During the party.

She feels like an idiot, smiling at all the fools who want to congratulate her and express their disappointment she would leave the stage. Always the same words, smiles never reaching their eyes and truth never coming to the surface. They don’t really care, the only reason they go through the motions is to be able to say they have done so.

Because having talked to her in her last night on the spotlight is somehow brag-worthy. She’s an achievement today, her attention a trophy worth talking about for years… or most likely for a couple of weeks, until something else catches their fancy and she’s completely forgotten.

It sould be fine, just an annoying thing she’s done countless times before, that she could tune out and bear for a couple of hours before giving an excuse and retreating for the night. If not for all the glances she’s catching wandering over her.

Because her skirt is a good four inches shorter than anything she’s ever worn before.

Because it’s the first time she wears a backless dress.

Because there are swimsuits that show less skin that her current clothes.

Sweet Dust, father of men, what was she thinking? The mysterious man of black eyes hasn’t even shown himself at the party and she’s not sure what she would’ve done even if he did, besides freezing up and making a fool of herself, or falling into her social training and becoming another hypocrite spluttering pleasantries in auto pilot.

She side-eyes the cocktail counter, wondering if she could get away with drinking herself silly and just stop thinking! She’s never had more than the occasional glass of something light to toast, but it wouldn’t be the first new thing she tries out today.

Then the feeling of being stared down to her very soul returns, and she almost drops the glass on her hand. Taking a deep breath to soothe the incoming panic attack -He’s here! Oh sweet Dust he’s here and I don’t know what to do I’m going to look like an idiot and I’ll never live it down and he’ll never glance in my direction again and what do I do!!- She composes her best confident facade, completely neutral but for the hint of a smile and turns around towards the direction the feeling is coming from.

Anticipation turns bitter disappointment the moment she spots him. How could she be so stupid! All this fussing about, all this agonising over ‘what if’s and possibilities, all for nothing. There, hanging from the mysterious man’s arms, there’s already a couple of women. Weiss doesn’t remember ever feeling so jealous of someone.

Frowning, she studies them. Obviously twins, the only difference beyond their dresses is the lenght of their smooth black hair. Their skin is clear and pale, bringing the observer’s attention to their malachite green eyes.

Both of them wear the same dress -Red for the one at his right, white for the one at his left- with a grace that makes Weiss feel horribly inadequate. While still showing it’s fair share of skin, it’s a good deal more conservative than her own, and yet they attract all the gazes with ease. They are on the short side, even while wearing heels, but not that many would notice, with the confidence they seem to exude from their every pore.

Without really noticing what she’s doing, Weiss compares herself with them. They're shapely where Weiss is slender, have a well-proportioned bust where she’s practically flat and, as Weiss is quickly realising, can wear a wide array of facial expressions, where she can only reliably pull off sternness and disapproval.

She turns around, holding back a sudden urge to cry and ready to leave now and to hell with etiquette. She only wants to seclude herself in her room with unhealthy amounts of frozen yogurt and curse her androgynous body until the school year starts and it’s time to leave for Beacon.

What did she had going for her, really? Corpse-pale skin, unnaturally white hair, and eerily clear blue eyes like nobody outside her family. Sure, she’s elegant enough, but that’s something learnt and doesn’t really count. Anybody can do it with practice. She attracts attention because she’s different and she manages to keep it because of her grooming but, when all’s said and done, she’s just a freak with style.

Really, what’s she ever doing comparing herself to dolls like those?