Jia was sure that the Birthday spirits were not listening to her. How did she know that? Because not only did her aunt Camila accept her invitation but she also brought Isabella as well. And if that wasn`t horrible enough, it got even worse when she saw that her cousin was sending heated looks to Dylan during her grandparents and her Papa`s opening speech.
Jia was made to sit on a throne-like chair for the entire party. She couldn`t sit next to her friends, her family or her Papa. First came the birthday wishes and then the entertainment. Papa had arranged for dancers to put on three different items before the Rose Ceremony would begin.
Jia was then led to the dance floor where for every seventeen rose she received, she had to dance with the gentleman giving her the rose. First came her Uncle Elias, who smiled at her and gifted her a rose before dancing with her. After that came her Uncle Gregory, Camila`s husband and Isabella's father. He seemed hesitant as he always spent little time with her and because she looked too much like Marina. He finally wished her happy birthday before dancing with her.
She then danced with her uncles, Brad, Nikolai and Dalton before the other male guests had their turn. Roy went next, then Mike, a guest, Cole, the son of a foreign diplomat, Chase, a young Lord, Tristan, and finally Dylan.
He bowed to her and offered her his rose with his birthday wishes for her. She accepted it and smiled before she let him lead her into their dance.
"So how was your dance with Tristan?" Dylan mumbled quietly to her.
Jia glanced up at him and smiled," It was…quiet and nice. I enjoyed it."
"No arguments?" Dylan asked.
Jia frowned up at him, "Why would we argue?"
"No reason," Dylan answered.
"Dylan, why didn`t you let me see Tristan last week?"
Dylan`s face darkened, "Like I said, I was doing you a favor,"
Jia remembered how Dylan hadn`t let her go until they were out of the academy and waiting for a bus to show up. They wanted to go and meet up with Kyra and Clary at the Mall and at the same time have Zoey rendezvous with Cole at Coco Connection. The Knight stood with them and endured Rose`s glares and Fiona`s conversation about hover bikes till they had left. He then Jia promised he would explain everything to her. A promise he didn`t seem to be keeping now.
"You promised me, remember?" The teenage sorceress reminded him.
Dylan bit his lip and looked slightly pained," He was just showing a sorceress around. I didn`t want you see them, that`s all."
The young sorceress looked confused, "Why? Maybe it was someone I know, we would have made conversation,"
Dylan tsked, "Trust me, girls who are with Tristan don`t want to make conversation with other girls, he`s seductive like that. All your attention will on him."
Jia winced," Is he going out with someone?"
"I don`t know, he hasn`t said anything yet so, no," Dylan admitted.
Jia nodded before sighing," Also, I apologize in advance."
Dylan frowned at her, "For what?"
"My cousin Isabelle has seemed to have taken an interest in you. If she does something to you, I`ll deal with her."
"Don`t worry, I think I can handle a spoilt Lady," Dylan said with a wink as Jia chuckled and shook her head. Next came Ash who wished her a happy birthday as Jia looked for Gillian and waved at her, completely breaking protocol. Her grandmother groaned and shook her head as several people chuckled with amusement. Only Jia Norvel would make such a bold move at a party.
Gillian giggled and waved back before Ash began his dance with her. They then stopped as he bowed before her grandfather approached her for his dance with her. Finally, it was her Papa`s turn.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Marcellus asked his daughter, who seem to shine in the midst of the party.
"Yes, more than I ever could," Jia confirmed with an enthusiastic nod.
Marcellus smiled down at her, "Good, I want you to enjoy yourself tonight and this weekend okay, bolt?"
"I will, thank for arranging everything Papa."
"It was my pleasure."
When they were done dancing, the Master of Ceremony invited other guests to dance and that dinner would be served soon.
Jia went back to her seat as her friends came up to her chair and wished her happy birthday.
"Thank you," Jia said as she rose up and smiled at her firends," You all look stunning."
And they did.
Rose in a hot pink gown that had full sleeves and diamonds on the bodice. Clary wore a simple green strapless gown that had a bunch of white water lilies on the waist plus a pair of white wrist gloves. Fiona wore a black gown that was had the same design as Clary`s but it had a white bow that sequins on it. Sweet Zoey was dressed in a sleeveless blue gown while Kyra was a lovely grey gown. Gillian, of course, wore a lacy blue gown and a red sash while her headband glowed a faint white. Anyone could tell she was a light sorceress.
"This party is so amazing," Zoey gushed," How did you get the bubbles up in the ceiling?"
Jia shrugged, "I requested it from my papa after seeing it done at a party in the Kingdom of Kassin."
"So cool."
"So, what were you and Dylan talking about?" Fiona asked.
"Swords, and about the armor the Elites wear," Jia lied easily. It was normal of her to talk weapons most of the time with the boys and swords would be a topic that Dylan would be interested in seeing as he used twin swords as his signature weapons of choice at the Academy.
Fiona hummed. The other girls were about to speak up when they heard someone clear their throat from behind them. They all turned and saw a girl of similar skin tone to Jia except she had blond hair and was wearing a smug smile.
"Isabella," Gillian said with a grimace. Gillian had never officially met her but she remembered her behavior from last year during the Debutante`s Ball.
"Lady Gillian," Isabelle returned as she turned to Jia`s friends," And I`m afraid I don`t know you all. Never seen you at the Society Daughters Functions."
"They`re my friends from Viola," Jia informed her cousin as Isabella smiled at them before moving forward towards her cousin, "Jia, cousin, don`t you look wonderful tonight."
"Isabelle," Jia greeted her with a nod.
"Wonderful party, I heard form grandmother that your cake will be ten feet tall," Isabella commented.
"And what is it that you want? To destroy another cake?" Jia said as she approached her cousin as well. Fiona instantly turned and scanned the room for Roy. She got the feeling that Jia and Isabella didn`t get along.
She finally saw him and Dylan standing beside the desserts table. The other boys were on the other side of them getting swarmed by girls.
"Zoey`s not going to like that," She tapped Kyra, who turned to her, quizzically. She pointed to the Knights," Make them look at us."
"Why, I wouldn't be that petty," Isabella said, looking slight outraged.
Kyra nodded as her eyes glowed a light purple before Roy`s shadow suddenly tapped him. The poor boy jumped slightly as the shadow pointed towards the girls. His eyes widened before he put down his plate and signaled Dylan to join him.
Fiona nearly sighed with relief but then groaned as a bunch of girls swarmed Roy and blocked him from reaching them. Kyra bit her lip and turned back to the cousins. By now, Jia was standing right in front of Isabella.
"Petty is your signature, Isabella," Jia reminded her.
"And kindness being yours?" Isabella asked sweetly.
"And if it is?"
Isabelle slowly clapped her hands, "I applaud you, dearest cousin."
"Stop saying that, that is my term of endearment for Roy, not you!" Jia hissed at her. Her fists clenched tightly.
"And what will you do? You can`t make a scene, think of the gossip Jia," Isabelle mocked her with a smile.
"Hey, maybe you should keep quiet and leave her alone," Kyra warned her.
The blonde girl turned and snarled at the shadow sorceress, "And who are you to tell me what to do? You`re nothing but a simple commoner who got lucky enough to earn the motherless-lady`s kindness and was invited to her birthday party!"
The girl all gasped as Jia growled.
"That`s it! You little-, "Jia was about to step forward and punch her when a pair of arms grabbed her around her waist and held her back. Her eyes glowed sliver and yellow as she tried to move forward but the arms around her just tighten even further. She then heard someone whisper to her," Calm down. She`s trying to provoke you and ruin your party."
"Thank you Dylan," Fiona whispered in thanks. The Knight nodded to indicate that he heard her but he kept his hold on the lightning sorceress.
"Well, hello handsome." Isabella purred at the turquoise-eyed Knight. Dylan didn`t bother to look at her and was instead focused on Jia whose eyes were closed as she tried to rein her magic in. It was demanding that she fry Isabelle but Dylan`s voice was stop her briefly.
"Eww," Clary muttered with a grimace at the sight of Isabella fluttering her eyelashes at Dylan.
"It`s like watching a seven year trying to seduce a twenty-year-old," Zoey muttered to the girls. Gillian coughed to smother her laughter.
Isabella turned to them with a snarl," I`m sixteen."
"That`s even worse." Rose added.
"Isabella!" Roy hissed as he came forward and pulled his younger cousin away.
"Let go of me!" Isabella whispered harshly. Roy stopped and leaned down to look her in the eyes," Not until I return you to your parents. Wherever you go, destruction follows," He leaned back and looked over at Dylan," Keep Jia calm till I get back."