Writer in the Dark - J. HALE

69 - ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ

"WHERE ARE we going?" Athena asked as Jasper drove, keeping his eyes focused on the road as it got progressively darker as time went on.

"The same place we were going when you asked five minutes ago," he replied with a slight grin, majority looking forward to when she knew what the surprise was.

She sighed frustratedly, "'To somewhere' isn't an answer Jasper!" No reply came, the car becoming silent bar from the slight music coming from the radio that had been switched on by her as soon as they stepped into the car. "Okay okay," she grumbled, finally giving up as she turned to look out of the window. She watched the lights as night approached through the glass, making out the shadows of trees in people's gardens. She smiled as she got a glimpse into mortals' lives, seeing what their living room looked like or what they were watching on the television. She was rather glad to see so many smiling faces, feeling that there wasn't enough of that in mortal life sometimes.

Then she frowned as they pulled into the nearly full car park of a random, posh looking hotel. "A hotel? Seriously? This is the big surprise?" she asked in annoyance as he opened the car door for her.

"I'm rather offended you think so low of me."

She raised a brow as she stepped out of the car, intrigue getting the better of her, " I'm guessing-"

"Stop guessing," he chuckled as he shut the door, not wanting her to figure it out before he wanted her to know. She followed him, looking around for any sort of signs as to why they were here with every step she took. She saw one woman with extravagant hair pinned ever so perfectly entering the hotel with a huge trunk which only confused her even more as they stepped into the lobby.

After he got the key from the desk, they walked up to the room as Athena still looked around for what was going on. She, by the time they reached the room, hadn't found anything other than the woman in the car park with extravagant hair. With a simple click in the door, they entered the room and she once again looked around for whatever was going on. Jasper watched for a second, amused by the awfully confused look on her face before he whispered, "Look in the bathroom."

She raises a brow, looking over to him. "Ok...." she responded before walking over to the bathroom, smiling brightly as she flung the door open and stepped through the threshold. "Holy-" she trailed off, running further into the room. "This is gorgeous!" she exclaimed, running her hand across what hung on a hanger in front of the shower.

"Alice and Luna helped to pick it out," he smiled at her joy as he leaned against the doorframe, watching her look over the intricate details of the gift. 

She turned and grinned excitedly,  "I get to wear this?"

"There's a themed ball in the hall here in an hour and a half," he replied, smiling as her eyes lit up before she turned back to the dress. It was a blush pink colour, big tulle skirt and a build-in corset making it resemble that of a dress she would have worn in the Victorian era to a ball. It had off the shoulder loops to hold it up somewhat and the tulle that covered the entire skirt of the dress had the most gorgeous lace flowers and lace details all over. There were a pair of matching elbow-length gloves and a pair of the most comfortable looking heels - not historically accurate but she would never want to wear the Victorian era shoes ever again, they were awfully uncomfortable and pinchy. " I wanted to do something for you that you'd really like since you've been... well you know. Good surprise?"

"Are you kidding me?" she laughed, half crying out in delight as she flung her arms over his shoulders, hugging him tightly and gratefully.

-

Athena just finished tying up the corset when the time she had run out. She smiled at the memories of all the time she had spent in dresses like this one, ones with corsets that sucked her in at the waist and would restrict breathing if she could. She checked herself over in the mirror, pulling out a few curls from her braided crown updo, which was very common back then, with the littlest of flowers hidden through it just like the ones on her dress. She pulled the gloves up her arms then walked out of the bathroom.