Chapter 9
Today was the day Selene had waited for weeks to attend. She would finally be able to express her true feelings to her dark friend, Shadow, who had saved her from trouble several times through the year. The silver hedgehog had remembered the day she had first encountered him; the crowded black and red hedgehog caused Selene to climb a tree for a closer look. When their eyes first met, Selene slipped off a branch and toppled on top of another girl, which caused her to get a purple ring around her eye. Mysterious feelings had gone through her heart when the two went through the city together, which was a day she would never forget. Especially when her counterpart escaped from the law's tight grip and went to her side.
For the past several days Shadow had been acting quite strange, as if he never knew Selene. The last time the two had contact was when he had finally kissed her on the forehead: so many emotions in such a small bit of time, it caught the indigo-eyed hedgehog off guard. Ever since Selene's encounter at the mall, her thoughts were full of doubts. It can't be though. Why would Shadow and Tori dance? After all he's done for me… It must have probably just been to make me not go. In fact, Tori and her group of 'friends' would have a fit of giggles every time Selene would pass. It could have just been a funny joke, right?
"Selene," Aurora entered the room in her outfit, her hair with a shiny glow and her wonderful eyes beaming down at her sister, "We'll leave for the dance soon. Do get your dress on soon so I can add some make up on your face?"
Selene nodded, although make up would be the last thing she wanted to put on; but not to insult her sister she went to her closet and pulled out the magnificent turquoise dress. She slipped it on carefully, for as if she heard any sort of CRICK she knew her dress was history. The top was skintight, making it a bit hard to breathe for the silver hedgehog, but the bottom was so puffy that her legs had plenty of room to go to a run if she needed to. The green ribbon that was knitted to the right side of the dress had a small white shine in the center and the tips of the tie barely touched Selene's fur.
Aurora gasped, "Selene, you look amazing. I think it's time to apply some touch ups," the yellow hedgehog guided her twin to the bathroom, where she took out several small containers labeled with shiny letters. "Close your eyes." Selene felt a brush tickle her muzzle, a very odd odor giving out from the powder Aurora was brushing on her face. Momentarily, a puffier brush touched her cheeks. Then, she felt her eyelashes being pushed up, which she knew was mascara being applied. Selene had a high temptation to rub her face, but she knew that if she did her sister would have to reapply all of her magic. Last, she felt a fine brush painting her eyelids: eye shadow. Who knew trying to look decent took so much pain? "Open your eyes."
At first, Selene's eyes were wide in amazement: her muzzle was a snowy white, paler than her fur, but brushed up with a rosy blush to give it some life. She then partially closed her eyes to see her eyelids teal instead of their normal silvery state. "Aurora…thanks so much," the silver hedgehog hugged her twin sister. The two walked downstairs and made their way out of the house.
It was 6'oclock, and the sky was full of stars. The moon was out, making the scenic forest route visible. The road sloped downward eventually, causing the two sisters to slightly run. The cement road then flattened, which made Selene stop for a few seconds. Strong emotions traveled through her mind, her heart beating faster.
Two shadowy figures ran after each other, both of them flinging snowballs at the other. The one leading slipped and fell into a snow bank, the other one standing beside, giggling. Eventually the two came closer together, close enough to-
"Selene!" Aurora waved her hand in front of her sister's face, snapping her out of her daydream. "What's wrong? You've been standing here for a minute…"
"Oh…it's nothing…" Selene muttered. There was a lot of snow, Selene mentally noted, it hasn't snowed in hundreds of years. But it was this very spot…it must have been a future sight! Overhead, spotlights skimmed the skies, which meant only one thing: Selene was close to the dance. Her heart began beating at the pace of her excitement, an uncontrollable smile crossing her face.
"Excited?" Aurora mewed, "It's going to be so fun!"
I hope so…
The trees began spreading further apart the more distance the two sisters walked. Eventually, the trees disappeared and showed a wide opening: a large area fluttered with Mobians, and up even further was Crescent lake, which, like the name, was the shape of a quarter moon. Selene spotted on the inner curve of the lake, a large supply of wooden boxes stocked one upon another. At the foot of the lake, music was pouring through loudly, so loud that the bass made Selene's stomach thump. The yellow and silver hedgehogs pulled out their student I.D. when they entered, which meant they could come in for free.
Right by the bank of the lake was a high platform, which held lots of speakers, and in the center was a head phoned DJ working on his computer. DJ's from hundreds of years ago slipped their fingers on discs, but that was old school. Now, anyone could be a DJ if they wanted to.
"Do you see Shadow anywhere?" Selene yelled, trying to be louder than the music.
"Nope," Aurora shouted back, "He should be here soon though."
The silver hedgehog walked past dancing Mobians and sat down on a bench. What if he abandoned me? She shuffled nervously around, expecting to see the dark hedgehog soon. Minutes felt like hours, making Selene's anxiety go up; Shadow could be anywhere by now. "You didn't listen to me, did you?" A voice spoke behind Selene, surprising her.
"You are so arrogant. Why didn't you listen to me?" Roseanne walked in front of her, showing who the speaker was. "You're probably waiting for your dear Shadow, right?" the baby blue rabbit scoffed, "I think you're a little late now, deary."
"What?" Selene squeaked.
"I'll show you hon." Roseanne grabbed the silver hedgehog's hand, and pulled her up, a surprising strength for a girl who doesn't even lift a finger. Her ears flew back into Selene's face as both of them were scaling through the crowd, aiming for one point. The light rabbit stopped and thought for a moment, then turned to Selene. "Hey, Selene, I'm sorry."
What? She's apologizing to me now? The rosy-cheeked hedgehog widened her eyes, wanting to hear more.
"You know, I haven't been a good person. I was jealous that you had an easy time getting to Shadow's heart while I didn't." Roseanne frowned, pinching her eyes. "It seemed like a walk in the park for you. And to be honest…what I'm going to show you might hurt."
"The truth can hurt," Selene tried to smile, although inside her throat swelled up, as she had started to feel as if she knew what was coming at her. She let go of Roseanne's hand and started to squeeze it with her other hand; she was having a nervous breakdown. The mood of the atmosphere switched among with the song, from being very hyper and excited to a mellow and easy beat. This would mean only one thing: a slow dance song was about to start. Shadow was nowhere in sight.
Mobians were clearing the dance floor, as couples went on. All of them looked as if they were hugging and swaying to the easy beat of the tune; many girls stood by jealously as the school's cutest guys got together with girls, while as the guys standing on the sideline looked rather nerve wrecked as if they were supposed to do something about it.
"Selene," Roseanne bit her pale lip hard, "look out on the dance floor."
Selene could sense a pitiful feeling from Roseanne as she turned her head. Her indigo eyes scanned through the audience, not exactly sure what she was looking for. She looked again, this time more carefully at the couples. At the moment she felt as if she saw what Roseanne was talking about. Doubtful, she moved closer to the dance floor, in front of the dancing couples. What she saw made her throat swell even more; so much that she felt as if she was going to cry.
Her friend, the boy she trusted more than anyone she had ever known, was holding a petite brown fox in his arms: Tori. The anorexic fox laid her head on the taller black hedgehog's shoulder, Shadow showing a lot of discomfort. Shadow stirred around a bit, Tori opening her green eyes at Selene. She narrowed them and smirked, emotionally stabbing Selene in the heart. Black tears flowed down the pale cheeks of the silver hedgehog, making even Shadow notice. Why would you do that to me?
"I'm sorry Selene," Roseanne whispered.
How could you?
