Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]

Seraphina's POV

I stood in front of the mirror, scrutinizing my reflection as doubt crossed my mind. The dress I had chosen clung to my body like a second skin, and I couldn't decide if I was mildly comfortable or very uncomfortable.

The black dress was shorter than I was used to—dangerously short, with a slit running high up one thigh. The neckline plunged just enough to hint at boldness without crossing into scandal, but it was still far more revealing than anything I had ever worn.

A pair of strappy black heels added a few inches to my height, and I had accessorized with a silver choker and matching earrings.

For the finishing touch, I had gone bold with my makeup for the first time ever. My eyes were outlined with dark, smoky eyeliner, with a dab at the corners that added a feline edge. Dark plum lipstick painted my lips, complementing the rest of the sultry look, and since there wasn't much I could do with my hair, I simply gave it a wet look and left it at that.

I looked… confident. Sexy, even. At least, I hoped I did.

"Am I overdressed? Underdressed?" I muttered to myself, tilting my head to one side.

This was my first party, if I was being honest, and as my usual self, I had never imagined that I would have to attend anything remotely like this, but as Seraphina Vale, the outgoing party girl, I was expected to be a seasoned expert.

I took a deep breath, mentally steeling myself for the loud music, the cigarette smoke, and the crowd of teenage girls crammed into a barely lit room. I had never experienced anything like it firsthand, but I'd seen enough movies to piece together an idea of what to expect.

I clenched my fists, reminding myself to stay calm no matter how nervous I felt. I couldn't afford to hesitate or show any signs of discomfort like I was some kind of newbie.

A knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts. "It's open!" I called, turning toward the sound.

The door swung open, and Roxana strolled in with an air of confidence. She was wearing a red crop top that clung to her like it had been painted on, paired with a leather miniskirt that barely skimmed the tops of her thighs.

Her heels were impossibly high, making her already tall self seem like a giant compared to me, and her cleavage was on full display. Her makeup was just as bold as mine, her red lipstick matching the intensity of her outfit.

I raised an eyebrow, fighting back a smirk. "You're dressed like a hooker."

She snorted, placing a hand on her hip. "Look who's talking," she retorted, gesturing at my outfit. "You could put the entire red-light district out of business with that dress."

I couldn't help but laugh, rolling my eyes at her. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should," Roxana replied, stepping closer to inspect me. Her gaze swept over me critically before she nodded in approval. "You look good as always."

"Thanks," I said dryly.

If Roxana approved of how I was dressed, then maybe I had pulled off the look I was going for.

The mirror reflected my face as I leaned in closer, holding the fine tip of my eyeliner in my hand. I didn't need to reapply much; the dark, smoky lines framing my eyes were already perfect, but touching up gave me something to do.

It also gave me time to let my nerves settle before heading out to the party.

Roxana, lounging casually on my bed, was now scrolling through her phone with the ease of someone completely at home. She didn't seem to notice my glance in the mirror before I asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

The question was out of my mouth before I could second-guess it. For a second, there was only silence, and when I turned my head, Roxana was staring at me, her brows raised in exaggerated disbelief.

"Are you joking?" she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism.

I blinked at her, utterly confused. "Why would I be joking?"

Her expression didn't shift. If anything, her disbelief deepened, and I realized belatedly that my question might have sounded odd coming from me—or rather, from Seraphina Vale.

I cursed inwardly. Of course she'd be surprised. I was supposed to know these things. These girls were supposed to be my friends, after all, but they weren't my friends, and I barely knew the first thing about their personal lives.

She let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Sera? What kind of friend forgets something like that?"

I hesitated, unsure how to respond. She was watching me closely now, waiting for a reaction. "Uh…," I stalled, trying to think fast. "I mean, it's not like you talk about your relationships much."

Roxana rolled her eyes, an exaggerated sigh escaping her lips. "What kind of friend forgets something like that?" She shook her head, setting her phone aside as if to emphasize her disbelief. "Of course I don't have a girlfriend. I have a boyfriend. You know that."

"You… have a boyfriend?" I blurted, barely able to hide my shock.

She raised an eyebrow at me, clearly unimpressed. "Yes. His name's Levi. We've been together for months. How could you not remember this?"

I stared at her, my mind racing. Of all the things I'd expected to hear, boyfriend had not been one of them. I had assumed—rather foolishly, I realized now—that Electra's friends shared her orientation.

Since Electra herself was into women, it had seemed natural to think her closest friends might be, too, but this assumption was clearly wrong—and more than a little presumptuous on my part.

"Right… Levi," I said, feigning recollection. "Of course. How could I forget Levi?" I forced a laugh, though it came out more nervous than I intended.

Roxana squinted at me, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "You're acting weird. Did you hit your head or something?"

"No!" I said quickly, shaking my head. "I'm just… distracted. You know how it is."

She didn't look entirely convinced, but she shrugged it off, leaning back against the pillows. "Whatever. Just don't forget again. Levi would be pissed if he knew that one of my best friends couldn't even remember his name. He'd think I don't talk about him enough."

"Right," I murmured, turning back to the mirror. The conversation had thrown me off balance, and I struggled to refocus.

It wasn't just Roxana's relationship status that surprised me; it was the reminder of how much I didn't know about these girls—about Electra's friends.

As I adjusted the neckline of my dress, Roxana's voice broke the silence. "Why do you care, anyway?"

I glanced at her through the mirror. "Care about what?"

"Whether or not I have a girlfriend." She tilted her head, giving me a sly look. "You never ask stuff like that. You're usually too busy talking about yourself."

Ouch. That stung more than I cared to admit, though I supposed it wasn't entirely untrue. From what I already knew about Electra, she wasn't exactly a selfless person.

"I was just curious," I responded. "We've been friends for so long, and I realized I never really asked about your relationships. I figured it was about time."

Roxana seemed to accept this, though her skeptical expression lingered. "Well, if you're that curious, Levi's great. He's funny, smart, and way too hot for me, but don't tell him I said that." She smirked, clearly amused by her own joke.

I nodded, forcing a smile. "He sounds… nice."

"Nice?" She snorted. "Levi's more than nice. He's—" She stopped herself, shaking her head. "You wouldn't get it. You've never been into anyone seriously."

I rolled my eyes at Roxana's comment about my lack of experience in relationships, choosing not to respond. It wasn't like I could argue, given how painfully accurate she was, but admitting that out loud wasn't an option either, so I let the subject drop.

The click of my compact snapping shut signaled the end of my makeup session, and I turned to Roxana, who was still lounging on my bed, scrolling through her phone like she had all the time in the world.

"Done," I announced, brushing off imaginary specks of dust from my dress.

Roxana glanced up, arching an eyebrow. "Finally. Took you long enough. The party started, like, twenty minutes ago, and Iris and Penelope are already there."

I frowned slightly, confused. "What about Deena? Is she already there, too?"

Roxana hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line before she shrugged. "Deena said she wasn't feeling well, so she's not coming. I didn't want to push her, so I let it go."

"Oh." I nodded, unsure how to respond. Deena hadn't seemed sick earlier, but I wasn't about to press the issue either. If she didn't want to come, that was her business.

"Alright," I said simply, grabbing my purse and gesturing toward the door. "Let's go."