I can already tell, this chapter's going to be very eventful, and the author's note is going to be as long as the entire soundtrack for The Gray Garden.
No Class Today - The Dance - Saturday - No Curfew
May 24
Aria's POV
I woke up to an unfamiliar room and Lanny's arm around my waist...
Wait what?!!
I looked up to see Lanny's face. Oh right, we stayed up late last night working out the last details of the dance together. We must have fallen asleep in his room. I look around to find his alarm clock blinking.
(I'm just going to ignore the fact that I'm sleeping with him)
1:30 pm
"HOLY CRAP!!! I ONLY HAVE ONE AND A HALF HOURS TO GET MYSELF READY AND SET UP THE LAST DECORATIONS IN THE GYM FOR THE DANCE!!!"
"Just come back to bed..." My sleeping friend mumbled to me. What can I say, he's even less of a morning person than me. Not that it's morning anymore, but still.
"Wake up." I said, shaking his shoulder gently.
"Mmm...I don't wanna."
"Do it anyway."
"Why?" He asked, eyes still closed, "It's so comfy here, and we're going to be separated if we get up."
"Because I have to finish decorating for the dance, not to mention get myself ready, and you have to go rehearse. You're performing, remember?"
He sighed, and sat up, "I guess you're right. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm going to have to go back stage and you're going to be...somewhere else."
"I'm going to be in the gym, helping set up decorations and get the concession stand set up. I also have to go upstairs to get the lights set up, but mostly, I'll be in practically the same room." I smiled.
"Well...I guess...but still. I'm lonely without you."
I could feel my face heat up, but I ignored it. Despite what you may think, Lanny is actually really shy when it comes to people who aren't his close friends. One of the main reasons he and I get along so well. Quite often, I'm the one talking for him, "You'll be fine, it's a promise. And if you need me, I'm just a text away." I assured.
"Fine. But if we're going to be ready by the time the dance starts, we should get going."
"Right. Yeah." I agreed, standing up, and picking up my notebook and dance checklist, "I'm heading over to the main school gym."
-----Later On-----
I looked around as I heading down the path back to the dormitory. Decorating had taken a lot longer than I expected, but in my defence, some hooligan decided to rip down some of the ribbons that I spent actual time and effort putting up. So yeah, without knowing who did it, I had no choice but to just put them back up, and move on. That left me with only around 45 minutes. I ran as fast as I could to Blaze's room to get ready.
Once I barged in without knocking, everyone turned to look at me.
"Hi Aria~..." Blaze smirked.
"Umm...hi...?" I reply, growing suspicious.
"How was your sleep?" She raised a brow.
"F-fine..."
"I bet it was, especially if it was in Lanny's arms~~!" Blaze smirked again.
"How do you know about that?!" I panicked. I don't want people getting the wrong idea.
"While I was chasing Bruce with a flame-sword, which I have named kindness.....cough cough....I barged into your room to get the pepper spray I hid in there-"
"Wait what?" I cut her off.
"Never mind that.......but when I did barge in, you weren't in there. And when I barged into Lanny's room to get the dynamite-"
"Why does Lanny have dynamite in his room...?" I cut her off again.
"He doesn't, it's mine. Anyway, I found you in his bed, sleeping. And since you were so rudely in the way of my dynamite, by the way it was in your pillow, I had to go to Avon's room to get the rocket launcher from his closet-"
"Do you store weapons in everyone's room?" Zephira questioned.
"Not everybody's........I didn't put any in mine." Blaze defended.
"You know what, I don't have time for this. Help me get ready." I said, shaking off the feelings of embarrassment, and they got my dress out of the box.
"You're going to look stunning......for Lanny~" Blaze smiled innocently.
"Yeah, what about you, Miss Stalker who hides behind a tree." It's my turn to smirk now.
"So you know about that..." She laughed nervously.
"Now stop teasing me....or else..." I warned.
"Fine, but I'm not going to tell you where I hid the pepper spray." Blaze said.
I rolled my eyes.
---------At The Dance--------
Third person's POV
"Wow Aria, the decorations look awesome!" Sachiko complimented.
"Thanks!"
"Ladies." Vane walked up to us, winking flirtatiously.
We shook our heads as Noelle slapped him over the head.
"I was just kidding! I only have eyes for you anyway," he whispered the last part in her ear. She blushed and he took her arm. He lead her over to the dance floor where Lanny and the band were already playing.
"Let's check out the food Zephira!" Sachiko lead her friend over to the food table as she started to stuff her face.
Next Lucas and Jasper walk up. "Care to dance?" They asked simultaneously while bowing together.
Blaze and Elisia looked at each other before slapping them, simultaneously. "Don't ever do that again, it was cool looking, but creepy," They simultaneously smirked, taking their hand anyway. (I can 99% guarantee that Dixie was thinking of the twins from Ouran High School Host Club while writing this...)
As all the students of Gondoa's School Of Magic And Special Talents gather into the gymnasium, and find their respective partners and friend groups, the dance officially begins. Not a student in the room knows of the dark that is to come.
(Dun dun duuuuuuuh!!!!! As Ninja, known for ruining moments, I feel obligated to do this...but...............quack.....)
Sachiko's POV
After about an hour of dancing and stuffing our faces full of free food at the concession stand (Diviners privileges), Zephira and I ran into Aria, who was running around, trying to keep everything in order.
"Whatcha doooooing?" I asked, as I watched her fill a plastic cup with punch. (Holy shiitake mushrooms that sounded like Isabella from Phineas and Ferb)
She sighed, "Finally getting a break. The two other students who were supposed to help me, decided to bail and leave the entire dance to me, so until now, I've been running around, dealing with little mishaps, like somebody spilling their cup of punch into the popcorn." She was seriously annoyed looking.
"Do you want help?" Zephira offered, but Aria shook her head.
"No, that's fine. I volunteered to do this, so you don't need to sacrifice your fun time at the dance. And besides, it's not like I can't handle it...I just won't get to dance...like, at all. It's okay, I don't do dancing." She laughed, "I did hope that I would get to watch Lanny perform some more though. He's really good."
I raised my eyebrows at her. While she spends a lot of her time being a weird tsundere-hajidere hybrid, she does have her moments when her absolute undying love and affection for her best friends that doesn't end and refuses to cease shows up clearly.
She laughed it off, although she was probably red in the face (it was dark so I couldn't exactly see), "No, it's not like that. He was really nervous about performing, so I want to be there to support him."
"...Didn't you two run a band together before...?" Zephira questioned.
"Well...yeah, but he was never lead singer like this. He usually just played piano, and if he ever sang, it was a duet."
"Lanny plays piano?"
"He did. He's too shy to play around other people, so he stopped when we came to the school."
"Oh. I didn't know that."
She shrugged, "Not many people do, I guess."
We stood in silence for a few minutes, just listening to the music and drinking punch, contemplating our lives, having an existential crisis, et cetera. Then we got interrupted by a frantic looking seventh grade girl.
"Aria..." she panted, "Somebody took all of the stuff out of the supply room and scattered them in the halls. Somebody's already tripped and fell, and is in the nurse's office now. We need to clean up, but have no idea where everything is supposed to go."
"Well, the break was nice while it lasted. I'll be right there." Our blue-haired friends sighed, and ran off.
Not even twenty minutes later, the band just suddenly stopped playing music. They gathered into a huddle, and a few minutes later, they broke apart. One of the other guys in the band high-fived Lanny, who was beet red in the face.
Something's happening.
(Dear Irene, Dixie why?! Why did you have to decide my fate for me?? Now I have to actually write this part of the chapter and I can't stop blushing! Whai u do dis??????)
Blaze's POV
Well, it's finally that time of the night. Time for Lanny to follow through with his plans that I may or may not have accidentally found while trying to remember where I hid the dynamite in Lanny's room...
• • • 。
Shut up. Don't judge me.
Aaaaaaaaaanyway, it was supposed to be SUPER FREAKING CUTE, and now Aria decided to leave to clean some mess up. That jerk. It doesn't matter if one other person gets injured by tripping over some stupid supply. Okay plan B.
Guess I'll have to interfere.
MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Lanny's POV
I looked out at silhouettes of people. I had the familiar spotlights shining into the tops of my eyes, so I was blinded, and couldn't see any familiar faces in the crowd. At the start, I was pretty nervous to be preforming again, but over time I had grown into it. It felt just like it used to...well, Aria wasn't with me this time, but that was the only difference. I was perfectly calm and collected.
But now, the butterflies that were in my stomach returned, with more force than before.
Suddenly the intercom speaker went on. "Royal subjects, shut up and listen! Especially you, Aria, wherever the hell you are, get to the gym this instance. Lanny wants to sing you a song. Lanny you may go ahead.
My blush reappears as I see Jasper face palm in the background. Soon enough Aria enters the room dragging Blaze by the ear. "Owwwww!!! That hurts you know!"
"You're an idiot," she muttered, letting go of her ear, before looking up at me expectantly.
I cough before starting.
An hour away from home
time's never felt this slow
It feels like a week ago
Do you feel it too?
I bet you went back to bed
My pillow beneath your head
Repeat the last words I've said:
I miss you
You're all I need
So fall back to sleep
Wherever I go, wherever I'll be
Oh I just hope that you're thinkin' 'bout me
And that you don't doubt my love if you're lonely
Wherever you go, whatever you see
You're not alone, you never will be
Oh baby just know, wherever you go
That's where I'll be.
Blaze's POV
Aria started to bawl so hard it looked like waterfalls and it flooded the room that everyone drowned and I exploded the world. The End.
Just kidding.
Aria's POV
Hearing the words fall out of Lanny's mouth filled me with emotion. I started crying, and when the song was over, he jumped off the stage, and hugged me tight.
"I love you." He whispered into my ear so no one could ear.
"I love you too..." I whispered back, burying my face in his shoulder.
We stayed like that for a few more seconds, before the entire crowd burst out in applause. We both went beet red, and I looked down.
Suddenly Lucas and Elisia burst through the doors, and everyone turned to look at the two, who were bruised and bleeding. Rana, who had just walked in (probably to deal with Blaze and her antics), grabbed a mic that was sitting on the stage.
"Uh...everyone remain calm. Continue the dance as if nothing happened. Also, can I have all Diviners please meet up in the courtyard in five minutes? Thanks."
She ran off, bringing Lucas and Elisia with her. The gym erupted in a complicated mess of mumbles. Blaze and I headed to the courtyard, and Lanny went to make a compromise with the other band members, seeing as he had to leave.
-----Five Minutes Later-----
"What on earth happened to you two?!" Rana panicked. Everyone was gathered together, and Lanny, knowing his purpose, immediately got to healing their wounds.
"We...thought the dance was getting to be too much...so we decided to go for a walk...and we got attacked...on the hill behind the sports field..." Lucas replied, out of breath.
"Attacked?! By what?"
"We couldn't see...whatever it was just looked like a silhouette, or a shadow...but it hurt like hell to be attacked by it." Elisia said, shivering at the memory, "It had these claw-like things...but when it scratched you...it burned, like when your hands are really cold and you put them in warm water."
Lucas nodded, "We tried to fight back, but it refused to die, so eventually we gave up and ran."
Rana sighed, probably relieved that nobody died, "That's good. Now, you two go and get some rest." They nodded and walked off, and we watched them get safely back to the dorm.
"Could it have been the traitor who attacked them?" Bruce questioned.
"I...doubt it. From what they described it to be...a silhouette-like figure with burning claws...that sounds more like some kind of shadow-demon." Rana shook her head, "Anyway, the rest of us-"
"Wait..." Marigold interrupted, "Where's Avon?!"
A/N-- I can tell you right now, this is going to be an abnormally long author's note, so, feel free to skip.
Minna-San, konnichiwa? How's it hanging?
So...eventful chapter, huh?
.....
I don't know how many people actually read this book, but in a lot of my other books, I have a slight fear of my readers...My irene, you guys are scary.
Anywho, you guys have to idea how long it took me to find a cute love song to use in this chapter. My brain was just being depressing.
At first I was just going to use Fearless, by Taylor Swift, but the whole line "In a storm in my best dress"... kind of doesn't suit the context of this chapter... If you know what i'm saying. Then my brain just refused to let the ship sail AT ALL. The next songs I chose were just like...not fitting...
Photograph - Ed Sheeran - (Kind of bittersweet...doesn't fit the context)
One Love - Marianas Trench - (Break-up song)
Locked Away - Adam Levine ft. R. City - (Doesn't fit context)
Somebody's Me - Enrique Iglesias - (It's literally about a guy who loves someone who doesn't feel the same)
And do you know what my brain chose next??? Do you?
It chose My Immortal, by Evanescence. If you have heard that song, you would know hoe freaking sad it is.
I then proceeded to use google instead of my brain, and concluded that we were using Wherever You Go, by A Rocket To The Moon. (Song's above ^-^)
OH YEAH
The entire reason that I needed to do an author's note in the first place. Dixie actually designed and drew all the dresses, so I need to show that. Here they are 😊
Anyway, I should go...See you later!
~Ninja
"I'm running out of quotes to use after my author's note"
~NinjaUnicorn101~