Chapter Four
I am ELATED! ZOMG!SQUEE. I cannot even believe the support I am getting for this story! I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. As usual; thank you's at the end of the chapter :).
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Things get very AU in this chapter, so if you won't go against the books, eh, just go away.
Onto Chapter Four --(because lulai is so very dying to write the ball scene ;))--
I pushed open the door and a slow smile spread across my face.
Perfect. Stunning.
The room was draped in black, giving the impression of a night sky. little holes were put in the fabric for light to shine through giving the impression of stars on the ceiling.
The tables and chairs (beautifully done up in black silk and silver accents) were scattered around the sides of the room, leaving the middle of the room free for the dance floor.
My absolute favorite part of the room was the dance floor. It was lit from under the tiles, and was made from these black glass tiles to make it seem like the floor was glowing and it was beautiful.
I had actually ended up taking Ryan as a friend, because I knew I could at least relax around him than all of the other hapless losers who tried to ask me out.
Ryan insists that they aren't "hapless losers, as you so eloquently put it," but I wouldn't settle for anyone less than James. His comment always made me disgruntled, but there was no denying that he was right. Arrogant git. (Oh, and I've officially been in England too long. I've been using the slang, lately, but MOVING ON.)
I was hooked onto Ryan's arm, and I was surprised how much he actually did look like James. The only thing he lacked was that aura that James seemed to have. Ryan was more of an introvert, you need to get to know him, to bring out the real Ryan.
I walked with pride toward the middle of the dance floor and clapped my hands once, getting everyones attention.
"And for this wonderful dance, we have one lady to thank, that made it all happen! Everyone say hello to Massie Block!" came the voice of the DJ.
Screams and cheers filled the room and I took a bow, taking care not to go too low, should disaster strike with my hair. I grabbed a mic from the DJ and stood to address the crowd,
"I have to thank my 3 best friends for helping me with the decorations and the more physical aspect of this project! Jam-Ryan, Kit, and Jake, take a bow!" I yelled out to the crowd tripping slightly on the first name, but recovering and giving credit where credit was due. I was incredibly grateful for my friends at that point, where we all stood, bowing to the crowd.
This is where I belong. With these people, in the spotlight.
But where's James?
--
I feel eyes boring into the back of my neck while I was bowing and I swiveled around, nearly losing my balance.
Of course it was him. It's always him.
He's fixing me with a glare that could melt the Glaciers, and then he caught me staring and intensified his glare. I spun Ryan around, and clutched onto his arm to see what James' reaction was.
His scowl deepened and if looks could kill, I think that Ryan would be dead, about twice over about now.
Is that it? He's jealous of Ryan Cartier? He's the one that was being a bitch to me. All I've tried to do is explain, while he pushed me away.
Once I caught sight of Vera hanging off of his arm in what looked like a cocktail napkin, I turned quickly and forced a smile to the crowd, if anything to stop myself from crying.
I swallowed and straightened up to my fullest height, and declared with a grin, "WELCOME TO THE WELCOME BACK BALL. LET THE PARTY BEGIN!"
Lafontaine, you are NOT raining down on MY parade.
The music I had hand picked for the DJ started blaring through the speakers, and people started in toward the dance floor. I had even taken care of the losers and had a spot designated for people who didn't have dates to find people to talk to and dance with.
Some people chose to move toward the catering table, and ask the staff about things, and get food. I dragged Ryan with me to each group until he finally got tired of it and said that he was going to go find Nicole, the girl that he had recently started talking to.
Before he turned to leave, he leaned in close to my ear and whispered a simple phase, "You can't avoid him forever, you know," then stalked off in the general direction of the beautiful girl.
"Oh, you'll see that I can, Ryan fucking Cartier," I mumbled to my feet.
In the split second that I had my head down and was walking forward blindly, I smacked into a hard chest, pitching forward, only to be caught again by strong arms. I once again started cursing violently in French and this incident reminded me too much of one that had recently happened. My purse went flying to the ground, and I whimpered slightly. That was my favorite party bag. Before it was snatched out of the air by quick fingers. I glanced to my side, to see that Ryan was holding out my purse, but he was not the one who was currently supporting my body.
Three guesses.
AND YOU GOT IN IN BLOODY ONE. James Fucking LAFONTAINE was supporting my body against his chest and hadn't let go for sometime.
I jerked away from James and snatched my purse from Ryan muttering a quiet word of thanks, before stalking off quickly in the direction of the losers' corner.
I was vaguely aware that someone was calling my name, but I acted like I was completely immersed in the conversation I was having with Sarah, one of the more cool dateless people, about the uses of eyeliner.
"Erm, Massie, are you aware that JAMES LAFONTAINE is calling your name right now?" Sarah asked in an incredulous tone.
"Eh, who cares about James. I want to talk with you," I said, genuinely meaning the statement, mostly because I really didn't want to talk to James.
"Who cares about me, Massie, when one of the hottest guys in school is calling your name? Go on, Mass," She urged, and I had no choice but to nod and stalk in the direction of James.
--
"Can you stop doing that? It's slightly grating my nerves," I snapped at James in a harsh tone when I approached, referring to the incessant calling of my name.
"Well, if you heard, then why didn't you say anything? That Sarah girl couldn't have been that interesting, Mass," he said in an equally harsh tone, emphasizing the use of my nickname sarcastically.
"It was better than talking to you, you insensitive, egotistic, spoilt brat," I spat out at him.
"So someone has been reading the dictionary, huh, darling?" He drawled, looking at a spot slightly over my head, as if I wasn't even worthy of his full attention.
"Sarcastic isn't a good look on you, Jamesie," I said, mocking his earlier words. "Did you come to tell me something, because I have not the time to tend to a battle of wits much longer, as I have a ball to run, you see, and if you wanted to understand why I rejected you, you should listen to me more often," I turned with tears in my eyes and stalked off toward the dance floor.
I put on a fake smile and grabbed a mic from the DJ. I clapped my hands once in front of the mic and waited until I had every persons attention on me.
"Hello, Students of Kiaran! How do you love the ball so far?" I asked, and loud cheers and screams filled the air. Once the commotion died down, I raised the mic to my lips again,"You see, as every single girl prepared HARD for this dance, I saw it fit to organize an impromptu dress contest, so to speak. Okay, if you have a girl you want to nominate please raise your hand."
To my surprise, James had his hand up. "Lafontaine, who would you like to nominate?" I said, knowing he would put up Vera to piss me off. I saw Ryan standing next to James looking very smug, in my opinion.
James raised his powerful voice to a max, and yelled out over the noise of the crowd, "YOU! I WANT TO NOMINATE YOU, MASSIE BLOCK."
Every voice quieted at those words, everyone having heard about "the great fight," as it was so deemed and it took everyone by surprise when he nominated Massie.
He must have figured it out. Thank god for Ryan, I thought, realizing that he may have helped him along a bit.
I smiled a real smile and laughed. "Me? Oh please, I can barely hold my own against the girls here," I said, really meaning it. These girls cleaned up very well.
"Anyone second the nomination?" I asked the crowd.
A tanned hand raised into the air, and a deep voice called from the doorway, "I do, and sorry I'm late, got held up a bit at the airport by about 4 weeks," he said with a wink.
How does this shit always happen to me?
--
"Jayden, mate! I thought you got sent to that school back in America!" James and Ryan exclaimed in unison.
"Yeah, well, they sent me back, America can't handle the great Jayden Jonson," Jayden said with a smirk.
He walked with great grace towards me and pulled me into a hug.
"Massie Bassie, you're all grown up, little sister," He said into my ear. Jayden was the son of a very close friend of my father's and me and him had grown up together until Mr. Jonson had sent him away to some boarding school (which I now knew was Kiaran) when we started 5th grade, and we hadn't seen each other since.
"Jay Jay, you aren't once to talk, big brother," I whispered back and pulled back from the warm embrace. Jay grabbed a mic from the DJ and said, "So I believe we were holding a contest, were we not?"
I started picking nominations again, and soon had a girl named Shayalai (shay.ah.la.ee) who had stick straight, silky black hair and deep blue eyes, standing next to me.
It was going to be a close race, and Jayden put his mouth to the mic once more.
"Alright, guys. Which one looks prettiest in their dress? Shayalai," Here he raised a hand over her head and screams and cheers erupted from the crowd in a dull roar. "Or Massie," Here he raised a hand over my hear and the hall ERUPTED. There was deafening cheering and screaming, so over the din, Jay yelled, "So I would say that Massie is the winner!"
"But wait Shayalai, you still get a crown, and a banner, so don't weep," he added as an afterthought.
I stepped out into the crowd and sought out James.
I spotted the head of messy hair, and stalked toward it.
"Mass," he said stiffly, still unaware if he was forgiven or not.
I threw my arms around him and looked up at him.
"So, hey there Loser. Wanna go to the ball with me?" I said with a slight upturn of one of the corners of my mouth.
"Nah," he said with a grin and offered out his arm. I took it and we stepped out on to the dance floor, both happy and relieved to have each other back.
--
A/N: NO, THIS ISN"T THE END!
I have to give a huge, huge, huge thank you to my WONDERFUL new beta; -nicolex. She's responsible for the improved nature of this chapter!
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