My very first thought when I first zipped open the packages containing the dresses that Biana had picked out, was that I would never be able to repay Della, and Biana and all the Vackers, even if I had all the time in the world. 

They were so pretty that they almost brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't imagine that I would finally be able to have a Winnowing Gala. In fact, I never believed that I would ever even get out of Exillium after being there for so long, but the fact that I was even having a Gala... 

That was amazing. 

Biana gasped and clapped her hands excitedly when I finally came out. The heels that she picked out for me were way to tall for my taste, and suddenly, I felt a lot like Sophie, wobbling around and grabbing onto nearby railings. 

Finally realizing that I was going to be in mortal danger if the heels were not removed immediately, Marella grabbed my arms and allowed me to lean back on her while Biana grabbed the heels, which I was hesitant to do, as I was scared that I was going to crush her petite pixie-like body. 

Biana grabbed the heels and examined the heel inch size. She laughed to herself and waved them in my face. "They're only 5 inches! And you can't walk in them!" 

"5 inches?!" Sophie exclaimed in mock horror, grabbing the heels and staring at them with a fake fearful look in her eyes. "These monstrosities exist?!" 

Biana scoffed. "Girl, I've walked in 10 inch heels before." 

"That's not happening!" Marella said suddenly, putting a finger in Biana's face. "Just because I'm short, does not mean that I feel the need to become taller by wearing heels. I choose to be short, so don't you dare give me any heels." 

We all laughed, and then Biana grabbed at the fabric of my dress and examined it, before nodding in approval. "I knew it was a good idea to come here," Biana said. "Their quality is a-mazing!!!" 

The dress Biana had picked for me felt a lot like water, whatever the material was. (I was no expert of dresses, seeing as I had been wearing old cloaks for about half my life.) The only thing I could say using my lack of dress knowledge was that it was gorgeous, and probably the prettiest thing I owned. 

Marella made a fake pout face when I came out in my casual dress that Biana had also picked out. "I'm not sure I want any of you guys at my Gala wearing these dresses," Marella said. "Everyone will want to dance with you guys, and they'll all forget this is supposed to be my Gala." 

"Oh come on!" Biana said. "That for sure won't happen, if you wear these heels!" She stuck a pair of red heels with gradient clasps that looked like miniature flames. However, the heel size was huge, even bigger then my previous 5 inch ones. 

"We all know that that is not happening," Marella said quickly. "Right? Not happening, right?" she asked again, looking at our faces for confirmation. 

Biana raised an eyebrow and gave Marella a playful smirk wiggling the heels in her face again.   

"No." Marella said firmly. 

"Fine then," Biana said again. "How about these ones? Periwinkle colored heels?" She eagerly raised her eyebrows at me and Sophie, and I caught on. Dex! 

Sophie still looked confused, and I did the same eyebrow signal to her for what seemed like ages until she finally made and 'Oh!' expression and nodded vigorously. 

Marella seemed to sense that something was happening, and she glared at each of us suspiciously before she took the shoes. "They aren't that bad, I mean the heel size is only like 2 inches, and the color is really pretty.. WHAT?!" 

Biana was giggling madly, and Sophie, who sensed some trouble brewing, changed the conversation back to my dress. 

"Biana!?" Sophie asked in a very loud, totally un-subtle tone. "Look at Linh's dress! Isn't it gorgeous?!" She said each word very loudly and slowly, trying to make sure Biana caught on. Marella was now staring extremely suspiciously at all of us before she slowly took the heels and tucked them under her arm. 

"I'll take them," Marella said. "As long as you promise that there's nothing funny about them and I won't die wearing these." 

"It's a really pretty dress!" Biana said, nodding her head in agreement. There was a sort of maniac-like gleam in her eyes as she talked about the dress. "In fact, the tulle fabric, with the satin underlying and the...." 

Sophie's eyes glazed over as Biana went on about the dresses, and Marella had completely walked off into the dressing room, not even caring whether or not we watched her. I quickly walked into my room and quickly changed out of the dress and pulling on my regular clothes, not wanting to miss Marella's grand entrance with the dresses that she picked herself.

Marella had point-blank refused Biana's offer to pick out her dresses, and demanded to be allowed to choose her own. I exited my dressing room just in time to see Marella walk out of hers, head held high sporting a flaming number of a dress. 

Biana examined it closely. "You really wanna show off that Pyrokinetic-ness don't you?" she asked, a small smile on her face. 

Marella nodded fiercely and grinned as she showed off the dress she had chosen.

Every time she twirled, I almost panicked because it looked like flames were sprouting up from her body. The light sparkles made it loom like the dress was an illuminated fire, glowing under the lights in the shop. 

"I love that you added sparkles!!" Biana said happily, clapping her hands together. "Sparkles make everything better!" 

"You sure that showing off that you are a Pyrokinetic is the best way to go?" Sophie asked hesitantly. "I mean, even though the council allows Pyrokinetics to do the same things, but people still haven't gotten over their prejudice" 

Marella gave a fierce glare and raised her head high. "If they can't accept me for my ability, then they don't deserve to come to my Gala." 

Marella walked into her dressing room again and came out in her "casual" dress which was gorgeous and could probably pass for a Gala gown, but to each there own I guessed. I aspired to have Marella's confidence and fire, but I could tell that that was probably not going to happen. I just couldn't master her effortless sass. 

Marella entered the room, and Biana smiled wide. "I love what you picked! In fact, it's by one of my favorite designers, Ebony Dragonworth, and you see here, she has her signature straps..." 

"Please." Marella said. "I don't care who made it, and I honestly don't need a lengthy description of some clothes I'll probably wear only once." 

Biana came out of her dress daze looking extremely offended, but then laughed it off when she realized it was a joke. We laughed together, and I couldn't imagine having better friends. 

Then, a thought came to me. "How about we surprise the boys after Sophie tries on her dresses?" I asked. The thought of me jump-scaring Tam while he was in a suit or some other means of fancy clothing was too much to say no to. 

"YES! Brilliant Linh!" Marella said excitedly, and she bounced up and down on her toes, almost becoming the same height as Biana and Sophie, but not quite yet. 

Biana immediately agreed, and Sophie did too. "So, how should we do it?" I asked. 

None of us were pranking geniuses. That was Keefe and Tam and Dex, but we could still come up with something good. Or so I thought. 

After what seemed like hours of brainstorming, Biana slapped her hand down on the table. "Yes!" she said grinning wildly. "It's perfect!"