shy girl: Aww thanks! I'm never exactly sure about how much detail to put it so thx for the feedback! Thanks for reading and for commenting (and before anyone else)!

Akotlcfan: Thanks! I will do that :)

Enjoy, folks! Again - for every three comments, I will post the next chapter sooner! A shoutout to Akotlcfan and shy girl for being the first to comment!

-RJ Cadigan

On the day of the ball, Marella arrived an hour early to help set up along with the rest of the crew. Biana seemed on the point of panic, but they all knew that she enjoyed this sort of thing and that being dramatic was just her way of getting the most out of it. As soon as the food arrived, Biana banished everyone to go get dressed, declaring that "You've all worked hard enough" and "I'd be ashamed to make you do one more thing." Marella carefully buttoned up all fifty-four minuscule buttons on her dress, slipped on her gloves, fixed her messy crown-braid in the mirror of Biana's massive bathroom, and slipped on her rose-gold heels, braiding the long straps around her ankles. As she checked herself in the mirror one last anxious time and shoved her bra strap under her sleeve for the thousandth time, the door slowly opened, admitting Linh.

"Hey Marella are you about do-" Linh stopped as she registered Marella, blushing and beautiful under the dim light of the vanity. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh - Marella…" her voice trailed off, and she started laughing. "Wow- you look…" Unable to express herself, she walked over and wrapped Marella in a hug. When she pulled away, she was grinning widely. "Guys will be flocking to you like moths to a flame."

Marella only cared what one guy in particular thought; she simply shrugged.

"Where'd you find this?" Linh gushed, fingering the almost-floor-length sleeves.

"At the same shop Biana got hers," Marella explained, playing nervously with her necklace. "Your… brother said it would look… good on… me." She trailed off as she realized what she was saying, and she could've kicked herself. She glanced at Linh's face and was horrified to see a strange glimmer in her light eyes - like she'd just fit together the pieces of a puzzle she'd been working on for a long time.

"So, do you think Jensi will like this on me?" Marella asked abruptly, attempting to distract Linh from her major slip-up. She adopted a look of anxiety, but it wasn't enough to divert Linh.

Linh gently took Marella's hands and looked her seriously in the eyes. "How long has this been going on?"

"Nothing's 'going on'," Marella said defensively.

Linh shook her head. "I know nothing's going on between you and Tam. I want to know what's going on in here," she clarified, laying Marella's hand over her heart and giving her a meaningful look.

Marella groaned and covered her face. "Linh, no one can know. No one."

Linh wrapped her in a hug. "If it makes you feel any better, you have my full support."

Marella shook her head rapidly from side to side. "It doesn't. You need to stay out of this." She took Linh's hands gently and looked her sincerely in the eyes. "This is between me and Tam. Don't hurt yourself by getting in the middle."

Linh whispered, "What are you going to do? I mean… he's dating Biana."

"I know," Marella whispered back. "I'm not going to do anything."

Linh nodded in reluctant agreement.

The door swung open, admitting Sophie and Maruca. "Hey, are you guys going to be ready anytime this year?" Maruca demanded, flipping her dyed, waist-length braids over her shoulder.

"Yep, let's go," Linh said abruptly, grabbing Marella's hand and pulling her out of the room after her.

Sophie's imparter rang and she pulled it out of the hidden pocket of her scarlet gown, getting envious looks from all three girls.

"What?" she asked, noticing their half-genuine glares. "I wanted pockets, so now I have pockets." She clicked the screen on her imparter.

"Hey babe," came an unmistakable voice from the other side.

Sophie blushed and glanced quickly at the other girls, who began to titter.

"Um, hey Keefe," she said awkwardly.

"So, Biana wanted to know if Linh could come down and help Tam remember the steps to the Monarch Waltz - no idea what that is."

"Keefe, it's the one we've been practicing for three months-" Sophie protested.

"I know, I know," he interrupted. "I just wanted to make sure your girlfriends knew that, too," he finished mischievously.

Sophie turned bright red as Maruca giggled. "Three months?" she clarified. "Practicing for the wedding?" she asked innocently.

"Yes, that is exactly what we're doing-"

"Keefe!" Sophie practically howled. "We are coming down, and you'd better-"

"Sophie and Keefe, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Maruca chanted softly. Unfortunately, Keefe picked up on it and found it extremely amusing.

"First comes love," he continued in a maddening sing-song voice, "and then comes-

The rest of his words were drowned out by static, however, and when a voice came back over the imparter, it was Biana's.

"Sorry about that," she said pointedly. "Just had to throw some junk away."

Keefe's intelligible voice could be heard shouting over the imparter before it was abruptly silenced.

Sophie laughed. "He completely deserved whatever just happened," she said vindictively.

"Anyway, would Linh be able to come down and help Tam?"

"Actually," Linh said quickly, shooting Marella a look. "I'm still getting ready. How 'bout Marella helps instead?"

Marella glared at Linh, who grinned.

"Um, yeah. That would be great. Thanks, Marella." And with a click, the imparter went silent.

I hate you, Marella mouthed at Linh, who winked and promptly shoved her out the door. "He'll be in the ballroom," Linh said cheerfully. She checked to make sure Sophie and Maruca weren't listening before leaning in and whispering, "Just trust me, okay?"

Marella started to protest, but she was talking to a closed door. "Just… fine," she said nervously. "It'll be fine." Just be friendly, Mar, and it'll be fine. It's not like you haven't been friends forever. You have as much right to be with him as anyone else. Marella squared her shoulders and marched down the hall, determined to bear herself with dignity.

She was just as smart, just as strong, just as talented as Biana, and she radiated confidence - especially in this dress. Biana didn't hold a candle to her bright flame, and as soon as he set eyes on her, Tam would know it, too.

She managed to maintain this fragile mindset until it really mattered - namely, the moment she reached the ballroom. She peeked around the corner through the open door, saw Tam and Biana standing close together, conversing in low tones, and immediately whipped her head back out of sight, breathing heavily for no reason.

She absolutely could not do this. No way could she just waltz in there, take Tam's hands and teach him to dance, which would require physical contact, and walk back out, accepting Biana's thanks and pretending that everything was fine - like she didn't care if she was the one to teach him or not.

She cared more than anyone knew.

She treasured every look, she remembered every touch, she preserved each memory of him jealously and carefully, like a peasant protects his last few coins.

It took more willpower than anyone could imagine to hide the feelings that grew more and more every day. The silence became more and more unbearable, and yet she bore it.

All for the preservation of their small friendship; so he wouldn't cut her off completely.

So he won't stop feeding me leftover scraps, she thought bitterly, Tam and Biana's whispers finding their way to her ears and feasting on her anger.

She covered her ears and bit her lips to keep from screaming with frustration as she replayed in her mind's eye all the cuddling, all the whispering, all the kissing that she'd had to endure; all the little things that had shredded her heart a little more every time she'd had to see it.

But he didn't mean to do it. He didn't mean to hurt her. It wasn't Tam's fault. It couldn't be his fault. He was perfect.

She sat on the floor and cried.