The Newest Normal

Chapter Eleven- Cody

I adjust my tuxedo and brush back my hair, taking a deep breath. I still smell a little like mud and rainwater, but I had freshened up as best as I could, and the smell was pretty much non-existent now. Heaving another breath, I slowly make my way through the endless crowd of suits and dresses. Bold reds, creamy whites, and deep luxurious purples were just some of the colours that were seen in the room. The lights are blinding, glittering off the wines, and there are even more people in here than the ball before. The only sound I hear is a buzzing, a sound that is created when all the different sounds in the room mixed together.

Finally, after endless of searching, I spot Morgan across the room, dancing with some other guy. I feel a wall come crashing up to block them out, but I force myself to regain my balance. She's wearing the backless dress we brought today, with her hair loose around her shoulders. She looks different than what she normally looks like.  She probably doesn't even realize it, but the red in the dress bring out the colour in her eyes, and the glittering lights make her dress look the slightest bit gold. I wait til that dance ends, then move forward to approach her.

"Hey," I gently tap her shoulder. She turns around startled, but sees it's me and relaxes.

"So," I say, wanting to say something to block out the silence in the air. "That looks nice on you."

Surprise fills her face. She tugs at her sleeve self-consciously. "Oh." She pauses, like she's deciding whether she should say this or not. "You don't look all that bad yourself."

I feel this weird taste in my mouth and cough two times.

She shakes her head, hair tumbling over her face. "This dress is the worst thing that's ever happened to me! I'm sweating, while my back is freezing. I feel like everyone's staring at my back, even though I know they're not. The anxiety is killing me."

"What are you talking about? That dress fits you perfectly. Credits go to me. Come on." I take her hand. "Dance?'

She looks uncomfortable, but pulls back her hand from mine. "I don't know how to waltz."

"You were dancing with that guy." I didn't mean to sound so upset, but it comes out like that.

Her face flushes and she lets out a soft laugh. "Oh, him. I had no other choice. Someone pushed me, and he was like 'Want to dance, Mademoiselle?' and the room was so full- I couldn't find you anywhere. I didn't want to leave this poor guy hanging. I didn't even say anything and he just swept me away. I couldn't believe it myself. He wasn't even that good. He kept on stepping on my feet."

I smile and my shoulders relax. "Is that a surprise? Are surprises still a good thing for you or a bad thing?"

She turns her head away, quiet. "I don't know. That's like asking me to choose between the sun and the rain. Both of them have their own benefits."

We dance in silence for a few moments, occasionally talking about our families, school and making horrible jokes, our bodies so close I can just feel the heat radiating off us. I feel uncomfortable all of a sudden, and push away, so that there's some more space between us. My palms start sweating- why are my palms sweating, and I let go of one hand to wipe them. I stare into her eyes, which have so much depth in them, yes she definitely has the best eyes. Morgan stares back. The atmosphere has tightened.

"Morgan," I begin. This was something I had been thinking about for a while now. "I beg you to not use that scepter. Let the world be a little bit more crazy." Patrick Saint Mont was a cooking recipe-  boring, predictable, uninteresting, the same every time.

She seems far away, off in some other world. "Morgan?" I shake her shoulder. "Are you still here?"

She looks at me. "What did you say?"

I continue dancing. "I said-" At that moment, because I'm so focusing so hard on asking her this question, I miss the next beat, and step on her feet instead of the ground. She loses her balance, stumbles over her dress and falls.

I hold out a hand to help her up. "Promise me you won't use the scepter. Promise me."

She looks back at me, with nothing but the tense silence in the air, and finally nods uncertainly. "Ok."

I make a point to whisper this in her ear. "Promise me."

She exhales a long breath. "Promise." I study her, and I think I see a flicker of regret flash through.

---------

I walk out into the garden to take a breath of the cool night air. I cherish the cold, clear, colourful charm that came with care of the crystal garden. Morgan said that she would be right back, and suggested I go out in the garden to wait for her. I'm starting a walk around the bushes when I hear someone shout.

"It's him!"

"Me?" I gesture. "I didn't do anything wrong."

"Get the arrows ready." Someone else orders.

"Arrows?" I gawk, trying to figure out where the voice came from. "What do you need arrows for?" Using arrows around me is very personal.

"Under command of the Emperor," They recite, voice monotone. "You are to be tried for the act of theft on the Emperor's personal property."

I finally get it, but I get it a second too late. An arrow comes flying through at my shoulder, which I manage to block just in time, but covering my eyes, my sight, cost me. Someone else grabs me by the arms and tie them together behind my back. They put my arms in handcuffs and kick my legs.

"This way," A harsh voice guffs.

How did they know what I looked like? I wonder. How did they know I would be here tonight? Most of all, how did they know I was the one who stole the ring? Someone must have had betrayed me. Only one person was with me that night when I stole the ring. Only one person. I spin my head around to see her. She's standing near the edge of the garden staring at everything that's happening. Her eyes are puffy, which means she's been crying. I don't care. Because if she sees me and isn't doing anything to help, it doesn't mean she's too cowardly. It means something else. I make eye contact with her. Even though I want to make any face that is what she deserves, all I can do is frown. All I can think is that I trusted her.

It doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done. And so, without even struggling, I let the guards take me away.