BLACK MARKET

Chapter 37

THE BALL

Sebastian Black

     My heart was drumming after MacKenzie left.

     Could we really pull this off? I shook the nagging voice out of my head.

     A knock on the door made me turn. Dean was standing awkwardly in the doorframe.

     "Hey!" I said, smiling.

     "You're breaking out... aren't you?" He asked quietly.

     "What? Dean, no-!" I started to lie.

     "I'm not going to try to stop you. I don't even want to come," He was looking down.

      "I'm just saying that you shouldn't. You, of all people, should know that it's hopeless."

     I blinked at him, "How did you know...?" He cut me off with a sharp shake of his head.

     "That doesn't matter Seb." Dean growled at me.

     "What matters is- I will- I can't- I'm not going to let you die trying to escape from something inescapable!" He sighed. "Not again."

     "It's not inescapable." I murmured.

     "And what happened to- to him isn't going to happen to Mack. I won't let it!" I stood, crossing the room, and left.

     Where was I going? I hadn't a clue.... I just knew I had to go, clear my head, forget.

     Forget again.

     Before I knew it, I was at the lake. I sat down, clutching my temples. Dean's words flew through my head, my blood pounding in my ears.

    Not again.

     The thing was, I knew what he meant. Of course I did.

     How couldn't I?

✴✴✴

MacKenzie Porter

     I slipped on a pair of tight black leggings and hard combat boots. I can run in these... I thought. I put on a light black camisole. Then  dragged the shining black fabric of a dress over my head.

     I had to admit, I wish I could've gone to the masquerade...

     "Mack? Uh... are you... are you done in there?"

     I backed out of the room, saying as I went, "Oh, yeah, sorry Lizzy... I didn't mean to hog the bathroom...."

     I turned to see Lizzy in a Robin egg blue dress it was one shoulder, lacey, with a gold belt cinched at the waist with the same colored flats with a feathered shawl and her hair was in an updo with a halo of flowers encircling it.

     "Wow... Lizzy, you look.... you look gorgeous." I gasped.

     She blushed and whispered,

     "Thank you.... you look very nice too!"

     She giggled, and I looked down at myself. My dress was black and silky, flowy and strapless with a long and easy to move in with a slit that went up to my hip.

      Underneath the skirt I had on a thigh sheath with my dagger and throwing knives in it.

     Lizzy got a hold of me and did my hair the same way she did for my very first ball and I had and elastic on my wrist so I could put it up in a pony tail if needed while on the run but it was hidden under a corsage that I got from Seb with my dress. It was midnight blue.

     "I'm going to go find Seb." I said slowly.

     I turned, and realized that this might be the last time to see my friend.

     I crossed the room and wrapped Lizzy in a fierce hug.

     "You're gonna shine." I whispered.

✴✴✴

Sebastian Black

     I stared at the unfamiliar face in the mirror. He stared back.

     The black tux made his hair look greasy, but made his eyes glimmer. Or perhaps hope was making his eyes glimmer instead.

      I flashed a smile, and turned to see MacKenzie in the doorway.

     She was stunning, the black dress sharpening every curve.

     "'Tis a shame I'll only see you dressed like that once." I looked at her through my lashes.

     "Yea, well good riddance. Dresses make me queasy." Still, though, she smiled.

     "Shall we go?" I asked, holding out my arm.

     She took it, smiling shyly.

     We walked out of the dorm and headed for the lake... away from the graduation hall.

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