A Shade of Cool

XXV: The Winter Ball

The day arrived to my displeasure.

I pretty much spent the day praying the night would fly by as last minute anxiety and butterflies filled my stomach, twisting and pulling it. I didn't each the breakfast Mom made, I barely spoke to Marissa and I spent a lot of the day pacing, looking at the suite and watching trash TV. A multitude of questions filled my head; Will it go well? What can I expect? Will I have to kiss Kathy? Can I spend a second with Noah?

There were plenty of questions but no answers as the questions could only be answered in me going. I had talked Noah into this so I knew I had to go. But I was way out of my league when it came to dancing and suites and dresses and disco balls. Lets not forget a room full of people I severely hate.

After spending the day on the couch I decided to switch off the TV and actually get ready, knowing that not going wasn't a choice. Heading to the shower first, I bathed, attempted to shave (with a few cuts accounted for), tidied my hair and brushed my teeth before heading to the bedroom to get changed. That was until Marissa's door flew open, her heading out at a pace, stopping inches from me.

"Jacob! You scared me!" She clutched at her chest, looking shocked.

"Is it that bad?" I noted the small bits of paper stuck to my cuts. She gave me a sympathetic look and a slow nod before turning me back into the bathroom. There, she spent a long hour rubbing different products on my face to cover the scars, "This is the first time you've spoken to me today," She noted.

"I'm just nervous, I guess..." I shrugged it off, closing my eyes as she stroked past and over them. The foundation smelt strong and it was slightly overwhelming.

"Why? I thought you wanted this?" She asked.

"I did... but not with her," I said, "Or the others, or at the school."

"So why didn't you just go out on a date?" She asked, "No one is gonna question two guys going to the cinema together or a zoo." She had a point come to think of it. I could kick myself for that one. But at the same time, it's not like I had much time to think about it as the Winter Formal kind of sprang up and the idea was a pathetic brainwave.

"I know, I'm dumb," I opened my eyes to roll them, "Kick me."

"Well, I just hope you know that, that girl really likes you and I mean really likes you. You're gonna risk hurting her if anything happens to just be cautious, make her aware that this is just as friends," Marissa warned me, packing away her make up.

"God, please don't guilt trip me. I feel bad enough as it is," I said to her with a sigh, "Plus, Noah is going with this hot girl called Alanna so I got other things to worry about too."

Marissa laughed and shook her head, "What do you think is going to happen? Noah likes you, he's too devoted to cheat."

"Devoted?" I snorted.

"Yes, you can just see in his eyes how much... it's cute, it's everything anyone wants. You have that, so be lucky and hold onto it," Marissa patted my arm, "Now, pep-talk over, go get dressed so we can see your handsome clean face in the works!"

After a long hour of fixing my hair, putting on the suit, fussing over it and fifty attempts off putting the flower on my chest without it falling off, I stood, looking at myself in my bedroom mirror. Sighing, I licked my lips and went over it myself, Just go, look happy to be there! Noah will be there and in a way you're getting your own way, he's there and so are you! It'll be okay and you'll be okay! Just go with it. I glanced over to my clock on my bedside table and saw it was ten minutes to eight.

Swallowing anxiously, I turned and took the rose wrist band from my bed and headed out of my room. Carefully, I headed down my staircase, feeling stiff and uncomfortable in my suit. I always felt like being in a suite was like being placed in a tiny tube, unable to move or even walk normally. I guessed it was because it was so formal and I wasn't.