A Shadow's Kiss ~ A Pitch Black/Rise of the Guardians Fanfiction

Chapter 14 ~ Disastrous Dance

Senior prom approached far sooner than any of us at school expected. Apparently the student council was trying to stretch out its funds for prom by holding the event in the beginning of April. Posters around the school's hallways were taped to lockers and support beams, all listing ticket prices, location, the date, and the theme: Under an Evening Star. Upon hearing this announcement, Jade and I were among the first to purchase our prom attire.

The Nightmare King and I had grown closer over the last month and a half, leaving me wondering where I stood in his life. Jade's constant belief that he cared about me gave me a flicker of hope, but I worried that it was all for nought. Pitch could never fall for me the way I had for him. Right?

Speaking of the devil, the Boogeyman was all smiles on Prom Night. When I had first told him I was going, he seemed troubled by the prospect of me attending the dance. Once I mentioned that I was only going with Jade and Eric, he appeared to calm down quite a bit. Pitch watched me silently while I curled my hair and reapplied a final coat of plum lipstick. He leaned against the wall next to my desk, tapping his long fingers on the hollow wood. I stood up straight, brushing the creases out of my skirt as it swayed with my movement. "Well, how do I look?" I prompted the Boogeyman. Pitch shifted his gaze to me and I watched his eyes scan over me from head to toe. When his irises returned to my own, Pitch swallowed thickly. "You look...ravishing." His silken voice was even smoother than usual. I smiled hopefully at Pitch. "Thanks..." I murmured, gathering my things. "Well, I'm off! Are you sure you don't want to come?" I offered for him to accompany me. Pitch shook his head, "No, my time for dancing has passed, my dear. These events have little importance for me anymore. Go, have fun with your silly friends!" He encouraged, waving me off. Waving goodbye, I did as Pitch suggested and ran downstairs for my mom to take pictures before Jade and Eric got here to pick me up.

After a few minutes of posing and taking several prom pictures on my front porch, my friends and I left to head to the hotel where prom would be happening. The elegant building had a gothic appeal to it; iron fencing surrounded the land on which it was built, barbed spikes peeking through the branches of the trees around the building. A number of pointed towers were erected on the edges of the walls, reminding me more of a cathedral than a hotel. Red brick siding and charcoal grey shingles gave it an antiqued flare, while stained glass windows cast rainbow colored patterns on the soft grass below.

The ballroom inside the hotel was just as pretty as the scenery outside. The floors were a pale russet shade of wood, likely polished mahogany. There were sections of the ceiling that had been cut out and replaced with oversized skylights, which allowed for guests to look straight up at the night sky. Huge bronze chandeliers hung from chains over our heads, small white candles illuminating the room from individual perches built into the ceiling fixture. The hum of pop music reverberated around the walls, the DJ set up in the very front of the room on a raised portion of the floor. It wasn't quite a stage, but it would have to do. The dim illumination of the space gave the ballroom a romantic glow; one that made me think of a certain spiritual being.

Part of me wished Pitch had come along, even if no one else could see him and I would look psychotic if someone saw me talking to myself. In saying that, I knew the Nightmare King likely thought of this sort of event as trivial, and he probably wouldn't enjoy himself very much. So I settled on spending the evening with my friends. Who says you need a date to have fun at prom?

All sorts of songs filtered through the air, some fun and upbeat, others soft and romantic. Eric and Jade were being very sweet, trying their best to make me feel like more than a third-wheel. Both of their outfits matched perfectly. Eric was rocking a light gray suit and slacks, with a silver tie and matching cummerbund; Jade was stunning in a glittery iridescent ball gown, the colors shifting from bright teal to silver in the flashing lights, her sweetheart neckline raising into two sharp peaks almost at her shoulders. Their intentions of staying with me were nothing short of good, but as the hours wore on, I could sense they truly wanted to have some alone time with one another. That was a sentiment I could wholly understand and respect.