My heels were in front of the mirror, waiting for me to slide my feet right into the cushioned soles. It had been a while since I'd really dressed up for an event like this.
Eleven weeks had gone by and we'd officially succeeded in passing semester one at S.S.S. school.
Our exams were all written, thankfully, but the many trials, fights, and training sessions we'd done within these eleven weeks felt like we'd taken a physical exam every two weeks.
Our team hadn't lost a single battle, but there were a few close calls. Our last fight was a two-on-two team battle.
We were partnered with Zuri and her team against two groups of dragon shifters. At one point, I'd gotten knocked out trying to save Zuri from a full-on fire blast.
It could have been due to my overuse of mana, but thankfully Zuri had protected my unconscious self long enough for Yuriel to heal me while the others went into defense position. We'd won with a combined magic attack, but both of our teams were exhausted.
At least we'd been given a week off after that to recover before our written exams.
We'd gotten our results yesterday and we'd all passed with perfect scores. It was such a relief after the difficult semester, and those who got triple S scores were allowed to attend the Winter Ball.
Two members of the approved teams were allowed to attend, with the requirement that one was the leader. That meant that I was in automatically.
Zuri's boyfriend was the leader of their team and they agreed it would be best if Zuri went with him, thus the reason why she'd quickly come down to help me with my hair before I teleported her back to the front of her dorm to get ready.
This Winter Ball reminded me of prom, something I'd never gotten the chance to attend because I didn't want to go alone.
It was a stupid reason, but after my dad had passed and the fallout with Callister, I was in a dark mindset.
Staying at home curled in a blanket reading my dad's spell books seemed better than dressing up to attend a prom where everyone either hated me or was influenced by the rumors Callister had spread.
"Perfect," I whispered to myself.
I began to fidget with my hands as I stared in the mirror, wondering if this ball would really be fun.
"Mewr!"
I blinked and looked to my vanity to see Star had poofed out of nowhere as usual, clearly due to my sudden anxiety.
She stretched out and looked around, her interest going from me to the four glittering lip glosses I'd narrowed down for tonight.
"Mewr!" She reached out to knock down the glosses.
"Star," I said firmly. She paused and slowly looked at me, her paw still in place. I sighed. "You're going to knock them down anyway, aren’t you?"
"Mewr?" She tilted her head and blinked her eyes as they shifted from pink to a vivid orange with hints of yellow.
Yup. She's totally going to do it.
My statement became reality as she moved her paw and knocked the tubes down, the four of them rolling off my vanity and to the wooden floor.
I rolled my eyes, but a wide smile formed on my lips. "At least that made me smile."
Looking back at the mirror, I stared into my blue eyes. "Silver. You can do this. You promised yourself you'd live a little. Enjoy this moment."
With a deep inhale, I let the air out and smiled. Slipping my heels on, I took one last look at myself and scooped Star up, pressing her against my chest.
"Time to get the guys’ verdict," I whispered to Star, who looked intrigued by my appearance.
"Mewr." She began to nudge my chest with her head, purring away in delight. I giggled. "That means you think I'm pretty."
Making my way out of my room, I listened in to the conversation as I headed to the living room where the others were.
"I got the camera ready!" Wolfgang cheered.
"You sound like a proud parent," Yuriel muttered.
"This is an important moment," Wolfgang noted. "We may never get to see you in a white suit, pink tie, and your hair up in a ponytail again. This is a Kodak moment."
"Do people even use Kodak film anymore?" Dimitri asked.
"I think the question is, does it even exist?" Ryuu elaborated.
"Stop correcting me and come make sure Yuriel doesn't run away or something," Wolfgang huffed.
"Blossom's coming," Dimitri announced happily.
"Is she?" Wolfgang asked.
"You can smell her," Dimitri pointed out.
"Of course I can, but her smell is nice and all over the place like a flower air freshener," Wolfgang retorted.
"And mint," Yuriel added.
"Don't forget the vanilla," Ryuu reminded.
"Or you guys can listen to my heels clacking against the wood floor." I laughed, entering the living room.
Four pair of eyes landed on me, and they all gawked in shock.
"Damn..." the four of them said in unison. My flustered cheeks felt like they were on fire at their sudden attention, but I stood my ground, even though deep within I wanted to hide.
"D-do I look okay? I mean, if I look bad, you can tell me. I could just chan—"
"No!" The four of them shook their heads and put their hands out in stop sign motion.
"You look beyond gorgeous!" Dimitri praised.
"Wow. It's hard to think of words to even say how pretty you are, Silver," Wolfgang confessed.
"I've never seen a woman look so good. You should be a model, Silver," Ryuu suggested.
"If she was a model, then everyone would get to see her elegance. We want that for ourselves," Yuriel acknowledged.
"Right," the other three agreed with nods. I shyly looked at each of them.
"Really? I don't look like I'm trying too hard?"
"Not even!" Wolfgang smiled. "You're going to be the belle of the ball, Silver."
Yuriel shuffled around the others until he was at my side. "But they can't dance with you," he muttered. "You're ours."
Aww. Yuriel is so sweet.
"That's right, Yuriel. Protect her from all the thirsty men," Wolfgang cheered.
"Hmm. You know, we should have all dressed up so we could at least have a group picture," Dimitri admitted, looking a bit disappointed at the realization.
Ryuu blinked and frowned. "That's a good point."
Wolfgang grimaced. "I don't think I can strip fast enough. Plus, we don't have suits. We're lucky Professor Xin has the same build and height as Yuriel."
"True." The others nodded.
I looked down at Star, who blinked. "Mewr!"
She hopped out of my hold and landed on the floor. Closing my eyes, I snapped my fingers and envisioned Dimitri, Ryuu, and Wolfgang in white suits. To add a pop of color, I gave each of them a different tie: Ryuu in teal, Dimitri in golden orange, and Wolfgang in plum.
When the three of them gasped, I opened my eyes, noticing the glitter that was floating around them.
Star was running around the four of them, glitter floating off her body.
"We're in suits!" Wolfgang smiled.
"And they're fitted," Ryuu praised.
Dimitri met my gaze; his eyes were sparkling with happiness.
"This is the first time I've worn a suit since my mom's funeral." His voice was filled with emotion, and I looked at Wolfgang and Ryuu, who both nodded in understanding.
"Yeah. Me too," Ryuu whispered.
"Me three," Wolfgang added with a sad smile. Yuriel looked at each of them and stepped forward. "At least this time, we're wearing them to celebrate our accomplishments."
They nodded in agreement, and I had to blink my eyes to make sure I didn't cry.
Who knew a simple piece of clothing could bring out those memories? I understood them. Since my father's passing, I hadn't gone to events and time simply flew by. To be able to stand here in a dress with my four boyfriends had me wishing my dad could see it all.
I wondered about what he would say seeing me date four completely different shifters?
"Let's get some pictures before you gu
ys go," Wolfgang declared, picking up the camera again.
All of us were back in high spirits, posing for the camera Wolfgang set up to magically stay afloat. We did solo pictures first then moved on to partnered pictures, and finally group pics.
By the time we were finished, it was time for us to go.
"Have fun, children." Wolfgang dramatically sniffed, as if he were sending us off to boarding school. Ryuu chuckled, patting Wolfgang's shoulder. "Stop being so overdramatic."
"He had a glass of wine when you guys were getting ready. Let him cry out his sorrows." Dimitri chuckled.
Glancing at Yuriel, I let go of his hand for a moment to give each guy a kiss. Their faces beamed at my little act of affection.
"We'll represent our team well," I reassured them. "Make sure Ryuu doesn't burn the house down."
"That was by accident!" Ryuu huffed. We chuckled at the memory, reminded that two weeks ago Ryuu had fallen asleep while cooking and almost burned the house down.
Luckily, the four of us had just gotten back from the extra night class we took and stopped it in time.
"Imagine if we didn't get home on time after night class. You would have died in the blaze," Dimitri noted.
"The house is fireproof, remember?" Ryuu countered.
"Doesn't mean you are, idiot," Wolfgang teased.
"Whatever! You two better go before these guys try and delay you," Ryuu ushered us to the door.
"All right. We'll text you if anything goes crazy," I assured them.
"Have your watches?" Dimitri inquired.
Yuriel and I both raised our wrists to show them our watches.
"Magic is wonderful." I winked. Even if it was a ball, we couldn't trust that it would go "smoothly".
"Mewr." Star was nudging Dimitri's leg, and he leaned down to scoop her up.
"Star's staying?”
"Yes. She'll have more fun here than at a crowded dance,” I replied as Yuriel slipped his hand back in mine. "Bye, Star. Be good to Dimitri, Ryuu, and Wolfgang."
"Mewr!" she replied, but was already focused on Dimitri's tie.
"Bye, guys." Yuriel gave them a little wave. "Thanks for choosing me. I'll keep Silver safe."
The others looked really pleased with their decision, and I swear they were doing some silent communication because they exchanged looks and all smiled.
Men code? Hmm. Who knows?
I snapped my fingers to summon my purse, remembering I'd left it on my vanity when I took Star. It poofed into my free hand, and I placed the red-pink chain over my shoulder.
We headed out of our property, waiting for the gates to close before I noticed Yuriel's motorbike.
"We're taking your bike?" I was excited, having missed the thrill of the last ride.
"You mentioned a few weeks ago that you wanted to go on another ride. I figured everyone will be going in fancy cars or limos. I and the others talked it over, and I just wanted something that would take us there and be a little fun compared to a flashy entrance," he explained, looking a little embarrassed.
"I love it!" I exclaimed, squeezing his hand lightly. "That means you guys know me well," I whispered. He blushed in response, and eventually gave me a little nod.
"We do. We like making you happy," he whispered. Tugging my hand, he led me to his bike.
"I feel like I'm one of those extravagant princesses on a horse, sitting this way," I noted, putting a quick spell on my dress to make sure it didn't get dirty on our journey to the ball.
Yuriel grinned, making sure all of my dress was gathered and wouldn't drag along the road.
"You are an extravagant princess tonight. The only difference is you get to ride a badass motorcycle while your hair blows in the wind, which, by the way, you should put a spell on to make sure it stays all curly. I like this style," he complimented, rising up to brush a few strands away that fell from behind my ear.
"Thanks," I whispered. He leaned down and gave me a light kiss on my lips.
"Hmm. No mark?" he questioned when his lips didn't have glossy residue.
"These are special lip glosses. I put a spell on them so they would be kiss proof." I gave him a wink.
"Handy," he whispered and gave me another kiss that was longer than the last.
My relationship with the guys had been really smooth lately. Ever since the day in the laundry room when I made the promise to breeze through the first semester and actually live, my school life had been far better than I'd imagined.
Aside from school, I got to enjoy the evenings with the guys, and we'd gotten far more comfortable with one another these last couple of weeks.
I didn't panic anymore when I held their hands in the halls, and none of them hesitated to kiss me right out in the open.
Even Ryuu had gotten over his nerves at being seen by other students, making the growth in our relationship even better.
It still amazed me that our 'on the spot' agreement to date had led us to a solid thirteen weeks.
Now I wondered if we'd go to the next level in terms of intimacy. I'm sure the guys were cautious because of my past, but I wondered if we'd do more than kissing.
If we'd actually have sex.
With one last check on me to make sure I was sitting securely, he waited for me to do my spell on my hair, and then handed me my helmet.
He put his on and got on the bike, starting it up with ease.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and nodded. "Yup!" It was an odd position with my legs on one side of the bike and my arms around him for security, but I did like the physical contact.
With the roar of his bike, Yuriel pulled onto the quiet street and we headed toward the S.S.S. school Banquet Hall where the Winter Ball was about to begin.
"I thought for sure there would be some ambush of sorts," Yuriel mumbled, finishing his non-alcoholic drink.
"Me too," I replied, my eyes on the dance floor as we watched students jumping up and down and dancing.
The Winter Ball had been spectacular.
The banquet hall was literally made of glass, and entirely decorated with various crystals. I’d wondered how such a place was kept off limits and clean for special occasions, but once we reached the main entrance, anyone could sense the prominent magic embedded in the structure.
It didn't need security. The magic within its transparent walls was enough to ward off anyone with evil intentions.
Our professors were there for "extra" security, but they all looked like they were having a good time.
Professor Xin had come to see the final results of Yuriel in his borrowed suit, and I underhandedly got a few pictures of them together.
Not everyone was shocked to see the brothers, but we still got a few double takes when we walked into the main ballroom, hand-in-hand.
There was a long speech by the current valedictorian of the semester, and then the real party began.
We'd received a five-course meal, which had the best cake I'd ever tasted. I also found out Professor Xin hated sweets since he brought his plate to Yuriel, who happily accepted it.
What was really moving was Yuriel was willing to share it with me, even though I knew he had a sweet tooth and really enjoyed the cake with how fast he'd eaten it, unlike other meals where his pickiness came into play.
The two of us were now sitting at the open bar, as the dance portion of the night started. Yuriel admitted that he wasn't the dancing type and would rather sit it out when it came to the bump and grind songs.
I loved to dance, but with this being a school event, you never knew when you'd be judged for your behavior. Especially when it was a spy school.
Yuriel had been very protective of me throughout the night as well. He would keep his arm around my waist when we stopped to chat with students from our class and only left my side to get drinks when we'd bumped into Zuri.
Even now, his hand was wrapped around mine as we watched the dance floor. His open affection combined with his quiet nature made
my heart swell. It also left me wishing we could leave here and go home.
Enjoy some time alone, just the two of us.
That was obviously a dream since the others were waiting for our arrival once this was all done, but it was all good. A girl could dream, right?
"Silver!" Zuri moved through the crowd of students seamlessly.
For a shy girl, I never expected that she could dance the way she was on the dance floor. It could have been the alcohol since the two of us had some shots and glasses of wine but I could tell the alcohol was only half its usual strength.
"Hey, Zuri," I greeted.
"Why aren't you two dancing?" she questioned, looking at Yuriel, who shrugged. "Slower dances are easier."
"And we don't know if the Professors are judging us either," I pointed out.
"Ah. I don't think so. They do this type of ball once a year. They wouldn't judge us for having fun!" She dramatically put her hands up.
I smiled at her now-carefree demeanor. Zuri was 5’4”, with pale skin. She had a Korean background, though because she was a bunny shifter, her family apparently traveled a lot. I had no idea how traveling and bunnies connected, but given Zuri's ability to speak many languages, it had really benefited her now that she was aiming to become a spy.
She had short pink hair with hints of silver highlights, and her eyes were bright pink. She currently wore a short white dress that complimented her slim build.
"Zuri. You move way too fast."
I moved my gaze to our left, noticing the 6’5” male breezing through the students. It was understandable since everyone moved out of his way. He wore a white suit with a gold tie, and his short blonde hair shifted to a light brown and was gelled back for the special occasion.
I knew right away that it was Zuri's boyfriend.
Zuri twirled to face her boyfriend, jumping up and down as if she was trying to reach his shoulders. "You're too slow, Xzavier." she pouted to him. "Hug me!"
"You drank too much," he grumbled but hugged her anyway. Looking our way, he nodded. "Xzavier. Don't think we formally introduced ourselves," he greeted.
"No, we haven't," Yuriel replied. "I'm Yuriel and this is my girlfriend, Silver."
I mentally squealed at his little display of ownership with him adding the girlfriend part. It always reminded me how my guys always took the opportunity to acknowledge our status, something Callister had never done.
SSS: Year One (Supernatural Spy School Book 1) Page 32
