GLAMOUROUS PARTIES

Lend twirled me to the beat in the furniture-free living room and I laughed, my dress spinning around me. They'd draped the walls with swaths of shimmery material in purples and violets, and covered the overhead lights so that even the lighting was filtered and soft. I didn't know what it was about putting on masks and fancy clothes, but the people I saw every day in the halls seemed prettier, more mysterious, older. Easton Heights totally had this one right after all.

I spun back into Lend's arms and rested my head on his shoulder. "This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me." The amount of time and preparation he must have put into this-it boggled my mind.

He squeezed my hand in his. "Had to make up for prom, right?"

Reth kidnapping me, confronting Vivian and almost killing her, nearly sucking the soul out of Lend...yeah, prom hadn't been quite what I'd hoped. "Let's not mention that dance. Where did everyone get the masks?"

Each mask was individual, with different flourishes and details; everything from sequins to feathers to what looked like gold leaf. They were breathtaking. Definitely not something from a cheap party store.

"I designed most of them and Arianna made them. A little mystery that you can't see through-and you don't have to. Just a magical normal night."

"It's amazing."

He dipped me down, then leaned forward and nuzzled into my arched neck. "So are you."

When the dance music sped up, Carlee found me amid the crush of people. She looked hot in a deep green strapless mini, dark brown hair stick straight and loose, her mask blue and green with peacock feathers trailing down either side.

"Happy birthday!" she shouted, throwing her arms around me, and I hugged her back, giddy.

"Thank you!"

"Is this not the best freaking party ever?"

"Totally!"

She beamed. "Lend's been working on it for like a month. I've been here all day setting up."

"You were in on it?"

"Psh, of course I was, girl. Who do you think did invites and forced the idiot boys from school to actually dress nice?"

"Carlee, I'm so glad you're my friend," I said, blinking back any hint of tears because I was so not messing up my makeup.

"Me, too. And I'm glad Lend finally manned up and threw a decent party."

"I'm right here, you know," he said, leaning over my shoulder. "So let's not go too heavy on the manning up talk."

My stomach growled. "Food?" I asked.

"In the kitchen. Want me to make you a plate?"

"Perfect." I watched him weave away through the crowd.

"So, are you two going to get married already or what?"

I laughed. "Excuse me?"

Carlee rolled her eyes. "Please. You don't even look at other guys. And I have never seen a guy that crazy about a girl before. You're, like, his entire world."

I shrugged, smiling. "I can't imagine ever finding someone better than Lend. He just-he knows me. Totally. Everything. And miraculously he still likes me."

"Likes? Girl, he head-over-heels-freaking-loves you."

"It's mutual!"

"Find me one like that, okay?"

"He's one of a kind." Way, way, way more than Carlee would ever know. She just laughed and we danced for a few minutes before I left the middle to watch from the edges and wait for Lend. The Vicious Redhead, my old soccer nemesis, was awkwardly grinding with a tall, skinny kid who was one of the stars of the basketball team, and Carlee was now surrounded by no less than four guys. I was surprised at how many of the kids I recognized under their masks, and how many of them I considered my friends. Maybe I wasn't on the fringes of normal society. Too bad I'd already volunteered for, like, ten clubs. Probably could have thrown an awesome party and called it good.

I scanned for Arianna but didn't see her anywhere. Turning to look out the window, I noticed a small point of light like fire, going in and out.

It took a minute, but I made it through everyone, nodding and grinning to birthday wishes, before bursting out the open front door. A bunch of kids lingered there, talking and laughing on the wraparound porch, but I walked straight off and into the trees that hugged the borders of the yard.

"You know you aren't supposed to be smoking those things," I said.

Arianna swore, surprised, and dropped her cigarette on the ground. "Great, that was my last one." She ground it out with her foot.

"Come in," I said, taking one of her hands, but she pulled back.

"Nah, not my thing."

"Arianna, seriously. This dress? The masks? It's incredible, and you did it, and you should be in there with me."

I could barely see her in the dark, but I think she smiled. "Vicariously living through you is enough for tonight. Tell me it's the best party you've ever seen."

"This party kicks the masquerade episode's trash."

"Got that right."

I took her hand again. "You're telling me you spent all that time on masks and didn't make one for yourself?"

Her voice was soft. "You know I already wear one."

I scrambled for words, but she squeezed my hand and let it go.

"Get back in there or I'm never doing anything nice for you again. And if you don't have the best night of your life after I spent all that time on this stupid party, I'm gonna turn you and make you spend eternity playing MMORPGs with me."

I hugged her tight, feeling her tiny body through my dress. "Thank you."

"Go be a teenager."

"That's my specialty," I said, grinning at her and going back to the house.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of color and noise and laughter. There were no fistfights, no furniture thrown through windows, nary an overdose or tragic revelation, so it wasn't quite the same as the Easton Heights episode, which I was grateful for.

Around 1 a.m. people were mostly filtering out, stopping to wish me happy birthday and to congratulate Lend on a party well thrown. David had been around on the periphery all night and looked exhausted as he pushed furniture back in. Lend was beat, too, beneath his always flawless dark-haired dark-eyed hottie glamour, but I was still buzzing.

When the last guest left, Lend leaned his head on my shoulder heavily. "Meet me on the porch in five minutes," he whispered.

"If you're surprising me with another party, I don't think it can top this one. Or that you'll make it without passing out."

He laughed softly. "No more parties. Pretty sure that'd kill me, immortal or not. Just a little present." He kissed my neck then went upstairs. I grabbed an afghan off the back of the couch and walked out, wrapping it around myself. The house was too brightly lit to see many stars, but it was a gorgeous night.

I wondered what more Lend could possibly have in store when I saw the light, bobbing and twinkling on the trail that led to his mom's pond. It winked on and off a few times, then slowly started moving away.

I bit my lip and smiled. He must have gone around the back way. I couldn't imagine what surprise he had for me at the pond, but I couldn't wait to find out. I stepped off the porch and followed the light as it stayed always the same distance ahead of me, barely visible.

I could just make out where the edge of the pond would be through the trees; dozens of pale lights shimmered around its edges. He must have set up out here, too. I shivered, anticipating spending time with him, alone, on such a magical night.

Then I came through the trees and saw that Lend wasn't there and the lights weren't lights at all.

They were people.

Well, no. People was definitely the wrong word.