I feel so bad for roping her into my feud with The Brotherhood, especially since she genuinely thinks I’m a guy. What am I supposed to do? Tell her I’m gay? Rafael said that wouldn’t work, that I don’t want to be the gay kid. Plus, it might hurt his chances of finding a boyfriend if rumors of us being a couple start up again.
Maybe I could tell her that Jasper will beat me to a pulp if I try to see her anymore? That’s not a complete lie. I already know he’s going to be pissed when I walk into the dance with his girl.
Not his girl. The girl he likes. Olive. She’s a fucking human, I remind myself, but that just makes me feel worse. I’m jerking this poor girl around for my own gain.
In that way, I’m no better than the rest of them. No better than Jasper. Maybe, in this, I’m even worse.
“Have you seen it yet?” she asks suddenly, interrupting the guilty merry-go-round of my thoughts.
“Seen what?” I ask stupidly. I try to push the thoughts out of my mind and concentrate on what she’s been saying.
She laughs. “The dance. The decorations?”
“Oh—no, I haven’t.”
“Isn’t your friend on the board?”
“Uh, yeah, he is,” I reply, eyeing her. How does she know that? Does everyone just know everything around here? “But he refuses to tell me anything.”
“Ah, I like a man of mystery. Maybe you should introduce me to your friend.”
I laugh. “I think you’ve already met him. And trust me, you’re not his type.”
Olive laughs again, snaking her arm around mine and pushing close. I try not to jerk away from her touch. Make this a good time for her, I think firmly. At least for tonight.
Or, more like at least until Jasper finds us on the dance floor. I can’t guarantee her anything after that.
We reach the doors to the gymnasium, which stand open. The room beyond is pretty dark, so it’s hard to see just what’s going on in there, but I hear a heavy beat banging its way through the walls. The outside is decorated with elaborate flowers and ribbons. Two adult men—chaperones or bodyguards, I’m guessing—flank the doors.
“Name?” one of the men asks as we approach.
“Alex Trevellian,” I say. “And Olive …” I look over at her.
“Olive von Buhler.” She smiles at me.
For all the talk of Mono and the hounding for my medical records, no one seems to care about that now. I feel a small rush of relief up until the other man steps into the darkened room, and I’m shocked to see him slip past a black curtain that’s practically invisible.
But he doesn’t go fetch the nurse, or the dean of either school to tell me I can’t get in without my records. Instead, the music quiets and I hear a voice amplified by a mic
rophone announcing to the room, “Alex Trevellian and Olive von Buhler.”
I feel the color drain from my face. What the hell is that for?
I knew I’d have to face Jasper with Olive eventually, but I didn’t think it’d be like this. I find myself utterly unprepared.
Olive, however, isn’t fazed in the least. She starts walking, and I have no choice but to follow behind. The man holds the black curtain back for us.
“Ah,” Olive says as we step into the completely unrecognizable gymnasium. “They went for a more casual theme this year. Interesting.”
Casual? I look around in astonishment at the giant Christmas tree in the center of the room, looking like a disco ball as the light glances off the surface completely covered in what looks like liquid gold. Its peak reaches almost to the high ceiling. The bleachers are nowhere to be seen; instead, several round ones covered in thick white tablecloths surround the room, leaving enough room around the tree for a dance floor. Even the walls look different. Are they a different color? Did they repaint them?
From the amount of time Rafael has spent on this event, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what he was up doing all night himself.
Holly and mistletoe are everywhere, as are some other things I’m sure are other countries’ Christmas traditions. There are some Hanukkah decorations as well; a huge menorah with actual lit candles stands on a table at one end of the hall.
It looks amazing. It looks expensive. But my attention is snatched away by the boy standing up at his table and glaring my way.
Jasper.