seventeen
"affb"

—

(evelynn's mask and dress)

(buck's mask)

—

"I FEEL LIKE I'M A tad overdressed."

Lynn sucked in a deep breath as she entered the ballroom, a black mask she held in one hand covered part of her face but her ocean blue eyes still shined through. She was wearing a basic bright red dress that went down to her feet, covering her black flats, and it went off the shoulders. Her usual straight brunette hair was slightly wavy, and off to the side a bit on one shoulder.

The dress was utterly beautiful, and Lynn felt like an absolute princess in the gown, but she wasn't sure how she felt knowing people she knew would see her so dressed up.

"Girl, if you don't just admit you're the most gorgeous woman here I will actually murder you," Lizzy remarked, slightly stuffing her shoulder into Lynn's body.

Lizzy was wearing a black straight down gown that hugged her body's curves almost perfectly, and Lynn was still jealous of how the woman had grown so nicely into her body. She also had a black masquerade mask, however hers was attached with string wrapped around her hair.

"That would be you, Liz," Lynn replied, her eyes studying the beautiful ballroom they were standing in.

The huge ballroom was covered from top to bottom in breathtaking lights, and it already seemed filled to the brim worth many other men and women who were in stunning dresses or handsome suits. There were several waiters passing by, and as one skipped past the two sisters Lizzy locker her fingers on two glasses of champagne.

"Looking for a certain someone?"

Lynn glanced to her sister beside her, who was taking a sip of her champagne with a raised eyebrow at the girl. Even through the glass of alcohol, she could see Lizzy's smirk.

"Looking for anyone I know," Lynn corrected, taking a few steps forward, and Lizzy was quick on her feet right behind her. "What is with you and shoving Evan and I together?"

"Look, Evelynn, you two may be completely blind to whatever it is going on between you, but the rest of us aren't," Lizzy responded, her voice full of obvious sarcasm.

"What does that even mean?" Lynn questioned, flashing her sister a confused and a slightly annoyed look. "There is absolutely nothing going on between Evan and I."

"There is it!" Lizzy exclaimed, and Lynn glared her daggers for being so damn loud, attracting the few people standing near them. "The Evan part. You do realize Joe said that not a single person on this planet calls him Evan? And then not a single person on this planet calls you Eve, or Evie?"

"So what, it's a crime to give someone a nickname?" Lynn countered, and she would've crossed her arms over her chest but then she would've dropped her mask down. Even if she didn't want to admit it, some sort of her did enjoy the no identity part of this ball.

"No, but it is called flirting."

As the two sisters continued arguing about whether or not there was a spark between Buck and Lynn, the rest of 118 had entered the ballroom. Hen and Karen had already made their way to sit at a table, where Bobby was patiently talking to another fire chief. Lastly left Chimney and Buck, who had just stepped into the huge room.

Buck was wearing a classic suit, a white undershirt that was see-through to where you could identify his six-pack. There over his shirt, was a black satin coat with matching pants. His black mask was wrapped tightly around his face, but his piercing blue eyes could be stared at by anyone.

Just like everyone else, they scanned the place carefully to see if they could recognize someone, more like anymore. Chimney looked utterly confused, itching away at the plastic mask he had. And Buck looked equally as confused, until his eyes landed on a familiar brunette.

His plump, pink lips spread into the smallest of gasps as he eyes racked the woman's body, knowing she could stand out in the biggest of crowds, even with a mask covering her face. The red dress she was wearing hooked into every curve, making them even more noticeable than what they usually on in her uniform. Buck's expression turned into a smile when he saw her let out a laugh with Lizzy, flaunting off her perfectly white teeth.

He couldn't help it, no matter how much he wanted to push the feelings about his beautiful coworker aside, it just wouldn't work. He'd almost never felt this way about someone, because all his early twenty's was about one night stands and bar trips. He hardly could've considered any of them his girlfriend, and Abby was the closest to be one.

"Whoa, you see a hot babe?" Chimney asked, his eyes switching from Buck's heart eyes down to the drool that was practically dripping down his lips. After he followed his eyesight, Chimney let out the biggest of scoffs and then turned back to Buck. "You're kidding! You have a crush on Lynn?"

"What? No!" Buck protested, finally being able to tear his eyes away from the beauty. "She's gorgeous, c'mon man, I was just looking at her."

"You were staring at her like you were planning your guys wedding day," Chimney teasingly stated, making Buck roll his eyes before shifting back towards Lynn.

"Shut up," Buck complained, heaving his head backwards while giving out a loud, annoyed sigh.

"Buckaroo's gotta crush. Buckaroo's got a crush," Chimney said in a singsong voice, and teasing Buck was only making his laughter grow further.

"I will seriously—"

"—Do I hear Buck's got a crush?"

Both Chimney and Buck gazed up immediately at hearing a woman cut Buck off, and they saw Hen and Karen approaching the two only a few feet away.

"I do not have a crush!" Buck protested again, only this time he flew his arms up into the air with annoying.

"He's got a crush on Lynn," Chimney corrected, using his palm to cover his lips so his voice would heard towards Hen and Karen, but Buck could still hear perfectly fine.

"Aw!" Karen exclaimed happily, letting out an awfully long trailed "awwww" while clasping her hands over her mouth. Buck rolled his eyes, knowing they were only simply teasing him but his cheeks were still flaming red. "You guys would be so cute."

"Okay, I'm ending this conversation."

"Who knew that Evan Buckley could have a crush? I thought he was all about the endless amount of fish in the sea," Hen teased, sending a wink in the blushing boys direction while the rest of the 118 crowd laughed.

"Alright, that's it, I'm planning every single one of your deaths," Buck growled, half jokingly while the other half narrowed his blue eyes questionably at his friends.

"I evaded death once, I can do it again!" Chimney hollered, making the crowd erupt in another round of laughs.

"Maybe Bobby shouldn't have forced us all to come, they might kick us out because of a noise complaint."

Everyone glanced over to where they heard Lynn speak up, and they spotted Lizzy right beside her. They almost gawked at how gorgeous the girl was, and now they understood why Buck was staring so heavily at her.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Lynn questioned with a chuckle, lowering down the black mask that covered her forehead and eyes.

"No, Lynn, it's the fact you're flaunting your pretty ass in front all of us!" Hen exclaimed, pulling the small woman into a tight hug while they let out laughs.

"That was the plan, baby," Lynn teased, bumping her hip into Hen's after they finished hugged. "Hello, boys."

"You look great, Lynn," Chimney stated, flashing a quick, polite smile towards the red dress, which she immediately returned.

"Yeah, uh, you look," Buck stuttered, and everyone around the boy all gave him obviously playful looks. "You look amazing, Evie."

And then, Buck and Lynn's cheeks started to hum in redness as the rest of the 118 crew looked at the awkward kids just staring into each other's eyes.

"Well, anyway," Lizzy spoke up after clearing her throat loudly, making Buck and Lynn split up their eye contact. "Since Lynn isn't going to introduce me...I'm her big sister. Elizabeth, but you guys can just call me Liz or Lizzy."

Everyone did their turns to introduce each other and if they had a date, them as well. Shaking hands politely or even pulling Lynn's older sister into a hug, and a weight seemed to be lifted off Lynn's chest knowing that her friends seemed to like her sister.

"Alright, I'm pulling Karen out for a dance, I'll talk to you guys later," Hen grinned, waving goodbye to each of her friends while wrapping her fingers around Karen's hands, dragging the woman who didn't look excited to be dancing.

Lizzy glanced over to Lynn, sending her a familiar smirk and a raised eyebrow, directly at Buck. And once again, Lynn rolled her ocean blue eyes, and decided to just sway her hips past her group of friends and grab another glass of champagne from a waiter.

The boys all seemed to watch Lynn's every move, Buck because the woman was agonizingly beautiful and couldn't quite tear his eyes away from her. And then Chimney was switching between Buck and Lynn, confused where all the tension came from.

Lynn spun on her heels while taking a sip of the champagne, and almost choked when she recognized how everyone was staring at her.

"Lizzy, will you come with me to pick out a table?" Lynn politely, yet almost fake, smiled, and then she hooked her arm with her older sister and started backing away. "I'll talk to you boys later."

"I'll be asking for a dance later on," Chimney explained, and then shoved his elbow slightly into Buck's stomach, making him groan softly. "And I'm sure Buck will too."

Lynn smiled towards the two, a warmer one towards Buck as her eyes scanned his outfit again. She would've stared a bit longer, to take in every bit of his muscles, but knew that she would only be further teased.

"I'll be looking forward to it."