I always picture it in snapshots, each moment disparate and disjointed from the next. So many things had happened. The storm was brewing.

*

For some reason, the romance had worn off the second Winter Ball slightly.

That was my first thought as I entered the long hallway leading to the grand hall. The place was as just beautiful as last year, the hall decked with glittering ice statues – the theme being The Snow Queen this year. Warm light from the chandeliers filled the hallway and fell on girls in bright gowns and boys in dashing suits.

It was still as fairy-tale as ever.

But something just felt off.

It also didn't help that my friends were completely incapable of taking such a serious event seriously.

"Hey Lena." Kat suddenly turned to me, frowning. "Weren't you supposed to wear the deep plum dress?"

Deep plum dress? What plum dress? I didn't remember buying one...oh wait, that one.

The hideous monstrosity I wore at Avery's birthday party that one time.

They were never going to let me live it down, were they?

"If you had worn it, you would be unanimously nominated for the Snow Queen," Kat added, her face completely straight.

Alice clapped her hands. "Why didn't you tell me that you weren't going to wear it then? I would have borrowed it." She pouted and gestured to her dress. "With this dress, I have no chance of winning."

Alice was wearing a light beige gown with tiny flowers and veins embroidered in black thread at the bodice and the top of her skirt. At her waist, two delicate gold-plated leaves met in a belt. When the warm yellow light fell on her dress, it looked like liquid sunlight.

I gave her my best unamused face. Yeah right.

Danielle chimed in. "Yeah girl, you totally should have. That would have made excellent news for me to cover. I can totally imagine the headline for the next Thornwell Tribune." She gestured with her hands and read out in a dramatic voice. "High Fashion Plum Dress Makes Another Splash at the Winter Ball: Beats Valentino and Elie Saab to Win Snow Queen."

I heaved a sigh and raised my eyes upwards. What had I done to deserve such friends?

Beautifully dressed friends they were but awful nonetheless.

"How can we ever hope to compare to Lena in the deep plum dress?" Kat the Awful was saying.

Kat wore a pale peachy pink gown. Branches of cobalt blue grew from the belt at the waist, lining the sheer bodice and the short sleeves. A layer of tulle covered the blue veins flowing down the skirt.

Her hair was tied up in a bun at the back of her head, soft brown wisps of hair escaping and curling around her face.

Meanwhile, Danielle was dressed in a brightly-coloured geometric dress with black and white stripes running down the centre and along the edges. It was short in front but had a long flowing train at the back. The sleeves reached to below the elbow while the collar was flat and dipped into a wide V-neck. She paired the dress with black and white striped stilettoes.

It was bold, decisive and full of personality. In short, very Danielle.

Ha right. Not compare that unspeakable picture of me Audrey put up. Yeah right.