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It was almost a week before the ball every Eden Academy’s seniors was waiting for. The school was bustling with students chatting about dresses and dancing and what not.
“Becky, my Pa could only afford so much for my dress, and no, he won’t be coming to the ball.” Anya said to her friend as they walked towards their classroom.
Becky sighed dramatically. “Then maybe my expensive dress will be in vain. Should I just give it to you?”
A chuckle was heard from behind them. “As if such a dress would look good on her. A clown suit would suit her better. Not that it would be allowed in the masquerade ball.”
Ugh, Damian, the two girls collectively thought. Anya and Becky heard more chuckles. And his goonies too.
“Well,” Anya retorted, “Diss me when you actually see me in a very nice dress. Pretty sure you won’t though.”
“I bet a dance with you that I totally would.” Damian sneered at Anya, digging something from his pocket. “Have a piece of candy. It’s on me.”
Becky’s face went confused. “Why would a candy be on you? Let’s go, Anya. Your time is not worth this person.” Grabbing her friend’s hand, they hastily made their way towards the classroom.
Damian chuckles when he hears Anya shout, “THIS CANDY IS SO SALTY!” Hehe. Got her.
...
Damian Desmond absolutely hates fancy social gatherings.
Maybe it’s the pretentious smiles, people buttering up to him in an attempt to gain favor from his family, or maybe the fact that he was alone in those kinds of events.
Alone. Just like always.
But when he sees the excitement sparkling in Anya’s eyes, his detest for fancy social gatherings goes down just a little bit.
…
The morning of the masquerade ball, all seniors were given a half-day off to prepare for the event. Becky stayed over at Anya’s house to help each other prepare, and to attempt to see Loid.
It was a nice surprise for Becky to know that Anya’s Pa will be staying home that day.
And it was an even surprise for her to know that he can assist them in putting on make-up and their masks. (It was his specialty, after all.)
“I am very grateful you gave my daughter such a beautiful dress- and an expensive one at that,” Loid said to Becky as he adjusted her mask. “I’m very happy Anya has a friend like you.”
Becky tried not to squeal with delight. Loid may have grown a tad bit older with fine lines here and there, but her tastes have also… matured. “Anything for you- I mean, your daughter, Mr. Forger.”
Anya chuckles at the sight of her friend going all mushy in front of her father. “Hey, Pa, don’t forget to pat Becky’s head.”
“She likes it?”
“I DON'T? Shut up Anya!”
Anya chuckled. "Ahehe, whatever you say."
…
It was quite a refreshing sight for the halloween-clad neighborhood to see two such beautifully dressed ladies walking amongst the scary costumes as the sun was setting.
“Why are we walking there Becky? Martha could literally drive us there!” Anya grumbled tiredly, still not used to the heels her Ma lent to her.
Becky smiled. "Well, you look like you need some extra training on walking," she said as she helped Anya straighten up. "After all, if you can't walk properly on heels, how can you dance like a pri-"
BOO!
Becky screamed. "WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"Becky, that was a little kid." Anya sighed.
“Oh.”
...
As they walked through the neighborhood, children would walk up to them and ask if they were princesses.
Becky would say yes, and Anya, like a menace like she was, scared the kids that they were vampires who eat children for dinner during that night.
"Stop scaring the kids, Anya!" Becky tried to reason with her friend. "They might stop going out after this!"
Anya laughed. "What's Halloween with no scary things? Eden doesn't even celebrate it because of super rich people ideals. Besides, it's very fun!"
…
The two girls traverse across the decorated streets, laughing and talking with each other. The moon starts shining, although a little obscured by the clouds. The wind blew gently that night.
“Do you believe in ghosts, Anya?” Becky asked her friend, trying to gauge her reaction.
Anya pondered for a bit, saying, “It’s not don’t believe in them, it’s just… they’re not creepy now. If it was set up nicely though…”
Becky chuckled. “Then maybe you’d enjoy going to that one building with us?”
“Us? You mean, those three boys? And wasn’t that one rumor just really was a cat roaming there?” Anya replied.
“Fufufu, there is another one.”
“Apparently, there was a highschool senior that killed himself in our building on this day many years ago… He had everything, from looks, to being smart, and even having the money. But seemingly, none of his family ever acknowledged him, and the girl he liked rejected him.
Now he haunts those who go to our school building, and is always seen by the students, especially on the last day of October…”
“Well,” Anya stretched her arms upwards, cracking her knuckles in the act, “I’m down for some ghost hunting tonight!”
A few more turns later, the two finally arrived at school.
----
"You sure Anya really won't recognize you?" Emile said, fixing Damian's mask on his face.
Damian rolled his eyes. "I mean, brown eyes and brown hair are totally common. There's no way she would recognize me."
(Spoiler: Anya recognized Damian even with the mask on)
Ewen scoffed at his friend. "You just wanna dance with her as you , don't you? But you made up a bet so you're trying to blend in so you cou-"
Damian's ears went beet-red in embarrassment. "Super not true!" He said as he stuck his tongue out.
"Dude, what are you like, 5?" Emile said in reply. "Anyway, I know this school does not wanna celebrate the spooky season, but there’s rumors of ghosts here too!”
Ewen sighed. “If you mean the one in the other building, then I think it was just a cat, but if you meant the ghost of the previous senior that… Well, offed himself on this day many years ago, I think that one is real. ”
Damian knew that story a little bit too well. It was someone his family sometimes talked about, after all.
At this point Damian was shaking in fear, feigning a fake smile trying to be unbothered. Yeah. Because he totally wasn’t scared of the creepy rumor and was just nervous. “Ahaha, we don’t we just go straight to the Great Hall and mingle and wait and dance-”
Emile and Ewen looked at each other mischievously. “Oh? You weren’t informed? We are going ghost hunting with the two girls!”
“And ditch the school event? No thanks.” Damian stuttered. “Besides, we’re not allowed in the buildings at night!”
“You’re being a goody-two-shoes after all we have done?” (i.e. ditching class and faking headaches at the infirmary)
“Hmph. Whatever. Let’s just go now.” Damian said, as they walked side by side toward the most anticipated masquerade ball.
…
To say that place was so beautiful was an understatement.
With a beautiful chandelier hanging down from the ceiling illuminating the well-polished floor, moonlight peeking out oh so slightly from the clouds. The smell of gourmet snacks filled the air, with the sound of heels clacking and shoes tapping, accompanied by an orchestra playing the sound of waltz and dancing.
Seniors wearing the finest clothes available, masks adorned with expensive jewels, intricately made by famous designers chatter about in the Great Hall, laughing and talking amongst themselves. But not the topic you’d typically hear in high social circles.
If there was one thing Eden and its traditional adults had forgotten, it was that those high school seniors were still kids, and kids absolutely loved scary ghost stories- especially the ones that concern the old school.
…
When Damian and his friends arrived at school, they slipped into an uncrowded area near the door, as they (just Damian, really) waited for Anya and Becky to come.
“Ooooh you really wanna dance with Anya, don’t you?” Emile teased Damian, making kissy faces at him. “Too bad you made that bet. I think that she looks absolutely cute in whatever.”
“I don't think she’s stunning in a beautiful gown, with her hair tied up elegantly, and a mask showing off her sparkling sea green eyes! I can’t just lose to her!” Damian clenched his fist, thankful his mask was hiding the blush tinting his cheeks.
“Man,” Ewen replied. “Even with that declaration I’d like to think that you already lost even before making that bet.”
Heads turned as a young lady with pink hair tied up, walked inside the Great Hall in a flowy teal dress, with her friend just right behind her, the same amount of charm oozing from her.
Damian admitted defeat to his own bet.
…
“MY FEET HURTS, BECKY. We should have taken the car!” Anya half yelled, almost stumbling.
Becky laughed, shooing away all the nosey onlookers looking for a dance with what seems to be the ‘Belle of the Ball’. “At least you can walk now without falling every 10 seconds.”
The two walked towards the middle of the dance floor, chattering nonstop about the supposed ghost they were about to see later. It wasn’t till they noticed a certain someone they knew approaching them. Becky knew. Anya knew. But a little teasing on the Desmond would be fun now wouldn’t it?
Becky excused herself, muttering something about refreshments, and left the two to their own devices.
The ‘unknown’ man offered his left hand to the pink-haired lady, kissing it ever so gently.
“May I have the pleasure of dancing with you, Ms. Forger?”
If it weren’t for the fact that Emile and Ewen were literally 5 meters away from them, Anya wouldn't have known that this gentleman right in front of her was the same person who’d laugh at her all the time, and who’d prank her every chance he got.
“It would be my honor. I’m not great at dancing though.” Anya said, acting bashful like she didn’t know it was her annoyingly handsome and cute and smart- now’s not the time for this brain!
The ‘gentleman’ chuckled. “No worries, just take my lead, and you'll be fine."
It would be a lie if Anya said that she didn't like how Damian was acting like a proper gentleman. In fact, she was a total fan of it. A super duper mega big one.
The two danced away elegantly on the dance floor, feeling like no one but them was there, dancing away all the problems away. Even the others were captivated and stopped to watch this 'mysterious' senior who managed to 'pry' Becky off her side and danced with the most beautiful girl of the night.
"If I may ask," Anya said. "How do you know my name?" I wonder what kind of excuse he'd come up with.
Damian chuckled. "You are the only one in the school with pink hair and such beautiful sea green eyes, Ms. Forger." He replied eloquently.
"Hmm? Is that so?" Anya teasingly replied. "But if you are planning to ask me out, I unfortunately have someone in my heart already. I have a feeling you know him quite well.," she dramatically said.
Too bad that the music ended, and after a bow and a curtsy, Damian never got the chance to ask who. (He was totally not jealous)
"Thank you for dancing with me, Mr. 'no-name-gentleman'." Anya winked at him. "Although I'm pretty certain we'd bump into each other again later."
Damian took his leave to rejoin his wheezing friends, almost out of breath in laughter.
...
"You looked absolutely hilarious out there!" Emile laughed. " May I have the pleasure of dancing with you, my ass!"
"She recognizes you, I bet!" Ewen took a few deep breaths to regain his composure. "Well then, should we meet the two, for the main event of this night?"
Damian internally cringed as he realized that if they'd meet, she would totally know (even if he'd changed clothes it was pretty obvious, what a total airhead.) For someone as smart as him, god was he a total fucking idiot.
“Hmph. Let’s just go to the building. This is boring without them anyway.”
…
Schools at night give off a totally different vibe.
Maybe it’s the empty hallways, or the flickering lights that usually can’t be seen when the sun is blaring through the large windows, or maybe the fact that it was eerily quiet, where even the tiniest step can be heard echoing the long dark hallway.
“Hey! It’s Mr. ‘no-name-gentleman!” Anya shouted, running over to the stiffened Damian and his two dying-of-laughter friends.
While Anya was busy teasing Damian, Becky, Ewen, and Emile, thought of a plan to leave the two (not quite) love birds alone. The two would go first, and they would rush to the rooftop to scare the living souls out of them.
“It’s not fair Becky!” Anya wailed. “I wanna go with you!”
“You already told me you have someone in your heart,” Damian fainted. “Don’t hurt this 'no-name-gentleman' anymore!"
"We'll follow, promise." Ewen said.
"God," Emile groaned. "We better see something after all this."
Becky shoved the two in the building, turning on the lights that flicker at random times.
"Well then, let's meet each other on the rooftop. Enjoy, lovebirds!" Becky said as she slammed the big door shut.
….
The moonlight shines brightly, and the wind was howling loudly.
Damian and Anya silently walked side by side down the suddenly long hallway. Both were a shivering mess; though Anya was shaking from the cold, and Damian, shaking in fear.
Anya thought it was fun to poke fun at Damian, who'd flinch and squeal, but deny all accusations of him being a scaredy-cat. It was as if the two had forgotten the main reason they were in the building.
That is, until they could hear footsteps running right behind them.
Damian gulped. “D-did you just… hear something?”
“I’ve got goosebumps down my arm. No way they could have been those three,” Anya replied. “Who was that senior, anyway?”
The way Anya almost shrieked when a coat plopped down on her shoulders was something Damian thought was funny.
“He was a friend of my father, I think, “ he replied, head turned away, trying to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. “Jeeves used to say tha-”
ZZZT! The lights went out.
The two sighed in relief when the two heard Becky, Ewen, and Emile laughing together.
“Very original prank, Becky!” Anya yelled, “Have you guys found anything yet?”
They could hear sounds of disappointment from the three, along with chuckles. “We’ll be turning on the light now!”
“See you at the rooftop, I guess!” Damian called out, relieved that all these ghost sightings were just simply rumors and nothing more.
The light came back on, and footsteps hurriedly went up the stairs, sounds of laughter slowly fading as the tense feeling steadily became a lighter one.
The mood definitely lightened up, especially now that the two are bantering back and forth, just like they do on normal days, where the sun is definitely out, students occupying the hallways and classrooms, and totally not in the school at night, where there may or may not be any non-human entities hanging out in the empty building.
...
Both have finally reached the rooftop, where they saw Becky loudly complaining about how running up the stairs in her heels was a bad idea, and the other two pointing and laughing at the girl.
Anya ran into Becky’s arms as Emile and Ewen both slung their arms on Damian, all talking about how creepy the school at night was, and how the ghost sighting of that senior was simply just a rumor.
From up the rooftop, they can see just how bright and fancy the Great Hall was, and how everyone looks so grand and elegant in their clothes, but it is only under the serene moonlight can they only see the true nature of one’s self.
“Yeah,” Becky said, “it was tiring running up the stairs, I think we came here a few minutes before you?” Emile nodded in agreement.
“The stairs were so dusty!” Ewen said, brushing off imaginary dust off his arms. “I’m never using the emergency stairs like this again.”
Damian and Anya’s eyes met, both widening at Emile’s statement.
“Are you two okay?” Ewen asked. “You both look like you’ve just seen a ghost!”
Damian pulled the terrified Anya to the side.
"If Becky, Emile, and Ewen did not even step foot inside the building…"
"…Then who the hell did we talk to when the lights went out?"