The Mute Luna

Chapter 9: The Ball

Carter didn't look as Dawn helped her slip on the dress. She kept her eyes closed and waited, wanting to only see everything at the same time. Her ears could hear the sound of silk rubbing together and feel it fall down her body like water. A part of her wanted to peek and see what the dress looked like but she didn't.

“Okay,” Dawn whispered. She turned Carter around. “Take a look.” Hesitating, Carter tried to slow her pounding heart and opened her eyes, only to see a stranger in the mirror.

It was a girl, not a woman but the girl still seemed mature in a dangerously sexy way. Her pale skin matched her snow white ball gown, her skin as soft as the silk she wore. Her beautiful blonde hair fell in small ringlets to her waist, shaping her perfect face. Her lips were the color of blood, full and kissable. Her eyes were the color of sapphires, so dark and beautiful with silver eyeshadow and black eyeliner with small silver jewels under her eyelids. 

Her fit body was covered by a ball gown of white silk, white lace covering her arms. Her feet could not be seen but the silver heels she wore gave her some added height, making her look incredible. The gown was long, dragging a little behind her with some ruffles in the back. A silver chain necklace with a sapphire heart hung around her neck, matching the sapphire barrette pinned into her beautiful blonde hair. 

The girl was so beautiful. She could not be real. She could not exist. She had to be a dream. But as Carter reached out to touch the beautiful girl's face in the mirror, the girl copied her actions. Carter stifled a gasp and backed away, the girl did too. 

Dawn smiled. “Truly my best work. You look so beautiful, Carter.” Her friend sounded close to tears. Carter surprised Dawn and herself by hugging Dawn tightly, not wanting to let go. Dawn hugged back, then gently pushed Carter back with a smile. “Don't mess up my masterpiece. Now, I'm going to go back to my room and get my dress on. I'll meet you and Joey here in ten minutes. We can all go down together.” She left quickly while Carter's eyes moved back to the mirror.

It could not be her. This girl was far too pretty, far too beautiful. It had to be a trick, a strange dream. The thought made Carter feel guilty. She hated dreaming of things she knew were not possible because then she had to wake up with a broken heart. Again, Carter reached out to touch the girl's beautiful face. Her fingertips touched the cool surface of the mirror, touching the girl's cheek. 

It frightened Carter how beautiful Dawn had made her. Had she always been like this? Had she always had a certain beauty, hidden deep down? Carter remembered looking in the mirror, crying when she saw nothing but an ugly, broken girl. Could this really be her? Yes, but where would this beautiful girl go after tonight? 

“Carter,” Joey knocked on the other side of the door. “Come on out, I wanna see how you look.” He sounded excited. Carter managed to look away from the mirror. This was who she would be tonight. She would be beautiful, she would be happy tonight. Tonight would be a night she would remember and look back on when she was sad, even when she was rejected. 

With a large smile spreading across her face, Carter grabbed her white board, opened the door and stepped out. Joey, who wore a black tux and a large smile, stood in the living room. He had been looking at the TV but glanced over when he heard the door open. His jaw dropped when his eyes landed on Carter, making her blush. 

“Wow,” He whispered coming over. He touched her arm and suddenly grinned as large as she had ever seen him. “You look so beautiful. Carter, I think you look even more beautiful than my mate will.” Carter grinned.

'I feel beautiful for once, Joey.' She wrote. 'I don't think I've ever felt so confident.' 

“Well, you are beautiful even without all the makeup and the dress, you know.” He told her. “You don't need any of that stuff.” Joey had always known how to be a true best friend, always known what to say. Carter smiled and gave him a small side hug just as Dawn strutted in, not bothering to knock.

“How do I look?” She asked. This time, both Carter's and Joey's mouths hung open. Dawn would truly stand out at the ball. She wore a long black lace dress with a slit going up her left side to reveal her long creamy left leg, also showing off a pair of tall sexy black heels that wrapped around her ankles in a strange way. Her arms were covered by black lace sleeves with a ruby pendant hanging from her neck. 

Her black hair was placed in a large bun with her crown of emeralds but now the back had strands hanging out like spider legs. Her eyelids were covered by black eyeshadow and eyeliner, her lips blood red. She looked like a beautiful vampire, a beautiful wonder of the night. Carter briefly compared how she looked next to Dawn, both as different as a wedding and a funeral yet still so beautiful.

“Amazing!” Joey suddenly exclaimed. Carter nodded quickly, her smile growing even larger. Dawn grinned just as an announcement rang through the speakers hanging in the hotel.

“Attention all who are attending the Mating Ball, please be ready.” The voice of  Mrs. Cat said. “All men, please come downstairs into the ballroom. Your mates will follow in two minutes. Ladies, please follow the males in two minutes, we will make another announcement of course. Now again, all men go down to the ballroom.”

The speakers went off and Joey turned to Carter and Dawn. “I guess I'll meet you guys downstairs.” He gave each of them a small hug then left. A moment of silence passed before Carter thought of something.

'Dawn, how am I going to talk? Won't it look stupid if I bring this white board to a ball?' She showed the message. Dawn bit her red lip and thought for a moment. She finally spoke. 

“Just leave it here,” She suggested. “Your mate will probably figure out you can't speak anyway. Plus, it will give you this kind of mysterious look.” Carter hesitated but sat the white board and marker on the couch just as she heard it. Footsteps; hundreds of them. Her heart leaped when she thought of her mate being so close, the boy that would reject her.

Once the sound faded, the voice of Mrs. Cat came on again. “All ladies, please come down to the ballroom.” Carter started to panic. It was time. Dawn, seeing her reaction, took Carter's arm. 

“Come on,” She smiled. “Let's do this together.”

Carter could barely feel anything as she and Dawn walked. Behind and around them, hundreds of girls followed. Carter saw some from her pack, some from others. All wore beautiful gowns and looked nervous but beautiful. Many looked at Dawn as if they were scared to be near her and many glanced at Carter, looking even more nervous. 

“Who did her make up? Why can't I look like that?” A girl behind her whispered to her friend. The friend nodded, looking sad. 

“One look at her and my mate will ditch me for her.” She mumbled looking at the floor. Carter didn't know whether to be guilty or faltered. Dawn, who walked beside her, was grinning like she had won a million dollars and was ready to gloat about it. Carter felt herself smile but still she was numb.

They managed to get to the golden elevators and group by group, girls went downstairs to the ballroom. Since Carter was in the last group, she managed to fit in an elevator of twelve girls. None said a thing as one pushed the downstairs button and they were sent down. A song Carter didn't know played softly in the background and she closed her eyes, trying to find some feeling or emotion somewhere in her. 

But when the doors finally slid open to the empty lobby, all Carter had found was terror. No one showed up but the other girls led the way down a hallway behind the lobby. The halls were decorated with silver with not much lighting. Music could faintly be heard along with the sounds of voices. 

“This is it,” Dawn said. The other girls nodded in silence just as they reached a set of large silver doors. Behind them, the sounds of music suddenly stopped. Carter noticed how none of the girls wore masks, what people wore to a masquerade ball. She'd have to ask why later. 

“Alright everyone, quite down.” Mrs. Cat's voice said. The voices hushed and an excited silence settled over everyone. Without knowing why, Carter and the other girls managed to form a single and straight line to walk in. “Now, introducing the females of beauty, the future Lunas.” Soft violins started playing and the doors swung open. 

It was the most beautiful room Carter had ever seen. The marble walls were covered by silver streamers wrapped around the marble pillars that held up the glass ceiling, diamond chandeliers hanging down. The floors were covered by round tables with white lace tablecloths, red roses in the center, all pushed to the left of the room. On the right, was a small stage where people played violins and soft instruments, the players dressed in white and silver. In the back, were huge glass windows that showed the pool outside, giving a perfect view of the moonlight and stars. 

Finally, Carter's eyes moved to all the boys. Her breath caught. Every single one of them was dressed in black tuxedos, looking dashing and like princes. All of them sat at the round tables but as soon as the girl's started coming in, they stood. The first girl who went in, was met by a handsome blonde who instantly took her to the dance floor, looking lovestruck. As the line went on, the room became crowded and boys stopped coming up to find the girls as before. Disappointed, the girls went into the crowd to look for themselves. 

But when Carter finally entered, many stopped and looked at her. In fact, almost everyone stopped and looked at her. Not in lovestruck gazes, just in shock. Feeling nervous, Carter gave a soft smile and walked as gracefully as she could into the crowds. She couldn't walk very well in her heels but tried her best. The crowds were thick with mates holding hands and even kissing against walls. She tried to get through and not mess up her new found beauty. After a moment, she decided to give up and just stand in the back. 

Joey was nowhere to be found and Dawn had vanished when Carter entered. Carter's eyes moved over the large crowd, her ears listening to the soft, beautiful music. A new song played as mates found each other, soft and delicate. It was a song Carter did not know but it made her feel relaxed and fair, as if she was a princess who feared nothing. 

After a moment, something struck her. Not literally but it felt like it. Something in her chest had gone wild, something in her was warm and fuzzy. Her palms began to sweat, her heartbeat picked up again. But instead of panicking, Carter simply looked up to meet two beautiful, sapphire blue eyes. 

“Hello, my love.” A voice whispered.