chapter 7: last dance

I stepped into the grand hall, the air alive with the pulse of music and the hum of excited chatter. The walls were draped in shimmering fabric, and the floor was lined with a deep red carpet, leading toward the center of the room where the DJ stood, controlling the energy of the night with every beat. The flashing lights created an ethereal glow, casting shadows and highlights across the faces of my classmates.

As I walked further inside, I felt a sudden tug on my wrist, pulling me out of my thoughts. I turned, only to meet Tony's warm, familiar gaze.

"Hey, you came!" he said, a surprised but genuine smile spreading across his face.

I smiled back, but there was a hint of sadness in my voice. "Ah! Hi, Tony. Yeah, I came. Did you think I wouldn't?" I tried to sound playful, but my heart wasn't quite in it.

"No, not at all," he replied quickly. "Gift, so… may I?" He extended his hand toward me, his eyes hopeful.

I hesitated for just a moment before placing my hand in his, signaling that I was more than willing to dance with him. And so we moved to the rhythm of the music, our feet gliding across the floor, the world around us fading into the background as we were lost in the moment. We danced until the music slowed to a gentle stop, and I reluctantly pulled away, needing a break.

I made my way toward the punch bowl, trying to clear my mind of the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. As I reached for a cup, I glanced up and saw Tessy standing in the middle of the dance floor, her eyes locked on Tony, a mischievous smile curling at the corners of her lips.

"Hey, Tony," she called, her voice sharp and confident.

Tony turned to her, his smile flickering. "Yeah?"

"Aren't you going to dance with me?" she asked, her tone teasing, almost too bold for my liking.

Tony shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry, I can't. I'm here with Gift tonight," he replied, his voice firm but with a slight trace of hesitation.

I watched from a distance, relieved but also feeling a twinge of jealousy at how easily Tessy flirted with him. She flashed him a look that could only be described as wicked, and for a moment, I felt a pang of insecurity.

But what happened next made my heart tighten in my chest.

Tessy turned toward me, her smile now dripping with false sweetness. "Hey, Gift," she greeted, her voice overly polite but with an edge.

"Hey, Tess," I said, trying to sound casual, but already I knew what was coming.

"Can I… steal Tony from you for just a bit? Pretty please?" she asked, her eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite place.

I stared at her, my emotions swirling between anger, sadness, and frustration. I was hurt, but I didn't want to show it. My voice shook as I spoke. "Why ask me? Just go ahead." My glare was cold, and I could feel my heart begin to crack under the weight of it all.

"Okay, thanks, Gift!" Tessy chirped, her voice dripping with false sweetness as she turned away, leaving me standing there in a daze.

I felt a wave of emotion crash over me—anger, frustration, hurt. My breath caught in my throat. I didn't know what was worse: watching Tony dance with her or knowing that he hadn't even tried to stop her. I wanted to leave. I needed to leave. My heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

I started to walk away, but Emily, who had been watching quietly from the sidelines, grabbed my arm. "Stay," she said softly, her voice filled with concern.

"No, Emily. We can't stay here. Can't you see it? Tony and Tessy… they look so perfect together. I… I can't do this. I can't stay here and watch." My words faltered, and the tears I had been trying to hold back began to spill over.

"Gift, please don't go," Emily pleaded, her voice filled with a quiet desperation. "I know you're hurting, but don't let them win. Stay and have fun. Let the night be about you, too."

I shook my head, tears blurring my vision. "It's better to leave. I'm already heartbroken." I ran from the hall, my chest tight with the weight of the emotions I couldn't escape.

---

**AFTER THE DANCE**

I didn't know how long I had been walking, but the cool night air was a welcome relief from the suffocating emotions I had left behind in the dance hall. I walked along the roadside, letting the quiet of the night wrap around me like a comforting blanket. My thoughts were a tangle of confusion and hurt, but as time passed, something shifted. I realized that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as heartbroken as I had thought.

As I walked, I heard someone call my name. "Gift, stop! Wait up!"

I turned, surprised to see Tony running toward me, his face filled with worry. "Tony?" I asked, my voice tight, as I quickly wiped away the tears still fresh on my cheeks.

"Wait, what are you—" He stopped short, breathing heavily, clearly out of breath from running. "Why did you leave? Gift, I need to explain…"

I shook my head, my voice trembling with frustration. "Why don't you go back to Tessy? You two look perfect together, and I'm sure you'd be much happier without me."

Tony's face twisted in confusion. "What? What are you talking about?"

"I saw you kiss her, Tony. I'm not angry or jealous, but you should have told me. You should have been honest with me. But instead, you just let it happen, and now I'm left standing here, feeling like a fool."

Tony looked devastated, his eyes widening as he stepped closer to me. "Gift, please listen to me. I didn't kiss her willingly—I don't even know how it started. I swear, nothing happened between us. I swear to you."

I turned to walk away, unable to listen to his empty apologies anymore. "Well now you know the ending, don't you?" I muttered bitterly, starting to walk faster, desperate to escape the situation.

"Gift, wait!" Tony called, his footsteps quickening behind me. "Please don't go. I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Please, I need to explain." His voice was desperate now.

But before I could turn around, I felt him grab my arm, spinning me to face him. His face was close to mine, his eyes filled with regret and desperation. Without thinking, I slapped him across the face, the sting of my hand leaving a mark that matched the one in my heart.

"How dare you do that to me?" I cried, pulling away from him, my chest heaving with emotion.

I turned and ran, my heart breaking with every step, the pain of betrayal overwhelming me.

---

**AT HOME**

I finally made it home, just in time for the vacation that had been planned for so long. But as I entered the quiet house, something felt wrong. The silence was deafening. I called out, my voice echoing in the emptiness.

"Mom?!" I shouted, my voice thick with the remnants of my tears.

"She's not here," came a deep voice from behind the door.

I froze. "Dad?" I asked, a tentative smile crossing my face.

He stepped forward, enveloping me in a warm hug. "You always cut me off like this," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

I smiled through the sadness, letting myself lean into him. "Yeah, I'm your child after all," I replied softly.

He chuckled, kissing the top of my head. "That's my baby girl." His voice softened, and he looked at me with a heavy gaze. "Gift… your mom told me what happened."

"She did?" I asked, my heart skipping a beat.

"Yeah. And I'm sorry you're having to go through all of this." He kissed the top of my head again, and I felt his warmth, his presence grounding me for a moment.

Just then, my mom walked in, her voice soft. "I'm done packing, sweetie."

I nodded, wiping my eyes. "Let's go home," I whispered, feeling the weight of everything that had happened press against me.

"Yeah," my dad replied. "Let's go home."

I had no idea what awaited me in this new world, but I knew one thing for sure: I would face it with a strength I didn't know I had.

As we drove toward the border between two worlds, the silence between us felt comforting. But the moment we arrived, everything changed.

---

**THE BORDER BETWEEN TWO WORLDS**

I hurried home, barely in time for our vacation, but as I stepped inside, the house felt unnervingly quiet—far too still for my liking. I quickly grabbed my phone and dialed my mom.

"Mom! Mom!" I called out, my voice echoing through the empty halls.

A voice, deep and unfamiliar, responded from behind the door. "She's not here."

I paused, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Dad?"

The door creaked open, and there he was. "You always cut me short," he said with a grin, pulling me into a tight hug.

I laughed, wrapping my arms around him. "Well, I *am* your child."

"That's my baby girl," he whispered, brushing a lock of hair from my face. "GIFT."

"Yes, Dad?" I replied, looking up at him.

He hesitated for a moment, his expression softening. "Your mom told me what happened... I'm so sorry, sweetheart. I never wanted your life to change like this." He kissed the top of my head gently, the weight of his words settling between us.

Before I could respond, I heard my mom's voice from down the hall. "I'm done packing."

I blinked. *True mind link...* The thought sent a thrill through me. *Isn't this amazing?* I could communicate with others simply through my mind. It felt strange, yet exhilarating.

"Let's go home," my mom said, appearing in the doorway. She gave me a warm smile.

"Yeah, home…" I murmured, though I couldn't shake the feeling that this home—this place I was about to see—was something entirely foreign. A part of me had never truly known it, yet it seemed as though it held all the answers I had been searching for.

"Yes," she continued, "and soon, we'll meet our mate. Then comes the difficult part: choosing the right one." She laughed softly, a knowing glint in her eyes. "It's not always as easy as it seems, you know, especially when the choices are so... complex."

We shared a quiet laugh as we piled into the car for what would be a long and silent journey. The road stretched endlessly ahead, winding toward the border between two worlds. The air in the car felt thick with anticipation, but also with an unspoken tension. The closer we got, the more I could feel it—something ancient and powerful, lingering just beyond the veil.

Finally, we arrived. The border stood before us, a shimmering, almost ethereal line drawn across the landscape, where the realms of the known and unknown collided. It was a place that existed outside the limits of time and space, and yet, it was as real as the earth beneath our feet.

"Now, dear," my dad's voice broke the silence. "You must say your name and your pack's name. It's a ritual, a formal passage. Do you understand?"

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Yes, Dad."

He gave me a reassuring smile before turning to my mom. "Your turn first, Elena."

My mom stepped forward, her presence radiating with quiet strength. She placed her hand on the border, her fingers brushing the cool, shimmering surface. "Shining Jade Pack," she murmured.

In an instant, she vanished, absorbed into the line where the two worlds met, leaving nothing but a faint shimmer in her wake.

"Go on, sweetie," my dad said softly, his voice filled with quiet pride.

I stepped forward, my heart racing in my chest. With trembling fingers, I placed my hand on the border. It was cool, almost unnaturally so, and the moment my skin made contact, a surge of energy rushed through me—raw, wild, and ancient.

"Shining Jade Pack," I whispered, my voice barely audible in the thick silence.

And then, just as my mother had done, I disappeared.

As I faded into the border, I could feel my father's presence beside me. The worlds on either side of me blurred, folding in on each other like pages of a book turning too quickly to follow. A soft whisper of something old and forgotten passed through my mind, a strange and cryptic sensation that left me breathless. The path ahead was shrouded in mystery, and I had no idea what awaited me on the other side.