Chapter 5

Amaryllis and Resa sneak of school.

The cool night breeze washed over Amaryllis’s torso as she slipped out of the school to find Resa waiting for her at the school’s main entrance. Amaryllis dashed down the steps and burst out, “Resa, you’ll never guess it but-“

“Shh- the guards will hear,” Resa put a hand over Amaryllis’s mouth and whispered. Amaryllis nodded apologetically. Resa withdrew her hand and then beckoned, “come,” she whispered, “it’s this way.”

The two girls slipped out of the school and when they were far out of the guards’ hearing range Resa turned to face Amaryllis and asked, “What is it? You look like you’re going to burst soon with joy.”

“James invited me to the school ball earlier,” Amaryllis said. Resa froze, “what did you say?” she enquired.

“I know, it’s hard to believe right? James invited me to the school ball earlier,” Amaryllis repeated what she said earlier. Resa’s reaction was immediate and it belied her shock, “wow, you are one lucky girl,” she gasped, “Penelope has been fuming all day, I bet it’s because her crush hasn’t invited her but you instead. Poor you, having Penelope as an enemy, she can get spirited when she gets angry. Oh and by the way, Kai invited me earlier during Water magic class. I’m so excited!” Resa exclaimed.

Amaryllis nodded, happy that Resa had diverted the topic, “what kind of dress are you planning to get?” she asked. Resa shrugged, “not so sure what would look best on me, what about you?”

“I think maybe a lilac dress would look nice on you, not sure about mine though,” Amaryllis replied. The two girls chatted on and soon they came to a nearby dress boutique. “Here we are,” Resa announced and pushed the door. There was a tinkle of bells as the door swung inwards and the smell of roses swept towards them. There were a few racks of dresses and a small door was at the corner of the shop, supposedly a changing room.

The shop keeper, a stout woman with wispy blond hair tottered over, “Students at the Academy of the Gifted, eh? What kind of dress would you like?”

“There’s a school ball this Friday and we’re looking for dresses to wear to it,” Resa explained. “Are there any lilac dresses?” “Of course, come over here,” the shop keeper pointed at a rack of pastel colored dresses. After some time Resa had found a dress that she was satisfied with. It was a pale lilac dress with puffy sleeves and Amaryllis thought it fitted her perfectly; it brought out the colour of her eyes and also fitted her wavy light brown hair.

When Resa was done, the shop keeper turned to Amaryllis and pursed her lips, “hmmm, what kind of dress would fit you?” After a lot of changing into dresses and taking measurements, Amaryllis found a simple dark red dress. Despite its simplicity, Amaryllis loved it at first sight.

“How do I look in this?” Amaryllis asked and looked at herself in the boutique mirror. She gave a little twirl. Resa looked up from her dress and gasped at what she saw, “oh gosh, you look so nice in it!” she exclaimed. Surprised by her friend’s reaction, Amaryllis raised an eyebrow, “I do?” Resa nodded her head vigorously. The shop keeper looked up from sewing, “that indeed does look good on you,” she commented, ‘really matches your hair and also brings out your figure.”

The girls bought their dresses and left the boutique with contented smiles. They slipped in the Academy gate and up into their dormitories.