She stops at her locker and open it, putting the books of the noon in, at least there wasn't any homework for next week and she was free of school stress. She felt a tap in her shoulder and turns around. 

 

Ann Lye was smiling at her, Abigail couldn't help it but to smile back, she had to, these girls been with her since the first day She arrived at the Academy, even when a plate of oatmeal was "accidentally" thrown at her by one of the kyngkas of the school and her childhood friend Lay.

 

"Hey Lye!, was up?" Jyeng beamed at Ann, who was returned with a thigh hug from Violet, Jyeng closed an eye in a whince.

 

"Violet you- crushing me"

 

 She muster to say, while Lye just giggled. Jyeng threw a playful glare at her friend and Violet released her.

 

"I'm just so excited..." Violet says trying to hide her excitment but Jyeng roll her eyes, trying to be the tuff one huh?

 

She raised an eyebrow in amusement, the sudden movement of Lye caught her off guard since she pushed Violet out of the way and put her hands in Jyeng's shoulders.

 

"Tell me!, Tell me, about your dress!"  

 

 She grinned like a 5 years old waiting impatiently for her christmas present, so cute. Abigail chuckles and tousle her hair, another sign of nervousness.

 

"Well....- it's a surprise!" She replies way too quickly, crap she knew she was screwed since Ann Lye could read between the lines but as she looked at her friends face, she realized for the first time she didn't discover something was wrong.

 

Violet stood beside the two girls and put her hands in her hips. Oh..., here she comes. I grin trying to feign innocence.

 

"Oh no girl, we've been talking all week long about our dresses and you still haven't spilled..., is not fair."

 

She cross her arms in front of her chest, an accusing stare made me want to take back what I said but it's too late, Ann Lye swiftly let go of my shoulders an look at her wrist clock... 3,2,1...

 

"Oh God!, we are running late!, you better head out as well, Abi!, See ya at the party!" She screamed since she was pushing the still mad Violet out of the locker rooms toward the exit of the school. 

 

Abigail's smile dropped and she turns around in her locker, slowly putting her notebooks in the locker. She counts to three, closing the door to her locker and turning around walking out of the hall, only a few of students walked by, She turn into the corner to music hall and walk by, she stops abruptly and frown, she take two steps back and face palm.

 

The door to the music room was half open, the profile of her Childhood friend resting his head lost in music looked quite poetic. Jyeng enters  the room quietly and walk toward him.

 

"Lay"  She call after him but he still looking outside the window, why was he in the music room?, nobody knows, he was just like that, unexpected and lost in the clouds.

 

"Lay..." She frowns and stand in front of him, he didn't budge, so she did what she's never done. She pull the headphone of his ear and grin evilly.

 

"Yixing!!!!" You could have heard the piercing startle scream and thud from across the hall way, Lay jumped from the seat and landed flat on the floor. Abigail couldn't hold her laughter anymore and fell to the ground laughing hysterically.

 

He glared at me but as he kept a it, he joined in a brief moment laughing.

 

Our laughters fadded and we looked at each other, Lay leaned in and reach out toward Abigail, the slight color of red invaded her cheeks, he smiles, his cute dimple showing, as he swipe away gently a bit of Jyeng's hair from her face.

 

"There much better crazy woman..."

 

He says fainting disdain. She did as if she was shot in the heart and played death.

 

"Don't do this to me Xing, we are soulmates!" She implies a bit of hurt heard in Jyeng's voice. He smiles his adorable smile again, making Jyeng push him playfully, he stands up and reach out, his hand open, she smiles back at him and grab his hand.

 

He held her up and took his headphones off, putting his song on pause. He glance at me, a playful twinkle cross in his eyes.

 

"I'll bet I'll know right away who you are by looking at those green brown eyes of yours..." 

 

She grins and tried to hide her blush by looking away. Oh, God how his words affected her sometimes..., she couldn't tell, but being back and meeting Lay again made her heart flutter in content and memories, precious one.

 

"Lay!, don't say that, my eyes aren't green at all..."

 

He chuckles and pull her at him, making her notice they were walking out of the music room. He was still unconsciously holding her hand when someone cleared it's throat and made him jump and turn, letting go of Jyeng's hand and brushing his hair, he smiles sheepishly and looked at Chen. 

 

"Oh, hey Chen..." He said as if a kid caught in his dirty act. I look ed Chen and he glance at me, giving me a quick small smile before averting his gaze at Lay, Jyeng knew he was looking at her with a pleasing look in his eyes.

 

"Where were you?" He asks, making Lay tousle his hair. Chen close his arms around his chest tapping his foot on the tile impatient for Lay's answer, the only thing Jyeng could do was look.

 

"Well..."  Lay looks down at Abigail, unable to speak, she  was a bit lost in thoughts herself, he reach out and poke her stomach, making her jump back to reality, oh how she hated that still remember her weak point!, she thought to herself.

 

She looks at Chen apologetic, he just shrug it of and look at both of them intently. I snort trying to hide my laughter.

 

"Well, as always, Lay is wondering of in cloud 7 while hearing music, I found him in the music room."

 

He poked Jyeng Chie again and she looks up, glaring at him, but her glare faded when she saw his innocent smile.

 

"Why not in cloud 9?" He asks, feigning confusion, while Chen's jaw clench. Ohhhhh, Lay was in so much trouble.... Jyeng though as she took a step back.

 

"Well, I don't know...."   Then another step back as she replied, seeing Chen turn violet since Lay wasn't paying attention on what he said. 

 

"So..., I'll see you later!, bye!"

 

Abigail says waving at both of the boys and leaving them a bit perplexed. She snickers and calls her chofeaur, she was going to have a blast of a night! Eating ice cream all bored of her mind in her house of course..., no party for me.

 

Thoughts of her in dress and the party bubble in her head; a few minutes later, the limousine arrived, no students were outside the grand entrance of the academy teaching grounds so she was saved to climb the car in no problem.

 

The drive back home was quite pleasant but a bit slow than usual. Abigail sense a pair of eyes looking at her, she looks up to meet with her driver's eyes. Edward's

 

"So miss Chie, the school is not crowded at this hour which is rare, what is going on?"  She smiles at her excited. She won't hide this from this man who has worked for my dad for a really long time and considered him family.

 

"Everybody is preparing themselves from their masquerade dance..." 

 

Jyeng said her excitment faded as she remember her father's yet another failed promise.

 

"And I'm not since I don't have a dress." She says leaning her head in the tainted car window.

 

"Oh miss Chie..., never cross a river not until you arrive first..."

 

I frown and look at Edward's words and look at the review mirror, he's looking back at me pointedly a weird shimmer cross his eyes for a second..., ok?

 

We arrived and he opens the door for me, I thank him and for the millionth time told him he shouldn't have. He only smiles and bow a bit.

 

"See you later child..."

 

He says while walking away, once more Jyeng frown at his words confused, what the heck os he saying?, his age must be affecting him a bit, she thinks to herself while entering her house. I was a bit tired but mostly sad since I was going to attend the ball, why was the cause of bothering my friends when she wanted them to have fun but to make them worry about her and a silly dress.

 

She sighs and walk upstairs and into her room not minding that it was pitch black, she threw herself at the bed but as she does so she feels a strange plastic bag beneath her.

 

"What the-?..." She asks and jump back out of bed, she turns on the light and turn around slowly, she tried to adjust her eyes from the sudden light and walk to her bed.

 

"WOW...." It took her by surprise entirely, the bag in the bed was actually a really beautiful red gown, the corset had a delicate heart shape cut with nice embroidery of shinny suawroski gems that swirl down in one side reaching out to her  silky soft not so pompous but right skirt, A beautiful Maquerade ball dance mask was resting in the middle of the dress in the bag, the croner with swirls of black and small gems with red in the center, with a small feather falling in a small chain at the side of the mask.

 

A nice envelope with beautiful writing catches her attention, her curiosity killed her inside, she open the envelope and wrote the note. 

 

She hugs the card when she finished reading it, smiling, she couldn't believe her grandmother knew, she even lived far from here, This was Abigail's Jyeng Chie's mom's prom night dress, how could her grandma could save it up until now..., she didn't knew but she was so excited and grateful she decided to call her maids and do their magic with her....

 

'I'M GOING TO THE MASQUERADE!' She squealed in delight into herself while she closed her eyes, transformation begins.

 

------------••••••••••••••••-----------

 

   Author's note:

 

Hello everyone! Thanks for reading chapter one of my mini one story, this is my first one shot ever, so please be kind to me, thanks again! Happy reading see ya next time!