By seven fifty-five that evening, Starlight was standing in front of the full-length mirror in her dorm room, inspecting her reflection with a critical eye. She had settled on a simple but elegant red gown that hugged her figure without appearing overly extravagant. The fitted bodice accentuated her waist, while the smooth fabric flowed down to her ankles, where a daring slit along one side revealed her leg whenever she moved. The gown’s modest neckline and delicate straps kept the design classy, allowing the rich crimson shade to make its own statement. She had paired it with black strappy heels and a small black clutch, keeping her accessories minimal with a pair of silver drop earrings and a slender bracelet. The overall look was polished without appearing as though she had spent hours trying to impress anyone, which was precisely what she wanted.
Her crimson hair had received just as much attention. Rather than leaving it loose, she had styled it into a half-up, half-down hairstyle, gathering the upper section into a neat arrangement at the back of her head while allowing the remaining waves to cascade over her shoulders. A few soft strands framed her face, adding a touch of effortless elegance to the style. The vivid red of her hair complemented her gown beautifully, creating a striking appearance that would be difficult to overlook even in a room filled with wealthy and influential students.
The finishing touches, however, had been entirely Elle’s doing. After insisting that Starlight sit still and stop fidgeting, her roommate had taken charge of her makeup, blending a warm foundation over her skin before adding a soft flush of blush to her cheeks. She had carefully defined Starlight’s brows, applied a subtle shimmer to her eyelids, and worked a deeper shade into the outer corners of her eyes to give them more definition. A thin line of eyeliner accentuated their shape, while mascara made her lashes appear fuller and longer. She had finished with a muted red lipstick that complemented the gown without competing with it. The makeup was elegant rather than heavy, and it brought out the vivid green of Starlight’s eyes, making them appear almost luminous whenever the light caught them.
"Oh my God!" Elle exclaimed for what had to be the fifth time, standing behind Starlight with both hands pressed against her chest. She leaned closer to inspect her roommate’s reflection, her eyes widening with renewed admiration. "Star, look at you! Just look at yourself! You look so breathtaking, I can’t even deal with this right now. That dress, your hair, your eyes. Oh my God, you’re going to make everyone at that get together lose their minds!" She caught Starlight by the shoulders and turned her slightly toward the mirror, as though the girl might somehow have missed the transformation.
"I’m telling you right now, if everybody attending that get-together tonight doesn’t fall in love with you, then there’s seriously something wrong with them."
Starlight stared at her reflection for another moment before giving Elle a sidelong glance through the mirror. "Are you done?" she asked dryly, although the faint curve of her lips betrayed her amusement. "You’ve been saying the same thing for the past ten minutes. At this point, I’m starting to think you like the makeup more than I do."
"That’s because you don’t understand what I’m looking at!" Elle protested, throwing her hands into the air. "Do you have any idea how gorgeous you look? I did your makeup, and even I’m struggling to believe you’re the same girl. Honestly, Star, if I weren’t already your best friend, I’d be trying to befriend you right now just so I could stand beside you and pretend we’re close." She paused, then leaned toward the mirror again. "Actually, no. I’d be too intimidated to approach you. I’d probably just stare from across the room and admire you from a safe distance."
Ariel, who had been sitting on the edge of her bed while watching the entire spectacle, finally broke into a smile. She shook her head at Elle’s exaggerated reaction before directing her attention to Starlight. "You know, I was going to tell Elle to calm down, but I can’t even blame her this time." Her smile widened as she looked Starlight over from head to toe. "I won’t lie, Star. You look absolutely gorgeous tonight. The dress suits you perfectly, and that hairstyle really brings out your features. I think you’re going to turn quite a few heads at the gathering."
"See?" Elle immediately seized the opportunity to point at Ariel. "I’m not the only one saying it! Thank you, Ariel. I’m so glad you also know how to appreciate beauty when you see it."
"I appreciate beauty just fine," Ariel replied with an amused laugh. "I’m simply capable of expressing myself without making it sound like Starlight is about to walk onto a runway and receive a standing ovation." She glanced at Elle, whose expression had turned thoroughly offended, and laughed again. "But seriously, Star, you look amazing. I hope you’re prepared for all the attention you’re about to receive tonight."
"Thank you, guys. I really appreciate it," Starlight said, offering them a soft smile. "But you both need to understand that I’m just a normal girl, not someone drop-dead gorgeous. Can we please stop acting as though I’m about to walk into that gathering and steal everyone’s breath away?" She picked up her phone from the vanity and slipped it into her clutch along with everything else she needed for the evening. Then she glanced at Elle. "You’re ready, right? We need to leave now if we don’t want to arrive late."
The invitation had stated that members of the Elite Circle were allowed to bring a plus-one, and everyone had agreed to let Elle accompany Starlight. Ariel had made it clear that she wasn’t interested in attending that kind of gathering, while Chloe had other plans. It was obvious they were simply letting Elle take the opportunity because she had been so excited when she first heard about the Elite Circle and their get-together.
"Give me a minute!" Elle replied, turning toward the mirror. She picked up her lipstick and applied another light coat before pressing her lips together. After checking her eyeliner, smoothing down her outfit, and fixing a few stray strands of hair, she gave herself another once-over. Unlike Starlight, whose makeup Elle had done herself, she had finished getting ready much earlier and was merely touching up the final details.
Starlight had deliberately chosen to get ready in their shared dorm room rather than in the private suite the academy had recently assigned her. It wasn’t because she disliked the suite or preferred the familiarity of their dorm room. She simply had no intention of running into Mikhail and Nikolai before figuring out how to deal with them. Given that the Crown Twins had a habit of appearing wherever she least wanted them, avoiding the upper floor seemed like a sensible precaution. She would have to face them eventually, but there was no reason to give them an opportunity to corner her before the evening had even begun.
Starlight glanced at the time on her phone and immediately frowned. "Elle, hurry up! We’re really running late." She glance up to find Elle still inspecting her reflection and let out an impatient sigh. "Seriously, Elle, we don’t have all night!"
"I’m coming, okay? Just give me a second. I need to make sure everything looks perfect," Elle replied, quickly returning the lipstick to her makeup bag before giving herself one final look in the mirror. Satisfied at last, she grabbed her clutch and hurried toward Starlight.
"Where has Chloe even gone at this time of night?" Starlight muttered, glancing toward the upper bunk where Chloe usually slept. The bed was empty, reminding her that their roommate had left earlier without giving them much information about her plans. She checked the time again and frowned. "It’s almost eight, and she’s still not back."
Elle shrugged. "I don’t know. She said something about needing to meet someone, but she didn’t say who it was or where she was going." She paused, then narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as a mischievous smile spread across her face. "Wait a minute. Do you think she secretly got herself a boyfriend?"
"A boyfriend? Where did that come from?" Ariel asked, turning to look at her with a puzzled expression. "We practically go everywhere together, so I have no idea when she would even find the time without either of us noticing. But whatever. I’m not one to dig into someone else’s business, and you shouldn’t either." She shook her head and returned her attention to the things scattered across her bed, seemingly content to leave the matter alone.
Elle scoffed. "Just because you don’t like poking your nose into other people’s business doesn’t mean I have to feel the same way. Let me tell you, I find joy in sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong." She grinned unapologetically, clearly proud of her admission.
"Are you coming or what?" Starlight called impatiently. "We need to get moving!"
"Okay, okay! Let’s go meet your Circle of Elites," Elle replied, hurrying toward her.
Starlight shook her head at the remark and turned toward the door, with Elle close behind. Just as they reached the doorway, Elle glanced back at Ariel and raised a hand in farewell.
"Don’t wait up for us! We’ll probably be back late, so just go to bed if you’re tired."
Ariel smiled warmly and waved them off. "Have an amazing time, guys. And don’t let any of those stuck-up elites get under your skin."