blue and green

I stared at myself in the mirror, frowning. "This is not a good color."

Behind me, Lilac rummaged through my closet, her energy as boundless as ever. "You know this isn’t a date, right?" I said, my tone a mix of exasperation and amusement.

Lilac’s head popped out, a mischievous grin on her face. "You have to make a good impression! The world’s leaders and top investors will be there."

I rolled my eyes, leaning back against the dresser. "And why would they notice an engineer like me?"

“An engineer who keeps rejecting her promotion,” Lilac shot back without missing a beat. She disappeared back into the depths of my wardrobe. Meanwhile, Halo shimmered into view beside me, her holographic form casting a soft glow. "One hour until the limousine arrives, ladies."

I gave her a thumbs-up just as Lilac squealed triumphantly. She emerged clutching a black garment bag emblazoned with the sleek logo of Solvaen. "Found it!"

Raising an eyebrow, I eyed the bag suspiciously. "Found what? I don’t remember ever buying anything from Solvaen."

“A perfect dress! I didn’t even know you shopped there. Their only store is in Galewarden. Do you have friends there?"

I hesitated, my mind drawing a blank. “I don’t.”

Lilac unzipped the bag and laid the dress across the bed. It was stunning: a deep blue halter gown layered with green tulle in the skirt. “Perfect for an environmental engineer,” she declared, already rummaging through my jewelry.

The dress was beautiful, sure, but… where had it come from? Just as I was puzzling over it, my smartband buzzed. I glanced at the screen to see a call from my sister. Smiling, I picked up. "Hey, Saya!"

My sister’s familiar face appeared, framed by the clutter of her art-filled room. She waved. "Hey."

“What’ve you been up to?” I asked as Lilac tested necklaces against my skin.

Saya shrugged. “Finished a painting today. I’ll show you next time you visit.” Her eyes drifted to Lilac. "Are you going somewhere?"

Lilac smiled at her through the screen. "We’re going to an event!"

Saya tilted her head. "Is it the summit thing? The nurses were talking about it."

“Yep.” I nodded. “Lilac’s tagging along since she’s moving to Galewarden next week.”

“Oh.” Saya’s expression dimmed. I rushed to fill the silence. “Oh! Do you want me to bring those paints you wanted? I saved up.”

“No, it’s fine,” she said, her gaze drifting somewhere distant. Before I could press, she blinked and refocused. "Have fun," she added, then ended the call abruptly.

I stared at the blank screen, my chest tight, until Lilac’s voice cut through my thoughts. "Your outfit’s ready!" She pointed to the bed, clearly proud of her selections.

Galewarden…

I gulped. A dress from a luxury brand in Galewarden—where I had no connections? “Lilac, maybe I should wear something else.”

She frowned. “Why? It’s perfect.”

“But—”

“You’re wearing it, end of story.” She grabbed her own bag and headed to the bathroom to change.

Halo shimmered closer, her eyes glinting with calculated curiosity. "Solvaen… Galewarden. Could this dress be from Mr. Libero?"

I flinched. "Maybe. What are the chances he’ll be at the summit?"

Her eyes flashed as she calculated. "97.86%."

“At least it’s not a hundred,” I muttered, grabbing the dress and disappearing into my closet.

Lilac worked on my makeup as I gazed out at the full moon from my balcony. “It’s beautiful tonight,” I murmured, framing it with my hands.

“Maybe it’s a sign we’ll finally find boyfriends,” she teased, brushing a final layer of blush onto my cheeks. "Done!"

I turned to the mirror and gaped. "Lilac, this is incredible. You made me shapeshift!"

She beamed, clearly pleased with herself.

Before long, the limousine arrived. We climbed in, nerves bubbling under the surface. "Do I look okay?" Lilac asked, smoothing her light purple dress to match her name.

I adjusted a stray strand of her hair and gave her a reassuring smile. "You look perfect."

The car pulled up to the venue in Emerald Vail. I stepped out, taking in the grandeur of the place. "They built this for the occasion?"

Lilac nodded, climbing out from the other side. "Specially for the summit," she confirmed as we thanked the chauffeur and ascended the stairs.

The sidewalks were lined with reporters, cameras flashing in a relentless barrage of light.

“Cami! Look here!” one shouted, directing my attention to a young woman in a dazzling ball gown and hair piled with so many ornaments it looked like a mini Christmas tree.

“That’s Cami Morrow, the famous singer,” Lilac whispered, nudging me.

“I knew that,” I lied.

“Sure,” she said, smirking.

Inside, the venue was packed with glittering celebrities and influential figures. "I didn’t realize the guest list would be this… elite," I muttered as we passed a group of A-list actors.

“It’s a publicity event,” Lilac said. “Being invited means you’re part of the top tier.”

“Oh.” I stared down at the tiny seating chart and schedule handed to us at the front desk.

“Let’s grab food,” Lilac suggested, dragging me to the long banquet tables laden with delicacies.

I filled my plate with familiar comfort foods and found a seat. Moments later, Lilac messaged me: Found a friend from another biosphere. I’ll sit with her. You’ll be fine, right?

Yes, I replied, turning off my Smartband.

The lights dimmed, and a voice echoed through the room. “Esteemed guests, welcome to the 2346 Eden Summit.”