Blurring the Lines

The manor of number two, Integrity Lane was lit wonderfully, the windows and doors open in the white wash home to reveal lights of different golds and whites, twinkling light the beautiful stars in the black night above. Through the open places in the large manor, music swelled outwards, music of beautiful violins and strings blending together, singing with their liquid voices.

People of all sorts of elegance strolled about the house and outside in the gardens, which were lit and decorated to perfection. The main color scheme of the party were whites, golds and silvers, all the colors of purity and beauty. Flutes of champagne were being handed out, and kind words were being exchanged among every guest.

It was obvious from the start, that these groups of people were among the elite. It was the way they tilted their chins upwards, the way they walked with countenance and grace, and in the way that they smiled. They were at the top, and they knew that they were.

The event taking place was being held as a charity event, all donations being made to improve the lives of others with sicknesses. After the war, many people had been inflicted with radiation sickness and poisoning, and the Virtues made it their constant endeavor to heal those people, to do what they could to cure them of their ailment.

At least, that’s what they said they were doing. Casely Deveraux knew the party was really being thrown to show off riches and talk about how they were greater than everyone else. And it left a bitter taste in her mouth, as she stood in her room, listening quietly to the music dancing up the stairs of her home. Home was a word loosely used. It was rather a place of residence, because home was where the heart was. Her heart was no where near this place.

Brushing a single dark curl back into place, the girl sighed and moved towards the door, her dress moving languidly on the floor behind her. She knew better than anyone that she was going to raise Hell when she walked down the steps. They would expect it, of course, since she was a product of Hell, in everyone else’s eyes. The only thing that was were saving grace was her surname.

Walking out of the bedroom and to the long winding steps, she paused at the top, looking down to the main floor of the house. Just as she expected, everyone was dressed in beautiful, light colors. No one was wearing anything similar to Casely, who was dressed in a blood red dress, form fitting with a very dangerous drop.

For a few moments, the red queen stood at the top, unnoticed. But when she took her first step down the stairs, her painted, red lips curving into a devilish smirk, all eyes directed to her. They all stared in masks of horror and shock as she walked down the steps just as smoothly as any of them would, in the devil’s color.

It was known, that one of the Deveraux girl’s was a Sin. How she could be born into a family of such standing and purity, no one would ever know. But it was obvious, of what her nature was. They all knew her cruelty when she walked down those steps, chin raised, eyes kohled in black, lips red and dress revealing. She was beautiful. But she was going to Hell.

No one had the guts to start whispering about her when she was very aware of all the eyes watching her. Casely knew that it was not in the Virtue’s nature to outright discuss her horrid behavior when she was paying attention. No, the whispers and murmurs would start when they thought that she was not paying attention, when they thought she couldn’t hear.

A flurry of white dress and brown hair then caught Casely’s attention, and she turned to be met with thundering brown eyes. Her sister, Vienna, was practically exploding with anger and hatred, her expression calm as it could be under the circumstance. Vienna hated Casely more than anything in the entire world. And the feeling was mutual.

“Are you serious?” she hissed, voice dark but her face relaxing as she took Casely’s arm, playing the role of the kind big sister. “Are you out of your mind, Casely? This is ridiculous.”

Vienna’s brown hair that matched her sisters was pulled out of her face, her features angelic and beautiful. Though the sisters were similar in looks, with their flawless skin, dark hair and beautiful cheek bones, they could not be any more different. They were at separate ends of the spectrum, as far as Casely was concerned. Brown eyes met blue, in the corner of the house where no one disturbed them.

“I don’t see what’s wrong with it,” Casely said, waving Vienna off and letting her azure eyes scan the party. She knew she would see nothing but politicians and people looking at the art pieces being auctioned off for the event. She cared not. “Mother said elegant. This is quiet elegant. It’s even floor length. Plus, you rather look like a blob of creme cheese in that dress.”

“Do not! And your's is red!” Vienna took a breath, closing her eyes and pinching her nose in frustration. By classification, Vienna was Patience, the absolute opposite of Casely. Casely thought it was more of an oxy moron, seeing as Vienna was the least patient person in the world, especially when it came to her. “Look, you’re right. It’s elegant. But don’t think you’re doing this family any favors by wearing that color. Just don’t speak to anyone, understand?”

“I don’t need to speak to anyone, you talk enough for the both of us.” Before Vienna could respond to the nasty comment, Casely ghosted past her, bumping her shoulder purposely. When her sister was out of ear shot, Casely relaxed slightly, the spark of rage within her dying down just a bit.

For the first hour, Casely walked around the party sneering at people and sipping champagne. By rule, no Sins were allowed in the party. But seeing at it was her family, she was the exception. And people often insisted that if anyone could change their classification, it was Casely. She thought that was complete rubbish, of course, but she went along with it.

Before long, the girl found herself getting bored. And when she got bored, she got very agitated, which was never a good thing, especially in a room full of guests. Sipping on her third glass of champagne, she floated in her red dress to the ballroom, where people were dancing. Her parents were in there, and tried not to look at their abomination of a daughter as they danced. They hated her too. They were just too proud to admit it.

As her blue eyes scanned the room, they landed on her sister, dancing with a boy who looked about their age. Casely’s eyes followed the pair, and as they turned, she was able to fully see his face. He was a handsome boy, beyond handsome. Even in a split second, she could see the kindness radiating from his warm, brown eyes. He was dressed to perfection in a crisp suite, and hair spike delicately.

Casely glanced away for a moment, trying to catch her breath. He was absolutely beautiful in ways that she didn’t understand, and it suddenly made her so angry. Angry that someone so beautiful was on the opposite side of hers. For a moment, she was filled with total rage, unable to understand it.

But when she looked up again, his eyes were on hers. They stared at one another, their eyes unmoving. As the dance came to an end, he broke eye contact, murmuring something to Vienna and instantly breaking away from her, making a beeline towards Casely. Casely felt her heart rate pick up speed as he neared and gave her a smile that could knock her off her feet.

“You’re the other Deveraux sister?” He asked, looking down at her when he was closer. He towered over her, looking down at her. Up close, she saw how beautiful his smile was. She only smirked in return. “I’m Liam Payne.”

He extended his hand to her and she shook it. “Casely Deveraux, but something tells me that you’ve heard of me already.”

Music started again and he gestured with his hand, asking her to dance. Though she typically would have laughed and said no, her curiosity was sparked and she place her hand in his, sparks practically jumping between them as he swept her into a dance. “You look quite beautiful in that dress, you know?”

A rueful laugh escaped her lips. She thought that he was kidding, but what she didn’t know was that Liam was a very honest person, no matter how much he was supposed to dislike Sins. “Beautiful or distracting? It seems many people think the later.”

“Who said distracting can’t be beautiful?” Casely looked up at him, meeting his eyes again. The comment had caught her off guard and he smiled at her delicately, spinning her on the floor. He was extremely good at dancing. “You seem to think you have to be one or the other.”

“That’s typically how it works, you know?” They let go for a moment and twisted around one another like the dance required. Everyone in the room had done the same thing, many bodies moving at once. “Something can’t be hot an cold at the same time.”

“Then why does ice leave burns?”

Casely opened her mouth then closed it. She was stuck, that was for sure. And no one had ever made her stuck before. It irritated her deeply, but she swallowed the annoyance. She also became acutely aware, in that moment, that her parents were watching her. “Touché, Mr. Payne.”

“Call me Liam. You wore the dress on purpose, didn’t you?”

She laughed, a real laugh then. “Of course I did. Do I look like someone who would do things without purpose?”

“No, on the contrary, you look like someone who is very calculating.”

“Insult or compliment?”

“Neither. Fact.”

Looking down at her feet, a rueful smile pulled across her lips again. Though Liam thought even that small smile of unhappiness was beautiful on her face, he thought a real smile would look far better on her. “You must think me horrid.”

It was his turn to laugh, which made her glance up to him, irritation leaping into her blue eyes. She was unable to bury it again, and as the song ended, she world from him. She didn’t take being laughed at lightly. He caught her wrist, though. “You mistake my laugh. I don’t think you horrid, I think you honest.

Casely was very still for a few moments. Other people had started dancing around them again, but they stood in the middle, unmoving. Liam still had a friendly grin stretched on his perfect face, and it confused her. Most Virtues danced with her because they were told to, or because they wanted to make snide comments at her. He danced with her because he felt like it. And he was nice. And he wasn’t judging her.

“Are you high?” she asked suddenly, the question bubbling to her lips before she could stop them. Being a Sin, she was never good at keeping the bluntness out of her questions, and being Wrath, she certainly did not apologize for anything that came out of her mouth. “Or stupid?”

His grin only widened. “I like you. You’re different.”

“High,” she nodded, slowly backing away from him. “Definitely high.”

“I’ll see you in a bit.” And she knew he would. He said it like a promise.