Mesmerized | ✓

28

"What do you mean I can't go to the prom?" Despite what she had gone through because of Yuli, despite how he kept deceiving her, she was actually looking forward to dressing up and going to the prom. She had never been to one before, apart from a middle school dance with tacky dresses and over the top make-up that she didn't really count. And now for some reason her brother was telling her that she couldn't come.

"This is going to be a bloodbath." Carl explained. He had come to his sister's bedroom while she was already getting for bed. "You know Yuli. He won't pass on a chance to feast on young people in a building full of them." He was sitting on the edge of her bed looking as miserable as ever. But that was a sight Robin was getting quite accustomed to. "I can't risk you getting hurt."

Robin rolled her eyes. "It doesn't look like he wants any more of my blood." She said bitterly. "I would say that the risk of him wanting me as a snack are not as high as you'd imagine."

"Still." Carl continued. "It will be crazy. You will stay away from that." Robin opened her mouth to protest bur he didn't let her. "I can't go there and have you on my mind as well."

"If it's so risky why are you even going?" Robin asked folding her arms over her chest.

Carl smiled sadly. "Someone has to make sure that it doesn't get completely out of control."

"Oh, come on. Don't lie to me. I know better than that." She raised her eyebrows. "You just can't stay away, admit it."

Carl sighed. "It doesn't matter." He said. "But I have one thing to ask of you."

"Yeah? And what is it?"

"I need you to ask him to make the prom a masquerade." Carl said in a solemn voice that had somehow become his default one.

"Why?" Robin asked but soon discovered that she didn't really care. If people wore masks then she could sneak into the prom inconspicuously and no one would ever know she was there, maybe with the exception of Yuli who she'd make sure would at least dance with her.

"I just need you to do this one thing for me. It has to be you." He pleaded.

"Fine, whatever." Robin said not wanting to lose her chance of an easy way in. "I'll convince him."

"Thanks." Carl said before leaning forward and looking straight into his sister's eyes. His gaze was so intense that no matter how much she wanted to look away, she couldn't force herself to. "I need you to promise me you won't come to that prom. No matter what happens."

He looked dead serious making Robin feel a little guilty that she was about to lie but the remorse paled in comparison to her urge to go to the prom and possibly try to steal a romantic moment alone with Yuli. "Okay. I promise." She said at last, fully intending to break the promise.

*****

Robin was slowly readying herself to visit Yuli in the Silver Fox where he currently resided with a mass of his followers. The girl often wanted to go there to spend more time with him or just to watch him if it was one of those days when Yuli didn't want anything to do with her. However, she knew that her parents wouldn't let her leave and even if she somehow managed to sneak out, Carl would surely easily find her and drag her back home.

But eventually, after two long days of deafening silence. Yuli came back. He looked disheveled, as though he hadn't washed for a couple of days. His hair was messy, he smelled of alcohol and his body was sticky with glitter. Despite all that Yuli had a satisfied grin on his face which made him in Robin's eyes the most majestic creature in the entire universe.

She watched him from the living room as he wordlessly bypassed both her and her parents talking in the kitchen and went upstairs, probably to the guest room. The adults look at one another. "He's been gone for two entire days and he won't even say hi?" Karen asked with a disapproving shake of her head as she snacked on potato chips with her husband. "Do you know what's going on?" The woman asked her daughter.