ENG 332: First Story Continued...

"Be My Cinderella"

Aphrodite started looking around for someone to fool or something do. She took in the masses of disguised teens; from monsters and beasts to princesses and kings to duel monsters and giant cups of ramen, they were all there. Most currently dancing to some far off beat of a song she could not recall while the rest mingled by the black tables set out. Her eyes finally fell on the farthest table away and her face lit up. CANDY!!!

She quickly advanced on the table fully loaded with mouth-watering treats. She had already forgotten that she wore heels and was not quite conscious of not stepping onto her dress. She stumbled and wobbled, feeling the thin fabric tug at her skin. Luckily, she managed to catch herself in mid fall with one leg in the air and arms spread out. Thinking no one saw her, she corrected herself and continued on, if a bit slower this time.

Eying her favorite piece of candy, she reached out to grab it but as if on cue, a voice interrupted her, “ And who, if I may be so bold to ask, are you supposed to be?”

She took her candy and without looking answered, “ Ever heard of Aphrodite?”

“ Of course, but never believed the pleasure of witnessing her beauty with my own eyes.” Smoother than a baby’s butt, dis guy’s good. Not being able to resist the alluring voice, she turned towards its owner.

He was leaning on the wall near the table, head tilted just enough so she would be in his direct line of sight. He was tall and muscular, if a bit thin, in a leather outfit so tight it hardly left anything to the imagination. Straps went all down his arms till his fingerless gloves, matching those going down his knee-high boots. Black spikes came out of either one of his shoulders as well as his footwear; they complimented wings. He wore an oversized buckle with an equally oversized belt that lied upon his hips haphazardly and what was on the buckle really caught Aphrodite's eye.

It was the head of a roaring Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

“ See something you like?” Aphrodite was jarred from her mental drooling, realizing the exact spot she had been staring at.

“ Umm…and what are you supposed to be?” She already had a good idea; the mask confirmed it. Covering almost his entire face, it only left his pale red lips exposed. On either side of his lips, was a dragon fang. The area where Aphrodite guessed was the nose, jutted out in a sharp angle and continued to from a dragon’s mouth. Three smaller spikes lined either side of his face and the eyes holes of the mask were lined red, matching the man’s red eyes. Contacts?

“ A Red-Eyes.” Seth casually replied.

“ Oh.”

“ Don’t like? Me neither.” Aphrodite bit her tongue.

“ No, I like it...a little.” She ate the rest of her candy to have an excuse to be quiet. The dragon had long since stood up and was merely observing her now. She seems very familiar, even the way she chews...which in no way makes me sound the least bit neurotic…

“ Want to dance?” Her soft voice broke Seth’s concentration. Mr. Brightside by The Killers was now playing and Aphrodite was eager to dance to it but felt much more awkward dancing in a dress by herself than with the other man. Seth nodded and took her hand in his own.

Bumping into a couple of people and a few monsters, they finally found a spot to give the dragon’s wings space without poking someone’s eye out. Aphrodite's hips at once picked up the steady rhythm and began swaying in time with the beat. Raising her arms and throwing her head sideways, she lip-synced.

“Coming out of my cage
And I've been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all”

As much as Seth was known to be a ruthless, heartless, devious, cold-calculating man, he couldn’t help but return Aphrodite’s smiles. It was obvious she loved the song and was completely lost in it.

“It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
It was only a kiss
It was only a kiss”

The odd couple’s bodies became closer and closer as more and more stepped on the dance floor. Seth took this opportunity to casually place his hands on either side of Aphrodite’s hips. The Goddess of Love blushed profusely and bit down on her tongue to avoid yelling from the sneaky course of action.

“Now they're going to bed
Now my stomach is sick
And it's all in my head
But she's touching his chest now
He takes off her dress, now
Let. Me. Go”

I don’t believe I’ve seen her in school; not that I pay much mind to the populous. Hopefully she isn’t too good of a friend to Devlin. I’d hate to have been intrigued by sloppy seconds. He smirked when their eyes met for brief moment.

“'Cause I just can't look
It's killing me
And taking control”

I’ve seen those eyes before...the mutt I think has brown... and even in the company of someone of a polar opposite, he of all people, comes to mind. A smile traced Seth’s lips when images of Adam in drag appeared in his mind. I wonder why he didn’t come? He’s usually gun-ho about any and all outings involving the geek squad. Haven’t heard his loud-mouth all night.

“Jealousy
Turning saints into the sea
Turning through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
Cause I'm Mr. Brightside”

He’s hot..no…wait! No he is not! I am not thinkin’ things about a dude…Aphrodite felt Red-Eyes’ hands on her skin. Yes da hell he is! But who is he? Does he go ta school wit me? He sounds really familiar. Sorta like Seth when he ain’t mad at me or…Seth? She took another look into the other’s eyes and smiled.

“Coming out of my cage
And I've been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all”

Ain’t no way Seth dis smooth wit da ladies. He probably waves his money around sayin’ ‘oooh, look at me, I’m Seth Klivston, richest prick in da world. Date me or you’re fired’

Aphrodite knew she couldn’t laugh but snorting wasn’t against the rules. Wait till midnight when dis guy finds out.

When the song began to fade and another blended in, Aphrodite felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around she found a rather dashing pirate bowing before her.

“ May I have this dance?” She looked back at Red-Eyes who was fighting to keep a frown off his face.

“ Who am I to keep you?” Seth bowed and slipped away, disappearing into the crowd almost instantly. Aphrodite pouted but nonetheless joined the pirate. His lost anyway.

So it happened, throughout the night, that Aphrodite was asked to dance by almost everyone at the ball, even Tristan. Her feet were killing her, her hips ached from swaying, and her throat was scratchy from using the falsetto. After twirling around with about the third mummy, she managed to slip away from the dance floor and scurried to a rest area. Finding the first armchair, she unceremoniously flopped onto it.

A rather large white rabbit walked by.

She said tail and fluffy ears? Despite the blisters sure to have formed on her feet, Aphrodite followed the white rabbit. Before it could enter the bathrooms, she pulled its tail. “ Serenity, dat’s da lamest costume I‘ve eva seen!” But instead of his sister’s melodic voice, she was answered by a muffled, masculine hiss.

“ It was da only thing I could get on such short notice!” The rabbit hopped away fuming. Aphrodite stood for a while, processing what just happened. The sounds of giggles caused her to turn around.

The petite girl wore a red leotard, matching red heels with fishnet stockings, and a dorky black bow tie around her neck. With the cuffs and bunny ears on top her auburn hair there was no doubt in Aphrodite’s mind on what she was suppose to be.

“ How you doin’?” Aphrodite didn’t even bother masking her voice this time and the Playboy bunny laughed even harder, shaking her head as she walked away. “ Aw, come on, you gonna leave me like dat? I’m Aphrodite, me love you long time!”

---

Seth had long since decided to leave. I came, I saw, I danced. Mokuba should be pleased. He was currently attempting to make his way through the masses with images of a certain goddess dancing inside his head. His brain was working overtime trying to find a face behind the mask. I know her, I’m sure of it. Seth frowned; he had ended up right where he started.

With a soft sigh he looked over at enormous clock situated high above the staircase. Fifteen till midnight, I could always wait and find out who she is. The young CEO smiled to himself and began scrutinizing the crowd. That’s if I find her first.

“ Adam! That you?!”

Seth’s head turned to the familiar voice. A half-naked slave was heading his way, his white hair billowing as he jogged over. Seth smirked. So he found his dog suit after all. His plan was to have Ryou run over to wherever the blonde was and sneak a peek to what exactly the ‘mutt’ had come dressed as. Unfortunately, Ryou stopped right in front of him and was smiling entirely too brightly for Seth’s liking.

“ Your costume is absolutely brilliant Adam! You’ve got to show the rest.” Seth snorted. He thinks I’m the mutt. “Adam?”

“ There you are my slave.” Seth watched with peaked interest as Ryou’s face flushed pink at the sound of the new voice. A pharaoh was making his way through the crowd to get to him.

“ Oh Yami…Um…look! Adam’s a Red-Eyes! Isn’t it smashing?” Ryou managed to stutter nervously. The ancient Egyptian slowed his pace to take a grander at dragon-clad Seth. He smirked.

“ I highly doubt that’s Adam.” Just as Seth was about to give a response, he caught a glimpse of blond hair and a blue dress.

“ Tut’s right.” and without waiting for a response, Seth walked away onto the dance floor towards a twirl of blonde.

Once he was near enough to the girl, he wrapped his arms around her. In one swift tug, he brought her to him and away from vampire she had just been dancing with. She let out a gasp of air before he whispered into her ear. “Missed me?”

Seth enjoyed every single prickle of her skin underneath his fingertips.

“ Might it be the other way around?” She whispered back as she swayed lightly in his arms; the current song fading into its final notes.

While on the surface Aphrodite was all silk and satin, her insides were freaking out. Wat is dis dude’s problem…wat’s my problem?!…why does he smell so good and his hands…dis dress really startin’ to get ta me.

“ Can you blame me…” Seth spun Aphrodite around so the two could lock eyes. He closed any and all distance between them and whispered darkly “for wanting you?”

Aphrodite’s skin flushed with heat.

Somewhere off by the sound system, the DJ started up a new track. The pulse pounded into everyone’s ears like a steady heartbeat. It shook their insides and rumbled underneath their feet.

“ That so?” Aphodite smirked.

“ You let me violate you.

You let me desecrate you.

You let me penetrate you.”

Seth’s eyes widen. Never before had he heard of NIN, much less the song “Closer”; the same song that Aphrodite was now whispering along to. She reversed her position so that her bareback now faced Seth and her hand slithered up to the base of his neck, sending chills down his spine. The tempo picked up and she ground her hips to the beat.

“ Help me...

I've got no soul to sell

Help me...”

Aphrodite made sure to look up into Seth’s eyes and lick her lips.

“ The only thing that works me,

Help me get away from myself ”

Finally gaining his composure, Seth encircled Aphrodite's waist with his hands and followed her movements. Aphrodite spoke the next lyrics loud enough for Seth to hear.

“ I wanna fuck you like an animal.”

Seth’s leather pants shifted and Aphrodite’s dips to the floor weren’t helping much either.

“ I wanna feel you from the inside

I wanna fuck you like an animal

My whole existence is flawed ”

Aphrodite spun around, looking the black dragon in the eye. She was only a few inches shorter so immersing herself in them was easy. She continued to move with the sensuality to prove her status as Goddess but couldn’t deny how piercing his eyes were.

“ You get me closer to God "

Seth too was lost in her eyes and feeling daring, slid his thumbs inside her dress. He felt her tense so he leaned in and whispered. “Aphrodite”

“ You can have my isolation”

“ Yeah Red Eyes?”

“ You can have the hate that it brings”

“ Midnight’s approaching.”

“ You can have my absence of faith,”

“ That so?”

“ You can have my everything! ”

“ Yes, and I’ve become rather selfish.”

“ Help me…

Tear down my reason,”

“ Oh?”

“ Help me...”

“ I’d rather not share.”

“ Its your sex I can smell ”

So without protest, Seth led the goddess to the nearest doorway, away from prying eyes. She silently followed, a million things running through her mind at once. Maybe he knows already…but if he don’t, boy is he in for a surprise!

The two continued on until they reached a garden. It was a full moon night where even the stars were ashamed; the tiny paradise cast under a brilliant glow. There were roses as far as the eye could see lush and vibrant petals of red, gold, and white and in the middle of it all stood a fountain. It depicted a cherub in the arms of another, sleeping peacefully as water spilled from their cloud. Rose bushes surrounded the fountain and in turn were surrounded by a white cobblestone path.

Seth was much more interested in Aphrodite’s awestruck expression than the pretty shrubbery. With his free hand, Seth caressed her face and took hold of her chin. She let out a small breath as he tilted her chin up. Their faces began loosing space between and their eyelids became heavy. Bells chimed.

“ Midnight. Would you do the honors?”

“ Hell yea…” Aphrodite bit the inside of her cheek. “ I mean, yes of course.” She smiled brightly and hesitantly reached up towards the dragon mask. Her fingers stumbled to find the back but both enjoyed the feel of her fingers through his hair. When she found her grip, she lifted the mask and the brunette stepped back.

“Holy shit, Seth!” Said boy flinched, knowing the strangled Brooklyn accent all too well.

“Adam.”