The Darkness Within Her

Chapter 5: Dance With the Devil

“What time is prom starting?” I asked as I pinned the last bit of my hair up, raising my eyebrows in the mirror as I watched Caleb button his jacket up and run his fingers through his hair to ruffle it up a bit.

            “Um, 6:30,” he met my eyes in the mirror, “Are you going to be okay with being by yourself at this party?”

            “Yep, Dad will be there and I’m small enough people will think I’m just a bug anyhow,” I replied.

            “So am I,” I laughed, “Seriously, just stop. How do I look?”

            I had found a black, knee length dress that had sleeves to cover my arms. It was a dress I had bought when I had been out shopping with Caleb one year that I had never gotten the chance to actually wear. My hair was in a loose bun with what felt like four inches of makeup so that my green eyes shined without the dark circles underneath to drag them down. Red lipstick finished off the look. I actually looked healthy. Well, as healthy as I could with hollow cheeks and skin clinging to bone.

            Caleb smiled, “You look really pretty.”

            “Thanks,” I said even though it felt like I had just been slapped. I was all dolled up and he still couldn’t call me beautiful.

            “Listen, its 5:35, I need to get going,” Caleb watched me carefully, “Are you sure you will be okay?”

            “I’ll be just fine, go,” I waved at him. He nodded, smiled and did just that. I watched him leave with a heavy heart. It was foolish of me, to have these feelings for Caleb when I knew; I knew that he didn’t feel the same for me.

            My phone beeped with the alert that the party was about to start. I ran my hands down the sides of my dress and attempted to smile at my reflection.

            My lips merely twitched.

The living room looked completely different than usual. The furniture had been removed and instead a temporary bar was in the corner for drinks and another bar lining the wall for food. It was a nice set up and with music that actually wasn’t classic spilling from the speakers, it created a joyous atmosphere which all of the guests seemed to enjoy despite the fact that they were wearing floor length gowns our suits.

            Several people –along with a pretty brunette on his arm giggling – surrounded dad looking incredibly comfortable and relaxed in his own environment. His booming laugh filled the room as the brunette whispered something funny in his ear. I wanted to puke. I grabbed a carrot and munched on it even though it tasted akin to cardboard. My phone buzzed in my bra, alerting me that someone – who was I kidding – Caleb had texted me.

CALEB: yo, hows the party?

ME: Fine, how’s the dance?

CALEB: fun r u ok?

ME: I’m good, now quit bothering me and have fun

CALEB: i will

            I put my phone back in the cleavage of my dress and froze. At the bar was a man engulfed in blue fire. The same man from the bar…and the one from six years ago. He turned to say something to the woman next to him who was covered in red fire. I couldn’t take my eyes away from the pair of them, even when the man’s eyes snapped to mine. His lips barely moved and the woman – who was curvy and tall with black hair – looked at me too. Her eyes, I noticed were the same color as the fire around her.