I slipped through the door into the club's meeting after having to push my way through the students heading home.  Not me tonight.  I was stuck here for another hour before I headed home to do my homework.

I quickly took a seat, and Kyoya then said "Is everyone here?"  I looked around, counting in my head.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7….plus me.  "Yup we're all here." I said and Kyoya said "Excellent.  Now, Tamaki I believe you had an announcement to make?"

Tamaki cleared his throat and said "Alright, as you know, as the host club, we have previously hosted dances and such.  So now, we were thinking of hosting a themed ball."  

"Well what's the theme boss?" the twins asked and Tamaki said with a wide grin on his face "A masquerade ball!  Each guest will be required to wear a mask, as well as us hosts.  What do think?"  

There was a silence that filled the room.  I think we were all thinking about it.  I knew the club had done dances and parties but never a proper ball.  A ball meant ball gowns, or special evening dresses.  And the masquerade would add this elegance and sense of old fashioned.  But then again, I absolutely loved that idea.

"I love the idea." I said aloud and everyone looked at me funnily.  I shrugged and said "Imagine, dancing with someone not even knowing who they really are….I think it's quite romantic."  

Tamaki pointed at me and spoke to the rest of the club saying "Exactly.  The girls will go crazy for it." "And because of that, we'll have an increase in profit, an estimated 30%." Kyoya pointed out, looking up from his laptop.

The club looked at each other and Tamaki then said "Alright, then let's do a vote.  Those in favour of a masquerade ball, raise your hand."  We all raised our hands.  Kyoya turned to Tamaki and said "Well it looks like its been decided."

Tamaki nodded and said "Alright, and now we need to begin planning!  Which is why this meeting was really here.  Now is Renge here…."  Tamaki looked around.  She never was.   

I was about to answer the question, familiar giggle came up and Renge popped out of nowhere, on a motorized lifting chair.  

She was in a lounge chair and she flipped her hair and said "Well, now I am!"  I groaned.  Great.  Thankfully she didn't hear me and she hopped off the chair and spun around and said "Indeed like I have to agree with Izumi, a masquerade ball is absolutely positively romantic!  All the girls love that mysterious persona of a boy, and each one of you will have that essence of it on that night!"

The club eyed each other.  After Renge's disastrous movie, I think we all didn't want to even think about what was to come for this.  I crossed my fingers, and prayed she wasn't going to screw up the best idea the club had ever come up with.

"Well, obviously we need to begin planning!  All the boys should know their suit colours, so that we can find matching masks!  Come on, we also need to think of food, and the ballroom, and don't forget about the orchestra too; only the best for this night!" Renge barked, as Kyoya began to type things down.

I sat there, as the boys decided the colour of their suits.  What was I supposed to do?  I felt a bit lost in this project.  

I wasn't lost for long though, as Renge marched over and said "Come on Izumi, up on your feet!" "What?" I asked as Renge grabbed me and pulled me up.  Since when was she this strong?!

"Izumi, you're OBVIOUSLY going to be at the ball!  Helping to put it together, designing the setting and you need to figure out what in the world you're wearing at that!"

I was shocked.  I was ALLOWED to come!?  Tamaki then chimed in and said "She has a point Izumi."  I then pulled myself together and  said "Of course, I'll start getting stuff together."

The next couple weeks were of me of course doing all the work, while Renge gossiped to the other girls about how much of an amazing night it would be, especially since Kyoya and Tamaki helped me with planning.

We were renting out the school's largest ballroom, one right by the gardens, and the orchestra had been hand picked by Kyoya.  I had decided that different coloured roses were going to be placed at all the tables, and what table clothes would go with it, candles and such.  Designing comes in handy with these things.

Of course, since I was coming to a masquerade ball, that could only mean one thing.  A mask, and a dress.

I hadn't found a single thing I liked.  I didn't even have many of those pouffy kind of dresses anyways to begin with.  I already knew from the Facebook page for the ball that most of the girls were taking my mother's line of ball gowns and prom dresses.  That took away most of my easy options.

And then, tragedy struck.  When I told my parents about the ball, they refused to send me.  I had been grounded for a week, and part of my punishment landed on the night of the masquerade. 

"Mom PLEASE.  I promise, I'll come home hours before curfew!  I'm serious!" I begged my mom and she then said "Izumi, you've been grounded, and that means you will NOT being going to that masquerade ball!"

"Dad, come on, help me out here!" I said and he took a sip of his drink and said "Well is it a part of the host club?" "YES.  I NEED to be there!!" I said and my dad went into thought about it for a moment, and I thought that I might win this one.

He then shook his head and said "I'm sorry Izumi, but you're going to have to tell the club you can't come."  "Dad!  This is my JOB though!  I can't let the club down like this!" "Well Izumi, this is life.  You're not going and thats FINAL." my dad said sternly.

"Ugh!" I said and stormed out and ran up the stairs and slammed the door to my room.  I flopped onto my bed and I heard my phone buzzing.  I then began to hear my ringtone, and I reached over to the beside table looking at the caller ID.  Tamaki.

I answered it and said "Hey Tamaki." "Hey Izumi!  So did you ask your parents about the ball?"  I paused and then said "Well Tamaki thats the thing…my parents have grounded me.  So I can't go to the ball."

"Oh….well um….okay then, I'll let Kyoya know." "I'm sorry Tamaki, I would come really I would, its just…." "No I get it.  See you tomorrow."  The line got cut off and I sighed shutting the phone off.  I looked like the bad guy now.  Great.  

I came into school next day as Ayane came over to me.  "So you're not going to the ball?" she asked as I sighed nodding.  "It sucks." I said pouting and Ayane then said "Have you tried convincing your parents?" "Course.  I've done everything I possibly can.  But they think I can just miss this one.  Even though we all know I can't." I said as we sat down outside on the bench for lunch.

I pulled out my tuna salad sandwich (made specifically to mom's extra-lean-no-fat orders) and took a small bite saying "It's not like I could've gone anyways." "Why not?" Ayane asked and I then replied "I don't even have a dress!  Or a mask for that matter."

Ayane was quiet for a moment.  Her lips then curved into a smile.  I knew that look.  "What is it Ayane?" "Oh nothing." she replied quickly taking a bite out of her apple.

Finally the ball arrived.  I was actually helping set up for it during the time we usually had the host club.  

I shook the table cloth, as it floated in the air for a moment, and then came right back down.  I put down the last vase of roses, put the last candle in place and then stood back to admire my handiwork.  It looked amazing.

"Wow Izumi this is perfect!" Renge said and I smiled and said "Thanks."  Tamaki then came up to me just as I was about to leave.  "You know, we'll miss you tonight."

I nodded silently, adjusting my backpack a little and then quietly said "I know.  And I'm really sorry about not being able to attend."  Tamaki shrugged and said "It's fine really."  He then walked off before I could say another word.  He had been acting like this though ever since I told him I couldn't go to the ball.  Distant.

I heard the bell ring and I knew I had five minutes before I headed to my next class.  I quickly spun on my heels and went off.  Except all I could think about was how Tamaki had been.  

I couldn't help but wonder though if he wanted me to come with him, and that's why he was so upset.  Maybe he wanted to dance with me or something?  I guess I would never know, because what I did know was that I wasn't going.

"Alright and that's it for today class.  Make sure to hand in your assignment next Tuesday." the teacher said just as the bell rang, signalling the end of class.

I scrapped back the chair as I threw my bag onto my shoulder, and pulled out my phone, texting Ayane as I got into the car and headed home.

"Now we're going to be going out tonight Izumi." my mother said pulling on her jacket, as my father tightened his tie in the mirror.  "What time will you be back by?" I asked, from my spot on the wall.  It was 5:00 at that time and I could see the sun sinking ever so slightly, the sky beginning to darken.

"Around midnight.  Actually, we'll try to be here at midnight." my father said turning around.  "Now Izumi, Ida isn't here tonight, neither is James, and Mei's at a friend's.  Daiki's here obviously, and you two can do what you like, but Daiki's in bed at 10:30 at the latest.  You should be in bed after that."

"Alright you two go and have fun." I said as my mother gave me an air kiss, and my father gave my temple a kiss.  "We'll see you soon sweetheart!" he called as the door slammed and they got whisked off by a different driver in the limo.

I sighed and quickly went and grabbed some of the noodles that we had gotten and I grabbed the chopsticks slurping up the noodles slowly.  Tonight was "treat night" according to mom.  ICE CREAM!!!

The doorbell then rang.  Who could it be?  I assumed it was mom, probably having forgotten the specific MAC shade of lipstick she needed for tonight, or dad, who probably was forced back to get a pack of mint gum.

I opened the door and was just about to say something, before I realized it was Ayane at the door.  

"What're you doing here?" I asked as Ayane as I looked at her up and down.  She looked like she was heading to the ball, as she wore her mermaid style dress.

It was peach pink, ruffles all encasing the bottom, as it went up in a, the bodice clinging onto her small figure, and a bejewelled edge of the top of it.   Her opal hair was up in a complicated braided bun, due to her extensions, and her mask, was on her head like a headband, was a light creamy pink, with pink and silver glitter accenting the eyes.

"WELL, best friends have a wing woman right?" "Okay…?" I said not quite getting her little idea, as I leaned against the doorframe.  

"And you're my wing woman!" she exclaimed "I don't see how this has to do with going to the ball." "Well your parents are out aren't they?" "Yeah.  Only until midnight though." I said pursing my lips.

Ayane's eyes sparkled as she then said "Well Cinderella, your fairy godmother is here, and let's just say I have a lot up my sleeve…."  She then held up a hanger, where I could see a plastic covering.  That could only mean one thing.  

"You're serious right?" I asked, and Ayane then said "Get your glass slippers on, because you're going to the ball!"

Author's Note

hey there my lovelies!

you're now probably thinking "OMG WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN!?!" 

well all i'm gonna tell you is its all in the details.... ;)

anywayssss hoped you enjoyed it!