The Price of Beauty

VII

Vince and Eva entered the converted gym with linked arms. When they got to the middle of the dance floor, Vince grabbed Eva, spun her around, and kissed her. This was the fifteenth time tonight already, and Eva just wanted it to stop. She couldn't take all the kisses, sappy text messages, and corny words of love any longer.

"Vince...Vince," Eva said to him, pulling away.

"What is it, my beautiful Eva?" he asked.

Ugh, who even says shit like that these days?

"Can we just dance, please?" Eva begged.

"But I'd rather kiss you, all day and all night." He pecked her cheek.

Eva sighed, then noticed Lissa standing off to the side, glowering. Eva smiled, smooching Vince again. Upset, Lissa stormed off.

A couple of hours went by, and as Eva slow danced, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of loneliness and melancholy. Vince's eyes were so blank, filled with a love that screamed fake. Eva couldn't stand it. She missed the excitement and fun Vince once brought her, and the way he used to look at her--like she was actually there. Eva missed her best friend, and now she had no clue how to get him back.

When the song ended, Eva gave Vince a wistful half-smile as he planted his lips on her again. Then, everyone turned to the main stage where Lissa stood in front of a microphone.

"Hey there Dragons! Hope you're all enjoying this year's fantabulous Ball Night!" she said, with a slight strain in her voice. "As you know, I was in charge of tonight's dance and it's been such a wonderful honor, really. I'm sure this year's is the best one yet!" She scoffed righteously. "But that's to be expected."

Eva spaced out while Lissa went on with her superficial and meaningless introduction. She honestly just wanted the night to be over until...

"And now, here is Mrs. Garter with the winners of Ball Night King and--" Lissa's beam wavered at the next word, "--Queen!"

The students clapped politely as the principal approached the mic with two envelopes in hand. After a quick opening statement, she cleared her throat and read from the first letter, "And so, the winner for Ball Night King is...Vincent Parker."

Everyone cheered as Vince hurried up the stage and accepted his crown. He flashed the audience a big, handsome smile.

"And finally, the winner for Ball Night Queen is..." Mrs. Garter paused, her brows knit together in a frown as she read the name on the second letter. "...Eva Farrow."

Lissa's expression had turned incredibly sour. "No shit," she growled.

Eva smiled smugly at the bitter brunette as she made her way up the stage and had the tiara placed on her head. She nodded approvingly as all her classmates bowed and curtsied--rather reluctantly, she noticed--to the King and Queen, a special Ball Night tradition.

Having had enough, Lissa strode to Eva and got in her face. "This is a load of garbage and you know it!" she spat.

Eva pretended to think. "Hmm, no I wouldn't. But you would, wouldn't you?" she said. The gym stilled with bated breath.

Lissa regarded her with a cold sneer. "You know what, Eva? I don't care about your 'powers', or what you could do to me anymore. You think you're above it all now, but we know what you really are: a fake. A hideous fucking fraud. Without your little magic, you're nothing more than an ugly rat. No one really likes you, least of all Vince."

Eva turned back to her supposed boyfriend, who stood on the sidelines waving happily to the girls, his stare as blank and oblivious as ever. Eva felt nauseous.

"Look at him, the poor guy," Lissa said. "Bewitched. Even I wouldn't do a thing like that. Wouldn't need to, but still, given the chance, I wouldn't." She leaned closer to the other girl. "I may be a bitch Eva, but at least I'm not shameless. You're dancing in your own grave, dealing with demons, and we all know it." She pointed at Eva's sweat beaded skin and whispered, "We can see it."

The green spots had become more visible on Eva's arms, neck, and chest. It was spreading again, a lot faster now. Eva swallowed, her head pounding with thundering rage.

"You were always ugly, Eva," Lissa concluded coolly, like she had won the crown instead. "Always will be. No matter what you do, what you try, you can never hide it. You can never hide the obvious."

Eva had heard enough. She lifted her hand and levitated Lissa by the throat. Lissa shrieked and gasped for breath as she dangled high in the air. The room broke out in shouts of panic, but Eva didn't care.

With a swift motion, she slammed Lissa down to the hard floors below. The cover-up oozed away, revealing layers of raised scales on her skin. Eva grinned, reveling in the screams of terror as students and teachers tried racing out.

"No!" she shouted with bared teeth, her voice raspy and sounding so unlike her. You never let me get over my pain. I won't let you get over yours!

Without warning, Eva pushed back a mob of students into the walls and windows, pulling down lights and decorations along with them. She threw tables and chairs everywhere, not caring who they hit. She only took pleasure in making all of Lissa's hard work go to waste. No one would make a clean escape, not on Eva's watch.

The room filled with cries of terrified and severely injured people. Lissa was unconscious on the floor, bleeding out from a gash on her head. With the way Eva had handled her, it was doubtful she would ever wake again.

Frightened faces crowded the destroyed gym, staring up at Eva like she was anything but human. Eva stood, watching them with an uneasy stomach. Her skin and limbs were throbbing, and she didn't like it.

Eva turned to Vince for comfort, only to find him fearfully backing away from her, finally broken out of whatever spell he'd been under. That hurt worse than anything else, ever. Lissa's bullying, her classmates jeering, her parent's disapproval, everything.

You're better than him, Eva, Agnes whispered. Eva whirled around to empty air. You're better than everyone. You have power. You have magic! You can punish, just like you did now. Go ahead, Eva. Punish him.

"I..." Eva spoke at nothing.

Punish him. He rejected you, for HER!

Eva glimpsed below the stage, at her former nemesis. Once so haughty and attractive, Lissa Fox was now nothing but a bloody and motionless corpse on the ground.

He hurt you, Eva. He doesn't deserve you. Punish him. Punish him like you did that whore! Do not worry so much about the loss. I can give you a lot more than this, much more. All you have to do...is punish him.

Eva raised her hands. Vince gasped, almost toppling over the stage. She hesitated.

Do it. Do it now! Now Eva, NOW!!

Agnes' screech pierced Eva's ear painfully as she forced black rays of heated magic out her open palms and straight through Vince. His agonizing screams drowned out all others, drowned Eva's heart, and after an excruciating minute, Vince's torn body crumpled off the stage in a heap.

Lost it all, Eva leaped to the floor, insanely gleeful at the chaos she had created. Her insides wailed at what she had done to Vince, but she ignored them on her way out the doors, cackling like the true witch she had become.