Halo

26 Prom

The prom was being held at the Pavilion Tennis Club. With its sweeping grounds and various function rooms overlooking the bay, it was indisputably the finest reception center in the area.

The limousine glided past its high bluestone fence and through the cast-iron gates onto a winding gravel driveway lined by manicured lawns and hedges. Stone fountains dotted the garden; one of them was in the shape of a majestic lion with one paw raised as if in attack, an arc of water cascading from each of its claws. There was even a small lake with a bridge and a gazebo, which looked better suited to an ancient castle somewhere in Europe rather than in a town as casual as Venus Cove. I couldn’t help being overwhelmed by the lavishness. Jake, on the other hand, seemed unimpressed. He maintained his perpetually bored expression, his mouth twisting into a smirk whenever our eyes met.

As the limousine continued up the sweeping driveway we passed tennis courts that glowed like green pools under the lights and headed toward the pavilion itself: a large, circular glass building with a pitched roof and wide white balconies stretching around it. There was a steady stream of couples heading inside, the boys standing erect and the girls clutching their purses and constantly adjusting their straps. Although the boys looked dashing in their tuxedoes, they were only really there as escorts; the night clearly belonged to the girls, every face I saw wore the same expression of anticipation.

Some groups had arrived in limos and chauffeur-driven cars, while others had opted for the double-decker party bus, which now pulled in carrying its jubilant passengers. I noticed that the bus’s interior had been redecorated to look like a nightclub, complete with strobe lights and booming music.

For this evening at least, feminist philosophy had been abandoned, and the girls, like fairy-tale princesses, allowed themselves to be led up the flight of steps and into the foyer. On my right, Molly was too engrossed in her surroundings to bother making conversation with Ryan Robertson, who admittedly, did look handsome in a suit. On my left, Taylah was taking hundreds of photographs, eager to make sure she recorded even the most minor details. She kept sneaking glances at Jake when she thought I wasn’t looking. He caught her eye and rewarded her with a wink. Taylah’s cheeks flamed so red I thought it was a wonder her makeup didn’t melt right off.

Dr. Chester, Bryce Hamilton’s principal, stood just inside the foyer, wearing a pale gray suit, surrounded by flower arrangements on pedestals. Other members of the staff had positioned themselves strategically in order to see the young couples as they made their entrance. I noticed a few beads of perspiration gathering on Dr. Chester’s domed forehead, the only indication of stress. His smile might be wide, but his eyes said that he wanted to be at home in his favorite armchair rather than supervising a group of indulged seniors determined to make this the most memorable night of their lives.

Jake and I joined the line of glamorous couples waiting to make their entrance. Molly and Ryan were ahead of us, and I watched them closely to determine the protocol so I didn’t slip up.

“Dr. Chester, my partner, Molly Amelia Harrison,” said Ryan in a formal voice. It sounded odd coming from a boy who usually amused himself and his friends by drawing giant genitals on the asphalt outside the school entrance. I knew Molly had instructed him to be on his best behavior for the night.

Dr. Chester smiled benevolently, shook his hand, and ushered the couple inside.

We were next. Jake laced my arm through his. “Dr. Chester, my partner, Bethany Rose Church,” he said gallantly, as though presenting me at an imperial court.

Dr. Chester gave me a warm smile of approval.

“How do you know my middle name?” I asked him once we were inside.

“Haven’t I mentioned that I’m psychic?” Jake replied.

We followed the wave of people into the ballroom, which was more lavish than I had imagined. The walls were glass from floor to ceiling, the lush carpet was a deep burgundy, and the parquet dance floor gleamed under the crystal chandeliers, which threw off little crescents of light. Through the glass walls I could see an undulating expanse of ocean and a small pillar of white resembling a salt and pepper shaker. It took me a moment to identify it as the lighthouse. Tables were set up around the room, covered in white linen and set with fine china. The table centerpieces were bunches of pale pink and yellow rosebuds, and silver sequins were scattered across the tablecloths. At the back of the room, the band was tuning their instruments. Waiters bustled around us, carrying trays of nonalcoholic punch.

I spotted Gabriel and Ivy alone on the fringe of the action, looking so unearthly it almost hurt to gaze at them. Gabriel’s expression was unreadable, but I could tell that he wasn’t enjoying the evening. Students stared at Ivy in awed silence as they passed, but no one had the nerve to approach her. I saw Gabriel’s eyes sweep across the room until he found Jake Thorn. His laser gaze watched him with penetrating intensity for a few seconds before he turned away.

“You’re at our table!” Molly cried, hugging me from behind. “Let’s go sit down, my shoes are already killing me.” She caught sight of Gabriel. “On second thought, I’d better go and say hello to your brother first… don’t want to seem rude!”

We left Jake to find our seats and headed over to my brother. Gabriel had his hands clasped behind his back and was wearing a grim expression as he surveyed the scene.

“Hi!” said Molly, tottering up to him in her strappy shoes with pencil-thin heels.

“Good evening, Molly,” replied Gabriel. “You’re looking fetching tonight.”

Molly glanced at me uncertainly.

“He means you look good,” I whispered, and her face brightened.

“Oh… thanks!” she said. “You look very fetching too. Having fun?”

“Fun may not be the most accurate description,” Gabriel said. “I’ve never much liked social events.”

“Oh, I know what you mean,” said Molly. “The ball part is always a bit boring. Things really kick off at the after-party. Are you coming?” Gabriel’s stone face seemed to soften for a moment, and the corners of his mouth twitched in the beginning of a smile. But in a matter of seconds he recollected himself and the smile was gone.

“As a teacher I’m afraid it’s my duty to pretend I didn’t hear anything about an after-party,” said Gabriel. “Dr. Chester has made his thoughts on the subject very clear.”

“Yeah, well, there’s not much the doc can do about it, is there?” Molly laughed.

“Who’s your partner?” Gabriel changed the subject. “I don’t believe I’ve met him.”

“His name’s Ryan. He’s sitting over there.”

Molly pointed to where Ryan and his friend were arm wrestling on the carefully set table. One of them knocked over a glass and sent it rolling across the floor. Gabriel eyed the two boys censoriously.

Molly’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she looked away. “He’s a bit immature sometimes, but he’s a good guy. Well, I better get back before he destroys something valuable and we get thrown out! I’ll see you later though. I’ve saved you a dance.”

I almost had to steer Molly back to our table, and she kept looking back at Gabriel in unashamed rapture. Ryan seemed not to notice.

I soon realized that despite the magical surroundings, I wasn’t enjoying myself either. My conversations with people were trifling, and several times I caught myself looking around for a clock. I started wondering whether I could legitimately excuse myself long enough to phone Xavier. But even if I borrowed Molly’s cell, there was nowhere private to call from. Teachers were stationed at the front doors to prevent anyone escaping into the gardens, and the bathrooms would be full of girls touching up their makeup.

The night seemed lackluster after all the buildup. It wasn’t Jake’s fault. I could see that he was trying. He was an attentive escort, and when he wasn’t asking me whether I was enjoying myself, he was cracking jokes and exchanging anecdotes with the others at our table. But as I looked around at the girls picking daintily at their food and brushing imaginary lint off their dresses, I couldn’t help thinking that there seemed little purpose to the event apart from sitting there looking pretty. Once everybody had given one another the once-over, there wasn’t much left to do.

Even when he was conversing with the others, Jake’s eyes rarely left my face. He seemed intent on following my every move. Sometimes he tried to draw me into the conversation by asking pointed questions, but I answered mostly in monosyllables and kept looking at my hands. I didn’t want to spoil the night for anyone or appear sulky, but my thoughts kept creeping back to Xavier. I found myself wondering what he was doing, imagining how the night would be if he were here by my side. I was in the right place, wearing the right dress, but with the wrong boy, and I couldn’t help but feel a little melancholy about it.

“What’s the matter, princess?” Jake asked when he caught me staring longingly out at the ocean.

“Nothing,” I answered quickly. “I’m having a lovely time.”

“Filthy lies,” he joked. “Shall we play a game?”

“If you like.”

“All right… how would you describe me in one word?”

“Driven?” I suggested.

“Wrong. Driven is the last thing I am. Fun fact: I never do my homework. What else makes me unique?”

“Your hair gel? Your suave nature? Your six toes?”

“Now that was uncalled for. I had number six removed years ago.” He flashed a smile. “Now describe yourself in one word.”

“Oh…” I hesitated. “I don’t really know… that’s difficult.”

“Good,” he said. “I’d never like a girl who could sum herself up in one word. There’s no complexity in that. And without complexity, there’s no intensity.”

“You like intensity?” I asked. “Molly says all guys want a girl who’s chill.”

“Chill just means easy to get into bed,” Jake replied. “But I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Isn’t that the opposite of intense?” I said. “Make up your mind!”

“A game of chess can be intense.”

“Er… yes, it can. Perhaps the idea of girls and chess pieces is interchangeable for you?”

“Never,” Jake said. “Have you ever broken a heart?”

“No,” I replied. “And I never want to. Have you?”

“Many but never without good reason.”

“What sort of reasons?”

“They weren’t right for me.”

“I hope you ended it in person,” I said. “And not over the phone or anything like that.”

“What do you take me for?” Jake said. “They deserved that much. That little shred of dignity was all they had left in the end.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked curiously.

“Let’s just say that you love and you lose,” he replied.

We sat through a tedious speech by Dr. Chester about how this was our “special night” and how we were all expected to behave responsibly and not do anything to tarnish Bryce Hamilton’s reputation. Dr. Chester said he trusted we were all going to go straight home when the prom ended. There were a few sniggers from the audience at this, which the principal chose to ignore. He reminded us instead that he had sent letters home discouraging after-parties and advising parents to think twice before offering their homes as a venue.

What Dr. Chester didn’t know was that the after-party had been planned months ago, and the organizers hadn’t been naïve enough to think they could get away with holding it at somebody’s house with their parents just upstairs. It was going to be held at an old, abandoned factory just out of town. The father of one of the seniors was an architect who’d been working on converting the space into apartments. He’d encountered some objections from local environment groups, and the project was temporarily on hold while waiting for permits to be approved. The factory was spacious, dark and, most of all, secluded. Nobody would think to look for the after-party there. No matter how loud the music, there would be nobody to complain because there were no residential streets nearby. Somebody knew a professional DJ who had offered his services free for the night. The kids could hardly wait for the prom to finish so the “real party” could start, but I knew I’d never contemplate going, even if Xavier had been there with me. I’d been to one party in my human life, and that was enough.

Dinner followed the speeches, and when we’d finished eating, we lined up on a raised platform to have our photos taken for the school magazine. Most couples adopted a standard pose, arm around the other’s waist, the girls smiling demurely, the boys standing rigid, terrified of making a wrong move and ruining the photo — a crime for which they knew they’d never be forgiven.

I should have known that Jake would do something different. When it was our turn, he dropped to one knee, plucked a rose from the table arrangement and clenched it between his teeth.

“Smile, princess,” he whispered in my ear.

The photographer, who had been clicking mechanically, brightened when she saw him, grateful for the variation. As we stepped down from the dais, I saw other girls glaring pointedly at their partners. Their eyes said, “Why can’t you be more like that romantic Jake Thorn?” I felt sorry for the boy who did try to mimic Jake’s gesture and ended up pricking his lip on the rose’s thorns. He was led away to the restroom by his lobster-faced date.

After the photos, a dessert of wobbling crème caramel arrived. This was followed by an interlude of dancing, and finally we were called back to our seats for the announcement of the awards. We watched as the prom committee, including Molly and Taylah, climbed onto the dais, carrying envelopes and trophies.

“It is our pleasure,” began a girl named Bella, “to announce this year’s award winners for the Bryce Hamilton Prom. We have put a lot of thought and effort into these decisions and before we start we want you to know that you’re all winners inside!”

I heard Jake suppress a snort of laughter.

“We’ve added more categories to the list this year in recognition of the effort you’ve all made tonight,” the girl went on. “Let’s start with the award for Best Hair.”

It seemed to me that the world had gone mad. I returned Jake’s look of dismay as we sat through awards for Best Hair, Best Gown, Most Transformed, Best Tie, Best Shoes, Best Makeup, Most Glamorous, and Most Natural Beauty. Finally, the minor awards were over, and it was time for the announcement that everybody had been waiting for: the winners of Prom King and Queen. Excited whispers flew around the room. This was the award most hotly contested. Every girl in the audience was holding her breath and the boys were pretending not to look interested. I wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about. It wasn’t exactly something to include on their résumés.

“And this year’s winners are…,” began the speaker. She paused for dramatic effect and the audience groaned in frustration. “Bethany Church and Jake Thorn!”

The room burst into wild applause, and for a split second I scanned the crowd for the winners until I realized it was my name that had been called. I maintained my stony expression as I walked up onto the dais with Jake, although his disgust seemed to have morphed into amusement. Everything felt wrong as Molly placed the crown on my head and presented me with my sash. Jake, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying the attention. We had to lead the crowd in a waltz, so I gave Jake my hand and he slipped his arm around my waist. Even though I’d practiced waltzing with Xavier, I didn’t feel so confident now that he wasn’t with me. Luckily angels have the advantage of catching on to things relatively easily. I followed Jake’s lead, and soon the rhythm of the dance was bolstered in my mind. My limbs moved like water, and I was surprised to find that Jake was just as graceful.

Ivy and Gabriel passed by us, their bodies moving in sync, flowing like silk. Their feet hardly touched the floor, and they looked as if they were floating. Even with their somber expressions, they were so entrancing to watch that people stopped and stared, giving them a wide berth on the dance floor. My siblings soon got tired of being the entertainment for the evening and headed back to their table.

As the music changed tempo, Jake whirled me to the edge of the dance floor. He leaned forward so that his lips brushed against my ear.

“You’re dazzling.”

“So are you.” I laughed, trying to keep the mood light. “All the girls think so.”

“Do you think so?”

“Well… I think you’re very charming.”

“Charming,” he mused. “I suppose that’ll do for now. You know, I’ve never met a girl with a face like yours. Your skin is the color of moonlight; your eyes are fathomless.”

“Now you’re just overdoing it,” I teased. I could sense him about to launch into one of his tirades and wanted to prevent it at all costs.

“You’re not good at accepting compliments, are you?” he said.

I blushed. “Not really. I never know what to say.”

“How about a simple thank-you?”

“Thanks, Jake.”

“That wasn’t so hard. Now, I could use some fresh air. What about you?”

“It’s a bit hard to get out,” I said, nodding in the direction of the teachers standing guard at the exits.

“I’ve sussed out an escape route. Come on, I’ll show you.”

Jake’s escape route was via a back door that had somehow been overlooked. It was past the restrooms and through a storeroom at the rear of the building. He helped me over the buckets and mops stacked against the walls, and suddenly I found myself alone with him on the balcony that wound around the whole exterior of the pavilion. It was a clear night, the sky was scattered with stars, and the breeze was cool on my skin. Through the windows we could see couples still dancing, the girls a little wilted now and appreciatively allowing their weight to be supported by their partners. At some distance from the others stood Gabriel and Ivy, shimmering as if they’d been sprinkled with stardust.

“So many stars,” Jake murmured, so softly he might have been speaking to himself, “but none as beautiful as you.”

He was so close that I could feel his breath on my cheek. I lowered my eyes, wishing he would stop offering me compliments. I tried deflecting the focus onto him.

“I wish I was as sure of myself as you are. Nothing seems to faze you.”

“Why would it?” he replied. “Life’s a game — and I happen to know how to play.”

“Even you must make mistakes sometimes.”

“That’s exactly the sort of attitude that stops people from winning,” he said.

“Everyone loses at some point; but we can learn from loss.”

“Who told you that?” Jake shook his head, his emerald eyes boring into mine. “I don’t like to lose and I always get what I want.”

“So right now do you have everything you want?”

“Not quite,” he replied. “One thing is missing.”

“And what’s that?” I asked warily. Something told me I was treading on dangerous ground.

“You,” he said simply.

I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t appreciate the new turn the conversation was taking. “Well, that’s flattering, Jake, but you know I’m not available.”

“That’s irrelevant.”

“Not to me!” I took a step back. “I’m in love with Xavier.”

Jake regarded me coolly. “Isn’t it obvious to you that you’re with the wrong person?”

“No, it’s not,” I retorted. “I suppose you’re arrogant enough to think you’re the right person?”

“I just think I deserve a chance.”

“You promised not to bring this up again,” I said. “You and I are friends, and you ought to value that.”

“Oh, I do, but it’s not enough for me.”

“That’s not for you to decide! I’m not a toy that you can just point your finger at and have.”

“I disagree.”

He sprang lightly forward, grabbing my shoulders, and pulled me toward him. He pressed our bodies together and his lips sought mine. I averted my face in protest, but he brought one hand up to force me to look at him and crushed his lips against mine. Something flashed in the sky, though there’d been no sign of rain. His kiss was hard and forceful, and his hands held my body in an iron grip. I struggled, pushing against his chest, and finally broke the contact between us.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I shouted, my anger fomenting now.

“Giving us what we both want,” he replied.

“I don’t want this,” I cried. “What have I done to make you think I wanted this?”

“I know you, Bethany Church. You’re no mouse,” Jake snarled. “I’ve seen the way you look at me, and I’ve felt the connection between us.”

“There is no connection,” I stressed. “Not with you. I’m sorry if you’ve been misled.”

His eyes flashed dangerously. “Are you honestly turning me down?” he asked.

“I honestly am,” I said. “I’m with Xavier. I’ve been trying to tell you that. It’s not my fault you’ve chosen not to believe me.”

Jake took a step toward me, his face dark with anger. “Are you quite sure you know what you’re doing?”

“I’ve never been more sure about anything,” I said coldly. “You and I can only ever be friends, Jake.”

He let out a throaty laugh. “No, thank you,” he announced. “Not interested.”

“Can’t you at least try to be mature about this?” I said.

“I don’t think you understand, Beth. We’re meant to be together. I’ve waited for you all my life.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been looking for you for centuries. I’d almost given up hope.”

I felt a strange coldness grip my chest. What was he talking about?

“Never, in my wildest dreams, did I imagine that you would be… one of them. I struggled against it at first, but it was no use — our destiny is written in the stars.”

“You’ve got the wrong idea,” I said. “We have no destiny together.”

“Do you know what it’s like to wander the earth aimlessly in search of someone who could be anywhere? I’m not about to walk away from it now.”

“Well, maybe you don’t have a choice.”

“I’m going to give you one more chance,” he said in a low voice. “I don’t think you realize this, but you’re making a terrible mistake — one that will cost you dearly.”

“I don’t respond to threats,” I said haughtily.

“Very well.” Jake’s whole face clouded over and he took a step away, his body giving a violent shudder as though he was enraged by the very sight of me. “I’m done making nice with the angels.”