Welcome to Gaia! ::

Kayley smiled. It was an unpracticed smile, that did little to hide the 'you should ask me to dance' aura that she was bludgeoning him with. Fiercely. "Kayley." She said sweetly. "I'm Jada's sister. You're the one who helped her out with her stalker, right?" she edged closer to him, eyes wide and innocent. (Genuinely innocent.) "He is such a creep. I mean, he broke into her room at school, and he even broke in here." She gave a shudder. "Who leaves a girl a rose dripping blood, anyway?" All those little details Jada had lied to keep from Marlo, she so sweetly let drop into Elzo's lap. "To think that such a man could get to her so easily..." she scowled.

"It is really kind of vile, those lawbreakers. Who knows what he would have done to her, if you hadn't been around at the mall, and if he hadn't tripped the alarms breaking in to her room." she shivered, politely. "I want to thank you."

There it was. Hero worship.

*

Zora giggled, coyly. She was apparently much wiser towards men than her sister. Not surprising, considering she was worldlier in other ways. "You know, Marlo, I think you should ask me to dance." She said finally, and beamed at him.

Lucas was still staring at Serah nervously, switching from foot to foot, waiting for her response.

"Hey Fallon, I'm Serah!" She took Fallon's hand cheerfully, letting it go minutes later. Audrey and Fallon were entertaining-- and that was putting it rudely. They made fantastic company for a ball-- Serah giggled to herself over their remarks.

She was giggling until a boy came up to her. She seemed at a loss for words for a moment, eyes nervously darting back to Audrey and Fallon. But only for a second before she reclaimed her composure, a hand extended out to Lucas cheerfully and delicately. Did all males ask so boldly?

"It seems I do have to leave you, my blue-haired comrade. Let us meet again in the corner of a ballroom again. After this dance." Serah chuckled as she stepped closer to Lucas. "I have a name. It's called Serah. Might I ask yours? Or is it too elusive to give?"

There was a first for everything. This included dancing. "I'd like to inform you that your feet may be crushed during this period. Please be forewarned." She said apologetically to Lucas.

Serah wasn't quite sure what to make of catching such a young boy's attention. She wasn't sure whether to praise or be baffled but he was such a sweet guy. She decided to choose the first option-- after all, it was a ball to be enjoyed and that was what she certainly planned to do. And he had asked her to dance! A plus for him, having a good eye. (Serah's attractiveness was lost somewhere between her height and childish delights. But still there.)

"Lucas Chamberlyn. It's quite an honor for you to bestow your attention on me. I'm delighted!" She said with a light teasing note, thinking that this Lucas had great potential in the future with his manners and appearance. Even if he seemed a little flushed at the moment.

"How gentlemanly of you to lead. That's a relief." She whispered back mischievously, echoing his words. "I'm pleased to meet you too, Mister Lucas. You can leave off the 'Miss' you know. That makes me feel a little too old for my taste." She stepped forth with him onto the dance floor, an obvious uncertainty in her actions. But she smiled brightly-- absolute confidence in Lucas that he wouldn't make a fool of the them both on the dance floor. If he did, it still would have been pretty funny.

"Ah." That would explain it. "Crystal has a large selection of classes." Some were useful, some less useful then others. But their dance class must've been one of the better - Eve danced and carried herself well, it was easier to dance with an experienced dancer then someone who had never danced before. But that wasn't a problem either. The male, having no preference for dancing, had no dislike for it either. Rather, he had come to accept it.

When Eve answered his questions, Seth followed along, "Hm." Seth made a sound of partial acknowledgment and partial contemplation. He didn't remember much about high school relationships, but it certainly sounded like what they would do.

"Audrey, Elke, Serenade." Seth nodded and glanced at each girl, as he repeated their names. "They seem to be special to you." From the way that Eve spoke, it was obvious that they were. He could see why Eve would be friends with them, being somewhat similar of sorts. As he observed the ballroom again, noticed a boy who seemed to be rushing towards this Audrey character, but suddenly stopped in his path. "I assume.. that is the other end of your matchmaking, isn't it?" A bit amused, tilting his head in the direction of the older Xanis brother, who appeared to have an obstacle in the way. "It looks as if someone else has plans instead."

Crystal classes were meant to school them on terms of etiquette and poise. It was, after all, Crystal Academy; different schools and different kinds of schooling. That was what separated them from the rest, and why some students chose to go to one and not the other. Or sometimes (though in Crystal's case, it was often), it was their parents choice.

"A girl needs girl friends after all." She said sensibly. Girl friends were especially needed for shopping! Most male friends didn't like shopping (the exception was Marlo), and weren't very fun to take along on a shopping trip, unless you wanted someone to carry your bags. She switched back to the Elzo topic, wondering if she would have enough time to save the poor boy after this dance, or someone else would step in instead. (Audrey shouldn't be moving about so much with that leg!) "She seems rather besotted with Elzo." She commented with a laugh. "Too bad she doesn't know that he would much prefer if she was older."

It was, but due to the alignment of stars in the sky and an extraordinarily favourable first impression, Hero Barrett came away with the wrong idea. "Oh," she said, one soldier to another. "I understand. I won't interfere unless needed."

This was said in the manner of somebody who had just been told that there was a mission in place that she shouldn't comment on. This was coincidentally what she believed. If he hadn't meant to be here tonight, he was there for a reason; that reason was Parallel business; he was Prince Alexandros, and it would have been impolite to ask. She'd tensed anyway.

The awkwardness had been cut when Miss Chamberlyn had made her entrance. They'd dutifully attended the words. Jada was lovely, regal, artfully introduced, and considering that Hero herself couldn't dance and couldn't dress she was heartily and insecurely relieved that she'd never be in the same position. For a moment she wanted to tell Miriam, he said, you don't get danced a lot with, do you, but her pride couldn't take the beating.

But he was Prince Alexandros and he was there for a purpose and it wasn't as though she was sparkling company.

Hero's eyes searched the crowd for Serenade, spotting pale green hair briefly before it got lost again. No use. Back to Dylan. In a moment of irritating haplessness she said, "Please talk. I don't mind dancing with you." She was just concentrating on her feet. ("I don't mind dancing with you," said her brain, what kind of comment was that.)

Fallon did not sit at the table, but instead, perched herself as a lookout beside it. It was easy enough to follow Jada's bouncing black curls as they moved across the room. Others joined the table, and Fallon smiled politely. "I'm Fallon, nice to meet you," she said, taking in faces and outfits. She'd remember the latter better.

When Marlo approached, Fallon did not react in surprise, or embarrassment. He'd seen her naked. It happened. Nothing to be done about it now. "Szelem would be annoyed at a mirror if it didn't show her precisely what she wanted. I wouldn't worry about what she thinks," Fallon commented, quietly. She might not always agree with how Szelem did things, but this was still her party (despite Jada being the cause for celebration). Fallon had no intention of slamming the hostess for all the world to hear.

Someone approached the table, but in the crowd of people, Fallon did not immediately see who until the girl was within arms length.

Had God read her thoughts? Not more than five minutes ago, Fallon was ogling the dark-haired girl in the beautiful sapphire dress from across the room, and now, here she was, asking for introductions. The smile that spread across Fallon's face was much warmer than it had been before, not too unlike the grins that cropped up on Audrey's face whenever Elzo's name was mentioned.

A name. Fallon needed it. "Jada is on the dance floor with the newest Prince Charming of her mother's choosing." She lifted a painted nail to gesture in the direction. "Her dance card is pretty full, thanks to Szelem." She shot Audrey a knowing look and then moved back to Adira. "I'm Fallon. I don't think we've met." But she would like to. Oh, she would really really like to.

She could feel the tension in Audrey beside her. Fallon didn't intend on abandoning the blunette and her occasionally faltering confidence. It didn't mean that she couldn't do a little extracurricular socializing of her own.

"Whoever he is, I don't think he's supposed to be here," said Elke thoughtfully, considering Hero and the boy she was dancing with. He was really, really blonde. He was also wearing a labcoat, which was not exactly debutante ball attire, and Maman would be shaking her head over it later.

Oh, Maman. Elke sighed. "We could ask, once they're done with their dance... s..." Three dances? She had not exactly been dancing at anything other than lessons for more than three years, so she didn't know how many times they were supposed to trade off. Shifting a little, though, she offered Serenade a hand. "Do you want to dance, Princess? I promise not to step on your toes."