Chapter 3

Mimi looked stunning in her red Dolce and Gabbana gown. The dress was a deep red with a plunging neckline and slit up to her hip. The dress left little to the imagination. Mimi knew that all eyes were going to be on her. She smiled and laughed "That little half-blood as nothing on me now."

Jack had been keeping his distance from Schuyler, but he was also moody towards Mimi, but Mimi thought it was grieving over the half-blood. Soon the bonding was coming and he would forget Schuyler and it would only be Mimi in his heart.

Jack walked into the room," Wow, Mimi you look stunning."

Mimi smiled "I have him where I want him" she thought. "Thank you, could you help me put my necklace on?"

"Sure, are you almost ready? Mother and Father are waiting for you."

"Almost, I have to put on my shoes." Mimi stuck out her leg, from behind the dress to reveal her slit, to put her shoe on. She did this on purpose to show Jack her whole leg. Then, she reached down to fasten the strap; showing just a hint of cleavage.

"Wow, Mimi looking good."

Mimi smiled she loved the fact that she could read his mind. Mimi left her room and headed to the limo with Jack. Charles caught Mimi as she walked by.

"Mimi, may I have a word with you? " Charles waited for Mimi to send Jack to the limo.

"I have a job for you. I need you to keep an eye on Bliss for my."

Mimi stomped her foot. "Why do I have to? Why can't you have Schuyler keep tabs on her? Since they are like besties now."

"Because I want you to do it; plus, if you don't do this then I won't pay for your bonding that you moved up to next week." Charles had Mimi where it counted. She wanted her bonding to be better then anyone else's, but she needed Charles' money to get it the way she wanted it. Charles was also in on the announcement Mimi plan to make tonight at the Ball.

Charles created the Ball tonight to serve as a fundraiser for one of the Committee's many charities. He knew what had happen at the Conclave that no Blue Blood would come to New York for an emergency meeting; so he planned a ball.

The limo pulled up to the red carpet and Charles and Trinity stepped out first to the crowd of photographers. Jack was next to step out, in his white Armani suit, he held out his hand for Mimi. When she stepped out the light bulb were flashing so fast that one would of thought the bulbs were going to burst. Mimi smiled for she knew she would be on the front page of tomorrow's New York Time.

Schuyler was finishing putting on her make-up with a little help from Hattie, while Oliver watched from the four poster bed. Schuyler looked breathtakingly beautiful. She was wearing a blue sapphire Valentino gown that was covered in sequence. The gown was very form-fitting and it made Schuyler feel very naked. Her hair was done in a very simple bun, and Hattie had added a little black liquid eyeliner to Schuyler's eyes. Schuyler felt ridiculous, but she was doing this for Charles. She didn't want him to take back her freedom that she just received. Oliver walked over and touched Schuyler's shoulder.

"You know how to take a guy's breath away."

"Oh Ollie, I look ridiculous. I am not going to the Ball."

"No, you have to, it is your duty. Plus, Lawrence would want you to keep up with what the Committee was doing."

Oliver had a point. She couldn't let her family down. Oliver picked up the little blue box off the bed. Schuyler's heart skipped a beat. She had told Oliver what happen that night at the apartment. He had been thrilled that she had picked him over Jack and since then things had been weird between them. Schuyler just wanted to be best friends again, but was starting to think that was never going to happen.

"Sky, I want you to have this."Oliver opened the box to reveal a diamond bracelet.

"Ollie, it is beautiful, but I can't accept this. It is too much and I have nothing to give you in return."

"Sky, you have to. Let's say it is a friendship bracelet, I know that we can't be anything more then friends. I know as much as I wish that we could, I could never see you become like your mother."

Oliver was going to drop and pick Schuyler up from the ball since he couldn't attend. Oliver told Schuyler he was going to the Repository to do some research on what Charles had told her earlier today. On the way to the Ball, Oliver was talking about a new area in the Repository that he had never seen before and he was going to check it out. Schuyler was only half-way listening because she was still thinking of Jack. "What is wrong with him? I understand that he is upset with me for breaking-up with him, but it wasn't like we could be together. Why can't he see I did all of this for him." Truth is, Jack actually scared her today, and she had seen in his eyes that he really was, Abaddon, Angel of Destruction. She really was nervous about seeing him tonight, but decided to avoid him at all cost. She didn't know how she would avoid him because Oliver wasn't going to be there and Bliss had been MIA since they got back from Rio.

The town car pulled up to the red carpet and Schuyler felt like she was going to be sick. Oliver squeezed her hand and kissed her on the cheek.

"Knock them dead, Sky. Don't have any worries I will be around the corner just call me and I will come get you."

The door open and a hand was offered to her. Schuyler accepted and stepped out to the crowd of photographers screaming for her. Then it got quiet the photographers were taken aback at how beautiful she was and then they started screaming, "Schuyler look over here."

"No look over here."

She looked at the boy standing next to her and had the sudden urge to use him as a prop as she posed for the cameras. Once she made her way inside she apologized to the boy.

"I am sorry; I don't know what came over me out. I am Schuyler Van Alen." Schuyler stuck out her hand to shake his, but he grabbed her hand and lightly kissed it.

"It is a privilege to meet you Ms. Van Alen. I am Henry Weston; I am to be your escort tonight. Mr. Force asked that I accompany you to the Ball."

"Umm Ok, Thank You I guess." Schuyler couldn't be mad; this boy was way too cute to be mad. He had a British accent, fair skin like hers, bright green eyes and deep black hair. Plus he could serve as her distraction from Jack.