Colette Toliver's Story

Colette sighed,gingerly taking the dress her mother had sent her out of the box.It was beautiful really, and she was so lucky to have it,and she really,really wanted to put it on....
But she hesitated. No one had really seen her this done up before,she wasn't quite ready to show the world this side of her... All week she had been fighting,kicking,training. People were now scared of her,which wasn't surprising at all.She had practically beaten them to death,and she got respectful but intimidated looks throughout the hallways.Riley had laughed at them,putting his arm around Colette's shoulder,which made people almost cringe with horror.
I'm going to put this dress on,and I will look sophisticated and feel great in it.She hoped she wasn't just lying to herself.
"You will look beautiful." Quinn said from her shoulder, and Colette jumped a bit, before she relaxed. These last few weeks in magic training had taught her she and Quinn could hear each other's thoughts,but only when they had their guard down. If they didn't want to let each other know what the other was thinking,they could mentally create a barrier between themselves.Colette hesitantly put the dress on,then applied only the most natural types of makeup, and even then only a bit.
"You need to accessorize!" Quinn reprimanded, and in her plain blue dress and her soft voice,Colette almost choked with laughter.
"I was actually saving that for last." She commented with a small smile, and proceed to take a box out from under the bed. It was a purple velvet triangle, and when she opened it wisps of white tissue paper folded out. There were two dangle earrings and also some bracelets that would contrast perfectly with the dress while going with the shoes she had picked out.
"These are some of my mother's favorite accessories. Whenever I tell my mother dinners or dances like these are going to happen,she always goes out of her way to pick things." She smiled softly.
"Well,she's your mother after all.It's a mother-daughter thing to do." Quinn responded, and Colette frowned a bit.
"My family isn't quite keen on those kind of bonding things. But give them a chance to show off their daughter..." She stopped there,not wanting to go any further. She wanted to have fun tonight,and it wouldn't do any good reliving the past.
Her phone rang, and she picked it up, not bothering to hurry since the Caller ID said it was just Riley.
"Hey,what's up?", she sat on her bed, one ear digging into her shoulder as she kept her phone rested there. Her hands were putting on the earrings and the bracelets. Quinn was experimenting near Colette's makeup,clearly intrigued with the blush. Her cheeks were stained bright pink.
"Just wanted to ring to ask you how we're going to meet up."
Colette rolled her eyes. "Oh,I don't know,maybe you can bring a bullhorn and shout my name every so often until I appear."
"Well, if that's how you want to do things", Riley chuckled,joking, "I would be more than obliged."
"Uh huh." Her tone was clearly not amused." Just, I don't know, call me or something there.Find....um...friends.Is Jay with you?"She hesitated a bit to call Jay her friend. She didn't definitely know who was her friend here,except Riley.
"Nah, he left beforehand. I'll just look for you around.Can't be that hard. Try to stick to the left side of the room,though."
"Alright, see you-"
"W..wait!" He coughed a bit. "Uh.um..uh..."
"What is it? Because I hardly think it's because you want to hear my melodious voice over the phone."
He laughed. "You sound so attractive, I can't help myself. I mean, that heavy sarcasm, the obvious deflection of anymore conversation with me."
Colette laughed,clutching her stomach in the process. "What do you want, dummy?"
"Oh yeah." He sounded nervous again. "Uh,I don't know, is, like, Aya gonna with you or-"
Colette laughed again."Oh, so that's what this is about! Um, I don't know, maybe..."
”Colette? Do you want to walk to the feast together?” Aya called from the other side of the large dormitory.
Well,there's my answer.
"Actually, yes she is, so put on your best 'I am super friendly and I am not trying to hurt you' face, and we'll see you there."
"Hey! That's insulting, actual--" She hung up then,still grinning. She walked over to the mirror one last time, her insecurities rushing back to her.
God, I can still change, can't I? I still have time....
No, you look great!,Quinn thought, and Colette nodded, a bit surer. But it was always helpful to get a second opinion. She and Aya hadn't been full blown friends, but they hadn't been enemies either, and she had slowly started to forgive her for leaving Riley in the dust. She was quite like her in a lot of ways, and they had shared many conversations in the dark. Plus,Riley insisted, and she couldn't well say no to him when he insisted like that.
"Yes, I do,actually." Colette stepped out from the doorframe into Aya's view. "Uh...does this look okay?"
She motioned towards the outfit she was wearing, then looked up with an expectant expression on her face.
"It looks...." Aya hesitated. Dont say interesting dont say interesting don't say interesting. "Very beautiful on you." She smiled a genuine, cute smile, and Colette breathed with relief. She really did love this dress. She slung a purse over her shoulder and opened the dormitory door.
"Thank you so much,I was very uncertain about putting it on."
"Shall we?", she asked smiling, and Aya followed her out of the hallway.
"I heard the decorations were going to be beautiful,and the food would be delicious." The event seemed to have already started. There were a few girls doing some last minute touches to themselves, but other than that it was pretty empty.
"I hope we don't get there too late." She tried to make conversation,and looked over to Aya, noticing her outfit. "You look very pretty, by the way. You're sure to turn a few heads."

Colette looked appreciatively at the feast in front of her. There was a plethora of different styles of food available,and the decorations were simply stunning.They were elegant and was certainly a refreshing scene from the grunge and dirt training they had been accustomed to these last few weeks.She also noted the different foods that were set up for different companions,which was not entirely new to her, but the portions were much larger.
She had attended many dinners in her day,since her family was pretty up there in society and all that, and she found the scene set before her to her liking.In fact, it was much better than the dinners at home, because there was no one she needed to impress, no polite face she needed to put on, and if she didn't want to make conversation with someone, she didn't have to.
"Anywhere you would like to sit? If you wouldn't mind sitting with me that is.” She looked over at Aya now, confusion on her face. Why would she have wanted to leave her?
"Why of course I want to sit with you,silly. Now let me see...." She peered into the crowd, looking for that one familiar face.
Left side of the room, left side of the room...Not only did she want to sit with Aya, she knew that there was someone that wanted desperately to get closer to her.
Found him!Quinn thought and she started to quickly fly in his direction.
"Quinn! Wait up!", Colette's shoes, although as comfortable as heels allowed,did not enable her to run,let alone walk very fast.

She gently sought hold of Aya's arm so as not to lose her. She smiled sheepishly as she hurried them through the throng of people."Sorry,Quinn probably wants to see Razeth. They've become the best of friends." This was true. Over the last few weeks,Razeth and Quinn seemed to stick to each other like best pals,even though they had just met. Maybe it was because Colette and Riley set them aside by themselves when they were in classes that did not concern them. After pushing people together for a certain period of time,they'll have to eventually become friends,especially if the two parties concerned were as amiable as these companions.
Walking along,Colette muttered a few "Excuse me"s and "Sorry"s.
Oh,there he was! She eagerly walked over to him and waved. He didn't seem to see,so she decided to go up to him.
She cupped her mouth and shouted,just like she sarcastically suggested in their phone conversation. "RILEY TOBIAS HARRIS, RILEY TOBIAS HARRIS,INCOMING, RILEY-" He had startled by then, and looked at her shocked.
"Don't say my middle name, it's embarrassing!", he reprimanded, and she giggled.


Riley looked onward from Colette to the person behind her.
Oh my gosh,how am I supposed to divert my mind from her when she's wearing that?!
Aya's outfit had stunned him again, as he had never seen her wear that kind of attire so far.His thoughts were muddled by incoherency.
Ashscbshdhssb...

He'd been nervous all night, and also a few days beforehand,planning on how he would react to her. He had paced his dorm as he got ready,which had probably creeped out his roommate. When he had gotten to the dinner, he'd planted himself in a designated spot so he wouldn't be crazily pacing again, and even then only with the encouragement of his dragon. He wanted to be cool, he so desperately wanted to be Gung-ho about this, and that had been the goal for tonight.
But now...looking at her...
Focus,Riley!,Razeth goaded him. He was tired of Riley turning to jelly over this one girl. You are going to have a good,friendly time, and you will speak with her without getting some cold stare in reply.
Okay,okay!
He noticed he had been staring for one second too long now, so he glued his eyes back to Colette. He now noticed his best friend's outfit,something very formal and sophisticated, which was just like her really.
"You look amazing,Colette." He complimented her, and she grinned, just like he knew she would. Colette was a sucker for flattery.
"Thank you! Now I know this was a good decision. I mean,if three people say it." She looked down at her outfit,still smiling.
Riley wanted to tell Aya she looked good too.
Do it, do it,Razeth prompted, and Riley gulped.
Okay I'm gonna do it. He looked up at her, all playfulness gone.
"Y..y..you both look great,actually."
Please don't kill me,please don't kill me.
Aya blushed. "Oh um I-I'm not really that great so um..."

I can't believe it. Razeth thought. You've left her speechless.This is the first positive thing that's happened with you and her...ever!
Riley grinned, overjoyed. A little spark of hope shot up in him, and he wanted to endlessly reassure her that she looked beautiful.
Stay friendly, stay friendly,stay friendly.
"N..n..no,really, you look lovely." His smile was small now,but sincere. He coughed and looked at Colette, who was looking down at her shoes,examining them for any off thing about them that wouldn't make them look 'amazing'.
"Let's find somewhere to sit, shall we?" He offered her his arm.
Colette looked up, coming back to reality.
"Oh yes, let's go!"

Colette gently took Aya's arm again, and then slipped her other arm through the crook in Riley's arm,making a small train.
She looked around the room again, trying to find an appropriate place to sit.
"Ooh,look Riley!", she nodded her head over to the window, where the northern lights were.
"How did they do that?",he asked,bewildered.
"Probably made someone move them. Oh, those bring back such good memories." She sighed happily, then turned to Aya.
"Every year,a group of us would go to the most northern region of Cree,all the way up in Barrowood,to see the northern lights. We'd have,like,a picnic there but with hot chocolate and soups. Aren't they beautiful?"
She looked around the room again,trying to formulate a plan.
"It won't do to just roam around until we find someone we know."
"It won't?",Riley asked.
"No, that's hardly a plan."
Riley rolled his eyes. "Oh boy,one of Colette's plans again."
Colette narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow.
Oh,really?
"Well, us eating alone isn't right, and neither is us aimlessly walking around forever, distracted by conversation,when one of us should be really scouting."
"Huh?", Riley looked confused.
"Yes, and since it's pretty much given that I have a keener eyesight than you do, what with that whole incident last year with Matt's baby sister's birthday party..."
"Hey,who leaves a birthday cake on a recliner anyway?!", Riley asked, a bit annoyed.
"I think it would be best for me to find Ash and Jay, and I'll tell you when I do."
"W..w...wait,w.w.w...what!?",Riley said as Colette slipped out of their arms and started to walk off.
She grinned devilishly as she looked back at them. "You two stay right here and I'll call you,alright? C'mon Quinn."
The small fairy flew off the back of Razeth and joined Colette.
"W...wa.w..wait!", but she was already gone, and Riley almost facepalmed himself for teasing her about her and her plans.

He looked back at Aya,smiling sheepishly and cutely.
Stay cool,stay cool,stay cool,I am going to kill Colette,stay cool,stay cool..
"Sorry about her,she gets excited about completing tasks and stuff. Also,she's probably hungry."
Make small talk, make small talk,make small talk
"This is a r..really...lavish dinner.D..D..Do you go a lot of these?I sometimes go to some Colette's family throws."