Chapter 28

                                    

                                          
   I hold my hands over my eyes like my dad told me to. He knocked on my door a few seconds ago and said he had a surprise for. Truth be told, I'm expecting it to have to deal with training.
                          
  "Okay, you can look."
                          
   I remove my hand to see my dad holding up a pale pink dress with a sweetheart neckline. "Oh, my." I reach for the dress. "You bought this for me?"
                          
   "Well, Kate helped." Dad hands the dress over.
                          
   "Thank you so much!" I set the dress on my bed, careful to not get it all wrinkly. I launch myself in his arm. "This is amazing. Thank you."
                          
   Dad returns the hug. "You're still grounded, but we thought you all deserved to go and not miss this."
                          
   I leap back, gently lifting the dress back up. "I'm going to go get ready real quick. Formal starts in thirty minutes."
                          
 
                          
   The gymnasium looks beautiful. Everyone who set this up did a phenomenal job. I arrived a few minutes late, but that's alright with me. Almost everyone was dancing to a song with their dates. From where I was standing on the wall, I could see all of my friends.
                          
   Danny and his date were dancing on the dance floor, quietly chatting to themselves. Lydia is sitting down at a table with Stiles hovering above her. I remember overhearing Allison in her room on the phone earlier today saying that Stiles asked Lydia to be his date. Honestly, I think that's adorable. Stiles really likes Lydia, she just needs to realize that. Near the punch bowl, Jackson is sipping from a plastic cup while my sister pouts next to him with her arms crossed. Allison looks beyond bored.
                          
   I miss being able to talk to Allison. I know she won't start talking to me again until I stop lying to her. I just can't do that. If she has to hate me because my lies are protecting her then, I guess, I'll have to live like this.
                          
   "You look like you could use a dance."
                          
   I tear my gaze away from my pouting sister to see Stiles. "Shouldn't you be dancing with Lydia? She is your date after all."
                          
   "I will dance with her, but I felt like I should dance with you first." Stiles offers his hand out for me to take.
                          
  I place my hand in his outstretched one. Stiles leads me out on the dance floor until we are in the of the gymnasium. I drape my arms around his neck, my mind distance. Before I left for the dance, I made sure to grab a change of clothes and my bow and hid them in my car. Allison rode with Jackson, which meant I had the car to drive myself here. Something's going to happen tonight and I want to be prepared.
                          
   "You're not going to do anything tonight, are you?" I pause in the doorway of our front door,  one hand set on the doorknob as I look back at my dad.

                          
   "Enjoy the dance, Clara." Dad simply replies.
                          
   I turn my body to face him more. "I can help you."
                          
   "This isn't your war to fight." 
                          
   "It's not a war. Just let me help you. You need my help." I agree with him, keeping my voice steady. 
                          
   Dad closes the distance between us, ushering me outside on the porch. "Clara, just go be a normal teenager. You don't need this kind of life."
                          
   Funny. That's exactly how I think about Allison. 
                          
   "Dad, I'm ready. I know I am. Just let me know when you are going to go after them."