Chapter 6

Lydia stepped out, and the noise in the corridor grew louder. Students gathered on either side of the hallway like fans at an event, their faces filled with excitement and a hint of fear. Lydia squeezed into the crowd, standing on her tiptoes to obtain a clearer view. And then she saw them. Ethan Laurent walked with a confidence that made it impossible not to look at him. Lydia recognized him instantly. That is him. That is her man. How could a guy she’d only seen in passing now be standing right in front of her? Her heart did this weird flip as she took him in. His dark hair was perfectly styled, not a single strand out of place. His sharp jawline looked like it had been carved by the gods, and his piercing eyes practically dared anyone to challenge him. And then there was the way he carried himself. It was not just walking—it was commanding. Every step radiated authority, as if the room belonged to him and everyone else was just borrowing space. His fashion sense didn’t help either; his tailored jacket, casual but expensive, looked like it had been made specifically for him. It was unfair, honestly. Lydia swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. She could not let herself get distracted not now, not when everything was already spiraling. Riley walked beside him, her hair pulled back into a sleek ponytail, her presence equally magnetic. She moved with the grace of a predator, her amber eyes scanning the crowd with sharp precision. The way she carried herself made it clear: she was his blood and their lineage was something extraordinary. Students murmured to each other as they passed. “There they are…” “Ethan’s back this year?” “I heard Riley broke someone’s arm during sparring last session…” “They are even cooler than last year.” Lydia could not take her eyes away. As Ethan and Riley neared where Lydia stood, Ethan’s eyes swept across the crowd and landed on her. Her breath stuck in her throat. It was only a second, maybe two, but it felt like he saw right through her. His sharp eyes held a question she did not know how to answer. And then it was over. He looked away, continuing down the hall as if nothing had happened. Vanessa nudged Lydia with her elbow, snapping her out of her daze. “Told you. Runners of the school. Do not get any ideas, though. Ethan does not do relationships, and Riley...well, let’s just say you do not want her as an enemy.” Lydia swallowed hard, her heart still racing. “Yeah, sure. No ideas.” Later that evening, Vanessa’s side of the room was chaos. Makeup palettes and brushes were scattered everywhere, and dresses were thrown onto every accessible surface. In the midst of it all, Vanessa was carefully lining her lips while sitting on a stool before her mirror. Lydia, on the other hand, was trying to ignore the chaos in the room by burying her nose in a book whilst lying on her bed. “Lydia,” Vanessa called, dragging out the name like a warning. “Hmm?” Lydia did not look up. “You can not seriously think now is the best time to read,” Vanessa said, capping her lipstick and twisting to look at her. “There are a hundred better times for that. Like...literally any other time that is not party prep.” Lydia finally looked up, unfazed. “I like to read when it is quiet. You are making so much noise, it’s basically a perfect challenge for my focus.” Vanessa narrowed her eyes. “You are not funny. You know what else is a challenge? Trying to look hot for a Luxemount party, and I am doing just that. You could, too.” Lydia arched an eyebrow. “Why would I do that? There will be time for that after I graduate.” She flipped a page, already tuning Vanessa out again. “Oh, you mean the party where Ethan Laurent won’t be?” Vanessa shot back casually, tossing her curls over her shoulder. The book slipped slightly in Lydia’s hands. She recovered quickly, pretending to read. “So? What does that have to do with me?” Vanessa grinned like she’d won. “Everything. He’s going to be there tonight. He is always there.” Lydia shifted uncomfortably. “And?” “And,” Vanessa said, leaning forward, “you are not fooling anyone. You want to go. You want to see him again.” “I do not—” Lydia started, but Vanessa cut her off with a sharp laugh. “Oh, please. You have been floating ever since he looked at you in the hallway. You might as well admit it.” Lydia sighed, snapping her book shut. “Okay, fine. Maybe I do want to see him. But that does not mean I need to dress up and make it a thing.“ Vanessa turned, one eyebrow raised in amusement. “What?” “What?” Lydia shot back, defensive. Vanessa smirked, her hands resting on her hips. “Go get dressed. We do not want to miss out on his entrance.” Lydia rolled her eyes, as if the idea was crazy, but they both knew the reality. She stood, pulling her feet towards her wardrobe. It was obvious she was putting on a show of reluctance. What was that saying? You can lie to everybody, but the one person you can not lie to is yourself. Yeah, that. After searching her wardrobe for a few minutes, Lydia finally decided on a dress and called out to Vanessa. "Hey, what do you think?" Lydia asked, holding it up. Vanessa blinked at her, then looked at the plain black dress Lydia was holding. “You are joking, right? This is what you are wearing?” What?” Lydia asked defensively, clutching the plain black dress tighter. “It’s simple. It’s fine.” Vanessa did not answer at first. She simply stretched out, grabbed Lydia's outfit as if it might bite her, and held it up for scrutiny. Her nose scrunched. “Fine? This would not even work for a funeral, let alone the party of the year.” Lydia crossed her arms. “It is not that bad.” Vanessa turned, holding the dress up as if showing it to an imaginary audience for judgment. “Not bad?” she repeated. “Lydia, if you walk in wearing this, I can promise you two things. One, nobody will notice you. And two, I will deny knowing you.” Lydia rolled her eyes, but her cheeks flushed. “You are exaggerating.“ Vanessa dropped the dress onto Lydia’s bed with a dramatic sigh, then marched over to her own wardrobe. “Blending in is for the background characters. And trust me, girl, you do not want to be one. Not when you are with the Vanessa.” She threw open the wardrobe door and gave Lydia a confident smile. “We come correct every godddamn time.” Vanessa pulled out a shimmering red dress that looked like it had been made to turn head. "This," Vanessa said, handing it to Lydia, "is what you are wearing. Trust me, you will thank me later." Lydia stared at the dress, her stomach flipping. "This is way too much," she protested weakly. Vanessa grabbed her by the shoulders, steering her toward the mirror. "There is no such thing as too much for a Luxemount party. Now, get changed. This is your introduction and everyone is going to want to know who you are.”