Soul Eater: The Next Generation

Chapter 48

Cameron’s POV

I run my hands through my hair.  Tonight is the DWMA’s Annual Dance.  I straighten my tie, and look at my watch.  Ellie is getting changed and it feels like she is taking forever.

She wasn’t surprised when I told her I didn’t locate Hecate and Lila.  She wasn’t even disappointed.  She just looked defeated. 

She also looked sad when Lord Death reminded her of the dance.   I don’t know why, though.  

Her door opens and Maisy walks out.  Maisy is wearing a punk, black dress with purple fringe, her hair half up, half down.  She is wearing massive purple heels.  Her makeup is dark.  Eek, what an emo cat…

Ellie walks out from behind her.  Her dress is a powder blue.  It falls to the floor, covering her feet.  It’s simple and beautiful, with an open back.  Her hair falls in gentle curls and her lips are a light pink.

“Ready?”

“Uh, yeah,” I say. 

We walk in silence to school.

“Uh, so are you excited for the dance? Are these things fun? Every time one comes up, it seems like we are on a mission.”

“They’re fine,” she murmurs.

“Is everything okay, Ellie?”

I glance at her through the corner of my eye.  Her gaze is set on the ground, and she seems sad.

“I’m fine,” she practically whispers.

“No your not-,” I begin to say, but get cut off by Matsukaze, who comes running down the street towards our right.

“HEY GUYS, WHAT’S UP?!?! ARE YOU EXCITED? I AM EXCITED. LET’S GO, LET’S GO, LET’S GO.”

“Hi,” Jasper says, walking up to us, “She stole my coffee.”

He cringes and I say, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s my fault,” he mutters.

“LET’S GO,” Matsukaze screams, grabbing Ellie’s hand and pulling her away from me.

“Wait,” I say, but they’re already gone.

“Ellie seems sad,” I say to Jasper.

He nods, “Well, it’s only suiting.”

“What, why?”

“Well, it’s almost her eighteenth birthday, right?”

I stare at him blankly, “Aren’t birthdays a good thing?”

“Ellie has always been bitter about birthdays.  She doesn’t see them as relevant, but this birthday is different.  It’s her eighteenth.  She is becoming a legal adult.”

“I still don’t understand; why wouldn’t she be happy about coming of age?”

“Well, when she was younger her birthday was always a confusing time for her, because she didn’t know why her birth parents wanted to give her up.  When she got to the DWMA, often times it was a small ordeal with a few people.  She never liked them, but now she is at the age where she can leave the DWMA if she wants.  She’s never had the option before, but now she can go on her own.” 

“Why would she leave? The DWMA is all she has…”

“Exactly.  I think she has grown to hate the DWMA.  In fact, I think she has grown to hate anything that tries to control her.   If it were up to her, she would stay locked away, but the adults at the DWMA make her be the model student.  Perfection is exhausting.  And after Spike died…”