Noctuary (Part II)

The sight of her face glowing made him smile.

Both of them had released the lantern, and it flew into the sky. From behind them, Matia exchanged looks with Maxine, who gave her a slight smirk as well as a nod. Liam was still grinning from the events of earlier, and Daniel was quietly talking into his phone in a corner, Beatrice constantly throwing the Englishman odd looks.

“At least that lantern worked,” Arzen said sheepishly. Mathias nodded, both of them watching the lantern fly into the sky. Away, he could hear Isabel and Francine fighting over who would release it, while Cianna was chasing Janica around with a lit candle, Janica screeching with laughter. “So…how many actually flew?”

“If we include Liam and Maxine’s failed attempt, I’d say a good five,” he replied.

She glanced at the remaining lanterns. “There’s a whole lot left…”

“We can give them as souvenirs,” the ginger offered. This made Arzen roll her eyes and laugh, while he watched with a slight grin on his face. “Try this at home. Or just stick them on the walls and not risk the chance of being arrested.”

“We’ll keep them and try them again when it isn’t so windy,” she mused. Mathias was about to reply when Matia sped to Arzen, starting to tell the tale of how Gabrielle’s hair almost burned and turned into ashes. While she was busy, Liam took the opportunity to steer the redhead aside.

“So when are you going to pop the question, ice boy?”

“Later,” Mathias muttered. “Jesus Christ, Liam.”

“I’m sort of wishing my attempt wasn’t such a fail,” the blonde admitted. “But I’m glad Ride said yes. We’re both secured for dates now, at least.”

“But wasn’t Arzen…”

“Going to ask someone else?”

He nodded with a stony expression.

“Yeah, about that…” he whispered something into Mathias’ ear, the ginger’s eyes widening with each word Liam told him. “Nadine told Roza, who told Matia who I overheard telling Arzen a while ago. She got turned off with what happened with Nadine.”

“Can’t believe the bastard did that,” he muttered.

“Neither can I. But now that she doesn’t like him as much,” a crafty grin climbed up Liam’s face, “You can go pull it off and ask her while proving you won’t be a bastard.”

“I am not a bastard-”

Liam snorted. “Yeah, right. What a freaking lie.”

* * * * *

“So who’s Nadine going to ask now?” Arzen asked Matia, frowning deeply. Matia shrugged, glancing at Nadine, who was busy laughing with Megan and Maxine Roza.

“She knows people, she’ll figure it out – I can’t believe has was a bastard to do that to her.”

“Glad I stopped considering him, then.”

“You will be,” Matia sang. “Oh yeah – redhead over there says Pinoy Henyo when we all go down. Everyone’s gonna play. Game?”

“I’m game,” Beatrice piped, tackling Arzen from behind. “Oh, and Venura. We’re getting a freaking ala-Vogue Polaroid together whether you like it or not. Matia here already got one with you, I swear to freaking God.”

“Later,” Arzen chastised. “So Mathias, of all people, asked for Pinoy Henyo?”

“To keep up the spirit, I guess. Even though the karaoke machine is doing its job.”

Away from there, Daniel was talking to Elaine through Skype.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

Although sleepy, Elaine smiled at him from a thousand miles away.

“Yeah. It’s hella cold here, though.”

“You’ll make it,” he promised. This made her roll her eyes.

“Of course I will. So…” her eyes darted away, “Get back to the party. Arzen wants all of you guys to be there.”

“She wants you, too-”

“I know. And I’m sorry that I couldn’t go for her sixteenth…God. I’ve been missing a lot.”

“You missed Chemistry,” he teased.

“Don’t remind me, Daniel. I also missed a crapton of PTs and the Vigil, the Handog…it feels like I’ve missed so much. I’m not sure if I should even go back to AA anymore-”

“Don’t you dare, Rivers.”

She raised a brow at him.

“Calm down, Edevane. I was kidding.” Elaine yawned once more, “I need to sleep. Tell Arzen belated – and that I’m sorry I couldn’t go. Tell the others I said hi. Okay?”

He nodded. Elaine gave him one last smile, and the call ended.

* * * * *

“Mathias knowing Pinoy Henyo somehow surprises me,” Cianna said breezily. All of them were in a circle, save for the adults who were at the other side of the garden, merely eating. “Did you Google search it or something just for the purpose of having something to do?”

“That’s a secret,” he said stoically. “And for that, Alrada, you’re going first.”

“Goodie,” she stood up and walked to the white chair, sitting comfortably. “Don’t make this too hard for me, Saeng-gang.”

Rolling his eyes, he quickly scribbled on the whiteboard and held it above Cianna’s head.

Gabrielle started timing for two minutes.

Harry Potter.

“Person?”

“Maybe,” the rest chimed.

“Male?”

“Yes.”

“Real?”

“No-”

“HE IS REAL,” Isabel protested.

“Okay, so not real…fictional?”

“Yes!”

“Edward Cullen?”

“No.”

Cianna snapped her fingers. “Harry Potter!”

The others laughed and she hopped off the chair, content.

“Don’t mess with the Half-Blood Princess, Saeng-gang.”

Next was Beatrice.

Mathias scribbled something new and held it up – almost everyone laughed.

Kendall Jenner.

“Person!”

“Yes.”

“Male?”

“No.”

“Female?”

“Yes.”

“Famous?”

“Yes.”

“Taylor Swift?”

Someone laughed.

“That’s a no…is she related to the boys?”

“Yes!”

“Fuck,” Beatrice cursed, “Caroline?”

“No!”

“PERRIE.”

“No.”

“Ahh, Jesus H. Christ…”

A look of realization crossed over her face.

“FUCKING KENDALL.”

* * * * *

The game went on – Janica, Maxine, Maxine Roza, Sharmaine and a few others got theirs wrong. Gabrielle had correctly guessed hers, and the two Edevanes had won their round easily.

“Oi, Arzen.”

The girl blinked and stared.

“Yes?”

“You play,” he suggested.

Innocently.

She didn’t notice Matia slipping away and starting to video the whole event.

“Alright.” She sat on the chair and Mathias wrote on the whiteboard, then held it above her head for everyone except her to see.

No one showed any reaction.

“Uh…person?”

“No.”

“Animal?”

“No.”

“Thing?”

“No.”

Her brows furrowed together.

“What the hell – person, animal, thing…place?”

 “Local?”

“No.”

She was actually starting to grow frustrated.

“International?”

“Maybe!” Francine yelled.

Arzen kept guessing. From the capitals to the other nations, she kept guessing until Gabrielle told her that the time was up.

“Mathias, what the hell did you write…?”

Her voice faded as she registered the single word on the whiteboard.

Prom?

She got off the chair and turned to Mathias, but her voice died once more when she saw him bearing the other side.

[] Yes             [] No

“I planned to ask you during Valentines’,” he admitted, “But the Edevanes pushed me to do it tonight. I thought Liam promposing to Ride would give you a clue, but…it didn’t, I think.”

The others held their breaths.

“So, if you would like to – I’m not forcing you or anything,” he added defensively, “Arzen, would you be my prom date for this March?”

She merely took the marker from him.

Arzen ticked the box on the left, making him drop the whiteboard and envelop her into a hug. The other guests started cheering, Beatrice and Gabrielle setting off party poppers and streams of paper fly into the air.

“You idiot,” she whispered.

He grinned.

“I don’t think you would have said no.”