Crescent • A Twilight Story

Prom and Daggers

I stood before a floor length mirror, my hair curled just above my shoulders. The new cut was embellished by a braid, deep shimmering mascara accentuating the color of my eyes.

The lavender dress shimmered at every angle, tulle billowing around a long slit. Mae tucked pearl pins into the braid, bracing my shoulder with a sad sigh.

"I can't believe the senior prom is already here." I smirked through the mirror, catching the wink of Alice before she placed a small box in my hands.

Removing the ribbon, I opened it to find a set of keys.

"Rosalie's sad she couldn't make it in person. Said to consider it an early graduation present."

They led me down the stairs, and I nearly rubbed away all of my makeup.

"Is that?" Mae held my hand, guiding me to it.

"Not the same one, but you'll see they've done it up nice for camping trips. I think she hopes you'll go out to see them every now and then."

The VW Van wasn't the same putrid orange as my childhood home had been, but a vibrant forest green. The inside had been completely modernized, string lights in the back with a mattress decked in throw pillows and cozy blankets.

And along the inner doors handing on a line with clothespins, were all the Polaroids my mother had taken.

A Polaroid with film was perched on the passenger seat.

"It's ready for you to record your own adventures." Mae said tearfully.

"I don't know what to say." Alice scolded, warning me to not ruin my face as tears threatened to fall.

I embraced them both, and then set the keys down on the seat.

"I was actually hoping you'd take me." I looked over to Jacob, who seemed a little taken aback.

"A full circle kind of thing." He said, gesturing to his truck. "You got it."

Climbing in, I took a deep breath and tried to relax as we made our way to the school. The windows were cracked a hair, the clouds full and ready to burst.

"How you holding up?"

"Same old. Some days better than others." I thought to the night before, stopping by to see Duke's grandparents. They weren't doing well at all, his grandmother looking as if she might need permanent care.

"You know what I like about you, bright eyes?" I shrugged, rubbing my hands over my bare arms. "You're still fighting." He pulled into the parking lot. "Whatever tonight holds, raise your dukes, kid."

My hand hovered above the door handle. "I don't know how to thank you, for taking in a stranger when she needed it most." And then I reached over the seat to give him a quick hug.

"Get out of here already. You'll ruin my makeup." He winked, leaving me alone in the parking lot.

I looked toward the space from the last school dance, trying to remember every word, every touch. How that night might have ended if we were just two normal seniors, how many nights would we have had left together.

"Rory! Over here!" Gemma waved, encircled by the group of guys. Her hair was a vibrant pink to purple to blue, pinned back against a strappy black gown. She held on to Harry's side, the new alpha wrapping his arm around her possessively in my approach.

"You look amazing." She beamed, offering me a side hug.

"So do you." I said, shyly folding my hands in front of me. I spied everyone seeming to have a date of sorts, as they began heading inside.