Lucas
Day of the Ballroom Contest.
Thursday Evening. December 15, 2016.
"Lucas." Sophia's voice was barely above a whisper, but I was able to hear the anxiety in it.
My skin prickled with alarm. I wasn't wearing a necktie but my neck felt inexplicably tight.
I pounded my fists on the cold silver door like a madman. "What happened? Are you ill? Do you feel dizzy? I knew I should have asked someone to guard you---"
"N-no. That's not it. I'm fine." She sounded fairly nervous. "It's just this dress.. it's really short."
I glanced up at the clock on the wall. It is seven-thirty pm. Assembly time would be at 7:45.
"Are you wearing it now?" I patiently asked, my back leaning on the azure wall beside the door.
From the other side of the door, she answered more calmly: "Yes."
"Sophia.." I took a second to look down at my own appearance: Tousled black hair, charcoal gray blazer (no buttons) thrown over a pristine white shirt, matching gray slacks, and leather brown shoes. The criteria strictly required semi-formal attire and I knew I cleaned up well.
"Yup?"
"Can you please come out now?" I asked her in a soothing tone.
A brief silence fell before she said: "Okay."
When she emerged from the girls' locker room, all I could do was stare at her.
Sophia wore a simple jewelry headpiece, Gatsby style, around her head, making her look like royalty. Her long brown tresses fell softly down her bare shoulders, reminding me of a wavy chocolate waterfall.
Around her fair-skinned neck was her silver half-heart necklace,and.. she had been right about the dress. Instead of her oval eyeglasses, she wore contact lenses for the night.
It was too short. Way too short. But it was the kind of outfit usually worn by ballroom dancers: Her slim figure was clad in a canary-yellow sleeveless dress, the bright shade complimenting her long dark hair and nude arms. The v-neck was, in general, provocative, but it didn't show too much of her chest, thank goodness. The cinch of her waist was emphasized by the mustard-colored sash a few inches below her bust. Her skirt was hi-low, flaunting her long, flawless legs which ended in bone-white strapped sandals. She wasn't accustomed to two-inch heels, but she managed to practice in similar shoes for the past two days.
"Sophia?"
"Y-yes?"
I kindly asked her to turn around, and she must have read my mind because she pursed her lips.
The lovely brunette complied to my request, and when I saw the back of her dress, I pinched the bridge of my nose and mentally counted from one to ten to balm my rising nerves.
It had no back. The yellow sleeveless, hi-low dress was backless, revealing more of her skin.
Sophia was going to be seen by hundreds of people in just a few minutes. They were going to ogle her, gawk at her, and other possibilities I didn't even want to imagine.
But she was my dance partner.
Tonight I will have her all to myself. I didn't care how short-lived it would be. I just wanted to cherish the evening with her. Because it was only a matter of time before she finds out the truth.
"Lucas? You seem pensive."
I looked at the brown-eyed brunette. "Sophia, there's something I have to tell you."
She tilted her head to the side,eyeing me intently. "What is it?"
"After the contest," I said as I held both her hands in mine. "I can't say it right n--"
"CONTESTANTS PLEASE PROCEED TO THE TECH CENTER IMMEDIATELY. I REPEAT. ALL CONTESTANTS OF THE BALLROOM CONTEST PLEASE PROCEED TO THE TECH CENTER.."
"Fudge. We better go. Let's talk later, okay?" Sophia flashed me a quick smile, grabbing my arm.
I wished she had smiled longer. I wasn't sure if she would smile at me that way again.
Bryce
"Damn it. Why do you look so fantastic?"
I was talking to my reflection in the full-body mirror.
This particular evening, my sleek brown hair was gelled back in a formal manner, and I donned a crease-free, black three-piece suit with a white long-sleeved polo underneath, the white collar peeking out, and the matching white cuffs folded over the sleeves of the black blazer which was closed by two buttons in the middle.
Tied around my collar was a deep red necktie, while my shoes were black leather.
I smirked as I studied my handsome face in the mirror one more time. "Hey there, good-looking."
"Hey yourself."
I turned to see a tall blonde girl in a red dress standing in the doorway of the ladies' restroom.
"You're such a conceited idiot," she remarked as an afterthought, and when she caught me gaping at her, she gave a wicked grin which only added to her incomprehensible appeal.
For tonight's event, Stacy wore her long, wavy golden locks in a semi up-do, half of her hair pinned behind her head, while the rest of her yellow locks flowed down to her nude shoulders.
Her blood-red, sleeveless, turtleneck dress was snug, clinging to her full curves, accentuating her perfect skin. She wore her silver half-heart necklace as usual. And hugging her small waist was a midnight-black sash. The red dress had a below-the-knee skirt whose hemline was lacy black. And as if it weren't torture enough, her legs were endless in a pair of black, three-inch heels. How the hell do girls tolerate that kind of modern punishment?
I felt her hand cup my chin, closing my mouth.
"Your drool is going to stain your suit," she admonished, her ruby lips curled upward.
My deep blue eyes stared at her as she preened herself in front of the body mirror.
"Stacy, you look.." The blonde placed her right forefinger against my lips, making me hush.
"You think they don't have mirrors in there?" She gestured to the restroom. "I know how I look."
"Egotistical brat," I muttered under my breath as I swatted her hand away from my face.
She only laughed in response. "Don't worry, De Los Reyes. You're quite dashing yourself."
Thump-Thump-Thump
It was annoying. She was annoying. I hated how easily she could make my heart race.
"You know," she started conversationally, fixing her makeup. "If you drank less alcohol, you'd not only be healthier, you'd also become more attractive."
I raised my eyebrow at her. "Oh? Is this concern I'm receiving from you?"
Stacy grinned carelessly as she shook her head. Her sky blue eyes glanced at me, and she spoke. "De Los Reyes, there's a lot you don't know about me." She smiled. "What you don't understand is: I act like I don't care. And deep down, like deep, deep down?" She placed a palm on her chest and locked gazes with me before she went on. "I still don't care."
I felt my face heat up--in anger? confusion? embarrassment?--or could it be--disappointment?
"You.."
"Don't take it the wrong way, De Los Reyes," she said, cutting me off, her fingers touching my chin.
I squinted at her expression. I've never seen her this way. She looked.. like Ice. Cold. Stony. Empty.
"It's typical for a guy to want more. After all, greed is part of human nature, isn't it?" she asked.
"Stacy, shut up and listen to me." I grasped her wrist, willing her to meet my eyes.
"What, you're gonna try to convince me you're one of the good ones? Save your breath."
"I AM one of the good ones," I snapped, feeling exasperated. "Why won't you listen to me?"
"I'm listening. I'm just not believing. They're not the same thing, De Los Reyes."
"Is this because we had sex BEFORE I started chasing after you?" I finally demanded.
Stacy angrily clamped her hand over my mouth, shushing me furiously. "Lower your voice."
"Oh, NOW you're ashamed? If I remember correctly, and I do, YOU were the one who came to my condo that night. YOU could have told me to stop, but you didn't."
The tall blonde slowly removed her hand from my mouth. "Neither did you," she seethed.
"Are we finally getting somewhere?" I asked her.
She rolled her sky blue eyes and sighed. "No. Let's just forget what happened."
"I don't think so," I said, earning a glare from the blonde. "It's rather difficult to discard a memory that I recall so vividly." I grinned mockingly at her, and by then, both her cheeks were flushed.
The 18-year old wildly flailed her arms in the air. "I don't want to discuss this anymore, alright?!"
"Why not me?" I feigned ignorance to her objections. "I'm bright, wealthy, handsome. And I can be an ass from time to time but come on. You KNOW I'm not a complete prick."
Stacy washed her palms over her face and scowled at me. "You think it's all about looks and riches, don't you? Do I look like a gold digger? Am I just another dumb, superficial blonde to you? De Los Reyes, if I were after money and a pretty face, I wouldn't have dumped Walter. Half of my exes were just like him, that's why I always ended it first."
I gritted my teeth. "I'm not your ex."
"Did I say you were?" Her sky blue eyes flashed. "You want to know why I'm pushing you away like this, De Los Reyes? It's because I'm afraid. That's right.I, Stacy Eris Sta. Ana, am afraid."
"Afraid of what?" I asked, taking a step towards her.
She locked her gaze on mine for the longest time.
A noise buzzed. We both glanced up.
"CONTESTANTS PLEASE PROCEED TO THE TECH CENTER IMMEDIATELY. I REPEAT. ALL CONTESTANTS OF THE BALLROOM CONTEST PLEASE PROCEED TO THE TECH CENTER.."
"Let's just go," she muttered, walking ahead of me.
"This isn't over," I whispered into her ear once I got close enough.
"Whatever makes you sleep at night."