ELIAS
The hallway outside my room was already filled with the noise of staff members trying to make this party as perfect as possible. There was also the unmistakable hum of a crowd already gathering in the garden. I could even smell the hors d’oeuvres slipping through the doors.
The last time we’d had a party this huge was when I was still studying in Elite. Back then, celebrations were practically a monthly requirement, with my parents sponsoring most of those for the East. After graduation, though, parties like this became rarer. My parents grew older and busier, and the main reason was that they didn’t have a child studying in Elite anymore.
Which meant only one thing if they were going this big tonight—my mom was in one of her maximalist eras again.
I stared at my reflection and
