Mind Or Matter

Chapter Twenty Four

It was 11:46 in the morning, and Candi was ecstatic to go to the ball tonight. She had shown me this dress yesterday – she said it was from her high school prom. Since Candi says she had stopped growing at the age of seventeen, I was glad to see that it still fit. I didn't want Candi feeling like she had to go out and buy something.

I already owned a suit – a grey suit, no flower on the lapel. It was a dark grey, like pencil lead. I last wore it at Lilly's funeral...

When Candi and I showed each other our outfits, I gasped. She had only told me about her dress before; I had never actually seen it.

It was baby blue, like a morning sky. The second half of the dress, the part that covered her legs, didn't puff out like most dresses did, instead it was thin, yet it swished while she walked.

Candi spun in circles and I watched her dress flow with her, moving out like a rippling raindrop falling through a rainbow.

I felt plain in my suit, just a suit. Mine didn't do anything, it just stood there, making me look like a rich scumbag.

But Candi seemed to like it. "Grey looks good on you," she had said.

Hours later, at 2:48, long after we had both taken off our fancy outfits, we put them back on after eating lunch.

Candi looked beautiful. I was worried that it would be awkward if I told her, though, so I stayed silent.

The whole issue was really confusing. She had told me she loved me, but it was probably just a fluke or something. And, sure, Candi was pretty and had an amazing personality, but she didn't like me and I didn't like her.

Slipping on her black ballet flats, Candi hopped on one foot, smiling. "You ready?"

I tightened my light grey tie, grunting a little as I pulled on my black dress shoes. "What time does it start again?"

Candi stood straight up, her pink lipstick going perfectly with her grey eyes. "3:30, but the drive is, like, forty-five minutes, so..."

I calculated the time, then gasped a little. "We should go, then. Got everything?"

Candi slipped on her lavender purse, smiling. "Yep!" Then, stopping in her mid-walk, she added, "you?"

I paused. "Oh, just gotta get my keys!" I ran to my room, shutting the door behind.

I had lied – my keys were in my pocket next to my wallet and ID. I wanted to call Jake, to tell him something.

The phone rang four times, then he answered. "What's up?" he said, his voice echoed.

"Hey, I need to hurry." I paused, remembering to be quiet. "I needed to tell you that Candi's coming to New York and you're not gonna mess with her or touch her."

I hung up before Candi got suspicious, before Jake could protest. It had been done, and Jake couldn't stop it.

"Wow," Candi breathed as we got out of the car. Her shoes avoided the puddles, which stuck to the concrete parking lot like syrup on waffles, sitting there in the darkness.

I, however, was not so lucky. Splashing my way through at least three big puddles of water, I could feel the tops of my black socks starting to get wet, so I started to watch the ground, eyeing the puddles like a security guard watching over prisoners, just waiting for them to attack.

Candi and I, unlike some other people going together to the ball, did not link arms. We stood about a foot and a half apart, Candi's arms moving by her side as she talked about New York.

I couldn't help but stray from her words, glancing over at an elderly couple. The man wore a black suit with a rose over the heart and the woman had on a brown scarf, a dark blue hat, and a chocolate colored dress that hung down past her knees, stopping right after.

The elderly couple was talking quietly, until the old lady hit her husband on the shoulder. "Don't be rude," she said loudly, then whispered some more. The husband chuckled and the lady giggled in a high pitched voice. The two walked up to the doors, mumbled something to the man in front of the blue double doors, and went inside, soft music floating outside for the half second when the door was open.

Candi suddenly stopped talking, standing by the curb in the lot. I stopped when she did, turning around to her.

"What if they don't let us in?" Candi asked. "I mean, Peter gave me an invitation, but what if you have to be in the elite Miami class?"

I smiled, holding out my hand. "Come on, it'll be okay."

Candi beamed and took it and we walked the rest of the way together, both of us too nervous to let go, not wanting to make an awkward moment.

The sun was hiding behind a mass of grey clouds the color of my suit. The streets were pretty dark for a southern city in the middle of the afternoon.

When we reached the double doors, the doorman stopped us. "Do you have your card?"

Candi let go of my hand, and I felt a bit of warmth and color leave my life, just for a millisecond. "Here, I have an invitation," she started, pulling the folded paper out of her purse and held it out to the man in the white suit.

He rubbed his dark, stubbly beard as he read the invite. "Okey-dokey," he said in a deep voice. "Go on in. Have a lovely evening." He opened the door and the same, soft music floated out again. I led Candi in, feeling the door shut behind me.