Devils Roses 01 - Cursed

air I had breathed for nearly a year, but I would survive on the air from the people surrounding me, and Giselle. I had survived heartbreak before, one much more severe than the imminent one would be.
    I took Shane’s arm and looked up at him. I felt butterflies as he squeezed my arm. He was warm and inviting. He was flesh and blood and he didn’t fly through the air or pretend to be something he wasn’t. Shane had never lied to me about anything. In that moment that was more attractive than a crooked smile and the bluest eyes ever created.
    Shane kissed my cheek and turned us both around to face my dad. He put his hand out. “Goodnight sir and don’t worry, I will have her home at a respectable hour.”
    My dad tried hard to hide his love for Shane. “You better,” he said sternly.
    Blake followed Shane’s lead, having never dated a real girl before, and put his hand out.
    My dad smiled, looking at least a little relieved, as we walked out onto the porch. He looked over at our dates once more. “Well, you kids have a good time.”
    We walked out into the cool night air. Shane took me to his truck and opened the door. “Wow, Aimee, like wow. That dress and your hair. It’s going to be a long night.” He bent and kissed me. “Remind me later that I have self-control, okay?”
    I nodded, giggling. “Okay. You look great too.”
    “ I look like your butler, you look—wow.” He walked around to the other side of the truck, still talking to himself.
    Blake took my sister to the car he had arranged, with a driver who stood before my sister in his suit and top hat. She waved at me as she gushed and climbed into the car.
    I smiled at her, feeling so many good things all at once. I didn’t have to fight to keep the bad things down deep. It seemed the wall I had built had crumbled down and filled in the moat. I didn’t need any of it anymore. I didn’t need Aleks either. I wanted him, but choosing him was like choosing a lifetime of heartache. I'd already suffered through that.
    I looked out at the night sky as it darkened, and made a mental note that I would let him go. I would let this be my life. Normal. It was secretly everything I had ever wished for. Secretly.
    We walked up to the huge doors of the school, where the dance was held in the gymnasium. The teachers were there, with the spring formal committee. They were taking the five dollars the dance cost per person. Teachers were checking each person to see if any intoxicated people were coming in.
    Police were standing around in plain clothes but with their weapons on their hips, like detectives in the city would wear. I breathed a small sigh of relief seeing Constable Bindley. He smiled at me, giving me a knowing look.
    Shane paid our entrance fee and walked me in. Mr. Mac was already talking to Blake and laughing, as my sister stood there looking confused.
    Mr. Mac stopped talking when I walked in. He smiled at me, very nearly blushing. “Well, well, Cinderella. You have cleaned up for the ball, I see. You look fantastic, kid. I always knew you had it in you.”
    I felt myself blushing, as Shane squeezed my arm. “Thanks. I feel a little weird being in a fancy dress, but this is my last chance at doing it.”
    He looked concerned. “How are you feeling?”
    “ Good days and bad. Today is good.”
    He rubbed my arm. “I’m so glad to hear that, I have been very worried about you.”
    “ Thanks Mr. Mac. I’m just glad the year's almost up and I can take the summer to relax and focus on my health.”
    He nodded. “Yes, school is almost up. Well, I better be getting back to chaperoning; I’d hate for anyone to say I slacked off.” He gave me a sideways glance, smiling one last time. I smiled back and let myself be dragged to the dance floor with Shane.
    He looked down at me as he led me into a slow waltz. “You look incredible.”
    I rolled my eyes. “You said that already. I hate that I look like this amazingly-hot babe and everyone is nodding when they look at me. It's like my sister was right all along, a little care and attention wouldn’t have killed me. Of course, then everyone would have let me get by on my looks and not on my merit and hard work. That path leads to either marrying an old-ass billionaire or working at Target and everyone saying, 'Man I bet she was something to look at back in the day.' You know?”
    He laughed. “Ah, but you’re still the bitter cynic that I love.” I didn’t know what I was about to say when