ELECTRICITY ━━ gilbert blythe

19. the barry ball

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
THE BARRY BALL

I felt the world tick as I opened my eyes.

Tick, tock, tick, tock—

It was like my time was running up. My subconscious was filled with ideas, thoughts, sentiments—everything—when I stared outside my open windows. The view began to open to the door to my mind, and slowly, its contents emptied into the nothingness and floated in the autumn breeze.

Dana was still sleeping. Her chest moved up and down and up again as she breathed, peacefully.

Breathe. I needed to breathe.

The weather was perfect: chilled and beautiful and fluttering with light. The salt air was thick. Winter was coming early, I could feel it in my bones.

As cliché as it sounds, it was only then that I realised one thing. That it was the day of the ball. A day that was supposed to be crafted of fairy tales, of poetic romance. A day that was supposed to make my heart beat out of its chest.

Despite myself, I felt my soul sink into my body just a little more. Like my heartstrings were being pulled. The night would not be what I daydreamed about, what I revered and wanted.

I got dressed quickly, and when I stepped out of my room, I was greeted by a hug.

I loved Jack Jones' hugs. He hated physical touch yet he knew I loved it—I thrived when hands were held and arms were wrapped around each other. I thrived when I knew what was in front of me was real.

So he always reminded me. That he was there. Alive and breathing. I laughed into the hug, "I appreciate you so much."

"I appreciate you too," Jack muttered, "The only person I'd agree to go with to this blasted ball."

I embraced him tighter upon hearing his words.

He pulled apart and ruffled my hair with a smile. "So, will that boy—what was his name? Cole?— be at this ball?"

I couldn't help but grin at that.

"No, but he will be there after hours to help clean up," I spoke a little too fast, "Perhaps, I can ask Diana if we can stay a little later."

"I love you so much, have I ever told you that?" Jack peppered me with compliments. I threw my head back in laughter. He was unbelievable. "All the time, Jack. All the time."

"Also, my friend Lizzie is coming over in a few hours to borrow one of my dresses. We're all planning on getting ready together, I explained to him, "So I think I'll be able to properly interact with you only after we get there."

Jack nodded and smiled, "Any friend of yours is a friend of mine. I can't wait to meet her."

"Great," I echoed his tone, "I'll see you soon."

——

"He's quite the charmer, that Jack," Lizzie mused to Dana and I.

Dana chucked lowly, "Trust me, love, the charm wears off soon."

"A pretty boy is a pretty boy," Lizzie raised her hands in defeat.

"Fair enough. But is beauty all we are?" Dana countered. That was who she was: always looking for intellectual debate.

"According to our society it is," I intervened, "At least, for a woman. A woman is judged by nothing but the way she holds herself and the blueness of her eyes. Why can't they just take a peek at our souls instead? See what we're made of instead of dictating our prospects? It's always marriage and money and beauty above everything. I'm sick of it."