So first thing, I'd like to thank Xpen7777 and shanniin for their imput on the dress that Lamia should wear to the dance that's why the chapter is dedicated to them. They were all beautiful choices but you can see the one I went with on the side.Once again thank you for the comments. You guys rock!!
Second thing, hopefully I will post the next chapter tonight. At the end of this chapter, it is left in a small cliffhanger. If you want it posted tonight then I would love to hear about it in the comments lol. Maybe if I get enough, I can have it up sooner!
So let me know what you think and I'll letyou know when the next chapter will be posted. Enjoy!!
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“Can I see now?” I asked, moving from heel to heel which I fear would be a bad decision but the girls insisted upon. Alice was flitting around me, making sure my hair and makeup was in the proper place. She had been at this for almost two hours and hadn’t let me look at my reflection. She wanted everything perfect before I could even glimpse down at myself. Kim and the other pack imprints sat around the room that Alice had transformed into a salon in order for everyone to get ready for the dance. They were already dolled up and watching me squirm. They all looked very pretty and by the looks on their faces, they all seemed to approve of the dress Alice had made me.
It was Friday afternoon. Alice had convinced all of us to come and get ready at the Cullen house then we’d meet the guys at the school. All the pack girls appeared relaxed but I could see some tension behind their eyes. This was Cullen territory after all and the boys aren’t here to protect them if the need arises. I on the other hand was stiff the whole time. Not only was I behind enemy lines but I found myself enjoying the company of all the girls.
Alice finally spun me around to look in the full length mirror that she placed against the wall. I was nervous to look but once I brought my eyes up, I was left speechless. In the reflection of the mirror, there stood a girl that I didn’t recognize as myself at first. My hair was curled nicely and framed my face. Alice had done light makeup but still managed to make me look flawless and my eyes pop. The beading of the top of my dress sparkled in the dim lighting of the room and the blue tulle material floated away from my body. It was shorter than I had ever worn but I tried to not let Alice see how self-conscious that made me. She did make the dress and I didn’t want her to think I didn’t like it. In fact, I loved it. It was the nicest thing anybody has ever given me, let alone made for me.
“Alice you really shouldn’t have done this,” I said barely above a whisper, still mesmerized by what she had accomplished.
“You look beautiful,” Kim spoke, awe in her voice. The other girls nodded in approval. Even Bella and Rosalie shot me a smile. They weren’t going to the dance that night for their different reasons.
“Beautiful? How about stunning,” Alice exclaimed, clapping her hands together like a little child getting a gift. Her eyes sparkled with excitement at her creation. She looked great in a purple dress of her on creation as well. She and Jasper would be the only Cullen members attending tonight’s dance.
Embry’s not going to know what hit him,” Kim laughed and shared a look with the other imprints. They had been doing that lately like there was an inside joke and I was out of the loop. I just smiled and shook my head at them before turning back to the mirror. I hadn’t told anyone about my feelings. I only just accepted them myself but I had to be careful. If I were to fall for Embry, it would only crush him more when I left and I feared that I would never be the same either. As much as I tried not to, I found myself hoping that Embry would be impressed. I hoped he thought I looked good. Really it was only his opinion that I was interested to hear.
“Well ladies, I think it’s time to go meet the boys,” Alice said. We all grabbed our stuff and said buy to the rest of the Cullens before getting in our individual cars. We probably looked crazy with one car following after the other down the road.
The closer we got to the school, the more nervous I got. Pulling into the parking lot, I could see the entrance to the gym decorated. Balloons lined the doorframe in an arch with a mix of colors. Through the windows, I could see some decorations hanging on the walls and the lights were dimmed to set the mood I’m sure. I parked in my regular spot which was on the far side of the parking lot. The parking lot was full of cars already and luckily no one had taken mine. I watched the rest of the group getting out of their cars and talking to each other. My absence was not felt obviously as they hurried to the guys. They were waiting along the sidewalk. They all seemed so filled with joy at the presence of their soul-mates. How could the Volturi think these people were so evil?
I stepped out of the car and locked the door behind me. I made my way slowly in the direction of the group who was now dispersing towards the gym doors. One couple after the other left, leaving one solitary figure standing on the sidewalk.
His head was turned, watching the others leaving and hadn’t noticed me yet which surprised me since my heels were clicking on the cement. I knew it was Embry just by the way he stood. He looked nice in a black suit. Apparently he had some clue as to what my dress looked like because his tie was a matching color to mine.
Once I was right beside him, I quietly cleared my throat. He jumped and turned to look at me. His eyes glistened and a big smile spread across his face. He must have been deep in thought to not have heard me approach. “If you keep staring at me, I’m going to think something is wrong,” I stated with a small smile of my own.
He immediately shook his head and took one of my hands in his. “Nothing’s wrong. You look incredible,” he said, honesty ringing in his words. I looked down, hiding the blush that was creeping into my face.
“Thank you. You look very handsome,” I reply after I was sure I had controlled the blush and looking back up at him.
“I try,” he said trying to act stuck up and suave but only succeeding in making me laugh. He chuckled to and began leading me into the gym.
The music was really loud. I could feel the bass thumping in my chest as Embry and I strolled over to where the rest of the pack and Alice, with Jasper, had occupied a table near the entrance into the hall where people could go only to use the bathrooms down the hall. The gym looked nice compared to the drab color and worn out floors that normally were present. Balloon hung from the ceiling, a big banner reading “WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL DANCE” hung across the bleachers, and two tables adorned with food and drink lined the other side under one of the basketball goals.
“Place just doesn’t look the same,” Paul said, lounging in one of the chairs while drinking a cup of punch. His imprint, or ‘girlfriend’ as they liked to use around me, I come to find out is Jacob’s older sister Rachel who is in college at the moment so he was alone at the dance but he didn’t seem to mind.
“I know. The committee did well,” Seth responded looking around the gym. He didn’t have a girlfriend but I could see some of the girls eyeing him. He no doubt saw them as well.
Suddenly a squeal left Alice’s mouth. “I love this song. Let’s dance,” she said dragging Jasper behind her to the dance floor that was beginning to fill up. The song was one I didn’t know which wasn’t saying much considering my childhood. Kim took my hand and started pulling me with her to dance.
“Kim I can’t dance,” I said over the music, trying my hardest to dig my heels into the floor to stop her but to no avail. I could hear the others still at our table laughing at my attempts. I turned my head and make eye contact with Embry. “Help me,” I mouth to him and gave him my best innocent face. He looked at me with a smirk and walked towards me and the girl pulling me to my doom.
“Kim I think I got it from here,” he said taking my hand from her and pushing her back towards Jared, her man. She huffed but sent me a wink before heading back to Jared. I glared at her playfully before feeling Embry continue to lead me to the crowd of gyrating bodies.
“Embry you were supposed to help me get out of dancing, not bring me out here,” I complained, pulling at his hand that gripped mine but I knew he was stronger than me. He came to a stop once we were in the middle of everyone.
Turning to me, he began to dance from side to side. He swung my arm to get me going but I didn’t move. I just looked at him flatly but I’m sure he could see how uncomfortable I was underneath the façade. I had never danced like this or like anything really so I wasn’t sure how to even begin without making myself look like an idiot. If I was trying to be a normal teen, I was probably failing to blend in when I didn’t even know how to dance.
Embry smiled before dropping my hand and dancing around me in a circle. He looked completely ridiculous and was getting attention for it. I couldn’t help but laugh as he shot me funny looks whenever he looked at me. He was doing this so I wouldn’t feel stupid I soon realized. It was like he could read me like an open book and he knew exactly how to make me feel better. I slowly relaxed and just let my body feel the music. I used to love listening to music when I was younger. I would dance around with my dad in the kitchen while mom sang along with the radio. He was so tall that I had to stand on his shoes. I smiled at the memory and soon the rest of the pack was surrounding us on the dance floor.
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The night was going great. The whole group was having a good time. Occasionally we would rest but most of the time we remained on the dance floor. I got more comfortable with dancing and would even dance with the other girls but the only guy I would dance with was Embry. There had been some guys that wanted to dance with me. Some would ask and others would just come right up behind me, pressing into my back. Every time that happened, I went ridged and Embry would pull me away from them, effectively scaring them away. I was grateful for him being near me and even if he found his imprint, hopefully after I left, I know that I would always have some feelings towards him. I would enjoy my time while I was here but I also knew that I had to have my limits.
A slow song came over the speakers and I looked around awkwardly as the others paired up. I glanced at him who was standing beside me. He looked over at me and extended his hand. “May I have this dance?”
I nod and let him pull me close to him. He put my arms around his neck and he placed his on the small of my back. I could feel the heat radiating from his hands as he brought me closer to his body. I tensed at the closeness of our bodies. At first, I didn’t feel completely comfortable with the contact but then I reminded myself that this was Embry. I could trust him. He liked me and I liked him. With those thoughts, my body relaxed little by little until there was no more tension.
We swayed back and forth to the music, our bodies in sync. I looked up into his eyes and there was an emotion in them that I couldn’t, or wouldn’t, comprehend. He just stared back at me, a smile playing on his features that made my heart warm and my stomach turn. I couldn’t help the feeling of contentment that washed over me. I had never felt so…alive since I was taken into the Volturi’s “care”. For the first time since I arrived in Forks, the thought of actually leaving here for good crossed my mind. It was a thought that shouldn’t even exist but I couldn’t help but let my mind wonder with the possibilities of a life of freedom, away from the Volturi and around the friends that I was beginning to make here. I imagined Embry and me getting closer but once his imprint came along, that would all change. I shook that thought out of my mind because I didn’t want to dwell on that now. Now I just wanted to enjoy the normalcy of the night.
My thoughts were interrupted when Embry spoke. “I’m so happy that you said yes to coming with me tonight. You’ve made tonight one of the best of my life,” he said. It was like we were the only ones in the room.
I swallowed the lump in my throat that had formed at his words. “I can’t understand why you like me but I just want you to know that I care about you and…” I said but was cut off when his lips pressed softly to mine. The feel of them were amazing and I followed his lead as his lips moved. I was lost in the moment until I realized what was happening and who it was happening with. I began to panic. I pulled away abruptly and stumbled back from him. He still looked in a daze but once he saw the panic in my eyes, he sobered up.
“Mia, I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me,” he said trying to step closer to me, his own eyes filled with concern. I stepped back with every step forward he took. A flash of hurt crossed his eyes but it didn’t seem to register in my mind. My hands were trembling and my heart was beating way to fast. I had to get away from him now.
I pushed back through the crowd and sprinted toward the doors leading to the doorway that led to the parking lot. I heard Embry call my name but I didn’t stop as I moved out the archway. His footsteps didn’t follow. Maybe he knew I just needed some time to catch my breath.
There was no one else outside. The lampposts were the only things providing light around the school but where my car sat was darker in comparison. I took a deep breath of the chilly air. While Alice’s dress was gorgeous, it wasn’t really appropriate for the Washington weather. I walked a little from the door, my mind reeling from everything.
He kissed me and I had kissed him back. I can’t believe that happened. I was supposed to be cautious when it comes to him. I was pushing the limits that I had set for myself. Even though we had told each other that we liked each other, I didn’t want to get to involved but now I was getting in too deep. I was beginning to fall for Embry and I was afraid I couldn’t stop it now. I could feel my body wanting to go back to him, for him to hold me in his arms and tell me everything was going to be ok when I knew that it wasn’t. I wanted him to kiss me again. The sensation that had jolted through me when it happened was something that is hard to explain. It felt safe, complete, and right. Despite the scolding I was giving myself, a small smile lifted at the corners of my mouth.
It was then that I heard the sound of footsteps coming up the sidewalk behind me. There was more than pair and I didn’t hear any heels, meaning it was all guys. The others guys from the pack probably came with him to give him support since he didn’t know how I would react if he came after me.
“It’s ok I just needed some air Embry,” I said turning around to look at the approaching boys. My blood ran cold when I realized that it wasn’t the pack guys.