EXPLODE

thirteen

I cupped my hand against his face, feeling the way his jaw moved as he kissed me.

My other hand worked its way through his hair, and his tongue swept over my bottom lip, sending heat to my neck.

Honestly, I could've kept kissing him until the sun came up, but sadly, a knock on the door interrupted our rendezvous.

"Dawn?" A voice interrupted. I kept my hand on the door handle, other hand gripping Liam tightly in case my knees gave out.

"Yes, mom?" I asked. Why, oh why, did she always have to ruin my happiest moments?

"The last dance is coming up and Evan informed me there is someone he'd like you to meet," she announces, and I feel her trying the door handle. "Can you please open up the door? This is foolish."

I giggle, stepping away from the door, still grasping Liam's hand. I couldn't imagine how I possibly looked after a steamy make out session.

"I'm just having feminine issues, mom, I'll be out in a second," I tell her. Liam has to stop himself from laughing.

"Okay, make it quick." She answers, obviously disgusted I would tell her such a thing.

I sigh in relief as I hear her walk off, connecting my lips to Liam's once more, this time making it short and sweet.

"Quite the experience we shared tonight," he exclaims. I can't help but laugh at his words, enjoying the moment.

"I better go," I sigh, though my hand is still tightly wrapped around Liam's.

"Come back for me when you're done. I'll find you," he whispers, leaving a kiss on my year. My breath hitches in my throat as he straightens out his tuxedo.

He steps out of the room, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to tame it. I bet he has no idea his lips are swollen.

I step into the hall and head back towards the ball, looking to find a mirror on the way.

When I do catch my reflection, I admit to have a certain glow to me that was not there before. My cheeks are a rosy pink, my hair roused, my lips swollen and a flushed pink. I looked...hot.

And Evan seems to notice it to as he appears behind me in the reflection. "Dawn?"

"Hey, Evan," I greet him.

"There's something different about you," he comments, looking me up and down. I glance back at my reflection, finding my savior in the crisis.

"I forgot my mask in the bathroom," I explain, giving him an apologetic smile. He nods, though he looks confused.

"The ball's almost over, so I suppose it won't matter about the mask anymore." Evan suggests. "There's also some people I'd like you to meet."

"I heard," I respond. He takes my hand, which feels unnecessary, and frightfully cold after feeling Liam's for the first time in a week.

Evan leads me past the ballroom and up the stairs, until we arrive at another guest suite. He smiles at me before politely knocking on the door. "Mom? Dad?"

The door opens momentarily, an older couple standing in its place, wrapping their arms around Evan. Unlike Liam's family, their skin doesn't have the familiar laugh or stress lines, their faces like marble and stone. Cold, even.

"Evan, such a pleasure to see you again, young boy," his father comments, slapping him on the back. I stand confused. Hadn't they seen him recently?

Evan catches my expression. "Dawn, this is my mom and dad. They were at an embassy in another Kingdom and don't get to visit Auradon often."

"Yes, sadly. How's castle life treating you? And your Aunt- how is she?" His mother asks, only offering me a business-like handshake before returning to her son.