Two is Company (House of Anubis)

Chapter 8: The Masked Ball

All their hard work had really paid off: the student lounge and surrounding rooms had been totally transformed into a beautiful ballroom, and everyone milled about with their masks on in a sea of dazzling anonymity.

"I think this is one for the books," Mara announced, offering up her glass in a toast. Kira grinned and clinked them together.

"I have to agree," she replied, eyes being drawn to Patricia as she walked by. "Hey, Patricia, nice work."

Patricia stalled for a moment, seemingly surprised by the compliment, before flashing the two of them an awkward half-smile. "Oh, um, it's all Joy, I'm just her puppet."

"Nonsense!" Mara exclaimed. "You hung up half the decorations, and you got the band."

Patricia shuffled under the praise, but Kira could tell she appreciated it. "Speaking of, I'd better go check on them before they start." She rolled her eyes as she gestured toward the stage where the curtain was still drawn. "Trust me when I say classical music people are kind of divas."

"You know many classical musicians?" Mara asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Patricia's expression soured and she snorted, crossing her arms across her chest almost defensively. "You could say that," she scoffed, giving them a parting wave before she slipped away toward the stage.

From behind her, Kira heard a snicker, looking back over her shoulder only to see her brother starting after Patricia.

"Hey, dickhead!" she called, and Mara covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter. "Why do you look like you're up to no good?"

Eddie only spared her a glance as he breezed by, his smirk stretching clean off his face. "When am I ever?" he replied.

Kira looked over at Mara and groaned audibly. "Can't he take a night off?" she whined.

"You deserve a medal for putting up with him," Mara agreed, and Kira chuckled, draining the pink lemonade in her cup.

She scanned the room with mild interest, trying to pick out any faces she knew in the crowd, but with all the masks it was hard to tell. Somewhere along the line her idle people watching turned into trying to locate a certain dress, and she even found herself rising up on tip-toe until Mara cleared her throat.

"Looking for someone in particular?" she asked, her bemused tone instantly causing red-hot embarrassment to bloom in Kira's chest.

"No," she lied, and was suddenly grateful for her mask that might cover at least some of her blush. "Just, uh, looking for the snack table."

Mara raised an eyebrow and gestured right behind them where there was indeed a snack table all set up, and Kira wanted to pass away. "Uh-huh," she teased with a hand on her hip. "You know, I think I saw her by the entrance earlier."

Kira blanched, eyes bugging behind her mask. "Who?" she asked, playing dumb.

Mara saw right through her, though. "Joy," she said pointedly.

"Oh my god," Kira groaned. "Am I that obvious?"

Mara winced apologetically, which only made Kira groan louder. "Hey, it's not that bad. Besides, I don't think she's noticed, if that helps. She's a little too wrapped up in..." Mara trailed off, but the sentiment was clear.

"In Fabian, I know," she sighed, fiddling with a loose golden thread on her dress. "You won't tell her, right?" Kira asked quietly, looking down at her hands.