good, tho useless writing :(

3

i decided to walk to the building instead of drive or anything. i met Jules, Sterling, Rhett, and Quinn all at the door.
"finally the princess is here!" Julianna shouts. i smile and hug her.

"is everyone ready to go live in a movie?" i say.

"i prefer musicals but a movie should still work." Rhett states making us all laugh. i hook arms with the girls, Sterling and Rhett stand on each side of us. we walk forward and the doors open for us. music blaring through the entire room as everyone is dancing, talking, eating, or simply enjoying being in the movie-like experience.

"all right all right. good evening ladies and gentlemen! welcome to the annual back-to-school dance. this year the theme is a masquerade ball, for it is quite a hit. we would like to start the night off with a dance, so if you would like to find a partner and meet us in the ballroom. we've decided to perform an exquisite classic waltz." the headmaster, Mr. Gracelyn explains to everyone.

i look around for someone to dance with and spot Sterling. "Sterling! you're dancing with me!" i shout and walk over to him to grab his hand and pull him into the ballroom. everyone gets in position and waits for the music to start. the waltz begins. my grandfather was once a dancer. he taught me all the classics.

"so Caroline. i kinda need help." Sterling says shyly.
"yeah sure what's up?" i say.
"i want to ask Julianna out. but i don't know what the hell to do." he tells me.
"well all you've got to do is pull her aside and talk it out. you two know everything about each other, she'll know it isn't a joke or anything absurd." i say.
"thanks care. you always have the right words to say." Sterling smiles. he lifts my arm up and spins me to the right. i am then caught by someone. i look at them. it was a boy my age. he had these puppy dog eyes, although they were blue. he was fairly attractive, but i only caught a quick but lovely glance at him. i was spun around back to Sterling. the dance continued.

i stared at the clock. it was 9:59. for some reason i was a bit scared to go to the office. what was going on that i had letters sent to my door, my parents arrived, and the headmaster was so involved?
"hey Caroline! you alright?" i was shaken out of the long stare, the clock struck ten and i looked at the hand on my shoulder. Quinn seemed concerned for me. "oh yeah, sorry Q. i completely zoned out. im gonna go use the restroom. be back in a few." i smile at her and quickly leave the room. i open the massive doors to the also gigantic staircase that seemed to go up for miles. the doors slam and i lean my back against them, not releasing my grip from the door handles. i pick myself up and begin trudging up the stairs.

i finally make it to the fourth floor, holding the office. i face the doors. the doors that open up to all of my questions. hopefully holding the answers. i knock. the doors opens slowly, allowing me to enter. as soon as i walk into the room i see my parents, the headmaster, secretary, and official of the management. another middle aged couple stand hand in hand next to my parents. the boy. the boy i danced with. the boy with the puppy eyes that are blue. he looked just as confused as i felt.

"Caroline." my mother says. she approaches me and tries to hug me but i refuse.
"honey you look beautiful." she pouts.

"thank you mother, but i'd first like for you to explain why im here." i back away.

"Ms. Grey will you take off the mask please?" the headmaster says. i pull at the strings behind my head, releasing the mask to fall into my hands. i fix my hair quickly and return my focus to everyone in the room.

"Caroline, i would like you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Sage." i shake their hands and smile. "Also Mr. Houston Sage." the boy shakes my hand. it was a firm handshake. snaps for the boy.

"who are these people and why am i here?" i ask.

"Caroline. this is a very serious decision. as you know your father and i are an arranged marriage. well the same goes for the Sages'." my heart drops. i look at Houston who has a clenched jaw and tears rimming his eyes.

"Caroline, you and Houston are the top students in our school. huge successes are in both of your futures." Mrs. Dawn states.

"Caroline, you and Houston will be getting married. married by the end of next month. there will be no opposition, no opinions, no mind changing." the tears break from my eyes. they fall faster than ever before. Houston sits down at the table, he wipes his tears before they can fall.

"you and Houston are both sophomores in college here. your father and i have been working with his parents for decades now. Houston is a very nice boy, he's attractive, and can be a hardworking man." Houston covers his face with his hands.
then i lose it all.

"mother! how do you expect me to so easily accept this! you're forcing me to marry a man i don't even love, a man i don't even know! yes i know he's my age and he goes to my school and you know his parents and apparently he's very kind and attractive, but we're both only sophomores in college! and married by the end of of next month? you are sick people!" i cry.

"sick people! how dare you call your own parents sick! we are helping you out!" my father raises a hand to my face. before he could slap me, Houston caught his hand.

"don't you dare touch her, she did absolutely nothing to you. i may no nothing about any of you anymore but i do know that you for a fact are sick people and you are in no way shape or form helping me or Caroline out." Houston shouts, lowering his voice after each word. he walks out fast.
my father looked shocked.

"fuck you all." i say and leave the room. i walk outside and sit down at a little table on the terrace.
"holy fucking shit fuck hell damn bitch shit." i whisper to myself.

"agreed." i hear a voice say. Houston approaches the table where i sit with a cigarette in one hand. "gimme that." i reach for the cigar. he hands it to me and blows some smoke.
"im not addicted or anything. i smoke one after each crisis." he laughs. my head is so drowned in thoughts but i still manage to think about Houston. he's actually pretty cute, wearing a black button down, black dress pants and shoes the same. his hair is neatly parted on the right and his electric blue eyes even glow in the night.
"you look absolutely stunning if i haven't said it out loud yet." he says.

"you haven't and i thank you. you don't look to bad yourself." my previous thoughts return into play again.
"we're getting married." i say with zero feelings.
"we are. by the end of next month, what are they thinking?" Houston says.
"are we allowed to divorce?" i ask.
"no. god to think about it, my parents story was so magical. they too were filled with the exact same thoughts we have, but they ended up falling in love." he explains.
then i start thinking real hard.
"do you think we could ever?" i wonder. he glances at me with an eye, confused.
"we could ever what?" he asks.
"fall in love." i say. thank god it's night time, for the heat is rising in my face.

"fall in love. now that's something to think about. i just met you about twenty minutes ago and it's sad to say we're thinking about that. but falling love. that's always a possibility." Houston says. it's quite lovely with the words he can so easily put together. i stand up from the chair i sat in. i looked at Houston who had his hands stuffed in his pockets. his shirt looked as if it was going to break around the arms, he's seems strong. then i look at his face, catching every detail. i put my hand to his cheek.
"you're burning up!" i smile.
"am not!" he grabs my hand and takes it off his face.
"you so totally are." i begin laughing.
"well it's hard not to when a pretty girl is staring at your face!" he says loudly.
"hmm, i suppose." then he starts laughing.
"well i bet we should probably return to the ball. don't want to miss the champagne." he says. i pick up my mask and tie it back around my head.
"i bet we shall. see ya later fiancé." i say. it sounds weird saying that. shit.

"no ones proposed yet. by the way, let's keep this a secret between us. i don't want to have to do any fake dating if people find out." Houston tells me.

"you got it." i wave my hand and walk away.