(Rena's POV)
"Rena, are you ready yet?" Rhythimi knocked on our bathroom door, impatiently trying to catch my attention. "The boys will be here any minute, and we need to get down to the ballroom in time for---" When I opened the door, Rhythimi was left speechless as she stood there stunned, staring at me as a bright smile stretched across her face. "Oh, Rena... You look absolutely beautiful!" She placed her hands on my arms, smiling at me happily.
My dress was charcoal-black and stretched down to the floor. It was form fitting enough to show off my curves, but it flowed outwards towards the bottom. My dress was strapless with a heart-shape top, and my black high heels made of glass were only half hidden underneath it. Glittering white rhinestones decorated the right side of the dress around the slit for the leg, creating a swirling pattern. I had fashioned my hair into a fancy up-do and put on light makeup, and I honestly felt super fucking embarrassed about all of this girly shit and I just wanted to go home.
Rhythimi started to tear up and fan herself, and I just gawked at her as if she was Mr. Kaplan wearing a pink tutu and a matching tiara. "Gah---what the hell are you doing!?" I sighed in annoyance and crossed my arms. "It's just prom. A stupid dance that'll be over in four hours."
"Oh, but I just can't help it!" She squealed through her light tears, embracing me in a sudden hug. "You just look so gorgeous and I'm so proud of you!"
I just glared across the room over her shoulder at nothing in particular as she hugged me awkwardly. "I'm not sure what exactly I did, but oh-kay then."
"You're gonna knock him dead off his feet tonight!" Rhythimi let go of me and chuckled, and she turned around. "Rena, can you zip up my dress the rest of the way?"
"Sure." I shrugged my shoulders and pulled at her zipper, zipping up her light peachy-pink princess dress. "Are you ready to go now or what?"
"Of course!" She clapped her hands excitedly. "I finally have an excuse to dance with Isaac. I am not missing out on this." Her wicked grin was so evil I was almost a little proud of her myself.
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever." I glanced over at a sleeping Mightyena and Eevee from across the room, kind of worried. "You sure they'll be alright by themselves?"
"Of course they will!" Rhythimi laughed, lightly shoving my shoulder. "It's not like they're our babies or something. They can take care of themselves!" She hesitated when I gave her a weird look, and she quickly sighed in agreement. "Alright, so they kind of are, but they'll be fine! I'm sure!"
KNOCK KNOCK!
"Ladies, are you ready to depart? The dance is starting soon."
"I don't care if they're ready or not, if they don't open this door in the next five minutes, I'm kicking it down and dragging their frilly asses out here."
Rhythimi and I simultaneously rolled our eyes, knowing how painfully obvious it was to discern who said what. "And there are our dates..." We said the same thing at the same time, then walked over to the door.
When we opened the door, Isaac immediately looked like he was about to die at the sight of Rhythimi in that dress with her hair up and curled, and Keith was looking down my dress. Wait what?
"You pervert!" I instinctively upper-cutted him, making him stumble back a little from the impact of my fist slamming into his nose.
"OW!" Keith complained, clutching his face. "So what, I'm a guy! Shoot me!" He rolled his eyes, then went back to tugging at his tie as soon as the pain subsided. "Ugh, I hate these damn things..."
I rolled my eyes sarcastically and stepped forwards. "Let me help you, dumbass."
"Thanks." Keith sarcastically rolled his eyes as well, letting go of the 'death trap' and letting me fix it for him.
"Hm." I almost chuckled darkly under my breath. "You would think Prince Charming would know how to tie his own tie, given his social status and numerous formal events he has to attend regularly." I raised a curious eyebrow at Keith, who's eyes immediately rolled at my comment.
"Hardy har har." Keith shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. "It doesn't matter how many times I have to dress up for all the shitty parties my dad makes me go to; I still hate wearing these stupid Aipom suits..."
I was about to laugh at the red-head before I caught sight of a certain blonde-haired princess out of the corner of my eye. Rhythimi was anxiously watching this encounter between Keith and I, practically bouncing out of her skin.
I felt my face heat up and flush ever so slightly, and not wanting to stick around any longer, I grabbed Keith's hand and started dragging him down the hallway. "Come on, let's go to this stupid dance already..."
Keith grinned brightly as I dragged him past Rhythimi and a white-tux Isaac. "Alright then. Time to party!"
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This is it. No backing out this time. You have to do this, Rena. You have to.
I shyly stole a glance at Keith as we were just seconds from entering the decorated ballroom filled with lights and music, trying to work up the courage to finally do something that I've been wanting to do for a long time.
...tell him everything. And I mean everything.
Tonight, I'm going to tell him who I really am, what I'm really doing here, that I quit the job after making friends with him for real, and just pray to Arceus that he can forgive me somehow.
Er...but when exactly is the right time to do that?
It's not like I can just pull him aside in this giant ballroom filled with people and say "I've been lying to you about everything this whole time, and oh yeah, I also think I'm in love with you."
...yeah. Something tells me that wouldn't go over well.
The school's ballroom was fantastically decorated by the prom committee and Rhythimi, filled to the top with white lights and Lumiose City-themed decorations, including a small replica of Prism Tower at the back of the ballroom. Every student in the whole school was either out on the dance floor dancing, relaxing at some of the tables, or getting punch and pastries on the tables at the back. Even the teachers were out dancing, and I almost cracked up laughing at the sight of Mr. Kaplan disco dancing and being yelled at to stop by an embarrassed Ms. Claire.
"Wow." Keith blinked owlishly at the massive ballroom. "I must say, Blondie, this actually isn't half bad..."
Rhythimi curtsied in her pink princess dress, which was given to her courtesy of the loaded Isaac. "Why thank you! This is exactly why I'm the leader of the Prom committee every year."
Isaac marveled at the white-themed room. "It looks lovely. Even better than the balls I host at home." The smitten blonde boy turned to his princess with a smile. "Maybe you should work part-time as a party planner. You are really good at it."
Rhythimi almost blushed visibly at his compliment. "Thank you, Isaac." She smiled sweetly at him.
I just gagged and grabbed a hold of Keith. "Yuck. Two awkward people awkwardly flirting with each other." I started to walk away from Isaac and Rhythimi, dragging Keith along with me. "Later, blondies." I waved good-bye to them without turning around, making a cool exit with a snickering Keith by my side.
Rhythimi's jaw crashed to the floor as her face lit up red from embarrassment. "Hey! Where are you going!? WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A GROUP! AS IN ALL FOUR OF US TOGETHER!" She shouted at my back angrily, failing to have an effect on me.
Isaac chuckled at my dramatic exit, not entirely surprised, and when a slow song came on, he turned to Rhythimi and held out his hand. "Care to dance?"
Rhythimi stopped her incoherent shouting long enough to widen her eyes at Isaac, and with a tomato-colored face, she grabbed a hold of his hand and let him lead her out onto the dance floor. "A-alright..."
I stopped dragging Keith when we were about ten feet away from the glass windows and doors that lead out to the balcony, and I stared out at the starry night sky for a brief moment. Keith followed me over towards the window and took his place standing next to me.
"You really do look nice in that dress by the way." He grinned down in my direction, smothering the urge to do anything perverted again and actually pretended to be a respectable guy for once.
I just snorted derisively. "Thanks." I backed up a little and spun around in a circle for him. "Black is just my color I guess."
Keith chuckled, and he grabbed my hand to spin me around properly one more time and get a better look at my glittering dress. "Well, it sure suits you."
"Why, thank you." I sarcastically smiled up at him, and I placed my hands on his chest. "And you really do clean up nice. I know you hate them, but the black tux does look good on you."
Keith just scoffed. "Yeah, okay. I get it. You don't have to lie right to my face." He rolled his eyes.
I lightly smacked him with a laugh. "No, really! I'm being serious!"
Keith rolled his red eyes until they landed on me. "Well, can you spare five minutes of your time to dance with a posh asshole like myself?" He did a comical bow, never getting rid of the silly smirk on his face.
I laughed so hard at his offer that it was nearly unattractive. "Alright, fine. But, tell me something..." I let my hands drop to my sides, looking up into his eyes. "Can Prince Charming dance?"
He quirked an eyebrow as a playful smirk danced across his lips. "Well, that depends. Can you, Blue Eyes?"
I stepped a little too close to Keith and placed both of my hands in his, pulling myself into a dancing position up against him. "I most certainly can." I tauntingly winked at him, giving my consent to a dance.
And that was all the invitation he needed. When Keith picked up on the faster song playing in the ballroom, he pulled me a little father away from the windows to leave us enough space for dancing, and the next thing I know, we started to dance the tango. Yes, the tango. I almost wished Kim wasn't serving four years in prison right now just so she could see this.
We were moving so fast and elegantly that you would be surprised to learn that we weren't professionals who had practiced this routine a countless number of times before. He spun me around and pulled me back into him several times throughout our dance, and I was having so much fun dancing with him. Honestly, dancing with Keith rivaled how much fun it is for me to steal something. Pretty soon, more and more people began to crowd around us, and then someone thought it would be funny to direct one of the spotlights over us as we danced.
When I struck a pose at the end of the dance as Keith dipped me dramatically, the song ended, and our laughing was quickly drowned out by the loud roars of applause coming from the crowd. Slowly, more and more people began to break away and resume what they were doing before they came to watch us dance, and soon enough, I found myself face-to-face and alone with the red-head himself.
"Wow." Keith chuckled, blinking at me through his bright smile. "Where the hell'd you learn how to dance like that?"
"I could ask you the same thing." I panted slightly, trying to catch my breath. "But if you must know, all I have to say is the Oblivia region is pretty great for partying."
Keith just laughed at me, shaking his head. "Well, Blue Eyes, I have to hand it to you. That was pretty great."
"Yeah." I smiled, having a blast at Prom with Keith. Not that I'd ever admit that out loud to the egotistical moron... "That was a lot of fun."
We awkwardly stared at each other silently for a few moments, searching for something to say next. I just couldn't tear myself away from his fiery eyes, and I nearly lost my train of thought for a moment while looking into them.
You know what? To hell with it. It's now or never.
"Keith." I spoke his name firmly, taking in a deep breath. "I haven't been completely honest with you about something, and it's about time I came clean." I balled up my fists, trying to inflict pain on myself to keep me from trembling with fear.
Keith was a little surprised to hear that, and he took a step closer. "Rena, what's wrong...?"
I gulped nervously, shutting my eyes tightly. A single tear dropped from my eye and onto my cheek, and I tried to even out my voice so it wouldn't sound so shaky. "Keith, I---"
Bzzzt!
I inwardly cursed myself when my cell that was strapped to my leg under the dress vibrated. I parted the fabric around the leg slit in my dress and lifted my cell from the harness I had strapped to my leg that acted as my purse, and I looked at what was on my lock screen. It was midnight, and I had one single text message.
"Look outside."
I blinked in confusion for a few seconds before I looked up and across the ballroom over by the balcony, and what I saw out there nearly caused me to pale all over in horror.
Ice was standing out on the balcony, looking directly at me through the glass door before walking further down the balcony and disappearing from my sight.
"Uhh..." I hesitated my speech as I put my phone back away. "I'm sorry, I'll be right back. There's something I have to take care of first..." I started to tear myself away from Keith and inconspicuously make my way towards the balcony, trying not to catch the attention of the various chaperones looming throughout the ballroom.
"Wait, Rena!" Keith called out to me, holding up his hand to signal me to stop.
I hurriedly disappeared into the crowd and ran from Keith, dodging students left and right. When I reached the glass door, I jerked it open and quietly shut it behind me.
The icy cold wind brushed my shoulders, and I involuntarily shivered from being outside this time of day.
"Ice." I looked across from me, spotting the bluenette who was looking right at me from ten feet away. "What are you doing here...?"
Ice looked disappointed, and he narrowed his eyes at me. "You know exactly what I'm doing here, Rena."
I gulped nervously as I slowly began approaching him. "Look, Ice, I know what I did is unconventional, but---"
"Cut the crap, Raux." Ice bitterly cut me off, oddly switching from using my real name back to keeping this just professional. "We hired you to do a job, and after months of this, you just decide to back out!? What the hell are you thinking!?" Ice threw his hands up into the air out of exasperation, completely furious with me.
"I'm sorry, Ice!" I apologized again, truly sorry. "I just can't do this anymore! I said I'm sorry, but I just can't!"
"What do you mean you just can't!?" Ice glared at me, harshly yelling his words. "You were doing just fine before, so what possibly could have changed---" He slowed his speech and came to an immediate stop, then looked over at Rhythimi and Isaac dancing back inside the ballroom. "No... No, no way." He laughed like he was losing his mind as he redirected his gaze at me. "Don't tell me you've actually gone and made friends with these idiots for real!"
I was immediately on the defensive as I balled up my fists. "No! Of course not! I would never stoop so low!" I lied right through my teeth, but I had a feeling Ice wasn't buying that anymore.
Ice shoved me backwards a little with his palm. "You've grown soft, Raux. You were supposed to do this job for us. You can't just back out." He glared at me so confused that it seemed like he couldn't even believe that I would do something like this.
I blinked back tears. "Ice, I... Look, I'm sorry, okay? But I QUIT." I turned to leave, but he gripped my arm and pulled me back again.
"You're not leaving until you go through with the job." He stared at me with his icy-blue eyes similar to my own that were filled with determination.
I just shook my head. "No. I refuse."
Ice let go of me and slumped his shoulders before hanging his head. All he could do was sigh. "Rena..."
"Ice, please. I beg you." I gripped onto his shoulders, staring at him with a determined look on my face. "Let me back out of this. I...I just can't do this to them..." I sighed, looking completely crestfallen. "Rhythimi is amazing and wonderful, and I could never do this to her... I love her too much to leave her behind, and like this..." I let go of him, dropping my hands down to my sides.
Ice bit down on the inside of his gums before looking at me again. "Rena, look at me." I met his gaze when he asked me to. "I'm your friend. You can tell me what's going on."
For some reason, I felt like I just couldn't tell him the truth about how I really had befriended them. "Isaac is a genius." I continued my reasons, ignoring Ice's unspoken question. "He's so smart and funny, and I care about him and his little sister Melody a lot. He's the only person I've ever met that I don't have to talk down to, because he's at my level of intelligence, if not higher." I shut my eyes tightly, working up the courage to say my true feelings out loud to someone.
"Rena..." Ice tried to stop me, but I wouldn't let him.
I glared at Ice with fiery eyes burning with ferocity. "Ice, I can't do this job anymore because I LOVE KEITH!" I shouted that last part at the top of my lungs, nearly falling down from the impact it left on me from screaming it out loud. "I... I love Keith..."
"You...love him? HIM? But he's a complete MORON!" Ice never looked so shocked in his whole life. He nearly fell over from surprise, but that surprise soon melted into remorse. "Fine...if you won't see reason, you leave me no choice... I'm sorry, Rena. I truly am sorry."
I nervously laughed, shaking my head. "Whoa whoa whoa, wait. What do you mean?"
Ice refused to look me in the eyes as he spoke, as if he was ashamed of himself. "Rena, I came here tonight as a friend to give you one last chance to save yourself, and you blew it." He tightened his fists, shutting his eyes tightly. "I have direct orders from the boss to resort to drastic measures if you do not go through with the job, such as releasing your true identity and the entirety of your file to Interpol, inevitably leaving you out in the open for any cop to lock you in prison for the rest of your life."
It didn't seem real. It was like I wasn't even inside my own body and I was just watching this whole scene unfold from someone else's point of view. I felt like someone smashed that window right there and plunged one of the glass shards right through my heart and ripped it back out, then left me there to bleed out and die helplessly.
"You... You're..." I struggled to form a sentence as I scoffed incredulously. "...blackmailing me?" Ice didn't even say a word, and I only grew angrier and more upset as the seconds ticked by. "Ice, you can't do that! You can't!" I lunged forwards to punch his in the face, but he caught my fist.
"I'm sorry, Rena. I warned you." He shook his head as he restrained me, enduring my shouting and thrashing. "These are the boss's orders, not mine."
"NO!" I shouted, ripping myself from his grip. "You can't do this! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME DO THIS TO THEM!" I screamed at Ice through my tears, yanking at my hair.
Ice gave me that disappointed look one last time before he left me with his parting words. "But I already have."
_________________________________
My dress was wrinkled, my makeup was ruined, and I had tears pouring down my cheeks as I re-entered the ballroom. I avoided eye contact with everyone as I searched for comfort, and just as luck would have it, Keith found me first.
"Rena!" He shouted to me from across the ballroom, then started to jog over to where I stood. "I've been looking all over for you! What were you trying to tell me earlier---" The red-head froze when he saw me crying, and he immediately was on the defensive. "Hey, what the hell happened!? Which asshole's jaw do I need to break?" He over-protectively pulled me into him, glaring menacingly at random guys near us in the ballroom.
I sobbed uncontrollably into his black jacket, trembling in his arms. I tried to force out a sentence in-between each hiccup for air, but Keith couldn't understand my muttering.
He pulled his head back and tilted my chin up to make me look at him, and the first thing I saw was how concerned he looked. "Rena, what's going on...?"
My lip quivered, and I felt like my knees were about to give out. I have never felt so weak in my entire life. I wanted to tell him everything, but I couldn't.
I was going to tell him everything today...
"Keith, I..." I started to say something, but Ice's parting words flashed in my mind before changing my answer for me. "I-I'm just s-scared I'm going to l-lose you after graduation. It is in two d-days, after all..."
Keith almost laughed from how relieved he was. "Oh, was that really it?" He hugged me tightly and rested my head on his chest, letting me cry into his jacket some more as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Rena, you'll never lose me. I promise. Hell, we'll probably get assigned to the same Ranger Base after this!"
I sniffled one more time and pulled my head back to look at him again. "Y-you c-can't promise me that..."
Keith flashed me a famous grin before planting a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Yes I can, so calm down and stop crying already, Blue Eyes. I'm not worth your tears."
I cried even harder at his words and heavily sobbed as I smashed my face into his jacket again. "Yes you are..."
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....I'm literally not going to say anything, because you're all going to kill me for this major plot twist and cliffhanger combined.
Also, I left a large pile of tables out over here for you guys to flip out of frustration and anger. Here you go. *points to the 5,000 virtual tables*
Read, comment, vote, and stay tuned for the next chapter!
*runs away like a sugared-up squirrel* I'MGOINGTODIEI'MGOINGTODIEI'MGOINGTODIE---