Prom night was here at last!
That morning, Claudia went to the salon to have her hair and nails done professionally. Nyx painted hers and Rayla's nails the night before, and the two of them would figure out what to do with their hair at some point.
Claudia was going to be picked up by her boyfriend, Kasef. Nyx by Soren and Rayla, of course, by Callum.
Claudia had her hair braided intricately, three braids braided into one. Her dress was a scarlet red with pink details and designs. She put on her dress, jewelry, heels, and makeup adding a couple sprays of perfume. She finished after an hour and a half of starting her procedure, as Soren always called it. Once the doorbell was rang, Claudia rushed to the door and let him in.
"Hello, Claudia, you look spectacular." Kasef directed with a sincere smile checking her out as he gave her a salmon pink corsage.
Claudia giggled, "You look spectacular-er. Thank you." She let him put the corsage on her wrist.
In practically making up the word "spectacular-er" she caused Kasef to chuckle in amusement. He always enjoyed her quirkiness no matter how bad it got, he always found it amusing.
She brought her lips to Kasef's cheek, placing a short, sweet kiss over it. They walked to Lissa and she took a picture of the two of them, wishing them luck and telling them to be careful. Then they left.
Meanwhile, Nyx readied for the prom. She slipped on her dress and heels. She put on light makeup and jewelry, then waited for Soren who came in record time. Her parents opened the door for Soren and she came downstairs to meet him.
He watched with a dazed smile as she walked down each step. "Wow! Naimi, you're striking as always." He exclaimed unable to not gawk at her. She was beautiful. He put her black and red carnation-like corsage around her wrist.
"Why, thank you, Soren! You're looking pretty striking, yourself." She grinned with a flirtatious glint in her eyes.
Soren held out his arm and Nyx put her arm around it. Her parents took their prom picture and they walked out arm in arm.
In the meantime, Rayla got herself ready... at least she was going to. She was texting back and forth with Callum as she waited for Ethari to bring her prom dress out. He must've really hidden well to be taking this long to bring it out. When he finally came out with it, she put her phone in her pocket and stood. She thanked Ethari for it, telling him how beautiful it was and left to her bedroom to change into it. She changed into it and put on her heels, then came out trying to figure out what to do with her hair.
"You're beautiful, Rayla." He walked behind her and had her release her hair from her hands as he gently took the reigns of styling her. He joined her bangs to a single side of her head and added them to the rest of her hair putting it all into one swirled bun. Then he put in the final touch; an intricate comb he'd crafted for her years ago.
Alas, she was ready. She turned around to face him then hugged him, "Thank you, Ethari,... for everythin'. Thanks for bein' my family for 15 years and parenting me so patiently. Thank you so much." She squeezed him gratefully.
Ethari pulled away. "Rayla, you've been like a daughter to me, since I met you. It was an honor to have been able to care for you. You've become a bright and beautiful, young woman. I couldn't be prouder of you. I love you, Rayla. One day, I will hand you to someone else and he will treasure in ways you never have been."
Rayla chuckled weakly as her eyes watered, luckily not nearly enough to drip from them, "I love you, too, Ethari."
Just then the doorbell was rang. Ethari wiped the tips of Rayla's eyes to wipe the tears. "Now, we cannot have you cryin' on your graduation prom night, can we?"
"I don't plan on it." Rayla wiped the remaining tears and remembered something. "Oh! Ethari, can you get the door? I think I left my bag in my room. I'll be right back." She hurried to her bedroom and Ethari opened the door allowing Callum inside. He informed him of where Rayla was and they sat down and discussing tonight's plan.
Rayla walked into the living room, "Turned out, I left it in the bathroom by mistake. Sorry, I took so long." She laughed a little at her absence as she put her phone in her bag.
She looked up from her bag, and saw Callum stand up and walk towards her as his eyes examined her from her accentuated figure to the tips of the slits to the mid thigh revealing her toned legs and a part of her thighs.
She was startling. The bodice of the deep blue dress conformed perfectly to her beautiful figure. The skirt fell flawlessly from her rounded hips grazing the tips of the heels she wore. The dress had two slits on either side reaching the mid thigh likely for Rayla's appreciation towards freedom of movement. The slits gave her the ability to move and dance freely. The blue of the dress brought out her dazzling violet eyes.
She looked outstanding.
Callum stood in place silently adoring her for a few moments as the most lovestruck grin formed on his lips. Rayla looked around as millions of thoughts raced through her head. Why was he stillblooking at her? She wasn't that good looking.
She cleared her throat and in checking him out she noticed his tie was not tied. She giggled quietly, "Do you not know how to tie a tie?"
That snapped Callum out of his thoughts, "Oh! Well,... uh... Yeah- No, no. I- I don't." His gaze still lingered over her accentuated features.
Rayla only noticed his reply and not where his eyes had been remaining, or even looking in the first place. She giggled aloud, "Lucky for us, one of us does. I've known how to tie ties, since I was six. Hold still, I'll do it for you." She stood inches from him and began fiddling with his tie somehow actually tying it.
Callum just smirked at her in impression. She was amazing and she didn't even know it.
Rayla glanced up at him for a second, and looked back at the tie then she realized his smirk. She loved that smirk. It was the smirk that he gave only her. He never smiled at anyone else the way he did at her and she loved it. It was charming, but flustering. It was her smile.
Her cheeks flushed a bright pink, "W-What?"
The smirk only grew, "Nothing." He managed to say without a single stutter. Rayla's cheeks glowed red as it spread to her ears. She bit her bottom lip as she glanced at him once more, then brought her attention to his tie.
Ethari smiled proudly. He could see it, and he knew deep down they did, too. Rayla had found the man Ethari would one day give her to. Callum treasured her more than he would the most precious gem. He was the one for her. And Ethari knew that Rayla knew that. She was just too self conscious to admit it out loud.
Rayla finished tying Callum's tie then stepped back, before she got too many thoughts and ideas. Callum walked to the coffee table, and grabbed her blue rose-like corsage, and gently took her hand and put it around her wrist. "I know there's no date thing, but I really wanted to get you one."
Rayla blushed brighter, "It's beautiful, thank you, Callum." Who cared if it wasn't a date thing? She loved the corsage and he probably knew it.
Ethari told them to have fun and for Rayla to not get home too late. Rayla nodded in agreement and they were off.
When they arrived almost everyone was here. Callum opened Rayla's door gently taking her hand and helping her out of his car even though she didn't ask or need it.
Soren met them at the entrance of the basketball court, "Hey, guys. You look good, except for maybe Callum's suit. I told you the green one would be better for him." He directed his gaze at Rayla, "You have horrible taste in suits." He accused.
Rayla mocked an appalled look on her face, "Bad taste? Me? No. I happen to have great taste in suits, if I do say so myself." She put her hands behind her back bending over slightly speaking and blinking innocently.
Soren rolled his eyes.
Callum just smirked Rayla's smirk again. Innocent or not, which he knew she wasn't, her mocks and mimicries were cute. His eyes followed the movements of her hands and hips along with when she was bending over. Whatever the movement was, she always had him checking her out and she didn't have a clue.
Rayla spoke in her normal voice, "Come on, Soren, the deep blue one, Callum actually liked, right?" She gestured to Callum, but gained no response.
Soren looked at him seeing his expression, "Yeah, the suit is really what he likes." He noticed the smitten grin on Callum's face. Sure, the suit was what really pleased him. He didn't relatively mind the suit, but that was mainly because she liked it on him. "Hey, buddy, you alive in there?" He knocked on Callum's scalp bringing his mind back on track.
"Oh! Uh... Sorry. I just got... lost... in thought." Callum rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks and ears surpassing scarlet.
Then it dawned on him.This was the perfect time to tell Rayla. She was developing a good relationship with her parents, Runaan was no longer going to be seen again. Nothing complicated was happening, this would be his chance.This was the right time to tell Rayla everything.
"Well, anyway, I gotta get back to Nyx. It was nice to see you guys." Soren excused himself from the conversation and walked back into the basketball court to find Nyx in the large crowds.
Rayla looked at Callum for a minute, then looked at the doors as they swung closed. Was she just now noticing that Callum seemed to smile and stare at her a lot or was she seeing what she wanted to see?
Callum carefully took her hand holding it in his releasing her from her thoughts. Her eyes instantly shifted towards him, and saw him smiling back at her. Smiling with that beautiful captivating smile of his. Gosh! Why did he have to be so handsome?!
Her cheeks blushing brighter as each millisecond passed, she found herself grinning wider by the minute.
"Are you ready?" Callum voiced as his smile grew from smitten to totally lovestruck.
Rayla nodded, "Yeah, I think so, you?" She said exasperatedly.
Callum turned to meet her face to face, only inches apart. "Rayla, you need to know something."
Rayla tried to focus her eyes on his beautiful, lime green gaze, but her eyes drifted to his lips. He really had lovely eyes, but as much as she loved staring into them, she always found herself tempted to kiss his lips. Her eyes shared the thought and desire to do so.
"Uh... Oh,... oh- okay, g- go ahead." She stammered struggling to fix her gaze his green eyes, and his green eyes only.
Callum let his thumb caress the top of Rayla's hand, "I..."
As if on cue to disrupt the moment between them, Claudia opened the doors, "Come on, guys, what're you waiting for? The end of the prom?" She grabbed their free hands and pulled them into the court.
Both turned bright red in the face as Claudia's brought them inside. She'd successfully ruined the moment between them. Once they were deep enough in the decorated basketball court, Claudia left to back to dancing with Kasef.
Callum looked around. Everyone else was on the dance floor. Only he and Rayla were near the table with drinks.
He looked back to Rayla, and his eyes began roaming her figure again as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck, once more. "I- I-- Rayla, I don't..."
Once again he was interrupted, Andromeda walked passed them not sparing either of them an actual glance, "Her eyes are on her face not her chest." She stated blankly and got herself a drink then left. She'd noticed it, and she might as well had voiced it.
Rayla's face burned crimson. Was Andromeda pointing it out truthfully? Or was she just giving her false beliefs? Was she actually helping? Or was she just messing with her?
Callum's eyes shot back to Rayla's, but he didn't disagree,... or agree either. "Rayla, I know... " He attempted again, only for someone to speak and disturb it.
It was Harrow.
Of course, it was Harrow. He'd stepped onto the platform likely for his announcement and speech. The teachers were sitting in chairs, behind Harrow probably readying for their own speeches.
Callum pursed his lips. This was the right time, at least, so he thought.
Was everyone trying to interrupt this?
Still, he wasn't going to stop trying. Rayla needed to know how important she was to him, she needed to know how much he loved her, and even if it took all day or all night he would find a way and time to tell her.
