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I undid the bow. Inside was a gold-embossed card. When I opened it, a white mask manifested. It was plain and unadorned, just one white stripe with two eyeholes.
Invite for one, to the Annual Fae Masquerade. Don your mask and become whoever you want to be.
I put the simple mask on and turned to my vanity mirror. The white morphed into two long, elongated moth wings. Wispy and lovely, they made my dark eyes glow with excitement.
“Look at this, Gaksi!” I angled my head, admiring myself. I grabbed my phone to snap a selfie for my mother. Would she even recognize moth wings? Before I snapped the photo, the mask transformed into bright orange monarch butterfly wings.
Much better. I sent Mother a photo. She replied within seconds.
Mother:Beautiful, Luna! You will make such a pristine fae!
I beamed with pride. Compliments from my mother were a rare and unexpected treat. I hoarded them in my heart like precious jewels. I usually only got praise from Gaksi.
“I like you better without the mask,” Gaksi said.
“And most of the time, I like you better silent,” I reminded him.
“That’s why we always chatter like this,” he teased.
“Check your closet,” he prompted.
A white package emerged on a hanger. Beneath it, a white hoodie hung with silver angel wings hand-painted on the back.
Show off your new wings, the hanger read.Work hard, and you can earn real ones.
Like a cult, I thought. Wouldn’t that be creepy to see the next day in class, all the ones invited back to angel house wearing the same outfit?
I’d probably wear it, though. It was cute. And judging from the size, they got my measurements exactly right.
At exactly noon, Lukas texted me.
Lukas:See you soon.
Luna:Is that your way of saying I’m invited back to Siren House?
Lukas:Of course, gorgeous.
Lukas:And I can get you whatever you want in the meantime. That’s siren power. See you next round (or sooner ;)
Xavier texted me next.
Xavier:Campfire tonight, Wolf House cavern.
Luna:Thanks.
Xavier:Sure, kid.
I balked. He wasn’t that much older than me to be calling me a kid. Only a junior. Having to step up from Beta to Alpha must be doing a number on him.
The last favor to appear was a set of chrysanthemums on my nightstand.
Hello, Luna, the vase read in elegant cursive.We chose chrysanthemums as our gift for you because they signify Life in the West and Death in the East. It reminded us of you at the crossroads between your old life and your new one. Choose wisely.
The vase rattled. “These are some nice flowers,” Gaksi said. “I like these girls.”
“I bet they’re cheap,” I retorted. “Aubrey said Rose house has the least money.”
Immediately after, Aubrey called me.
