| Ephemeral |

nineteen

Alex - Two weeks later 

T-minus two weeks till prom night

"Here are the ribbons, masks, and lantern things," I smiled at Hazel, handing her the box of decorations I fetched for her. She made me sign up for the prom committee since literally no one in school wanted to. 

"Why the hell do we need so many of these little lights?" Jackson asked, holding a huge string roll of lights. Did I forget to mention that she recruited the whole friend group? 

I laughed at Hazel's pre-meltdown over Jackson's question as I stepped up the ladder to hang streamers. They were black and gold, the whole theme is classy and dark. I like it. 

I felt the ladder shake making me grab onto it quickly. I looked down to see Grayson's hands on it and a devious smile on his face.

"You're not funny," I complained, looking down at him. "Then why are you smiling?" He remarked, making me roll my eyes.

"I need to talk to you guys," I heard a voice on the other side of me, making me turn. I saw Theo standing there making me furrow my brows. "You aren't supposed to be here," I told him. He shook his head at my mom-like comment. If someone sees him here it could get back to Crimson. 

Grayson held out his hand for me to take as I stepped down the ladder. All three of us walked out of the gym and into the empty hallway.

"What's up?" I asked, giving Grayson a look before I focused on Theo. "I've been thinking lately. There's no way in hell Ethan missed me on accident. I trained him with a gun for months, he never missed. He was oddly good at hitting every target, even really far away." Theo started, making me shake my head. 

"What are you saying?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest. "Ethan's still in there," Grayson spoke up before Theo could, making me look at him.

"Crimson hasn't fully corrupted him yet, Alex. He doesn't even like me that much and he missed me on purpose." Theo added, causing me to bring my hand up to my head.

"I need to get back in there before Hazel kills me. We'll talk about this after school, get out of here." I ordered, and Theo nodded reluctantly. 

I turned to walk back in the gym but Grayson caught my arm. "Don't get your hopes up about this," Grayson warned me, making me furrow my brows at him. "This is a good thing, Gray. This is a chance for us to get him back. We just need to get him here somehow and-" I began talking faster and getting excited, but he interrupted me.

"Damn it Alex just stop," He raised his voice a little, making my smile fall. "What's your problem? One minute you're telling me to have faith in him, the next your telling me the opposite," I shook my head at him. He was being a hypocrite right now. 

"I just don't want your tendency of being too damn naïve get you hurt," He argued, making my fingers curl into the palm of my hand. 

"How about you stop caring so much about my well being and focus on Ethan's. After all, he is the goal here, not me. You need to get your priorities in check and stop letting feelings cloud your judgment." I snapped back, but immediately regretted saying the last part when I saw his face change.

"God forbid someone care about Alex, they are the ones that end up hurt right?" He said in a low tone. "Don't worry, my priorities are perfectly clear now," He added. 

I let out a breath before he turned and walked away from me. I was going to say something to stop him but nothing came out.

"And you're not helping because..?" Hazel appeared out of nowhere with a clipboard in hand. I breathed in sharply and followed her back into the gym.

-

Ethan

"You need to pick out a suit," Crimson spoke, walking into my room. He was holding a tie up to his neck testing colors. 

"Why?" I asked, puzzled. "We're going to prom," He smiled widely, holding out his arms sarcastically. 

"Why the hell would we do that?" I asked more seriously and sat up. "Someone has escaped Larce's thresh hold and will be there to visit your pretty little girlfriend," He responded. I felt my jaw clench at him calling her that. 

"Who?" I asked again. "You don't need to know that. We just need to be there to make sure he doesn't get to her before we do," He responded calmly, turning back around to look at himself in the mirror.

"Why a school dance, though?" I asked. "Knows for certain she'll be there, and they probably figured no one would kill them in such a public place," He shrugged. By his persona, he definitely sounds like he's hiding something. God forbid I ask though, I might get punched again. 

"Why do we have to see her? Why can't we just hide outside and wait for the person?" I asked again. "You're going to distract her so I can find and kill the person. Now no more questions." He said back.

"Hopefully Luna Desdemona doesn't get wind of the same info we did. If that's the case, we'll have a whole other fight on our hands." He spoke, rolling his eyes dramatically.

He walked out of my room swiftly, leaving me there to think. Who the hell am I preventing Alex from saving?  

-

Luna

"I tapped the location that you got the call from like you asked," Gideon spoke, walking over to me with a paper in his hand. 

"And?" I asked nervously. "It came from south of Lynbrook, Hanover street to be exact," He responded, handing me the paper with a map on it. 

"It has to be him," I spoke to myself. "That was the place Larce 'killed' him all those years ago. Somehow he must have been keeping him there or torturing him, or-" I spoke steadily.

"Are you sure you aren't over thinking this? This is Larce we're talking about. He could have pulled something with that phone call." Gideon responded quietly. 

"There's only one way for me to find out," I spoke, looking down at the map. If the information I have is true, I know where he'll be and who he's trying to see.

 "Do you have a suit?" I asked Gideon and he gave me an odd look. "We're going to prom." I spoke confidently. 

-

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I wonder how hard it's going to be for everyone to find the right person they're looking for when everyone is in a mask lol. 

Two updates in one day.. go me. I'm working on another book too, so forgive me for being so M.I.A. 

xoxo,

H <3