The sun had set, the campus was lit by the long lines of glowing orbs hovering above the paths. A scattering of other singles and couples congregated towards the Richter Building, but none of them looked like they did. One dark haired, upper year girl had what looked like a glimmering, magical tiara nestled in her hair, but other than that the outfits were almost disappointingly normal. People ogled their suits and dresses, which made Jacob uncomfortable. He realized he'd signed up to be the centre of attention for an entire night.

Camilla squeezed his arm, her nails digging gently into his jacket.

"Relax," She whispered. "You look great."

Jacob straightened.

They mounted the broad steps leading up to the Richter. Noise floated out from the great double doors, sending spikes of shivering anticipation down Jacob's spine.

Two burly campus security guards flanked the doors. They gave Jacob and Camilla each a long look, then waved them through.

They passed through the double doors into the event hall, where, not a few weeks past, they'd written their midterms. One would never guess it was the same large, vaulted space Jacob stared wide-eyed at now. It had been totally, enchantingly transformed.

Camilla hadn't given a ton of detail on what to expect apart from vague generalizations about ballroom dancing, gala etiquette, clothing, and Jacob hadn't exactly been researching it beforehand, but stepping into that hall transported him wholly and completely back to the Victorian Era balls and high-society parties he'd seen in movies, as if he'd fallen down a rabbit hole, or stepped through a wardrobe into another time, another world.

Glowing magic orbs filled the air, swooping, whorling, dancing from ten feet above head height to the distant ceiling. They were a myriad of colours, and as they danced the hall changed from red to cyan, violet to pekoe. A massive, crystal chandelier the size of a car hung down in the centre of it all. There were no candles on it, the patterned arms and struts glowed from within.

People filled the hall. Most milled about, glasses or cups in hand, talking in pairs and small clumps. One could pick out the first-years from the upper years and faculty simply by the precision and class with which they had dressed and the bearing with which they carried themselves. Most of the upper years were in suits and sweeping gowns. Hair was slicked back or piled on heads. Bracelets, necklaces inlaid with gold or magic-mimicked gold glittered.

Some girls wore jewelry that looked as if it had been made of magic, and a few had shimmering, dresses like Grace and Camilla's. A handful of boys had ties or watches that glimmered with that translucent, magic look. One taller upper year wore a tie that swirled through the colours of the rainbow. But there were only two other boys that Jacob could see in magic suits, and both of them were part of the graduating class.

The walls were lined with buffet tables covered in hors d'oeuvres, cheese and cracker platters, snacks, fruit, generally snooty things Jacob usually turned his nose up at. Lanky golem in trim suits flowed eerily amongst the crowds, plucking empty glasses and plates and offering gourmet bites from silver platters. A small quartet of floating instruments that appeared to be playing themselves swung through a slow classical piece on a small pedestal in the far corner.

Jacob followed as Camilla dragged him across the hall on some Odyssey of showing off. People turned to stare at them, muttered 'wows' and raised their eyebrows. Three months ago Jacob would have had a fit, but tonight he weathered it.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"There you all are!" That was Archie's voice.

Jacob and Camilla turned.

Archie strode towards them. He wore a dapper black suit with some subtle pattern Jacob couldn't make out in the miasmic light from the orbs. It wasn't as flashy as what they were wearing, but the big boy wore it like a charm. In one hand he held a wine glass half-full of golden liquid. The other arm was wrapped around the waist of a tall, knockout blonde in a sparkling silver dress cut up one side to reveal quite a bit of long, slender leg.

Jacob vaguely recognized her. He wracked his brain, trying to remember her name.

"Late, of course, due to Ms Lin, I presume," Archie grinned his big, Hollywood grin. "Ah! I must introduce you. Jacob, Camilla, this is-"

"Claire?" Jacob blurted.

It was her, but she hardly looked like the same woman who'd given him the campus tour. Her golden hair was piled atop her head in waves. Her eyes and lips gleamed and dazzled. Her silver dress was cut low enough to reveal the creamy tops of her breasts, which Jacob deliberately didn't stare at. She must have been wearing heels too, because she was as tall as he was.

Claire grinned at him, and the gorgeous, resplendent model momentarily returned to the hectic, playful guide he remembered.

"Oh?" Archie looked between them. "You know each other? Claire, darling, you didn't tell me you knew Caibo."

"I gave him a tour of the campus on his first day!" Claire said. "I'm glad to see you're enjoying your time at Tisdale!"

"Ah, I see!" Archie said. "Well, Claire here is part of the graduating class being celebrated tonight. She's salutatorian, so forgive us if we are a little preoccupied. I'm sure we will see you around."

He pulled his arm from around the girl's waist, took Camilla's hand, raised it to his lips and kissed it.

Jacob stood there a trifle uncomfortable. Had Camilla said anything about what to do in a situation like this?

Archie dropped Camilla's hand and returned his own back around Claire's waist and pulled her off to go talk to someone else.

"Nice to see you again!" Claire waved back at Jacob.

Jacob waved and watched them go, a little stunned. Claire was graduating, so she would be what, twenty? Maybe twenty-one? She was a grown ass woman! And Archie was only seventeen like him. Jesus Christ.

Camilla pulled on his arm. "C'mon," she said. She sounded pissed, but he didn't know why.

"Should I have let him do that?" Jacob asked.

"What? Kiss my hand?"

"Yeah."

"It's Archie. It's fine."

"But with someone else?"

"It's fine."

He almost grumbled something akin to what Blake had said earlier as a joke, but thought the better of it. Speaking of Blake, they'd managed to lose him and Grace already.

A couple familiar faces greeted them, commented on their clothing, exchanged remarks, then drifted off. Then they were face to face with Victor and Maria. The former wore a tight evergreen tuxedo complete with a green bowtie, maybe something to do with Consumption magic, and the latter wore a smooth, lemony yellow with a cute matching bow nestled in her dark hair.

"Ah, Camilla. Jacob," Victor said. "Somehow I felt that you two would be here together."

"Could say the same for you two," Jacob retorted.

Victor was all smiles, as was Camilla, but Jacob could crack a tooth on the tension between them.

"I almost thought you would have skipped to train, Camilla," Victor said.

"Maybe for Tanaka," Camilla said. "But not for you."

"Ouch. Haha." He looked like he was about to say something, but Maria slapped his hand. He glanced at her, then back at them.

"Well, I hope you both enjoy the evening."

"You as well," Jacob said.

Both parties took their leave at the same time.

"Oh, that little rat," Camilla said.

"Don't worry about him," Jacob said.

They spoke to a couple other people, eventually getting into a conversation about how to make magical clothing with Xavier Hudson, who happened to be there with Emma from MW Club, even though she was a second-year.

The stage at one end of the hall lit up, magical orbs shying away from it as if repelled. President Russell emerged from the parting curtains. He greeted them and gave a long address congratulating the graduating class, detailing their struggles, triumphs, and the challenges to come. The applause was deafening.

Then, the dancing began.