GLORY // book one

- PART 17 -

THEO

~

I WAS NOT READY for this. It was insanity, pure insanity. The dress I wore was too thin, too soft, too short, too long, too everything and too nothing. It wasn't okay, this wasn't alright.

Tears stung my eyes, threatening to fall as I looked at myself in the mirror.

Merlin, I was such a wimp. Crying for no reason.

But, the dress was white and long and fit me just right, not too tight or too loose. And the heels were short and my size, without those toe-pinching parts that most had. My hair was down, but pinned out of my face, no itchy strands scratching at my face.

It was fine, but I wasn't.

I looked for some flaw in my look— a tear in the dress, a piece of hair that wasn't straightened, something —but I couldn't see anything. I wanted to dump a bottle of ink on myself or smear the make-up forced onto my face. I was just a doll, again. And I hated it.

"You look fine, Theodosia," An annoyed Ivy announced from where she stood in the bathroom. "A dress and heels won't kill you."

It might.

Blinking away the last of my tears, I cleared my throat, turning away from my reflection. I walked towards my bed, hating the feel of the dress against me. I hesitantly grabbed the shall from my bed, dark green material matching my earrings and the necklace I wore.

Less than three hours ago, three of my roommates cornered me in our dorm and threatened to burn my first edition copy of Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them, which I had lost over a month ago after some late-night reading. Not only was it beyond rare, but it was one of the only books I could actually sit through. Still, it was only when Ivy brought her wand to the cover that I relented.

Kia had already left a few minutes before with most of the others going. I was putting off the Ball for as long as I could.

They had trapped me in a dress, confined my feet to a pair of dark green heels, and choked me with a silver-chained necklace. Now, I was ready to punch someone or cry or do both. And a shout from the Common Room told me that my date was ready and waiting. Hopefully hidden in the shadows of the dungeons like we had agreed on.

Walking as quickly as I could downstairs and across the common room, I attempted to shove my way outside the Slytherin dormitories, but a hand stopped me before I could escape. Cassius was grinning widely when he got a good look at what I had been forced into. The usually composed douche snorted and opened his mouth to surely make fun of me, stopping as I raised a clenched fist. I was so ready to fight.

"Say it, Cassius," I prompted. "Go ahead, see what happens."

Letting go of my forearm, the blond raised his hands in surrender. "You look great, Doe."