The days leading up to Halloween were a bit of a blur.
John and Melissa made sure to put in over-time at work so neither of their co-workers made a fuss when they requested Halloween night off. School was as normal as can be- students still gossiping about Isaac and Avery, questioning whether or not the Argent girl and McCall boy were ever going to give it another go, and questioning the closeness between Stiles and Lydia even though she was dating Aiden.
The group took the nosy-ness in stride, ignoring what was being said and just enjoying each other's company without any drama. One day during lunch, Lydia managed to finally tell Danny of the upcoming Masquerade Ball. He had been excited of course, Danny telling them that he's already heard about it but was just wondering how to get invited to it. Apparently, several shop owners around town and their families had been invited- the children of the families gossiping quickly about being invited since it seemed like the Hosts of the party were very hush-hush.
Avery had laughed at that, telling Danny that Elijah and Nik were indeed private people but they just wanted numbers at the party so they didn't care who was invited since they were leaving town afterward anyway. When Danny asked just how it was she was on first name basis with the brothers, she came clean and told him that they were family. Not by blood but they were family nonetheless.
Danny had then asked if he was able to bring a date and Avery assured him he could. She told him just to make sure their attire was formal since it was a Ball and that if they needed masks, Elijah and Nik usually had extras on hand and that she could scrounge up a few if need be. Ethan had appeared from thin air then, thanking Avery for her generosity. When asked kindly if Aiden was going too, Ethan shook his head.
While Aiden had wanted to go, his and Ethan's departure from Beacon Hills was coming fast and he was doing everything to put some space between himself and Lydia. Both of them were wary of long distant relationships and even though Danny and Ethan were going to give a go, Aiden and Lydia were less positive that things could still work out between them.
Avery had frowned at the news, wondered why Lydia hadn't said anything but eventually let it go. Lydia was a tight-lipped person and if she wanted Avery to know, she'd tell her in due time. So for now, Avery let it go and worried about finding her own boyfriend in the school hallways.
The day of Halloween had finally come and Avery was a ball of nerves. As were Allison and Lydia.
Elijah and Nik had told them that their outfits were to be delivered to their homes but they had yet to receive anything, and that was very unlike the brothers.
When Avery finally worked up the nerve after two to call Elijah and ask what the hold-up was, he apologized immediately and told her that the decorators for the night's event had distracted them all. But to make up for their forgetfulness, he told Avery to round up the women and men and to bring them his and Nik's home so they could all shower and get ready there. He even hired a last minute hair stylist and makeup artist for the girls as an apology.
Avery obliged right away though she told him it was fine and there was no need for an apology but she was grateful for the stylists because she didn't know what she was going to do with her hair. Elijah had laughed and before he bid her goodbye, he told her that they were to stay away from the back yard and once they were up on the second level of his home, they were to stay there until called down.
She saw nothing wrong with his requests, bid him goodbye, and then worked on rounding up all the troops so they could start getting ready. With so many people, the extra rooms and bathrooms were exactly what they needed to get ready together.
..
..
After many phone calls, a bit of persuasion, and directions to Elijah and Nik's- everyone was soon on their way to the Original's current place of home. Stiles drove both Avery and John to their destination, Avery cackling the entire way because this was the first time Stiles had driven their Dad anywhere and John didn't like the way Stiles drove. As they pulled up the home, Avery's chuckles fell away as Stiles and John stared up at the home in awe.
The home was pushed back near the woods, well away from prying eyes. The wide and long driveway was lined with small boulders and square brick pillars which held large Jack-o-Lanterns that led up to a lavish brick two-story home with a variety of pointed roofs. Circular roofs which ended in points gave off a castle vibe- the numerous windows helping the vibe along as well- made this home unique in the small town of Beacon Hills. As the Stilinski family stepped out of the Jeep, Avery realized that the vibrant green grass looked as if it was just planted recently. Eyes narrowing in suspicion, she couldn't help but wonder how it was the brother's came across this place.
To the left of the archway for the front door, they spotted a rather large square opening that looked as if it led to the back of the home but fake spider webs and a black curtain blocked their view. As Avery's eyes snapped back towards the archway to the front door, she then realized that the shrubbery there all had fake spider web entangled in the branches and leaves.
Whistling low in appreciation, Avery turned towards her twin who was still ogling the place. "Are we at Hogwarts?"
Snorting in amusement, Avery shook her head. "I told you they're showoffs. At least there's no fountain this time."
"Yes, well, Nik did put up a good argument."
John and Stiles whirled around at the sound of Elijah's voice, Avery being the only one who wasn't startled by his appearance. "I take it this is actually your home then? It's not just yours for the time being?"
"Guilty as charged." Elijah smirked at her. "I apologize for lying but Nik wanted to surprise you. When we found out you were leaving us, we wanted a home of our own near you for when we decided to visit. It was just done a couple days before we came in."
Instead of getting mad, Avery just laughed. "You guys spend your money way too easily."
"Yes, well, you would too if you had a thousand years to save up."
Stiles squeaked at hearing the possibility of just how much money they had and John happily thumped his son hard on the back to help him out. Before anything else could be said, the sound of motorcycle engines pierce the air.
An amused Scott is riding side-by-side with Isaac and a terrified Melissa is clutching desperately to her son as they roll to a stop. No-one says anything as they stop, everyone fighting off grins when Melissa- who had her face pressed to Scott's back- realizes they finally stopped at their destination and eagerly hops off.
"Oh come on!" Avery giggles. "It's not that bad."
Melissa calms her breathing and playfully glares at her. "Says you. You've been riding for a while. I didn't expect my son to actually drive me."
"Yeah, well, Dad was being annoying again." He shrugged. "I just wanted to leave already."
Melissa rolled her eyes though she managed to grin and take no offense to Scott calling his Dad annoying. The man was gone for most of their life so she wasn't going to hold it against him when Scott didn't forgive the man straight away. Hell, even she hadn't forgiven him but that didn't stop him from sticking around.
As Melissa, Scott, and Isaac's attention got taken with the house, the remaining two of their group pulled up together in Lydia's car. Lydia and Allison quickly parked, the two girls getting out as their eyes lit up in appreciation of the home as well.
After Lydia had her fair share of ogling, she quickly sought out Avery's attention. "I talked with Danny and he and Ethan couldn't find masks. Can you help them out?"
Turning to Elijah, Avery quirked an eyebrow at him. "You have extras, right? I have two guys coming in later who don't have masks."
"Of course." Elijah nodded politely. "I'll bring them to you once we get you all settled in the rooms you'll be dressing in."
Avery beamed at him just as Elijah gestured for the front door. "Ladies first."
Avery hooked arms with Melissa, pulling Scott's Mom along with her as Allison and Lydia followed closely behind. John and Isaac were right behind the the girls followed by Stiles and Scott, and Elijah pulled up the rear as the shut the door behind them.
Inside the home was just as amazing as the outside. While Avery figured the floors would be polished wood, she was surprised to see dark gray marble shining below her feet. The room they were first in was circular- white stone pillars holding up the second level. There were a couple of doorways around the room- one of which Nik appeared from before he gestured towards the marble staircase with a grin.
Looking upward, the group realized just how high the ceiling was, a small chandelier hanging in the middle with it's soft glow illuminating the room. The banisters are wrapped with yet more spiderweb as well as orange and purple lights.
Once they reach the top of the staircase, Nik gestures to the left. "Gentlemen, if you will follow me, I'll show you to your room and your clothes for tonight. Ladies," Nik turned to give them his attention. "-if you follow 'lijah, he'll take you to yours."
The boys followed Nik without a word as did the girls as they trailed after Elijah. Upon entering the room, Avery let out a low whistle. The room was a navy blue, it's ceiling black with various built-in lights scattered around the ceiling. To the left, there was a set of double doors- which Avery immediately pegged it as a walk-in closet as well as a queen-sized bed with mountains of pillows, a black and white floral print comforter, and a black lace curtain canopy above the bed hanging off the four wooden posts. There was a bay window and window seat stacked with more pillows- the window more than likely giving off a view of the back yard but since they couldn't see it just yet, Avery didn't attempt to pull back the curtains.
To the right of the room, there was another door which was slightly ajar and gave off a view of a tiled floor- the bathroom. There was a ginormous mahogany vanity desk against the wall that held four small boxes and a metal rack sitting beside the vanity with four dress bags hanging from it's bar and four boxes sitting beneath the hanging dresses.
"There are four bathrooms total upstairs." Elijah startles them out of the silence. "You get two of them while the gentlemen get the other two." He tells them. "Two of you can shower in here while the other two go next door and use the bathroom in there. There are robes hanging in each bathroom and you are to use those after you shower so the stylists can do your hair and makeup before you don your outfits."
"Thank you, Mr. Reynolds." Melissa is the first to speak. "This is quite generous of you."
"It's no problem, I assure you." He smiles kindly at her before turning his gaze on Avery. "There are drawers in the closet behind you with lady," He clears his throat suddenly, a blush staining his cheeks. "-with lady under wear. Don't ask how we got your sizes because you and I both know Nik can be scarily accurate at times like this." Melissa and Allison are the only two girls to blush while Avery and Lydia snort. "Your dresses are all strapless- sans Melissa's who has one shoulder sleeve to her dress- so all the appropriate attire is there." Again, Melissa and Allison blush but Elijah pays them no mind as he starts to head for the bedroom door. "I suggest two shower right away so when your stylists get here, I can send them up to get started while the other two shower. Nik and I will send someone up to get you when we're ready for you to come down."
"Aye, aye, Captain." Avery mock salutes him while Allison, Lydia, and Melissa call out their 'thanks'.
..
..
Crowding into the closet after Elijah's departure, each of them picked out a set of bra and panties. Melissa was the only one snort at seeing all the lace but happily dug in with the three teens to find something she liked.
While Lydia and Melissa were the first two to shower, Avery and Allison jumped on the bed and laid down side-by-side until it was their turn. In the midst of their talk about whether or not they should take a peek at their dresses to find out which one belonged to who, two females- each with blonde hair and bags in their hands- entered the room.
Allison didn't pay them much mind and it was Avery who watched their every move as they carefully set their bags on the desk of the vanity. As one female started to open up her bags to take out hair products, a curling iron, and a flat iron- the other female turned sharply only to yelp in surprise.
Avery raised her eyebrows in amusement at her, the other female finally turning around to see what the commotion was. "W-we're sorry." Female number one spoke up, the girl with short platinum blonde hair that was in straight choppy layers that stopped short of her chin. "We didn't know you were in here yet."
"It's okay." Avery waved her off. "No harm done. We're just waiting for our friends to get out of the shower so we can head in next."
As female number one seemed to sigh in relief, female number two- the one with her dirty blonde hair pulled into a ponytail with her bangs framing her face- stepped forward with a small grin. "I'm Patricia. That's Rebekah." She said as she gestured to her friend. "We'll be your stylists-"
"For the evening." Avery smiled at her. "Elijah filled us in." She said with an impish shrug.
As both the newcomers relaxed with Avery's carefree and relaxed tone, Rebekah cleared her throat gaining Avery and Allison's attention. "Have you seen your dress yet?" She gestured to the rack behind her. "They're really beautiful. Especially the masks." She beamed excitedly.
"No." Allison shook her head with a laugh. "We don't even know whose is who's. Elijah just told us to shower and dress in robes while we get our hair and makeup done."
"Yes, well, worry not." Patrica piped up. "We know for a fact that each set of boxes as well as the dress bags are in alphabetical order according to their owner." She said as she gestured to each set of items before turning to the girls on the bed. "So we have Allison, Avery, Lydia, and Melissa. Who are you?"
"Allison." "Avery." Both girls introduce themselves.
As the four girls converse, Allison and Avery learn a little bit about their stylists such as where they went to school and just how long they've actually been styling for. There's a moment when they lapse once more into silence but they're quickly saved when Melissa steps out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head of hair and a lavender silk robe tied around her body. As Melissa gets introduced to their stylist, Lydia soon enters in a similar fashion to Melissa though her robe is silky pink.
While Melissa and Lydia get to know Patrica and Rebekah, Allison takes the bathroom in the room while Avery goes next door to shower.
The girls aren't paying much attention to time but by the time Avery walks back into the room with her own black silk robe hiding her form from people's view, Lydia and Melissa already have their hair done. Lydia's hair is straightened and a majority of it is pulled back into a tight ponytail with a decent portion of her hair hanging freely and framing the right side of her face with a slight curl to it's ends. And when Rebekah saw just how lovely Melissa's curls were, she didn't want to lose that so she quickly dried her hair and put some hair product in so her wavy curls wouldn't lose volume throughout the night.
While Avery and Allison waited their turn, Patrica and Rebekah got started on Lydia and Melissa's makeup. Melissa's was kept very neutral- just the basic foundation applied to hide any blemishes with a quick sweep of blush to her cheekbones and a layer of a deep pink lipstick to make her lips stand out. Lydia, on the other hand, had the basic foundation applied before the brush of blush swept along her cheekbones, a hint of dark eye shadow, and ruby red lipstick to make her lips pop.
When them two were done, they happily switched spots with Allison and Avery. Rebekah raked her fingers through Allison's hair as she decided what she wanted to do. Patrica immediately set out to dry Avery's hair and when it was done, Avery found her waves had been left alone though the sides of her hair had been loosely pulled back and pinned in place. As Patricia spritzed some type of hair product in to hold it, Avery turned towards Allison who was having her hair straightened before being slightly waved. After some hair product was applied, Allison's hair looked as if it were in choppy layers that framed her faced perfectly.
Makeup came next, Avery and Allison's makeup being similar. Both had the foundation applied though Allison's blush and eye shadow was a bit darker than Avery's. While Avery had nude lipstick applied, Allison had a light burgundy applied.
Once the girls took some time to coo over their makeup and hair, Patrica pulled off a dress bag from the rack while Rebekah gathered up the box below said dress bag from the floor and another from the vanity.
"Okay." Patricia smiled as she delicately held the bag. "Time for dresses!"
Melissa, Avery, Allison, and Lydia all beamed as Rebekah moved towards the bed with her two boxes. "Up first, we need Melissa to strip out of her robe and shimmy into her LBD."
Allison and Lydia giggled as Melissa clutched at the ties to her robe but seeing as they were all of the same sex, Melissa threw caution to the wind and let her robe fall. "LBD?" Avery's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Little black dress." Patricia answered her with a smile as she unzipped the bag in her hands.
The dress inside was indeed a little black dress with only one shoulder whose sleeve ran all the way down to her wrist. Patricia immediately set out to unzip the back of the dress and passed it to Melissa who stepped inside, the fabric of the dress clinging desperately to her curves. As Patricia zipped Melissa up and quickly refixed her hair, Rebekah smiled as she opened up one of the boxes and pulled out a pair of black side-zip peep toe boots, and handed them to their owner. Melissa leaned against the bed with a grin as she slipped her feet inside her shoes and by the time she was standing on her own two feet and smoothing down the hem of her dress, Rebekah was standing in front of her with a gold and black mask sitting in the palms of her hands.
There were intricate black and gold swirls along the entirety of the mask which would cover her eyes to the tops of her cheeks and the tip of her nose, with a bit of lace along the outside of the mask. As Melissa took it and held it to her face, Patrica stood behind her as she gathered up the black ribbons of the mask and tied it in place.
Lydia was next to be dressed, followed by Avery, and then Allison. Each female cooed over their dress, masks, and shoes- the three teens squealing when they were all dolled up and masked for the night.
Lydia's dress was a strapless, form-fitted top with a tulle skirt in teal and an underlying pale yellow that flared from her waist to knees. There was a flower design on the left of her chest with peacock feathers below it and her mask was that of black laser cut venetian masquerade mask with sparkling rhinestones.
Avery's dress was a bit more vintage- the strapless dress being a rustic yellow lace with a wide black lace belt and black lace trimmings. Her mask was a metal black laser cut venetian half mask that was inspired by the Phantom of the Opera.
And lastly, Allison's dress was a vintage black and white floral strapless. The top was form-fitting and the skirt flared out in a poof around her knees. Her mask was also a black laser cut though her mask didn't cover anything besides her eyes.
As the four of them squealed and laughed and praised each other's outfit- Patricia and Rebekah silently took their leave from the room. They hadn't paid much attention to time but when Avery's phone chimed from the bed and she stumbled in her heels to go retrieve it, she realized it was nearing seven at night.
"Who is it?" Lydia immediately asks while Avery opens up the text.
"Danny." She replied as she scanned over the text. "He and Ethan were wondering what time they should show up and where to pick up their masks. But I don't know when so now I have to beckon Elijah."
Without a glance at her friends, she walked over to the bedroom door and cracked it open before bellowing out his name. With a grin, she teetered back to her friends before the door fully opened and Elijah stepped in dressed in a dark suit and undershirt with a dark navy tie.
It was the first time any of them sans Avery had seen Elijah look annoyed but the moment he opened his mouth and his eyes swept across them- he snapped his mouth shut and did a double take before grinning. "I must say, ladies, you all look extraordinarily beautiful tonight." Everyone smiled happily, murmuring their 'thanks' as he then turned to Avery. "What seems to be the problem that has you shouting like a lunatic?"
Avery didn't even bat an eye at the lunatic comment. "One of my guests is wondering when he and his boyfriend should show? What time should I give him?"
"Festivities will start at eight. Is that all?"
"Nope." She smiled as she quickly replied to Danny's text, telling him to show up a tad bit earlier so they could mingle together beforehand. "Danny and Ethan need masks. More than likely, they'll want to put theirs on before mingling with everyone else."
Elijah pursed his lips in contemplation before nodding. "There is security that will standing by the archway outside that leads into the backyard where everyone is entering. I'll leave two masks with him so just tell your friends to give their names and he'll hand their masks over."
"Sweet. Thanks, Elijah! Now when can we go downstairs or see the guys? Are they dressed?"
"The boys are currently downstairs and gorging themselves on candy much to Nik's amusement." Elijah told them with a quick twitch of his lips. "And as for your first question, you all can appear shortly. I'll send someone to retrieve you in a few moments."
Avery was ready to argue before something caught her attention. "Yeah but- hey! Where did Rebekah and Patricia go?"
Melissa snorted at Avery's attention span before Elijah answered her. "The stylists have done their job and took their leave. It was what they were paid to do."
"Yeah but I kind of liked them." Avery frowned. "They were nice."
"I'm sure they were." Elijah bowed his head. "Now if that is all, I must go ensure that my brother and your brother are staying out of trouble."
Avery laughed but let him leave. "Okay. We'll be waiting and if you take longer than thirty minutes to retrieve us, we'll march our own asses down there!"
The only answer she received was the resounding click of the door shutting.
..
..
After a good ten minutes of keeping themselves occupied, a knock finally sounded at the door. Sighing in relief, Avery went to open the door only to be met by four people standing outside the room. Squealing in surprise and delight, Avery hopped in place before launching herself at the two males and two females. "Oh my god! You guys are here. When did you get here?!"
Chuckling as they merely smiled at her enthusiasm, Avery grabbed the two females by hand and dragged them into the room before they could answer. The two females looked the complete opposite- the brunette being thinner and taller than the slightly curvier and shorter blonde.
The brunette who looked to have a mischievous twinkle in her warm brown eyes which only looked more mischievous behind her delicate lace mask, smirked down at Avery. "Elijah told us he was throwing a Ball and after we heard the real reason for you leaving us, we just had to come visit you."
"Yeah." The blonde finally piped up, her light blue eyes sparkling with youth and joy- blonde curls bouncing in her excitement. "I can't believe you have a twin! It's almost scary at how alike you two look."
Avery opened her mouth to reply but a throat clearing behind her cut her off. As Avery witnessed her two friend's gaze in front of her dart over her shoulders, Avery suddenly remembered she had her other group of friends still there. "Crap! I'm sorry." She turned to her Beacon Hills gang only to find Lydia with an eyebrow quirked at her in questioning. "Ladies, this is Kathleen," She gestured to the tall brunette before gesturing to the blonde. "-and this is Cindy. Kathleen, Cindy- this is Allison, Lydia, and Momma McCall but I'm sure she'll want you to call her Melissa." There was a chorus of hey's and hello's before yet another throat was cleared- this time coming from behind Kathleen and Cindy. Avery turned to the boys, grinning all the while. "And the slightly taller male standing behind Cindy is David while his brother next to him is Samuel."
Samuel smiled politely at Avery's new friends while David smirked mischievously at Melissa. "Momma, huh?" He said before elbowing his brother, his own blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "MILF or what?"
Avery, Lydia, and Kathleen all snorted while Allison and Cindy muffled their laughter with their hand. Samuel's dull green eyes nearly bulged out of his head and Melissa looked a mixture of horrified and proud. "Dude." Avery finally laughed while shaking her head. "No. Just no. I hope you know Melissa's a hip mom so she knows what that term means."
David's expression faltered a bit before he gave in and shrugged. "I only speak the truth. Besides, she has some killer legs."
As all eyes darted to said legs, Melissa nervously balancing her weight from foot to foot. "Well while I'm flattered, I'm a bit old for you, young man." She chuckled nervously.
This time it was Samuel, Kathleen, and Cindy who snorted in amusement. "Uh, not really." Avery smiled sheepishly at Melissa. "If anything, you're too young for him." She said before turning to David. "How old are you? Nearing three hundred already?" David pouted and grumbled while his brother and friends laughed. "They're vampires." Avery admitted to her Beacon Hills gang. "They're the ones who would help out when things got sticky back in New Orleans. The only ones who Nik and Elijah trust dearly with my life."
After everyone got over the shock that these four were vampires because they looked so young- which they turned out to be right with three out of the four having been in their teens when turned- Kathleen instructed them that they could now go downstairs.
As everyone adjusted their masks and made sure their hair was perfectly in place- David and Samuel each pulled out masks from their inner coat pocket. While both of their masks covered most of their forehead, nose, and cheekbones- David's differed from Samuel's in color. While David's was a deep purple, Samuel's was a deep red. Cindy pulled her mask out as well, hers having been hidden somewhere behind her back but unlike the others, her mask was held on a stick that she had to hold up on her own instead of tying behind her head.
Soon enough, they were all walking leisurely out of the room and towards the stairs only to be stopped by David. He quickly called out their descent before turning to Avery and her friends- telling them that they were to walk down one by one. Nik demanded it. And with a quick eye roll and shrug to his friend when Avery requested why, he quickly took Cindy by the hand and led her down the stairs as Samuel helped Kathleen.
When Avery saw her family and friends gather at the foot of the stairs, and all their mumbling came to an abrupt halt- she quickly ducked behind Melissa and told Scott's mom to take the lead. With muffled laughter, Melissa shook her head and descended the steps only to have her picture taken by some stranger with a fancy camera. As the pictures snapped away, Lydia went next and smiled at everyone's praising eyes before Allison followed, and finally Avery.
It seemed with the makeup and hair stylists, Nik and Elijah had also hired a professional photographer to capture the night's events.
After the quick praising of the girl's in their dresses, Avery sidled up next to Isaac and wound her arm through his. It was after everyone's compliments that Avery finally decided to take in all the males and their attire. She had already seen Elijah in his suit, though now he wore a rounded black mask that covered just his eyes. Nik wore the traditional black and white tux, and a bow tie but his mask was more detailed than the others. His mask was similar to Avery's with the Phantom of the Opera theme though his was a solid cracked white with gold swirls.
She expected to her Dad to be in a suit like the others but after staring at him and questioning his choice of a blazer over a black dress shirt- John shrugged and said he was more comfortable in a blazer than a suit- his mask was the same as Elijah's. Stiles' outfit was more unique than the others- his suit being a dark gray plaid with a hint of underlying red lines, and his undershirt was a deep red color. Stiles' mask was made out of leather and had a batman vibe going on with it's sharp edges.
Scott's attire was rather unique as well, he being the only one to pull off a white suit white a vanilla colored vest beneath his jacket. His mask was the second most detailed- his venetian mask varying in colors of bronze, white, and gold- and metallic gold swirls.
As they mingled about at the bottom of the stairs, Avery couldn't help but realize how Allison gravitated towards Scott, Melissa towards John, and Lydia towards Stiles. Everyone seemed to pair off sans Elijah and Nik- though the two brothers were highly content in watching everyone coming together and getting along. When she felt a tug at her elbow, her head snapped to the side and she let her eyes slowly rake up Isaac's suit-clad form. He too wore the classic black and white suit though his tie was loosely tied and hung around his neck. As her eyes continued their upward journey, she caught his impish grin before her eyes landed on the rustic gold and black harlequin mask.
"See something you like?" He mumbled.
Avery chuckled and her eyes twinkled as she reached up, her fingers raking through his curls. "You clean up nice."
"Not as nice as you."
The couple hear various groans and snickers from the group surrounding them and as Avery and Isaac look up- sure enough- everyone is staring back at them with amused expressions.
"If you two are done," Nik flashes them a dimpled smirk. "-may we now proceed to the festivities? Our guests are starting to arrive."
"Yeah, yeah." Avery grumbles as each pair of her friends hooked arms with the person nearest them.
Elijah and Nik led the way to a set of glass doors towards the back of their home. The doors are shut, curtains blocking their view of the outside, but with much more force necessary to open them- Nik and Elijah swing the doors open for the family and friends to see their creation.
The back yard is bigger than what Avery thought, the back yard being set up like no other party she's seen them throw before. There's a medium-sized stone patio that they briefly pause on before walking down the few steps and onto the grass. To the left of the yard, there's the opening in which guests are pushing through curtains of web and fake fog. A strobe light is hidden somewhere in the fog casting eerie shadows on the wall as the guests enter.
There's a small face-painting booth along the edge of the yard, a couple of children already lingering about as their parents watch on. There's various tables of snacks, candy bags, and drinks- and even a fountain towards the back middle of the yard where smoke is emanating from. To the right of the fountain, there are two photo booths which Lydia is already eyeing gleefully, a giant tin tub with a sign declaring 'Bob for an apple and win a Prize!', and finally a small stage where the DJ booth is set up with yet more strobe lights flashing eerily.
And finally, in the middle of it all, there's a wooden dance floor that's nestled in the grass.
"Wow. These guys really go all out."
As the sudden and familiar voice, Avery and friends turn to find Danny and Ethan smiling at them.
"You made it!" Avery cheered. "And you got your masks!" She laughs when she sees they're normal rectangular masks that covers the eye area.
"Yeah. Thanks, by the way." Ethan nodded at her.
"It's no problem. You two can thank me later by squeezing in one of the photo booths with me."
Danny and Ethan agreed while Elijah cleared his throat and gained everyone's attention. "Yes, well, you lot go mingle and play. In half an hour, when more guests arrive, we'll really get things going."
With a mischievous wink towards Avery- who had no idea what he meant by that- Lydia ignored the vague statement before dragging herself and Allison towards the photo booth.
They were going to have many mementos before the night was through.
..
..
With more and more guests arriving and mingling with their every day friends, Avery wondered just what it was that Elijah meant. Halloween themed music softly filled the air, children lined up to have their face painted while others won stuffed animals at the 'bobbing for apples' tank, and others squeezed into the photo booths with peels of laughter. All the while, Nik and Elijah were playing the perfect hosts as they greeted each and every one of their guests.
Surprisingly, both of Avery's groups of friends perfectly got along as they took turns taking pictures in the photo booths. Melissa and John were both surprised to find that other Nurses and a couple of Deputies- along with their families- had got invited and not one person was left alone for the night.
When the music suddenly cut off and the tapping of a mic filled the air, everyone halted in their spots and turned to the DJ booth where Elijah and Nik were standing side-by-side- mics in hand.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, my brother and I would like to start things off by saying thank you for welcoming us into your small town." Elijah paused to smile at the crowd.
"We'd also like to thank you for coming out and celebrating one of my favorite holidays with someone near and dear to my brother and I. Avery, if you will?" Nik smirked out into the crowd.
Avery's face immediately reddened upon being called up even more so when Nik held his hand and signaled for her to come up. With a slight push from both Isaac and Stiles, Avery stumbled forward and cursed both her boyfriend and twin in her mind.
"Avery, as you all know since this is a small town, was the long lost daughter of the Sheriff." Elijah went on to speak as Avery took her spot between the two Reynolds. "It was my brother and I who were the legal guardians of her before she found her true relatives, and it is her presence as well as her father's and brother's that brought us here."
"We got to know the Stilinski family," Nik smirked into his mic. "-and have come to think of them as family of our own. So tonight, we shall celebrate not only family ties but those of friendship within your close knit community."
During the brief pause, there was a moment of applause before the party goers settled down.
"So now that that's out of the way, we're going to kick this Ball off- like any other Ball- with a dance. It's a favorite of mine and it's known as The Broken Tango."
Avery tensed at Elijah's words and became nervous once he asked for the dance floor to be cleared. She watched as Kathleen and Cindy took their spots on one side with wide smiles while Samuel and David stood opposite them across the floor. Excited murmurs spread throughout the crowd as everyone gathered around and just when Avery was about to sneak off to take her place by Isaac, she felt a tug at her elbow and found herself being led onto the floor.
Eyes wide, Avery's head snapped up to meet Nik's dimpled face. "What are you doing?!" She hissed at him through a fake smile.
"Isn't it obvious, kitten? We're going to dance." Nik shoved her towards Kathleen and Cindy- the two girls who then placed Avery between them as they spread out on their side.
"Oh my god." Avery groaned, quickly looking for an escape only to hear the music suddenly fill the air- the violins creating the perfect melody for this dance. She quickly peered over her shoulder to find her twin and dad staring at her- the both of them not knowing she could dance. Everyone else- boyfriend included- all had their phones out and pointed at her. "You guys seriously suck." She mumbled as she and her friends schooled their features to look disinterested, Nik standing directly in front of her across the floor. "When we switch it up, I call David as my partner."
"You can call whoever you want." Cindy muttered. "Just shutup and dance."
..
..
John watched as his teen daughter took her place between her two friends. The girls stood off on one side and faced off with the boys who stood opposite them. When Elijah said they were to dance the broken tango and he saw Nik lead her to the floor, he and Melissa both gasped at the new knowledge that Avery knew this dance.
When they had gotten to know each other, not once did Avery mention she knew how to dance let alone know how to dance the tango. It was such a grown-up dance that as he watched his daughter transform from the nervous and groaning teen to the sophisticated young lady who squared her shoulders and held her head high- he quickly mumbled to Melissa to record the dance.
As John quickly glanced down the edge of the dance floor- he saw every single one of his son's and Avery's friends with their phone out and Stiles finally realizing what was going on as he too finally struggled to free his phone from his pocket.
The moment the music hit a particular note, his gaze darted to the dance floor where both sets of girls and boys stepped up to each other in time with the beat. As each couple approached their dancing partner, the girls each raised a hand and pressed the males back before simultaneously bowing their heads.
Slowly but surely, the girls raised their heads as one of their own hands brushed up along their own arm and across their chest. Facing off with the men and slowly circling each other, the girls sensually placed one hand in the boys while the boys used their other hand to cup the girls upper back and bring them closer together.
As the lyrics came in, the dancing couples slowly walked around each other- turning this way and that way before the men spun the girls- the girls kicking high in the air before they were lowered in a lean and then released to twirl to a new dancing partner.
When Avery collided with David in an intimate hug, John nudged Melissa. "Are you seeing this?"
"Mhm." Melissa hummed as she followed Avery and David with her camera phone. "She's beautiful out there. Claudia would've loved this."
"Indeed." he agreed.
The three couples continued their dance with sharp looks to the left then right, each couple circling around the dance floor in a sophisticated manner. There were sharp twists and turns, the girls falling back only to be caught seconds later by the men's arm behind their head and then lifted so they could start the tango once more. There were more turns before a dramatic drop to the floor that had the men holding the girls before they could fully fall, lifts that had the females freezing in air as the men twirled them in place, and then more turns with kicks as they maneuvered around the floor.
John watched in awe as his daughter moved about beautifully before the music came to a dramatic close that had David holding his daughter's thigh by his hip and dropping her upper body backwards in a dip toward the ground only to freeze in position.
The crowd of onlookers immediately broke out into a loud applause before the dancing couples stood, adjusted their clothes, and took a small bow before slinking off the floor.
"That was beautiful!" Melissa immediately gushed when Avery was in hearing distance.
Avery and her vampire friends took the praise they were given as Elijah and Nik got back on the mic- telling everyone to enjoy the rest of their night before music filled the air once more. Not only was there a professional photographer snapping pictures of the night's events but the local newspaper photographer was there as well. As soon as Avery was enveloped in a hug by John, the local photographer asked the Sheriff if he could snap a picture of him and his kids before snapping one of his family along with the hosts of the party.
When Avery finally found her spot next to Isaac once more, he raised his eyebrows in obvious amusement and slow clapped. "That was.. unexpected. And sexy as hell."
Laughing, she playfully shoved him. "Shutup. Nik and Elijah made me learn loads of things."
"I'm glad they did." He laughed along with her.
Taking his hand in hers, Avery started to drag Isaac towards the photo booths. "Come on, we need to take our cliché boyfriend and girlfriend pics. We have to capture at least one kiss." Isaac chuckled and easily agreed to go along with her. "And then we're getting our faces painted and taking more pics."
True to her word, Avery made Isaac make all sorts of weird facial expressions- majority of them having his eyes closed because the flash affected them- but they came out cute nonetheless.
Isaac didn't want to have his face painted because he was rather fond of his mask so in the end, Avery wrangled Stiles into having his face painted in the same skeleton manner as her own.
If you're curious about the dance, go to Youtube and search: Jazmine Sullivan - Bust Your Windows (OST Step Up 3D)
Outfits and Masks are all on Polyvore in two different sets so head on over there and enjoy!