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“Do you think I can do it?” I blurted, and she cocked her head to the side, probably wondering what I meant. “I want to impress Thorn. I want this to be my best dance. Do you think I can?”
“Yes,” she said simply, and in that simple word and the way she’d said it, I found my reason to keep going. “You will. And I can’t wait to see you blossom and bloom into the Rose you’re destined to become.”
Eight
Rose
I woke up with the scent of rose petals heavy in the room.
Once my eyes slowly opened, I saw the velvety, beautiful bloom resting next to me on Thorn’s pillow. His apology, or so I thought, for not waiting until the morning with me. But once I got a better look at it, I discovered a small card attached to the thorny stem of the red rose. Curious, I unfolded it, tucking some stray strands of hair behind my ear as I did so, my eyes scanning the note written in Thorn’s neat, precise handwriting.
I am taking you out tonight, my Rose. An outfit will be delivered for you. Be at your most beautiful at 7 p.m. sharp.
My chest constricted at the thought. Something I’d wanted for so long, something I’d asked for repeatedly – to be allowed to leave the house. Yet now that the possibility had finally arrived, I felt crippled by the thought, deathly afraid of the idea of leaving the Mansion and the life I knew so well behind me. There was no clarification to the event we’d be attending, and I figured my only hint would be the outfit I’d wear that night.
The hours of my day passed excruciatingly slowly, curiosity getting the better of me so many times I even contemplated questioning Pia when I ran into her in the hallway. I attended practice for the first time with both Madame and Carina, and even though the animosity between us was obvious, it seemed to work well, making us even more competitive and bringing out our best dancing abilities when we were dancing together. Madame was as strict and unrelenting as ever, and by the end of practice, my body felt sore and exhausted. But still, the excitement for the night that lay ahead made me rush back to my room waiting for the next surprise. And sure enough, there it was – a beautiful baby pink set of boxes on my bed, with the name of an expensive store on the front.
I raised the lid of the box slowly, a small gasp escaping my lips as I peeked inside the first box.
There was fabric inside, almost ethereal in its beauty and glittering with blinding sparkles as I unfolded it. It was a dress that appeared to be made of something I could only describe as snowflakes – glittering, incredible snowflakes that shone in the light and captured every ray of the sunrise in my room. It was sleeveless, two thin bands of fabric with a low-cut back and a mermaid veil trailing behind. It took my breath when I looked at it properly, and I fell in love with the subtle but stark beauty of the garment.
The next box contained shoes, beautiful white sating with a tall heel and an embellished front, where a silver brooch adorned the peep-toe peek. I hoped I would do the outfit justice, and as I got ready, I kept glancing at the gorgeous fabrics, wondering whether they’d look good on me.
I shouldn’t have worried. The moment I slipped inside the dress, I knew it would have looked incredible on anyone, but it felt like it had been custom-cut and tailored just for me. It fit to my body, hugging every curve and crevice with the veil trailing behind me. The dress glittered as I moved and I was stunned by its beauty, barely recognizing myself in my vanity table mirror.
I’d put my hair up in a soft chignon, adding two pretty diamond barrettes Thorn had gifted me before. It was the only jewelry I wore. My makeup was subtle but well-done, and I felt like a million dollars as I made my way down the stairs and into the hall area. There were a few girls in there, and they gasped when I made my entrance. I’d always kept my distance from the other girls in the Mansion, but gliding past them, I hoped I would be able to make friends with some of them. I yearned for some company, for a girlfriend like Amber. Still, the thought of her sent a pang through my body, guilt and pain making me switch my attention to the man standing at the foot of the stairs.
He looked incredibly handsome as he always did, but his eyes sparkled with barely held back lust as I joined him in the hall. Thorn’s arm wrapped proprietorially around my waist, and I leaned into him, inhaling his strong and masculine scent. I’d worn a rose perfume myself, something he’d given me a while ago, and I noticed how well our scents blended together, creating a mix that was so uniquely us no one else could have worn the same perfume with this effect.
