Dark One- The Khiara Banning Series Book 1

Seventeen

AN: *Heavy awkward asthmatic breathing* I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER!!!

Semi-formal is finally upon us. Cara and I are standing in my bedroom, just finishing the last touches to our respective looks, though I haven’t looked in my mirror yet because Cara wouldn’t let me.

When I put my ruby stud earrings on to complete my look, Cara appraises me with a huge smile. “You look gorgeous, Babe!”

I turn around and stare at myself. Wow, she’s right – I do look gorgeous. I love how Cara’s done my make up; my eyes are done in smoky greens and pinks, lined with black. My eyelashes look incredibly long, she’s used so much mascara, but it looks like they could actually be naturally like that. My lips are a soft pink, coated in lip gloss.

Squealing like mad, I hug her close to me. “Cara, whatever you did, it’s amazing. You should be a make-up artist!”

Obviously this has made her day, because she squeals along with me and says, “Really? Screw nursing, I’ll make a splash in the make-up world! But my Mom…” She doesn’t have to finish the sentence. Her mother was a make-up artist before her father had hanged himself. She’d quit and gotten a job at the law firm because he used to work across from her at her make-up job, and they’d gotten lunch every day in the food court at the mall. Her mother can’t stand to look at a make-up artist without feeling guilty. But then again, she can’t stand looking at Cara without thinking of him and feeling guilty.

Awkwardly, I smile at her and loop my arm through hers; trying to help shake the feeling of guilt she carries with her wherever she goes. She’s like a sister to me, so when she’s in pain, I’m in pain. “Shall we?”

The dance is being held in our school’s gym, so when we pull into the driveway, it’s hard to find a parking space.

When we get inside, I notice that everybody has the same type of dress on except myself and a few other people. Of course… if there’s a certain way to be dressed at an event, you can bet that I will not be wearing the same type of thing as everybody else. In this case, almost everybody’s wearing a flowing ball gown type of dress.

But I love it. I will not let this good moment be taken away from me.

When Cara notices Tristan, she grabs my arm and starts to run towards him, pulling me with her. It doesn’t matter that he’s not supposed to be here because he doesn’t go to our school. He showed up just for Cara’s sake. Because he really likes her, I think to myself.

He wraps his arms around her as soon as she lets go of my arm, “Hey beautiful!”

Smiling and bouncing, she hugs him back, all excited about the dance and about his presence. Tristan’s eyes find mine and all I see in them is kindness. He smiles at me and nods his head once at me in greeting. “Khiara, don’t you look…different. I don’t mean that in a bad way – just that I’m pretty sure you’re the only person who isn’t wearing a ball gown.” He looks down at Cara and kisses her head.

I reply, “Thanks! You look awesome too, how did you afford that tux? It’s got to be, like a thousand dollars?”

He just shrugs and says, “It’s a rental.”

I nod my head but all of a sudden feel the need to turn around because that feeling of being watched, the one that I’ve grown accustomed to, is back, and I find Damien staring at me from across the room. Vicky’s glaring at him while he glares at me. He looks like he’s studying me like a complicated puzzle, and she looks like she wants to rip his eyes out of their sockets. I look away.

I never did eat those cookies he gave me… I think to myself. He really creeps me out.

“Hey, why don’t you guys go dance. I know you’re itching to. I’ll be fine, I actually brought my book.” I say, gesturing to the dance floor.