I had made it to the ball... I remembered the place; I remembered listening to the same unnerving but strangely hypnotizing music that's being played on the sound system at the moment. A welcome party backed by the crazy family... I looked for a chair to sit on and a table and I was stranded, waiting for my friends.. Anticipating anyone of them to show up straight away..

I was wearing a short pixie dress… The strapless kind, wizened with prickly diamonds and white stones interchangeably etched at the bosom fabric and persisted nether… The dress was over my knees and the dress ends crisscrossed with mundane fibers draping, feeling my skin delicately. I felt bare. So did all my classmates because we all wore the same fashion.

The powdery make up smeared on my face were hurting my eyes and my nose was just red from sneezing. We all fixed light needleworks on our heads. It was frost with white snowflake shaped dusts that glistened at the ball lights every time. The fairy wings which had come with the dress wouldn't let me rest my back to the chair; my steady position was wearing me out.

A hand casually hit my head like a drum.

"Hey, Jenny, let's dance…"

It was Dee wearing the same dress. I smiled recognizing her.

"No Dee, thank you. I think I'm going to pass for now… my dancing would not mix well with the music Dee, you know that."

I straightened my back and maintained sitting uncomfortably.

"Go ahead and have fun without me, by the way you look amazing..."

Dee withdrew her hand, grimaced, her lips quivered indignantly...

"Darn, Jenny, you know I hate this dress, much less this fishnet wings! Anyway, I'm not dancing WITHOUT you…", she said that, not after she dragged a chair and placed it and sat right next to me.

"Ok Dee, but I'm telling you... You will-get bored…"

"Bored? With you? Impossible. But, you have been acting strange since we got here... I think you best start taking your pills again Jenny. You nearly jumped off the bus yesterday, that was funny, exciting but, ordinary girls do not do that."

I snuck out a hand and stroke her dark hair to tease her, she pushed my hand away, frowning.

"I bet a million peso you don't consider yourself one of these ordinary girls, now do you Dee…"

"Ha ha ha. You know me. But you are ordinary.. oh well, or.. Or have been one."

"So I have been told…" I stared vacantly and then let out a sudden laugh.

I buried my face on both my hands. Took them off shortly after and raised them up and declared,

"Thanks Dee,… And I started the pills this morning, so don't worry. And Dee, you're so pretty you're drying my throat,"

Just like that, Dee stood up.

"Ok then, Jenny, I will get us a drink and you better not let anyone sit on my chair, and I mean anyone who look like Aubrey."

I hastily stood up and did curtsy, as I said, "As you wish, malady."

Dee ignored me and pursued the nearest person who dressed like an attendant. I smiled faintly and took my sit again.

And I realized Dee was right. I wasn't having fun. I was eccentrically quiet. Usually I was out to squeeze every other person in the room... I was the one everybody turned to, to organize events like this and they always end great. But, this time, I was afraid of moving about too much...

I was afraid of those dreadful strange blue eyes fixing on me everywhere I go...

"I hope you're having fun…" a voice said flatly.. That voice I would identify merely when I hear it.

I turned my head towards the strange source. Speak of the devil.

He was standing only an inch from me, eyeing me with those unnerving cobalt eyes half closed but still wide. His big eye pupils mirrored the ball lights all around us. He was wearing a neat black suit. His wet glinting silver hair looked stunning properly fixed to the back, but some messy strands escaped and wildly slumped to his forehead. He could not look more boyish. My stomach heaved; I had to force myself to look away.

And I wanted to get away but my body would not let me. I guess there was just something about him that made me want to stay a bit longer. I don't know…

My hands were sweating extraordinarily; or so I didn't think that was normal. He was making me anxious. He stood there, just eyeing me as I straightened out my feeble dress to cover my cold, bare knees, a failed attempt.

"I said I hope you're having fun...?" he persisted again, but this time, cheery, still deterring.

The boy was mocking me and he wasn't even trying hard. I couldn't retort. What could I say?

Anyway, he was not contented just yet. He went on walking in an annoying manly cat-like grace, circling my table almost in slow motion, and then stopped, and sat on Dee's chair, sitting with ankles crossed. Dee would be furious.

I slowly raised my eyes to look at his sardonic mug, beckoning him to leave.

He nodded instantly, I thought he knew what I meant but instead of leaving, he just remained seated like a spoiled aristocrat, and he sighed. He raised an eyebrow, tilted his head, and displayed a very creepy smile.

Right then, I knew I was losing. I looked down uncomplainingly, at least to stop myself from attacking him.

And then I saw it. I fixed my eye over the year aged scar on my right knee. I trailed over the thing's grotesque form for a long moment. It was only a scar that destroyed my life.

I snapped. Desperate ideas piled up... I decided what I must do to the prick. Quickly, I made the decision to stand up; it was too sudden that I startled even myself. I moved my chair over. At a snail's pace, I positioned myself where nobody could see me, knelt down and made my hands touch the top of his suit. I bowed my head and said...

"Julian, please don't act like that. Mr. Nico is my teacher and he's like a father to me and now I know that he's your brother and if I have known that ahead of I wouldn't have come. I'm sorry. If you would just pretend that you do not know me… please,"

I waited for him to respond, I slowly looked up, I wanted to see his reaction. I got NOTHING. He just gawked at me.

So much for the effort, I thought. I was in the middle of standing up when I felt his long arty hand on my shoulder blade. I looked up again and his face was just rigid, looking absorbed.

"If you have known that ahead of, you wouldn't have dared to c-.."

He stopped.

As if he waited for me to say something. His every muscle seemed tensed. I could feel that in his clutch on me. When he did not get a respond, he went on.

"Anyway, I am sure, that, that isn't the point. I mean, I knew it. I knew somebody got to you. I am not aware of what that person said to you that made you leave and I don't care. But, I want you to tell me. I want you to tell me who that eejit is and I will give him a break he will never get over..."

I gulped a lump in my throat and looked up. He should never know who.

"No.. It's you. You... You disgust me-You're disgusting…." I said drily.

"You're only human when you have that wristlet on! I mean, what is my future with you? What will my children look like? I will tell you what. My future will be nothing; my children will be chimeras. And I will regret every day of my life to be stuck with you in this hell island. You see where I am getting at?"

I breathe hard after. That was mean but, I had to lie. For my best. For his best too. The question is, if I was convincing enough..

He looked hurt. He glanced at the trivial people around us, and then back to me, for a very long moment.

I was trying to guess what he was thinking when he suddenly broke it off. He let out a forced smile but that quickly fade away. Oddly, he fixed my chair, gripped my elbow with his other hand and then he helped me up to sit.

He just gawked again, waiting for something, perhaps something like "I was just joking, sorry to offend you.." out from my face. But I couldn't give him that although I wanted to do so really.

I gawked back. I smiled indistinctly. He did the same.

And then, like an unscathed little boy, he dragged his chair closer. He raised his two long pale hands and buried them over my shoulders and hauled me close to him. Too close. I could smell. He smelled like lime.. He was about to kiss me.

Unfortunately-I mean thankfully, I was wrong. He took my chin and turned my face to one side. I felt his upper lip rub my ear, while he whispered,

"Is that how it is,.."

"Yes..."

"Okey, Jenny.. See, I gave you a chance but you blew it." He stood up.

"You have to realize. You are dead to me. I'll break you if you're still here in the morning.."

And then I was alone, sitting still. Hands shook uncontrollably. I placed them over my knees, quietly directing them to stop shaking..

My mind tried to take in what just happened... But as if time had stopped. I ignored it and I found myself tracing over my scar's grotesque shape once again….

….I really wished for a quiet and safe stay… but I guess, that was impossible let alone in this place. And then, Dee returned with the drinks.