Frost

XX.

The sound of student's screams filled the stale air, Mr. Lait and I exchanged a terror-filled look briefly, before we hurried into the dark gallery. A cold breeze lingered, as I pushed through crowds, I felt hands all over me. Itch. Itch. Itch. The itchiness grew as I wandered through the darkness, stumbling into hands, feeling people fist my dress or grab my hair. My head started to pound. 

"Stop it" I whispered softly, my hands going through my hair, touching my scalp as if to protect it. 

Dakota. Dakota. Dakota. 

Suddenly the lights turned back on. The room flooded with light, and the once terror-filled screams halted, leaving me standing in the middle of the ballroom with hands in my hair. A silence fell upon the students, teachers looked completely horrified and the distinguished guests held confused stares.

 We all watched as the headmistress waltzed through the crowd towards the podium, I took note of her fast pace, never seeing the headmistress walk as quickly as she did now. She was breathless when she got to the podium and a fake smile plastered across her porcelain face. 

"Well, it seems one of our students have pulled a prank" She huffed through the microphone, giving a nervous laugh as she did "our younger students have not quite adjusted to secondary life". 

The guests murmur a response but the gallery seems to be satisfied with the headmistress' answer. She whirls around to face the orchestra and waves her hand, the instruments come to life in an instant and the room is filled with music.

 "Please carry on, and I do apologize" With grace, she gives a smile before descending from the podium and merging into the crowd of people. 

I stood in the centre motionless, feeling overwhelmed, and had a need for some cold air. I needed to be outside, I needed to feel the cold on my skin, the breeze across my face. I didn't look around the room for my friends, and instead I ushered out of the gallery and back onto the balcony. 

Mr. Lait was nowhere to be seen and I didn't care at the moment, I needed a second to myself. This night has become so hectic and it wasn't even half over. And yet, I had to wake up early tomorrow and finish an assignment for Monday.

 It felt like my head was being run over my lawnmower, I raised a hand to my forehead, feeling my brain throb in pain. 

My fingers felt itchy, as they did when the ballroom was pitch black, and a tingling sensation started at my fingertips. Looking down at my ungloved hands, small bright blue frost appeared on the tips of my fingers and ran down to my palms, leaving a trail of intricate swirly frost patterns. When I stared at it, it seemed to glow brighter. 

I shoved my hands to my sides, and into the sides of my heavy dress so no one would catch my little supernatural moment. I had to sleep this off. What was happening to me? Did someone spike the punch or something?