Legends of Mirandis Academy

Chapter 32: Perfect

"I really don't want to go, Luna," Iridia said as she continued fumbling with the little metal box. It was amazing how quickly a few scraps of metal had manifested into a coherent piece. In spite of this, Iridia stubbornly refused to tell Luna about it! It was getting rather frustrating not knowing what her hands were constantly occupied with.

"But it's the Winter Formal! You have to come with me, pleeeeaaaaassee." She tugged on Iridia's arm.

Iridia pulled away. "I'd rather not. You know how I am with parties."

Luna sighed. There had to be a way to convince her to come. "If I spike the drinks, I'm gonna need a ride home."

"I'm not your only friend with a car."

Luna scoffed. "Okay, if you don't go... you have to come shopping with me for a dress."

It was a drastic ploy. Iridia remained unaffected. "Luna, I am objectively the worst person to ask to attend a dress shopping trip," she said calmly. "Just... take Brielle. I really don't want to go to the dance. I'm done with parties for now."

"Well it's a good thing the formal is weeks away, your social battery will be plenty recharged by then." Luna swung her legs back and forth on the shop stool. She cast a glance towards Mr. Duval's desk, but the teacher was elsewhere. Just in case, she lowered her voice. "By rights it should be you taking Brielle."

"Me taking—?" Iridia was about to carefully crimp a piece of metal foil, but pulled back abruptly. "I meant for dress shopping, Luna!"

"Oh."

"And by whose rights, exactly? I am entitled to nothing. No one is entitled to... to anything!" Iridia waved the pliers, agitated. "Can you imagine what would happen if I even asked her?"

"She might say yes?" said Luna.

"She's straight," said Iridia desperately. "There is no way. Statistically, or just... looking at her! She's a Prescott, and she's straight. There is no chance she'll go with me, and there's no chance she'll be with me. Ever." She angrily mumbled, "It's a waste of time even thinking about it."

Luna frowned, trying to come up with a counterargument. "You know, I've never been one for obeying the odds. Just because they're not on your side, doesn't mean—"

"No. No, no." Iridia bent close to the project, shaking her head. "I can't say for certain, and so I can't ask her. I can't put that on her. Why do I even have to explain this to you? You know how it is."

Luna spoke quietly. "I guess I do." She wasn't sure how to convey the fact that Iridia was heading down the wrong path. A path to regret. Maybe every path led to regret. Luna wished that she could lie down on a table, but the last time she had done that in the shop, Mr. Duval had lectured her on the dangers of getting her hair caught in the variety of tools housed in the room, for nearly an hour.

"Iridia—"

"What?"

"You won't stop building that... whatever-it-is, right?" Luna waved towards the object. It looked vaguely like a jewelry box. "You should keep some hope. Even if it is, like, delusional."

"You're a real motivational speaker," Iridia told her sarcastically, but she also gave a little smile. She shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts, and her smile fell with it.

"And I charge a quite reasonable fee." Luna grabbed the edge of the stool and leaned back, hanging off of it. "You must take me dress shopping for the formal. Because I fully intend to go."

"You're still on that? Luna, I know nothing about dresses."

"That's exactly what I need," Luna said, "a fresh perspective. And a lookout."