17. 'Dance'

*Qin Shan POV

The day is here. It's the halloween dance. After classes let out, Huan and I meet up at our dorm to get ready. I slip on the lavender colored dress and take a look in the full-length mirror. It's amazing how wearing different clothes can completely transform your mind, your aura, the person you are perceived as by the rest of the world.

Huan helps me apply makeup because, even in the United States, I never had the time, nor energy to put an emphasis on my appearance. Everything was so competitive that I spent all my extra time studying and just praying that I'd do well on the next exam.

"Silver or purple eye shadow?" Huan's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. Without hesitation I reply

"Silver." I'm hoping that I will match the silver in Song Meng's eyes. The small specks that are only visible when his eyes light up.

Huan continues putting on more makeup items then I knew existed. Primer, concealer, base, pencil, extentions, contouring, bronzer before finishing with a lavender lip-gloss that stands out from my pale skin. Her suddenly still hands rest by her side.

"Oh. My. Gosh. That boy will be head over heels for you ShanShan!!" Huan is ecstatic about the end result and I don't even have words. The girl in the mirror is a stranger. She looks elegant, long hair curled near the bottom, with a sense of dignity and grace. I don't have words and tears almost fill my eyes

"Thank you so much Huan." I manage to whisper. She nods, understanding, before starting her own make up.

Her make up is red and silver. It helps form a connection between us while highlighting her features. She looks amazing and I don't hesitate to compliment her.

"HuanHuan, I think your boy is gonna pass out from the heat your bringing to the dance." I joke. She smiles nervously.

"I just hope that he's not wearing like brown or anything." Only Huan would get nervous about something like that.

The time is ripe for us to go meet the boys in the courtyard. I decide to wear flats because I expect to dance quite a bit tonight and enjoy myself. Huan does the same and we are off.

The sun is setting as we reach the gazebo and the boys are already there. My eyes instantly migrate to Song Meng. I travel up slowly, taking his appearance in. He is wearing black shoes, black dress pants, and just a black suit coat with a lavender tie. 'Hmm, its almost as if he knew that I was going to be wearing purple.' Then I look closer. His suit and pants have small iridescent silver striping, he looks like he is glowing.

My eyes focus in on his face. He could really model - no make up, no changes, he just is so perfect. His hair is slightly tousled and when I reach his eyes, he is already staring at me. For the first time, I think I can fully read his emotions as he takes me in. He smiles and I return in brightly.

Huan and Wu He embrace, Wu He is all in black which accentuates his naturally red lips. He and Huan look amazing together. I continue to walk slowly to Song Meng until we are less than a foot apart. I look into his eyes and see the silver flecks, this makes me smile harder and I start to blush. He stares intensely at me.

Ultimately I have to look away before I spontaneously combust and he seems to have the same idea.

"Let's go!" Wu He says and the four of us travel in pairs. I hold Song Meng's forearm. It's solid and warm against the cooling air. Unconciously I lean against him as we enter which I assume is Wu He's car. Huan takes shotgun and Song Meng and I are in the back.

Huan gives me a wink before entering the door next to Wu He. I roll my eyes at her and then wink back, this makes us both smile.

The car ride is exciting. We all find similarities with one another. Huan breaks into this story about how I was an 'ice queen' throughout highschool and I try to refute this several times but ultimately fail. Song Meng looks amused and tries to hold back a laugh every time I make an attempt.

As payback to him I gently pinch his arm. To my surprise he leans and talks into my ear;

"Naughty, aren't you." My face turns red.

"I didn't mean anything by that." He looks slightly abashed. "Who's the one with naughty thoughts now." I whisper and we both crack up.

"You two be good back there." Wu He says jokingly. Song Meng and I collectively roll our eyes. He gets the wrong impression so many times.

At last we make it to the venue where the dance is being held. Presenting our tickets, the four of us go to the obligatory photo stand which is an archway entertwined with fake black and silver flowers to commemorate the halloween. We take pictures all together, then with seperate colors and then lastly by seperate gender. It's really amazing to be doing this with Song Meng and Wu He. It honestly feels surreal.

We make make our way to the dance floor which is already filling up. Right away Wu He and HuanHuan go and start dancing to some modern day song. I can't help but cheer.

The night goes by slowly and I oblige in our group dancing. A slow song starts at about 9:00. I look up at Song Meng and he holds out his hand.

"Qin Shan, care for a dance?"

I take his hand.