Chapter 3

I lost Clem again. She told me to follow and just ran into the crowd. I started to keep my head down. I notice people glancing at me. I walk around to try to find at least a spacious area to stand in. It makes me feel better. There isn't a bunch of people to make me feel judged.

I climb back up the white marble stairs. People talking was getting to my head again. I lean against the marble railing. People in reds, blues, and purples were all around me. On the dance floor. Talking by the food table. Anywhere.

People in reds, blues, and purples were talking to anyone. Strangers. Friends. Family. Lovers. Everyone except for me.

I sigh. Someone hands shoots up from the crowd. I follow the arm down to a smiling Clem's face. I shoot her two gloved fingers, telling her that I saw.

She continues dancing with everyone else. I stay where I was. I sat down on the blood red bench. Sitting here for two hours. Great.

More people started sitting next to me. I twirled my fingers that were hidden under my sleeves. I scoot over when people sit next to me. I was practically hanging off the bench by the first hour.

Nobody sat by me after a while. I reposition myself back on the bench. My heart rate starts to go down. There was barely any chattering. The orchestra was playing a beautiful song. They swayed with the music as they played.

Another person sat next me. I scoot over a little but still watched the orchestra and all the people dancing from in between the railing bars.

The person coughs. I don't acknowledge. "It's a lovely song they're playing." A deep voice tells me, sending chills down my spine.

I turn away from the railing. I glance at the person next to me. He was happily smiling as he also watched the orchestra. I glance away when his head looks down at me. My face starts to feel warm. My stomach was in knots. My heart was stuck my throat.

He's going to think you're weird now. The voice hisses. If it had a face, it would probably be sneering at me. Say goodbye to him.

"Don't you think that this is a lovely song?" He asks me.

I shift my legs out of embarrassment and being uncomfortable. "Yes." I force out my answer. My ears start to burn. I turn away from him. I look back at the swaying orchestra. "It is beautiful."

He doesn't say anything for a while. My ears were still burning and my face was probably a burnt shade of red. "Why are you sitting here all by your lonesome?" He asks another question.

Should I face him? I ask myself.

Why not? Maybe you'll leave an imprint on his mind. The voice answer.

I have to try, right? I turn to look at him. "I'm not a big party person." I reply. My heart rate starts to spike again. "I'm also a horrible dancer."

He laughs. My face starts getting red again. I look at my reflection again. I was still crying those tears that no one notices. Bad choice. "Don't worry! I am too." He agrees. He holds out his hand. "Let's be horrible dancers together."

I shake my head. "N-No. I-I'm fine."

"Please?" He begs. "One song and we'll go our separate ways. Promise."

His fingers curl up then flatten out. They beckon me. I lift my hand out of its hiding place. My gloved hand slips into his pale hand. He lightly pulls me to my feet. He pulls me closer to him. My body presses against his toned body. I know that I was hardcore blushing.

We starts to sloppily dance. We were out of rhythm and I kept stepping on his feet. But he always laughed it off and smiles. I could smile too. We were horrible dancers. It was fun, though. We both sit back down. We laugh at our horrible dancing. I start to fix my mask since it was coming loose.

Someone grabs my forearm. I was pulled to my feet. In the rush, my mask falls out from between my fingers. A flash of maroon covers my eyes.

"Sorry but Levi wants to go and we've been calling you." Clem's voice finds my ears. "How did you think of the masquerade?" She asks when we get in the car.

I look at the doors of the hall. "Really fun."