SERAPHINA'S POV
I cough just as Juliet, who's been my makeover maestro for the evening, dabs into her eyeshadow palette to add another layer onto my lids.
"Sera, you'll smudge it if you keep squirming like that," she warns.
"Is all this really necessary?" I ask, a touch of exasperation in my voice.
Two hours of skincare treatments, an hour for hair, and now we're thirty minutes deep into the makeup phase.
I'm in Alice and Juliet's room, and my face feels as though it's laminated with all the products they've applied.
I mean, it's just a three-hour party, and let's be honest-I'll probably enjoy only the first hour before my social battery taps out.
Juliet rolls her eyes but remains laser-focused on my eyes.
"Yes, Sera, it's absolutely necessary. You're the star tonight; you have to look the part."
"But it feels like you're prepping me for the Oscars, not a college party," I counter, sneaking a glance at my increasingly unfamiliar reflection in the mirror.
Alice, who's giving the finishing touches to my hair with a curling iron, chimes in.
"Listen, you're the first human to win a position on the Black Wolf Council, rallying a whole pack of wolves behind you. People are expecting to see a new you, not your everyday self. No offense."
"Hey, some taken." I retort, but they both just laugh. "A new me that can't even move her face without cracking the foundation?"
"Trust us," Juliet assures, stepping back to admire her work before leaning in for some finishing touches. "When you walk into that room tonight, you'll be grateful for every serum, lotion, and stroke of mascara we've applied. You'll be the radiant, confident, show-stopping queen everyone remembers."
"Yes, everyone would know your name as the badass who took Raven Wood by storm." Alice grins, then quickly leaves the room while her words stay with me.
Did I really do that? Take Raven Wood by storm?
Ignoring my discontent, Juliet finally exhales an exhausted sigh, signaling the end of her beauty magic.
"I'm done!"
As I look up into the mirror, any discomfort from the itchy layers on my face instantly evaporates. What I see is a complete transformation-gone is my Plain Jane self, replaced by a version of me that could easily be on the cover of a magazine.
"Oh, my fucking goodness," I gasp.
Juliet's eyes shine with pride. "Who would've guessed you'd turn out this hot?"
Just then, Alice returns into the room, arms laden with outfits for the evening.
"Holy shit, you're gorgeous," she blurts out, momentarily frozen at the doorway as she takes me in.
Caught between flattery and offense from their compliments, we change into our party clothes without wasting more time.
Juliet opts for a one-shoulder black dress that makes her fiery red hair pop, while Alice goes for a sleeveless dark blue number with a sweetheart neckline.
I choose a black, low-necked crop top that teases a glimpse of my midriff, and a beige mini skirt. I keep stealing glances at myself in the mirror, fascinated by curves I didn't realize I had, and a bust that's practically begging to break free.
"Is this too...much?" I ask, uncertainty creeping into my voice.
"Absolutely not. You look hot, and it's a nighttime high school party. You'll be fine," Alice assures me, giving me a gentle nudge toward the door.
When I pull the door open, as expected, Ace is waiting. He's my designated bodyguard for the night, Artemis's condition for letting me out.
Although I find the precaution unnecessary-Morgan would be foolish to try anything now-it's a comforting gesture.
Ace peels himself off the wall, clearly annoyed by our delay. But that annoyance vanishes the moment his eyes land on me.
His gaze sweeps from my head to my toes, leaving a crawl on my skin and a touch of self-consciousness.
"Wow," he finally says, tearing his eyes away from me. "You clean up pretty good... for a human."
I roll my eyes at his backhanded compliment but inside, a triumphant feeling swells. Tonight, I look good, and now, it seems, Ace knows it too.
"Here I thought you were about to give an actual compliment without sounding like a jerk," I respond, striding past him.
Though he stays silent, I can still feel the intensity of his gaze drilling into me from behind.
I pour all my energy into ignoring it, focusing on my walk beside Alice and Juliet. Thankfully, they haven't forced me into heels, so I've settled for comfortable sneakers-anything else would've been a disaster waiting to happen.
After braving the cold night, we arrive at the party venue located in the center of a vast field. A large fire pit serves as the center, illuminating the area and giving off much-needed warmth.
The whole scene is buzzing; the party is in full swing.
"This is where I leave you girls. Have fun," Ace says, his tone icy as he walks away without a backward glance.
I'd been thinking not many people would show, relegating me to the role of an unwelcome outsider. But that's far from the reality unfolding before me.
The entire school seems to have turned up. Tables are laden with an assortment of snacks, and there's no shortage of drinks, alcohol included.
"Wow," I gasp, my jaw dropping.
"I told you people were going to show up for you," Juliet squeals beside me.
Well, they've shown up, that's for sure-whether it's for me is another question.
My eyes immediately start scanning the crowd for Artemis. He'd struck me as the party-boy type, probably downing shots in some corner.
I find myself oddly eager to see that side of him.
"Artemis is responsible for most of this," Alice chimes in. "He called the caterers, got the drinks, the whole nine yards."
"He did?" I pause, a confusing emotion beginning to bubble up within me.
Before, it was easy to cast Artemis as the spoiled, overprivileged guy I'd always thought he was.
But now, the lines are blurring - everything is not so black and white as it was before.
"Enough talking, let's go party!" Juliet screams, bursting with excitement.
Alice joins in, pulling me toward the heart of the action, effectively pushing all thoughts of Artemis to the back of my mind.
The first part of the night is pure dancing.
I let loose, not caring as I bust out my most outrageous dance moves. My friends cheer me on, clapping and laughing, and we take turns hyping each other up.
Next, we fuel our "party spirit," as Juliet calls it, with shots, followed by another round of dancing.
By this point, I'm flirting with tipsiness, while Alice and Juliet don't seem affected in the least.
Then, from the corner of my eye, I spot Lucian. He's in a corner, engaged in drinking games and laughter with a group of guys. I pause, compelled to admire his alluring face, his easy smiles, his effortless charm.
"Who are you looking at?" Juliet nudges.
"No one," I reply, snapping my eyes away from Lucian.
"Is that Lucian you're eyeing?" Juliet presses, following the direction of my gaze.
"What? No," I retort.
"You should totally go talk to him," Alice chimes in, clearly not buying my act.
"Why would I? We, like, already talk."
Both girls exchange a look, then fix me with unimpressed stares.
"Come on, it's so obvious you're into him. You've been ogling him for the last five minutes," Juliet scoffs.
I laugh it off, dismissing their claims as ridiculous.
Yet, maybe it's the alcohol talking, but I can't help but steal another glance at Lucian. He's in the midst of laughter, beer in hand, his lips parting enough to reveal a dazzling set of pearly whites.
Even in a plain white tee, he looks immaculate, and I can feel my heart kick up a pace.
I think back to the first day I'd met him by the stairwell and how he'd given his handkerchief to me - L.A. I think back to my initial curiosity, his honest silver eyes and that one time he flung Kamila away.
Of course, I also remember how he trapped me in the nurse's office and how many more times he had underestimated me - but out of everyone in Raven Wood Academy, Lucian has been one of the few people who've never been against me.
Even when I'd shut him out completely, he kept trying to apologize - and I think he now realizes that he fucked up.
Then the drawing... It was so real, deliberately crafted to capture every intricate detail of my face, my lashes, my lips.
No one has ever done anything like that for me before, and my heart swells, a little smile teasing my cheek.
"Maybe I do like him." The confession slides out of my lips easily before I realize it.
Oh my God, I actually like Lucian.
It's not the earth-shattering, destined-to-be-high-school-sweethearts kind of like, but more of an innocent adoration.
Maybe I wouldn't mind occasionally sniffing his shirts or even sleeping in them. I can't exactly pinpoint when this little crush grew to sparks, but I think a part of me has always been drawn to him.
"I'm going to talk to Lucian," I announce, squaring my shoulders with newfound confidence. The alcohol has pushed me to audacious heights.
Alice and Juliet squeal to each other, a unified grin on their face.
"You go, girl!" They cheer as I make my way toward him.