"Nearly there," Mrs Nichols said, breaking the depressed atmosphere. "Don’t forget your bags. Make sure to use rated drivers on your way home. Call me if there’s any issue. And have fun!"
"Big entrance time," I said, putting on my mask, and then collecting the tiny clutch that held my phone and key.
"Judging from the crowd streaming in, we’d need to be fashionably late to really make a big entrance," Lania said, as her mother entered the curving driveway that cut across one corner of Corascur’s grounds, allowing a mass number of cars to drop off students with the least amount of fuss.
Gathering my skirt, I slid out of the car, thanked Mrs Nichols, and admired some of the impressive vehicles, and equally impressive outfits within view.
"I’m feeling extra glad we didn’t go with the off-the-rack dresses," I said.
"Same," Lania said, waving goodbye to her mother. "I’ll never be a person who can recognise whether a dress is this season, last season, or unearthed from the mists of time, but I have discovered that a gown made specially for me makes me unspeakably happy. I’ve decided to become the kind of person who can afford such treats."
"Good plan," I said. "I wonder if I could ever make myself rich enough to build my own bridges?"
We spotted Celeste, who was positively spectacular in a pale lemon chiffon, and caught up with her to say hi and exchange compliments before being side-tracked into discussing which classes we were heading for next year. Celeste was deeply interested in bio-synthetics, and innovations for artificial limbs, so she, Lania and I would have some intersecting classes, while not being enrolled in the same degrees.
After spending the last couple of days in Sports One helping with the construction and decoration, its transformation came as no surprise, with only the final touches of flowers and balloons added since our last visit. A miniature Venice, with the Rialto Bridge proudly dominating one wall, and backdrops painted with elaborate buildings and gondolas to hide the stark steelwork of the hall.
Although it was almost ten minutes before the dance formally started, we still walked into a wave of music and chatter. Perhaps two thirds of the attendees had already arrived, most entirely recognisable despite masks both simple and elaborate. I couldn’t help but look immediately for Rin, whose height would make him easy to spot even in a throng, but there was no sign of him.
"Lania. You’re looking…sweet."
Time for the Inevitable Mean Girl Encounter. Katerina, flanked by Alexa and Daphne, her no-doubt sour expression hidden by a deep blue mask. Helpfully, Sean also arrived at this moment, and spared us the need to answer.
"Lania! Oh, my god, that dress. You look Adorbs!"
"I know," Lania said, happily. "I love it completely."
"You’re looking thoroughly fabulous yourself," I told Sean, appreciating his vivid emerald suit.
"Why thank you. I spent a century looking for something I liked, and then Lania told me you were going with custom made, and I decided that was really only logical."
"Custom made?" Katerina asked. "Who was the designer? Or did your mother run it up for you?"
"No." Lania paused for this much-anticipated moment, then said: "Jojo de Court."
"Never heard of him." Katerina almost sounded relieved.
"Someone from a local dress shop?" Alexa asked, in a pitying tone.
"Not everyone can afford Valentino," Katerina murmured to Daphne, not bothering to keep her voice low. "Well, enjoy yourself you two."
She started to move away, but paused to stare at Sean, who had apparently been struck by lightning.
"Sky of Diamond Jojo de Court? Oscar winning costume designer Jojo de Court?"
Lania nodded. "Remember Mika said she’d had a chance to be an extra? She also helped out the costume design crew."
"Colour me agape," Sean said. "Lania, how did you not tell me?"
"It was a struggle. Especially when it arrived and was even more than I hoped for."
"It’s beautiful," said a new voice.
Turning, I saw Sirocco, ethereal in white and ice blue. She nodded at me casually, smiled at Lania, then said to Katerina: "Jaxon is looking for you. Didn’t you promise him first dance?"
The reminder prompted me to try to spot Rin again, but then I shrugged and gave up the idea. "Let’s check our bags," I murmured to Lania, and left rather than spend any more time with people I didn’t like.
We headed straight for the corner where a temporary room had been constructed to keep belongings secure, and changed our bags for silver rings engraved with numbers, which I thought a useful variation of a bag check ticket.
"Welcome to the Fifty-Second Corascur Seniors' Ball," someone from the Broadcasting Club was saying as we emerged. "Find your partners, please, for the first waltz of the night."
"I’m set to dance with Sean for first dance," Lania said, glancing at me a little worriedly. "Are you—?"
"In that dress, could you really be worried she’ll play wallflower?"
Kyou, flanked by Rin and Bran, was standing behind me. He wore a black cat mask, while Rin wore a white fox, and Bran a silver wolf. For a moment I couldn’t understand where they’d appeared from, then realised they must have been inside the bag check area.
"With me, Mika?" Rin asked, holding out a hand.
Almost tangible envy filled the room as I accepted, and I noticed Sirocco in particular, staring transfixed. Then she looked down and away, and I felt a little sorry for her. Liking is a terrible thing.
"Willing to dump Sean?" Kyou asked, holding his hand out to Lania, who immediately looked stricken. Kyou laughed, and added: "Bran will take care of him, don’t worry."
Sean’s reaction was perfect, jerking upright as if electrified, and then turning wide eyes on Bran, who held out his hand in response. "Leading or following?" he asked.
"F-follow," Sean said. "Anywhere." The tone was light, but his hand trembled as he took Bran’s.
"In the mood to make people’s dreams come true?" I asked Rin softly, as he led me to the centre of the floor.
"Combining a determination to avoid certain people with acknowledging a few that we generally respect. Sean’s an ardent admirer of Bran in particular, but he’s never pushy about it, and he does a lot for marginalised students. Why not make him happy on the last day of being students here? Speaking of which, this dress is beyond everything I hoped for, Mika."
"It couldn’t get much more backless, at any rate," I said. "I’m not sure I can adjust to you calling me by my name."
"The beginning of a new stage of knowing each other," he said, as the first gentle notes of music sounded. "And also safer."
We stopped speaking, at least in part because it was the first time I had danced in such a crowd, and I had to concentrate. I also wanted to admire the way my skirt flared at every opportunity, which was extremely enjoyable. Once I’d grown in confidence, I looked up at Rin, and found him smiling in a way that very much fit his mask.
"You’re very beautiful tonight, Mika. It makes it difficult not to kiss you."
"That would definitely cause some excitement," I said, quite tempted. "Would you tell people you were suddenly overwhelmed by the occasion?"
"Moved by the spirit of dance? Not likely. It’s your eyes that bewitched me."
Rin in full compliment mode was something to adjust to, but I can’t say I disliked the hint of mischief, the lazy sense of power. A very different version of him than the perfectly gentle Student Council President.
"You don’t enjoy dancing?"
"With you, yes. Usually, not particularly. I associate it with events we didn’t want to attend, dealing with people that bored us." He shook his head, and closed his eyes briefly. "Just my sisters' birthdays to get past, and I can take the last step out of the cage."