CHAPTER 4: PREPARATION
"School is awesome!" AVA punched the air.
"Yeah, just you wait. Stay a little longer here and Professor Stein might just dissect you for picking fights in his class everyday," Kid joked as he strolled beside AVA with his hands behind his head.
"But those weren't even proper fights! Plus, I still keep up with my good grades."
AVA turned around when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"AVA, you shouldn't be getting involved in fights everyday. There's no point when you're obviously stronger than most of them," Kid stated, "Why don't you find yourself a weapon and train with us instead? Or I'm sure that my father could find you a partner."
"Thanks, you're the best Kid," AVA lightly punched his arm as she opened her locker. She didn't even have time to jump out of the way before an avalanche of envelopes crashed upon her. "Aarrrrrggghhhhhh! What the heck was that?"
"I think they are invitations to tonight's Masquerade ball," Kid observed as he hauled AVA out, "You're quite popular with the girls."
"Don't even remind me," AVA groaned aloud as she recalled the declines of numerous confessions she got during class, not to mention the death glares the boys have been giving her. "Technically, aren't I suppose to be a girl-repelling magnet? You know what with the blindfold and such?" She blushed at the last word.
Kid grinned evilly at the hidden meaning, "I don't really know, I would have thought your cover would had been blown ages ago. Funny that Maka doesn't even suspect a thing." They pushed through the pile of envelopes to create a path to AVA's locker.
"What am I suppose to do with all this?!" AVA panicked as she placed her books back into her locker. This was getting annoying - and creepy. "I can't possibly read through all of them even if... you know... if I was a boy..." Her words went incredibly soft at the last words.
"I don't know," Kid placed a hand on his chin in thought, "Burn them? Recycle them? Or pass them on to other boys?"
"Burn them it is then," AVA decided as she brought over a black rubbish bin bag and stuffed the letters in, their edges crumpling. "Got to burn it at home though, don't want any extra attention going around yet again. Plus, it's too cruel to burn them in front of everyone. Think of how much effort all the girls put into a tiny slip of paper."
"I really don't get girls too," Kid agreed as he help haul the burden back home, muttering about spreading the letters out evenly in order to get a symmetrical fire.
AVA grinned as a devilish idea sprung to her mind, "Kid, how would you know that spreading it out evenly would make the fire symmetrical? We all write differently and in different amounts, right? So what if the different amounts of paper in each one will make the fire asymmetrical?"
Kid froze in shock and fear. He slapped his hand to his forehead, "Why didn't I think of that?!" He started paling at the possible case scenario.
AVA made a face of mock horror, "What if the different types of ink they use will mess up the fire's symmetrical beauty?!" She laughed inside. Lord Death, this is too funny to watch! she thought to herself.
"We can't let that happen, AVA!" Kid had crumpled into a mess of hot tears and snot. Honestly, he could either sometimes be a high-class Shinigami son or a small baby bawling over his melted ice cream.
Patty chose that specific moment to bounce into lobby of his home. "Hey, Kid! What are you crying over?" She poked his left cheek playfully.
Kid slapped her hand away, "Patty, don't poke me on one cheek! It's not symmetrical!"
AVA seized this chance to say, "Crying is not symmetrical either, Kid. So please stop."
Kid picked himself off the floor, dusting down his black suit. He gave a last sniffle and nodded at AVA in thanks. Patty busied herself by dancing with imaginary purple giraffes as he composed himself.
"Can we go now, Kid?" Patty asked, "I wanna go to the ball quickly. The rest are already there and I can hear laughing from here. Their having fun without us, Kid. Pretty please with a cherry on top?" She pouted at him.
"Patty, the physical appearance of the word 'please' does not matter to me," Kid sighed, "We're waiting for AVA."
"No, no. You should go first with Patty," AVA glanced at the clock, "I got to go shower quickly anyways. Liz promised to beautify me for tonight's DWMA masquerade ball. Just go ahead without me when you're done, I'll catch up with Liz."
"You coming in a suit and tie?" Kid asked.
"Ugh, yeah," AVA crossed her finger discreetly behind the schoolbag she was currently holding, "Don't worry, I'll make sure its symmetrical as best as I can."
"Good," Kid gave her an approving nod before turning around to leave, mumbling something about how great it was that another person understood the perfection of symmetry. "Don't worry, we'll fix any imperfections later, I'll help you if you want."
AVA forced a smile on and waved goodbye. She shuddered on the inside as she tried to picture Kid going on another of his symmetry rampages. Not a good scenario.
She raced up the stairs in record time, dumping her schoolbag to the side, and shut herself into the bathroom. AVA didn't want Kid to know, but she was going as a girl, and she was excited.
AVA slowly began unwinding the bandages wrapped tightly around her chest. She breathed a sigh of relief as they released their iron vice-like grip. Being a boy was more painful than she anticipated. The cool water was refreshing and cleansing against her gritty skin from the outdoors as it skimmed over her body. After a thorough lathering and shampooing, AVA stepped out and hastily wrapped herself in a fluffy towel from the rack and squeezed any excess water out of her hair. She was lucky that her blindfold was waterproof.
AVA tiptoed into the corridor and entered Liz's room. "Liz? Where are you?"
"Right here!" Liz stumbled out from her closet, "Just on time! I just found the perfect dress for you! You're going to look absolutely beautiful!" She giggled aloud, "AVA do me a favor, sweep Kid right off his feet once I'm done with you."
Liz winked and AVA blushed at her words. "I don't consider Kid like that, he's my friend. Nothing more, nothing less."
AVA felt her being pulled towards somewhere by Liz, "Blah, but that's obviously not how he feels about you. Don't you feel the stares he gives you every ten seconds? Stand still, I'll help you into your dress."
Glad for the change in topic, AVA obeyed while blushing furiously all the while and relished at the smooth satin of the dress as Liz zipped her up. When was the last time she had worn a dress over trousers? Fine satin over coarse cotton? The continuous wear of boy clothes had worn down on her taste. I mean really, what are they trying to prove here? Itch-resistant skin?
"AVA, the dress really compliments your figure, it's a shame that you have to be a boy. You never really told me why either," Liz mumbled through a mouthful of makeup brushes as she moved on to AVA's face. AVA struggled not to turn away from the tickling hair of the brushes as Liz applied blush on to her.
AVA fingered the dress material to take her mind off the tickling, "Soon, maybe tonight, but not now," she said, "How's my hair coming along?"
"You're so lucky that you didn't cut your hair so short. There's actually quite a lot to work with," Liz abandoned the makeup and lifted a strand of hair, examining it. "How about a half up half down style, maybe with a few curled strands at the side?" Liz scrambled about for nearby hairdryer and started trying to tame AVA's tangle of hair whilst armed with non-frizz mousse in the other hand.
AVA just shrugged, she wouldn't be able to judge it anyways... Or can she? That thought got her thinking. She grabbed at Liz's wrist.
"Liz, I want to take it off," she whispered.
Liz froze, immediately switching off the hairdryer and changing into a face of concern, " Take what off, AVA? Is the dress uncomfortable? But it looks so good on you!"
"The blindfold, Liz."
"Oh," realisation dawned on Liz, "Are you sure? Are your eyes healed properly?"
"I can feel the light and dark, does that count?"
"Pfft," Liz scratched her head, "I guess. It is your choice after all." She went behind AVA and daintily grasped the two ends of the blindfold - and pulled.
The black silk fluttered in the air, dancing its final recital, before settling down on the carpeted floor. AVA could feel the light shining through her lids and her own long eyelashes brushing against the bottom of her eyes.
"It seems okay so far, you want to try opening your eyes?" Liz stood in front of AVA, checking her lids for any blemishes. "Go ahead and try."
AVA snapped her eyes open, Liz screamed.
"What Liz?! Is something wrong?! What's wrong?!" AVA finally laid eyes on a model-like teenager with long blonde straight hair that was presumably Liz, holding her hands over her eyes.
"Lord Death, your eyes are silver!" Liz squeaked.
AVA felt sad all of a sudden, her sky high bubble mood burst. "I'm sorry I scared you, Liz,"she whispered and she sank into a nearby chair. Lord Death, what was she doing here?! She didn't fit in with them, she was an abomination. AVA drew her legs up on to the seat and burrowed deep into the folds of her dress. She wished she could disappear, but Liz surprised her back.
"What? Scared me?! Oh no AVA, I just got your makeup all wrong! We'll have to redo the whole thing over again to match with your eyes! Hurry! Only 8 minutes left!" Liz dragged AVA back to the dresser, "Oh by the way, I love your eyes."
AVA felt a smile tugging on to her lips and didn't do anything to stop it. Now that was the Liz she knew.