Shining Bright

[Lizzie Parker-Taylor]

Lizzie always put effort into her looks for school events, but nothing had ever felt quite this special before. Her first Yule Ball with a girlfriend. Caro knew they were dating now, and there was nothing to hide, just Lizzie and Hayley enjoying the night. She wanted to look special, to mark how special tonight was, and she had really dressed up. Lizzie hadn't even known it was possible to feel so glamourous. She kept catching glimpses of the sparkles of her dress out of the corner of her eye and being surprised that they were coming from her.

Arm linked with Hayley, Lizzie looked around as they walked into the ball, smiling in delight. "Oh, it's beautiful..." She smiled happily, then glanced at her girlfriend. "Almost as beautiful as you." She added. Lizzie felt a little overly shiny next to Hayley's subdued outfit, but she looked beautiful, and it suited her rebellious aesthetic beautifully. "What do you want to do first?"

 

[Hayley Elridge]

Hayley couldn’t take her eyes off her girlfriend tonight. She had been quite proud of her own dress, before she’d seen Lizzie’s, but Hayley had never been much good at dressing up. She practically never wore dresses, apart from special occasions - and nothing could feel more special than this. Every other Yule Ball she’d gone with the girl gang, as a group of friends, to have fun and mess about . . . but now, now with this stunning sparkling vision on her arm, she felt so grown up and so special.

Hayley looked around the hall, more at the people than at the decorations Lizzie was admiring. She spotted Rose with Charlie and gave her a cheerful wave, receiving a thumbs-up in return. But she couldn’t look away from Lizzie for long. "I’m reflecting your glory," she joked. "You look . . . radiant." It wasn’t the sort of word that Hayley would usually choose, but it was true. She was already trying to think how she could draw Lizzie’s look tonight; her usual pencil sketches wouldn’t do it justice. Maybe she could borrow Harley’s paints . . . make a proper portrait, a nice romantic gift. Hayley paused, glancing around the room again, but there was only one correct answer to that question. "Let’s dance."