Sora of the Moon

CLAIRE~8

I’ve been staring myself on the mirror for the past five minutes. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t recognize me. I looked like a princess. The dense little diamonds that decorated the velvet bust were thinning out as the dress went down. My glasses also matched perfectly. Hayley was putting on her dress as I was turning right and left. Her dress was much plainer than mine. It was a knee short puffy backless dress with lots of feathers on the bust. She looked like a swan to be honest. So cute…  Her blue hair did stand out a lot making her so special.

“And… done”, she said to herself applying the last layer of her pink lip gloss.

She walked up to me and unconsciously I hid my chest.

“Isn’t it a bit too unveiling after all?” I asked blushing.

“Are you serious now? It’s just a strapless. You look beautiful don’t analyze it too much. Now, I like your hair down as they are. What do you think?”

I looked at my wavy long hair covering my shoulders and I felt somehow relieved. At least that saved it a little.

“Yeah, they’re fine as they are”.

“I hope you don’t say that only because it’s covering your skin…”

I turned my gaze.

“No, not at all”, I lied.

She smiled.

“Perfect, what should we do with your make up now?”

“I like it natural, thanks though”.

 “Only a layer of lipstick then?”

“No, really, I don’t wear make up”.

“Come on now don’t be like that. Here, sit, in a couple of seconds I’ll be done”, she said forcefully making me sit on the chair. I couldn’t resist it any longer. She applied a thin layer of sparkling lipstick and without me realizing she put some white eye shadow on my eye sockets.

“Hayley!” I said annoyed but she lifted her hands in surrender.

“Didn’t do anything. But look how pretty you are. Now you’re ready”.

I looked again at my reflection and I was more stunned that the first time. But how? She didn’t do anything, just a lip gloss and some eye shadow. Yet, why did I look so different?

“I’m sure Nathan will appreciate that”, she laughed and I glared at her.

“I’m telling you me and Nathan…”

“Shush! We will see about that in a couple of minutes. Look, it’s getting dark”.

I followed her gaze outside of the window to be frozen by the breathtaking view we had from our room. I could see the whole Academy. The sky was indeed darkening minute by minute and I noticed the sun hiding behind the mountains.

“We better get going. We will miss the Headmistress’s welcoming speech. It’ll start in about ten minutes”.

The moon hadn’t taken its highest place in the sky yet but the stars had already started to sparkle. She took me by hand and I almost got around to taking my phone.

“Where are we going? Do you know? The campus is huge”.

“The open theatre. Main building. Good thing we don’t wear hills”, she said while locking our room.

I glanced at her shoes. If there were not hills then what were they? I was surprised to see white boots and there was me with white sandals that Hayley had let me borrow.

We rushed down the stairs. Other students were also going towards the main building dressed in classy elegant dresses and tuxedos. I found myself searching for Nathan. Why did he intrigue me that much? What was that he had to attract me in such degree? Although I was searching blindly for him, he was nowhere to be seen. Hayley noticed it and grinned at me.

“Looking for a certain someone?”

“I’m not”, I responded.

“Yeah right. Don’t worry he’ll surely be at the ceremony”.

As we approached the main building I started to get anxious. He was there. I had totally forgotten about him. The boy who got rejected by me at the club. He offered so much money for one night but I stubbornly turned him down. If he saw me like this, he would definitely recognize me. Maddie too. She would be there. I started waving my hand in front of my face making me air so that I could calm myself down.

“Claire, you anxious?” Hayley asked as we walked inside the building.

“A little bit”, I confessed.

“What for?”

“Let’s just say that there are some people I’d rather avoid”.

“Are you talking about Maddie?”

I nodded and she laughed.

“As if you’ll meet Maddie in such a crowd. Relax. I got your back”.

I didn’t realize when we had reached the open theatre. I was completely terrified and amazed at the same time. There were so many students all dressed in white chatting, and the decoration was astonishing. White lights everywhere in hanging lanterns. A giant buffet, the big stage in the middle that for the time being was used by the professors… So beautiful.

“Fancy!” I heard Hayley comment.

It was so big for a theatre. It could also be considered as a field. The marble seats weren’t actually chairs but backless undivided benches that circled around the area showered by the moonlight. Hayley pointed with her finger on the highest bench.  

“There’s your Romeo Claire!” she whispered and at the sight I felt my heart skip a bit.

Nathan was sitting alone there looking up at the moon that was making its appearance behind the mountains. He looked kind of sad. His pose, the way his hand rested on one knee, he seemed so concerned, almost melancholic. What in the world had happen to him to make a face as sad as this in such a beautiful and warm night? Our gazes unexpectedly met. Oh God… he looked so magical under the night sky with his white clothes, it almost made him look inhuman. I was so drawn to him. He gave off that mysterious, unapproachable aura. He could be mistaken by someone for an angel. His white skin sparkled too. Any time now, he looked like he would grow wings from his back.  How beautiful would that be… All my senses had focused entirely on him, I almost forgot that hundreds of students were also in the same place as us.

“Is he a god or something?” I murmured to myself.

“He may be. Why don’t you try to find out for yourself… under the covers?”

“Goodness Hayley no”.

I said averting my gaze from his.                      

“Yeah you’re right, too quick. Try talking to him for a start”.

I sighed.

“I couldn’t possibly…”

“Isn’t that Serena?”

I froze hearing my striper nickname. I immediately felt my stress building up.

“Serena who? Are you possibly making a mistake?” I heard Hayley ask and I bit my bottom lip.

“I don’t know, am I? Care to show me your face so I can confirm?” the boy’s voice insisted.

I knew I couldn’t get away from this. Ι reluctantly turned around to meet his lustful honey eyes.

“This is interesting”.

“Do you guys know each other?” Hayley asked and I looked down.

“We don’t”.

“Isn’t that a little bit rude Serena? I thought I made sure to make that night unforgettable”.

I felt so offended. I never slept with him. He was lying. He was taking revenge.

“We never-”

“What’s your real name anyway?”

He cut off my words.

“None of your concern”, I spoke.

“Is that so? There is something though that’ll be worth your concern”.

“What could that possibly be?” I asked.

He smirked evilly before turning away.

“Hey guys, are you looking for good p********e? Check out this one. I can confirm she’s the best!” he shouted and I felt like I lost the earth beneath my feet.

Everyone in this place turned to me and I started tearing up.

“That’s not true. I’d never-”

His fingers ran down my bare shoulders and he leaned beside my ear.

“Well? Feel like considering my offer now? Sleep with me and I’ll tell everyone that I was lying”, he whispered.

Just the feeling of his hot breath brushing my neck made me shiver.

“How dare you speak nonsense? We’re talking about Claire now. She hardly even agreed to wear this dress tonight. And who are you anyways?” I heard Hayley say furiously but he ignored her entirely.

“Claire then, I like it. Name’s Aaron Soleil in case you’ve forgotten. I’m actually impressed by your ways. You’re so sly, pretending to be innocent when in fact you’re a striper. I get it now”.

“Stop…” I spoke trying to hold back my tears.

It wasn’t like I had a choice. Yes I did work as a striper in the worst strip club but I never did more than dancing, no matter how much money I was offered.

“How much is it? Tell me, how much money do you want? I’ll give them to you with pleasure”.

He insisted making me feel worse than I already was.

“I don’t want your money. I don’t want any of that! You think I was actually enjoying it?”

“It seemed like that to me. Your eyes were begging for more”.

“I hated it… I absolutely hated it. So stop. I’m not going to sleep neither with you nor with anyone”.

“Should we try to change that? I have a lot of different ways of providing you pleasure”.

He said touching me shamelessly. Hayley was shocked, I didn’t blame her. I decided to not speak of this. Of course she’d be surprised.

“Take your hands off me…” I demanded and I was about to slap him when a different voice echoed.

“That’s enough Aaron”.

I held my breath at his sudden appearance out of nowhere. Our eyes met and something lit up inside of me at the sight of his almost emotionless, death stare.

Nathan…