Tattoos ➳ 𝓜𝓲𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓾𝓵𝓸𝓾𝓼 𝓢𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓐𝓤

Epiphany at the ball

It was a chaotic night for the girls. The moon shone upon the hotel, sending bright beams of light that reflected off the scattered jewellery which was sprawled across the floor. While chaos occurred, I simply watched the dazzling, dancing patterns on the ceiling as a product of the shiny accessories. It was an utter disaster, truly. The boys had already left ten minutes ago to be escorted to the ball, while we were prancing around trying to prepare. Voices could be heard from every room, and my friends could be seen running between each door, to and from, and across the hallway. 

"Where did that hair straightener go? I needed it after Juleka!"

"Has anyone seen my necklace and rings?" I heard someone else say. Glancing down at the jewellery in the hall, I decided that they were abandoned and undecided if they should be worn. I would say something to put a halt to all this madness, but at this point I was considered invisible. 

"Girls, please! Where is my right shoe- oh there is is. Nevermind!" Someone else shouted running across the hallway to another room.

"Ah, my god! I can't do it. I can't do the other side of the winged eye liner," another said, panic quickly filling their voice. Suddenly another voice replied back twice as loud from a couple doors down. 

"Ask Marinette, she's good at it!"

"Oh yeah, where is that girl?" I heard another say, all while I'm standing in the centre of the hallway watching the drama unfold around me before my very eyes. I continue to watch them scurry in and out of the rooms like feral rats. 

"Marinette?" Alya said going door to door, peaking inside. "Is she even ready?" I heard her utter again while she then ran across the hall, lifting up her fiery red dress in the process. I simply put my hands on my hips and sighed, waiting for her to realise. I should've brought some popcorn, I thought, getting tired of her searching. 

"Alya!" I said interrupting her before she checked yet another room. She turned around, a frantic look on her face, her chest huffing and puffing away the exhaustion of running in heels. You could see the moment relief had filled her face. 

"Oh my god- Marinette! Look- your dress! You look...amazing!" She ran to me with her arms out, her high-heels making soft tapping noised against the patterned carpet. She brought me to a hug, a difficult hug at that, due to our poufy dresses. "Girls! Get a look at this," she called down the hall, her voice practically bouncing off the walls and entering each room. Slowly, they came out, one by one- clearly ready to go.

"Hey Marinette, how long have you been there?" Alex said coming out in her black, ripped dress and chunky platforms. I'de tell her the whole time, but I'll spare them all the embarrassment, I snickered. 

"Woah, Marinette. Your dress! Where did you buy that?" Rose said, sprinting over to play with the layered frills. The rest of my friends gathered around me and touched the material and begged me to do a twirl. 

"Ah, actually I made it myself. It took a couple of months but I made it in advance," I told them and thanked them for the over flowing compliments. 

"Okay, but seriously. We are almost twenty minutes behind schedule. Let's go," Alya said pushing everyone out into the elevator. We were now all ready to be escorted to the formal ball.

⥈

I already knew going to a 'formal ball' meant it would be fancy, but not this fancy. How rich could this Australian school be to host such an extravagant event. We were guided down the stairs, stairs of pure marble so glossy, I could see the texture of my dress in the reflection. The hand rail was smooth and cool to the touch, and I felt as though I was a Disney princess walking down the grand stairs to the dancing floor. My eyes followed the large pillars up high into the ceiling, which felt like an endless amount of space from the floor and up.

Is- is that gold?  I thought as we reached the bottom of the stair case. It sparkled and felt solid for a vase. Wouldn't want to break that, I would never be able to pay for it. Though a chunk of it would probably have me set for life, I considered jokingly.

I paced over to the large section of small silver platters- most likely authentic silver too. Some were piled with macaroons in favour of the French visitors, and other grand, fancy foods I would consider are only half a bite worth. The giant, tawny chandelier, possibly the size of a car that hung above us all glistened in the moonlight. It's too expensive for me to be allowed to breathe in here. I turn to look at my friends to share my awe and astonishment, only to find them gone. 

Who would've thought that I would get so caught up in everything and not notice my own friends abandoning me, I grimaced. I lift the front of my dress a little, my gloves so silky that my dress was almost slipping from my hands. I stride into the main, large dance floor trying to blend in with everyone else, in search for my friends. After walking around for two minutes, I practically gave up and stood hopelessly alone, watching as students waltzed and waiters served. Sheesh, some friends. Leaving me behind just to flirt with hot foreign students, I pouted, tapping my heels on the floor. 

"And what's a lovely lady like yourself doing all alone?" an unknow voice called from close behind me overtop of the classical instruments. I turned to find a tall, blue-eyed and blonde haired boy approached me. His eyes reminded me of the ocean, a deep blue ocean to match the sand-coloured tint of his hair. 

"So, what do you say? Wanna dance?" He took me by the arm and spun me on my feet, my frilly dress catching in the wind and gracefully fluttering back down ever so majestically. 

"Hm. A quiet one, are you?" He continued with a smile. 

"Uhm- sorry. You spun me so fast I didn't have a chance to speak," I mumbled truthfully. 

"Wow, your accent is truly beautiful, as beautiful as that lovely dress you're wearing," the boy said admiring my floral dress. His bold statement had be taken back a little, but he was genuinely a nice person, from what I could tell. 

"My accent? What about yours!" I said laughing a little, finding it rather amusing. He joined in with me.

"Sorry, I forgot to ask what your name was, Miss," the boy said, leaning in a little to hear me over the polite chatter and classical instruments and tapping shoes. 

"Oh, Marinette. I'm Marinette," I told him, leaning in also.

"That's a unique name if I've ever heard one," He said giving me a final bow, reaching out for my hand. "I'm James. It was a pleasure dancing with you, Marinette." I thank him once more for the dance and started removing myself from the dance floor, but in the process James swiftly grabed me by the hand.

"Just be careful, yeah? There are a few drunk, snobby playboys here tonight. Try not to mix with them," he gave me a final warm smile before, just like my friends, dissolving into the crowd once more. It was a rather bizarre warning, but I shrugged it off and headed over to a platter of fancy food. There I sat by a water feature, where I was forever waiting to reunite with my friends under the pale moon light in the dimly lit ball room. 

⥈