So the last chapter was really sloppy, I'm sorry, I kept having to stop and then get up and do chores, write, stop, go clean my room, write, vacuum my room, ect.

And yes, when I was vacuuming I thought of the Exorcist.

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Everyone had gone home after the whole fiasco of trying to figure out what happened last night between Ethan and I, so now it was just Clair and I left in the house.

"So… you like Ethan I guess?" Clair said as she folded up a blanket.

I stayed quiet. I did, but I didn't want to admit it. Although, I already did to Erik, so I guess it wouldn't matter… but…

"Well? It's a yes or no answer, hun." She said, tossing the folded blanket onto the settee.

"I guess so."

Clair paused before yelling, "I KNEW IT!"

"What? How? Was it that obvious?"

"Well, kind of."

"How though?"

"Well… the way you reacted when I said he was going to be here. How you always sit by him. You always get all clumsy around him, during the movies you two were cuddling, and the biggest, and most obvious; how you woke up this morning." She finished triumphantly.

I remained silent, but fluffed the pillows with a little more force than necessary.

"Exactly. And, you know what is coming up this coming week?" She said as though she was talking to kindergarteners.

"A school week?"

'Correct, but do you know what social event is coming up next week?" She asked sweetly.

It took me a moment to understand what she meant. And then it hit me.

The Valentines Dance.

"Oh my God, Clair, no. I know what's going on in that twisted mind, and I do not like it one bit." I said, turning away from the pile of pillows.

Clair was just smiling to herself while folding up another blanket.

"Clair, please don't tell me you're going to make me ask out Ethan." I pleaded, crawling to her on my knees and my hands clasped.

"Hey, I'm not making you ask him out! I'm not that mean! Okay, well maybe sometimes, but not now I'm not!"

I sat back on my heels.

"But I'm going to have Ethan ask you."

"CLAIR!" I shouted, leaping up "That's hardly any better!"

"Well I bet you he likes you too! I mean, you don't let a girl sleep practically on you if you don't like her! And besides, when you got your hand slammed in the door, he was one of the first people down the stairs. And when you made a mess of Gram's kitchen, he helped you pick up."

I guess she had a point.

"You know, if it wasn't Sunday I would have another sleep over tonight." She said after a minute.

"Let me guess, another scary movie marathon?" I asked, picking up the pillows.

"Of course!" She said, picking up the blankets and shoving then in the wardrobe before I put the pillows in "How else could I hook up Brad and Abby?"

"Brad and Abby? They hate each other! Well, they don't hate each other, but Abby doesn't like Brad, and he annoys her all the time."

"Yeah, but did you notice how Abby voluntarily slept next to him, and was pretty much always by his side?"

"I guess you're right…" I said slowly, realizing what she said was true.

"Hey, want to go to mall?" Clair asked, evidently eager to get out of the house.

"Nah, I have to be home soon anyway." I said, remembering I was supposed to home before noon.

"Eh, might as well drive you home." She said, grabbing her keys from the nightstand.

Clair had gotten her license in January and loved driving everyone around.

"Oh boy… not you driving…" I said, laughing.

"Yes me driving, at least until you get a car. Then you can drive me everywhere."

I had my license already, but I was still saving up for that awesome '67 Mustang.

The drive home was tedious as usual, seeing as Clair just loved to make everyone nervous, and when I got out I was glad to be on solid ground.

"Don't kill yourself, okay?" I called after her as she peeled out of my driveway.

-Mini time warp to Friday at school-

All week Clair had been talking to Ethan about asking me to the dance, but she tried to keep it secret from me.

Hah, like that would ever happen.

The whole group of us that was at the party Saturday night all knew that Clair was trying to make Ethan ask me to the dance, so of course everyone had to tell me all about it.

And it made third period just a little bit awkward, you know.

And now, with only one block to go until the end of school, I was starting to wonder if he was going to ask me.

I had carefully watched the clock all class period, minutes ticked by, but now I suppose I was just going to have to go with… Oh gosh, who would I go with? All my friends got dates except me.

As the bell rang everyone made a mad dash to their seats to get their junk to head to last period, and I joined them, but not exactly hurrying.

I slung my bag onto my shoulder and called back to Ethan.

"Hey, I'll see you later at the dance!"

"Hey, wait, I need to ask you something." He said, grabbing my hand, which did that weird tingly thing all over again.

"Make it fast; my History class is on the other side of the school." I said, pretending like I didn't know what I was hoping he was going to ask.

He shook his head and smiled, looking down at the floor.

There was an awkward silence.

"Well? Hurry it up, Skippy." I said, putting my hands on my hips.

I felt like slamming my head against the wall. 'Skippy'? What the heck is that all about?

"You want to go to the dance with me?" he asked, saying it quickly.

I hesitated for only a second.

"Sure!"

"I'll pick you up at seven, alright?"

"Okay, see you then." I smiled and left for history, all the while feeling ridiculously happy and wondering what I was going to wear.

-

"He finally asked you? Sheesh, I've only been prodding him to do it all week…" Clair said after school driving home.

With her mentioning this, I felt my heart sink. I had forgotten about her persuading him, and he probably only asked me just to shut Clair up. Because we all knew if he hadn't done it he would hear about it 'til the day he died.

"What should I wear though? It's casual, right?"

"You didn't hear what the theme was?" Clair said, her eyebrows shooting up.

"Uh, no. I thought it was going to be casual."

"Good Lord no; it's a masquerade."

My blood ran cold. It just had to be a masquerade, didn't it?

"Oh, cool." I said, successfully pulling off sounding normal.

"Hey, see you later!" She said pulling up to my house as I got out.

-

I had the entire contents of my closet and dresser strewn all across my room. The back of my desk chair looked like it had a crazy blanket like thing draped over it; the floor had piles of miscellaneous articles of clothing spread everywhere; and the poor bed couldn't even be seen. It was just a giant pile of clothes.

And still, I couldn't find anything to wear.

"Whoa, honey, having a little trouble finding something to wear?" My mom asked, coming into my room.

"Yeah; the stupid masquerade dance is tonight and I can't find anything good enough." I said, flopping down on my bed.

Mom looked thoughtful for a minute before saying, "I think I might have something that's your size… give me a second to find it…" and with that she left, most likely going to the attic.

A few minutes later she came back in carrying two dress boxes and a shoe box.

"Here, take a look." She said, handing the boxes to me.

I set them on the ground that wasn't coated in clothes and gasped when I opened them.

It was the complete ballet costume from Les Sylphides.

"Oh, mom! Where'd you get this from?" I asked, holding up the costume.

"Your Grandmother was in it when she was younger. Try it on; I think it'll fit you." She said, leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.

I took off my clothes and put on the outfit, relishing the feel of ballet clothes. Even the tights fit me perfectly, but I just needed the finishing touch…

I reached into the shoe box and pulled out the ballet slippers to match.

They were white satin and still in good shape, and were the same size as my feet.

I stood up from where I was sitting and felt an odd rush of nostalgia.

I stood on toe and extended my back leg, stretching.

"Need any help with the shoes?" My mom called from outside.

"Oh, no, I've got them!" I said. I quickly out of the stretch and opening the door to let mom in.

"Oh wow sweetheart! You look beautiful! Now let me fix up your hair and get some make-up on you." She said, leading me to her bathroom.

-

Thirty minutes later I came out of that bathroom looking like I was ready to go onstage and perform.

"Katey, you look amazing! Now here, let me get you a bag to put some touch-up stuff in…" mom said, going back into her bathroom.

I was bewildered. My mom was acting super-super nice all of a sudden! Normally she would have been all, "Just pick something and clean up your room!" but now she was offering Grandma's ballet costume and doing my hair and make-up… it was very strange.

"Here you go sweet." She said, handing me a small purse that held make-up, hair things, a mini brush and a mirror.

Out in the living room there was a knock on the front door, and I felt my insides squirm.

It was time to go!

"I'll get it mom, it's probably for me." I said, already opening the door.

"Hey Ethan!" I said, greeting my date who was dressed in what appeared to be an old Halloween costume.

"Wow, Katey… you look…" he started, evidently liking my costume.

"Amazing, yeah, my mother's already informed me of it." I said, laughing. "So what exactly are you supposed to be?" I asked, eyeing the bright orange jump suit.

"An escaped patient from a mental hospital." He said casually.

"Wait, I thought this was a costume dance." I said seriously.

"Oh ha, ha, very funny." He said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, should we go?"

"Yeah, hang on; let me go tell my mom." I said, and went back to my mom's room.

"Hey, mother-dearest! I'm going now, okay? I'll be back at, like, eleven!" I called into the bathroom door.

"Alright, bye honey, have a good time. And remember, if you ruin the costume you're dead." She called from inside.

"I'll do my best to remember that."

I came back to the door and said simply "Let's roll."

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Oh boy, a masquerade in a ballet costume?

I think I smell foreshadowing!

Either that or it's just the glade plug-in in the corner of the room.

Who knows?

Please review!