When We Spirits Awaken

Chapter 12: Not So Secret, Part 1

"Lillyana?" 

"Hmm?" I looked up at Emily. Her light red locks were curled at the ends instead of the usual straight she preferred. Her lips were glossed with a red tint, her eyelashes longer and darker then usual, and her eyelids lightly coated in an off white, sparkling shadow. She looked stunning, which is why it seemed incredibly odd to me that she was standing there in a purple housecoat. 

"Which one?" My eyes went to each of her freshly manicured hands, noticing the two dresses she held for the first time. 

"Oh, my apologies Emily. I think the white one, it is simple and classy, but still looks comfortable. The shoes you wear can finish off whatever look you're going for."

I started to fade into my thoughts again when lacy blue dress, the other dress Emily had, landed on my head. I moved my hands up to my face, trying to push the layers of material off of me. I felt Emily sit beside me and flip the end of the dress away from my face, allowing me to see again.

"What's up with you today?" She asked, her brow knit together as she looked at me, concerned.

I shook the rest of the dress off my head. "Apparently I can train to fight magical beings, but I'm defeated by a bunch of sewn together fabric," I laughed.

Emily sighed heavily. "Do you not want me to go through with this?" She motioned to the white dress she held in her hands. 

"You're worried I'm upset about your date?"

Emily nodded, her facial expression reminded me of a disheartened 5 year old.

I touched her hand. "Don't be silly, go put on your dress so you can pick out shoes." 

"You're sure?" 

"Of course I'm sure," I shrugged. "Granted it's not every day that your guardian goes to a parent teacher meeting and comes home with a date," I laughed.

I laid down on her bed with my hands behind my head as I waited. 

"You still didn't answer my question," she said from the other side of her closet door.

"I feel like I'm forgetting about something important but I cannot remember for the life of me what it is," I replied.

Emily stepped out from her closet, smoothing the front of her knee length dress. "It's Saturday, so unless you have a date too," she winked at me playfully, "I can't think of anything."

I laughed. "That's not it." 

It was then that Shade sat on his haunches in front of Emily's room. "May you please ask of her majesty if the humble hound can enter her chamber, though I am unworthy of such an opprotunity?"  He asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

I shook my head. "Oh, Shade." 

Emily smiled and patted her knees. "Hey big guy, come on in!" 

Shade tilted his head to the side, confused. "Is she ill?" 

I laughed a little and shrugged my shoulders as he slowly took one step, then another, until he was standing in Emily's room. She walked forward and patted him on the head before reaching for a pair of shoes beside her dresser. 

"Why are you not calling for some aid? Clearly she's delusional and needs medical attention," Shade thought as he pushed his luck and laid on the floor.

"What do you think of these?" Emily asked, posing with a pair of strappy red heels on.

"Fabulous," I smiled, playfully winking at her.