Cold Path

4

No Good In Goodbye by The Script plays loudly throughout by bathroom while I curl my silky hair.

School is canceled today for volunteers to help turn the smelly gym into a fairytale. Thursday was very similar to my first day of school on Wednesday, but I am okay with that because I am still trying to find my way around that school.

Uncle Dan and I have rarely spoken to each other these past few days. Usually our conversations are "how was your day" or "what do you want for dinner." I am hoping to connect with him in some sort of way, but I am not sure how to yet.

Carly and Seth will be here in a half hour, so that gives me plenty of time to finish getting ready. I apply shimmery eyeshadow and dark mascara to my eyes. I have never worn this much makeup before I think to myself as I brush a little pink blush onto my cheeks.

I grab the navy blue dress that has been hanging up from the bathroom door ever since Carly let me borrow it on Wednesday. I slip it on with black high heels. There will be no doubt that my feet will be killing me after tonight.

Uncle Dan walks into my room and faintly smiles. "Your mother and father would be so proud if they could see you right now."

"Yeah well they will be proud if they ever actually see me again." I sigh.

"Grace, you have to visit them at one point. I am sure they miss you terribly."

"I doubt that." I say quietly. He sighs and walks away. I know he wants me to see them because I am sure my parents told him to get me to visit them. I am not ready to face what they have to say to me or to leave them once again.

I hear a loud car door slam that came from outside indicating Carly and Seth are here. I hurriedly walk down the stairs to open the door for them. I am so excited, yet so nervous for how tonight will go.

"You look gorgeous Grace!" Carly exclaims walking through the door with Seth trailing behind her.

Carly looks amazing. She is wearing a simple black dress with fiery red heels. Her dirty blonde hair is curled up into a bun and her blue eyes pop with the dark smokey eye makeup.

Seth looks really good as well. His ginger hair is usually dangling down, but tonight he pushed it back. He is in a usual black and white tux with black dress shoes.

Uncle Dan takes a photo of all of us outside before we leave. I normally hide my face in photos because I hate the way I look in them most of the time.

"Tonight will most defiantly be the best night of your life because I will make sure of it. I will make sure you will not think about your crummy past." Carly said while getting into her car.

I told Carly and Seth why I moved here in the first place at lunch. It turns out Seth moved here with his mom because his parents got a divorce about three years ago, so I do not feel completely alone about my situation.

We all head off to the school in Carly's car with Carly and Seth in the front while I am in the back by myself. We arrive at the school in less than ten minutes and I notice many limos pull in also.

"I do not understand why people pay money for limos when most of us live five minutes away from school... This is our way of arriving in fashion." Seth laughed.

"Everyone looks so nice," I said. My nerves kick in while glancing at everyone. "Why do some people have masks?"

"It is a masquerade dance. You pick up a random mask before you walk in the dance room, aka the gymnasium. At the end everyone takes their masks off, but in my opinion it is really easy to tell who as person is with or without a mask," Carly said.