Chapter 46: The Day After

Astrid

Something had changed by the time I walked into the academy the next morning. Students who’d never so much as glanced at me before now nodded in passing.

"You were good yesterday," someone said in the hallway.

"Thanks," I managed, unsure exactly how to respond to that kind of thing yet.

Ivy caught up with me, practically buzzing. "Do you realize people are actually talking about you?"

"They were already talking about me," I said.

"Yes, but yesterday they were talking because you’re the scholarship girl. Today they’re talking because you won."

The distinction settled somewhere important. I glanced toward the ranking board, my score climbing yet again, and for once I let myself feel proud instead of bracing for whatever backlash usually followed attention like this.

Xander appeared with a ridiculous grin. "There she is. Moonshade’s newest celebrity."

"Please don’t," I groaned.

"Too late. I heard someone ask for your training tips."

Reed arrived a beat later. "You did well."

I looked at him. "That’s your version of congratulations?"

"Would you like a speech?"

"Maybe."

Xander raised his hand immediately. "I can give one."

"No," Reed said flatly.

I laughed as Xander cleared his throat dramatically anyway. "Yesterday, a brave young woman—"

I clapped a hand over his mouth. "Stop."

He mumbled something incoherent against my palm, and I released him, both of us laughing while Reed shook his head at the two of us like he’d already given up trying to control the situation.

Later, I found myself standing alone in front of the ranking display, studying my own name. I remembered arriving with almost nothing, convinced everyone here was stronger than me by default. Now I’d climbed, not because of who I lived with, not because anyone had handed me anything.

Because I’d worked for it.

I did that, I thought quietly, and it felt like its own small, important victory.

Reed found me there a few minutes later, noticing something in my expression immediately.

"You’re proud," he said.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yes."

I smiled. "I don’t think I’ve ever really had anything to be proud of before."

"That’s not true," he said.

I asked what he meant. He told me surviving everything I’d survived already required a kind of strength most people never had to find. Then he added, quieter, "Yesterday wasn’t survival. You earned that."

The distinction landed deeper than I expected.

"Thank you," I said, looking away.

"You should hear it more often," he said.

A quiet pause settled between us.

"Do you always notice everything?" I asked.

"Usually."

"That’s annoying."

A faint smile. "I’ve been told."

I admitted, after a moment, that being noticed still felt strange. I’d spent most of my life trying not to be seen at all.

"You don’t have to become someone else because they’re watching," Reed said.

"What if they don’t like what they see?"

"Then that’s their problem."

I smiled at that.

"You don’t need everyone to approve of you," he added.

"Do you?" I asked.

He looked at me. "No." A pause. "But I care what you think."

My heart skipped, and before I could figure out how to respond, Xander’s voice cut through the hallway from a distance.

"Are you two having a secret meeting without me?"

The moment broke instantly.

Xander approached with two drinks, handing one over. "Peace offering."

"For what?"

"Interrupting."

I smiled. "At least you’re self-aware."

He glanced at Reed. "You’re welcome."

Reed shook his head, unimpressed. Xander turned back to me. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"You’ll see."

I followed him toward a quiet outdoor balcony overlooking the academy grounds, and for once he wasn’t performing for anyone.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked.

He shrugged, leaning against the railing. "Wanted to say something without Reed correcting me."

I laughed.

"You were amazing yesterday," he said.

"You already said that."

"I wasn’t joking this time."

That got my attention. He told me he’d expected me to quit when I first arrived, that most people in my position would have. "I considered it," I admitted.

"I’m glad you didn’t."

I smiled, and he added, "Moonshade’s more fun with you here."

It wasn’t romantic enough to frighten me. It was sincere enough to matter anyway.

Ivy found me not long after, already deep into planning mode. "We have three days."

"Three days until what?"

She stared at me like I’d lost my mind. "The ball!"

"It’s just a school event," I said, shrugging.

She looked personally offended. "It’s the Moonshade Academy Ball." She launched into a list, dresses, shoes, hair, makeup, dance lessons, partners, none of which I’d given a single thought to yet.

I tried to escape. She caught my sleeve. "You’re going."

"I never said I wasn’t."

"Good." Then, narrowing her eyes, "So who are you going with?"

I froze. "Nobody."

"Nobody?"

"I’m going alone."

She clearly didn’t believe me for a second.

Later, alone in my room, I found myself thinking about the ball despite everything. I imagined Reed in formal clothes and immediately shoved the thought aside, only for Xander’s face to surface right behind it.

Why am I thinking about this? I groaned internally.

I told myself it was only because they were the people I spent the most time with. Nothing more than that.

But some quiet, unwelcome part of me wondered anyway. Would Reed ask me? Would Xander?

I dismissed both thoughts as quickly as they’d arrived.

The academy made an official announcement the next day, students now free to invite partners to the ball. The hallway erupted almost instantly, everyone speculating loudly about who was asking whom.

I tried to ignore it entirely.

"Someone’s going to ask you," Ivy said, watching the chaos unfold around us.

"No one is," I said.

She gave me a look. "You’re seriously underestimating yourself now."

I shook my head and glanced ahead, where Reed and Xander stood a short distance away, clearly having overheard the announcement themselves. Xander’s eyes flicked toward me, and Reed’s followed a half second later.

For one brief second, I wondered if either of them was about to say something.

Then a male student stepped into my path instead, nervous but visibly determined, someone I vaguely recognized from one of my classes.

"Astrid?"

I looked at him. "Yes?"

He glanced briefly toward Reed and Xander before his eyes settled back on me.

"I was wondering," he said, taking a slow breath. "Would you go to the ball with me?"

I froze completely, the question hanging there between us, entirely unprepared for how loud the silence around me suddenly felt.