Built on smoke and mirrors

Chapter 16

The dress faced me like a monster, ready to eat me alive. This party was what I heard the Motherwealth was all about, but now, I didn't want to go to this party anymore. Eydis was so confident Ezra would turn into his father, and maybe I should believe her. I didn't know much about Ezra. Maybe he was not to be messed with. But he did promise me a chance to see my father, and that was enough for me to slip into the dress.

That was the only reason I was going to this. It had been too long since I saw him, and just the chance for me to do so was enough.

I attempted to zip the zipper behind me but was unsuccessful. After struggling for a few moments, I knew I needed help.

Holding the dress up with my hands, I shuffled into my dorm room to see Eydis reading a textbook.

"Um..." I started. "Can you help me?"

She looked up from her book as I turned my back to her to reveal the zipper.

"Sure." She sighed as she got up from her seat and zipped the dress.

There was heaviness in the air between us but I didn't know how to address it.

"Do you think I look good?" I asked, trying to break the silence.

Eydis shrugged. "It's alright," Eydis said as she returned to her textbook.

Her lack of emotion caused a frown to appear on her face. I wanted her to at least gush over the dress like she had done in the store. Her mood had gotten worse since we bought the dress and I just wanted her personality to return to normal.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror as I tried to smooth out my hair. Her attitude set me on edge. "I don't need to go."

Her head snapped up from her textbook. "Don't do that."

Her knee jerk reaction wasn't what I was expecting. I took a step back.

"You can't say no once you confirmed. That's not how it's done here. You have to go, Telvi."

"Then why are you acting this way? I don't want anything to be weird between us."

She stood up, towering over me. Her cold attitude melted as she gave another sigh. "Isn't it obvious, Telvi? No, I don't want you to go with him. It starts with one dance and it only goes farther. I'm selfish and want you to stay."

"Is it because your afraid that Ezra is dangerous?"

"We live in the Motherwealth. Everything is dangerous here. Ezra isn't the main thing I'm afraid of."

"Then tell me what it is because I can't stand this awkwardness."

She placed her hands on my shoulders and looked me right in the eyes. "It's because I'm in love with you."

Her statement caused my mouth to drop open, unsure what to say back. I stared into her eyes, trying to understand her better.

"I have been in love with you forever. You are the most beautiful person I have ever met, inside and out. I don't want you to fall in love with Ezra because selfishly, I want you to fall in love with me."

Love was such a strong word. I loved skating and I loved Kol, but I never thought about loving anything or anyone else. Did I love Eydis? There was a part of me that couldn't fathom her being taken from my life. I didn't want to see her with anyone else either. She made my heart flutter and I cared about her, probably more than anyone else here. But did that mean love? Did I love her just like she loved me. In Hell, no one dated people from the same gender. People said that wasn't natural. It was frowned upon. Could I do something that no one ever did? Could I break the tradition?