CHAPTER ONE "WHAT A NIGHT"

Emma meets Noah

 

   I walked into the huge ballroom. It was trimmed in gold decorations with flat white walls. Chandeliers hung from the ceilings looking like diamonds sparkling. The floor was a off white marble with gold runners aligning the three doors. There was a pair of beautiful glass doors that led out to a balcony.  A orchestra was playing softly in the back of the room.
  
People were dressed in Victorian attire. Women in ballgowns and men in expensive wool and silk tailcoats. I entered the room taking notice to my own appearance while passing a long mirror.

My brown hair was pulled up in a bun of curls, with two single curls lose to the sides of my face. I had on white lace gloves with a blue ballgown the bowed under the neck. It was made with white lace tracing the collar and the sleeves. Almost like Cinderella. My shoes were not made of glass but high boots with lace trim over the delicate buttons. I wore a necklace with a diamond shape heart. It sparkled like the chandeliers.

My emerald green eyes off set the color of the dress perfectly. I made my way into the ballroom looking around as if I would notice someone, but I knew no one. But that is when he appeared.

A tall handsome gentlemen. Much taller than the rest of the men here, far above six feet tall. His hair was a cooper color pulled back in a low ponytail. A custom hairdo for these times. He had on a red vest with a black striped topcoat with a black tie to match. His pants were also the same black has the shirt.

His eyes, they were his best feature by far. Though he was exquisitely  handsome, his eyes burned into me. They were a piercing blue, like island oceans. He had a strong chin and jawline. He oozed of confidence.

Without realizing how long I had been staring at this dashing young man, he was standing in front of me, paralyzing me with his smile. It was flawless, just like his face. Breathtaking. He extended his hand as if for me to place mine into his. I gingerly placed my small hand into the palm of his and he kissed it softly.

“May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?” He spoke with the most beautiful British  accent.

I smiled brightly at him and gave my reply.”I am Emma. Emma Clark.”

His glorious smile grew as he drew me in with those eyes. “May I have this dance?” His British accent softening.

I graciously agreed. We danced for what seemed like forever. He was a wonderful dancer. When the song changed he pulled me away from the dance floor and to the door where the balcony was.

It was mid spring, so the air had a bit of a warmth to it.. I was facing outward toward the view of the city. He came behind me and wrapped his strong arms around me. I could feel the bulges of his muscular body against my back.

I drew in a deep breath from the closeness of his body. This only made him hold me tighter. He grabbed both my wrists and swung me around to face him.

His eyes so hypnotic and his smell was like heaven, sweet and pure. He took his hands and wrapped them around the sides of my face. So gentle and firm. I took in a deep slow breath, knowing what was about to happen. His face grew in closer to mine. I closed my eyes in order to take the moment in when.......BEEP!BEEP!BEEP!

The alarm went off. Damn it. It was 7am already. I could hear Mom from down the hall yelling to me to get up. I threw the pillow over my face and groaned into it. I have had that dream so many times and the two things that never happen. He never tells me his name and we never kiss!! I wanted that kiss, yet never happens.

I toss the pillow to the side and get up off the small bed. I go to my dresser and look at myself in the mirror at my messy bedhead. I just frowned and got my clothes so I could take a shower before school.
The water was hot and soothing as I just sat there for a while.

Deforest Wisconsin is where I resided my whole life. It's a small town with a population of 5,000 people. Basically everyone knows who you are. It was surrounded by a lot of mountains and forests. The name came from a Belgium guy who settled here made some money went broke and left.

I live here with my Mom Susan. She is a nurse in the state capital of Madison. It was about a 30 minute drive from Deforest. My parents are divorced. My dad Harry lives in Sun Prairie, which was 20 minutes from me and mom. They had a weird relationship. Been divorced almost 10 years, yet still seem to be in love. Neither of them remarried or date.

It was mid February so the weather was cold. It had snowed over the weekend. I was hoping they would close school but to my utter delight, sarcasm extremely intended, it was open and on time.
I dragged myself down the steps. Mom was in the kitchen humming to herself while frying some eggs.
I took a seat at the table and cleared my throat.

“Good morning sweetheart, you want some eggs?” She smiled sweetly at me.

“Sure mom, scrambled is my favorite.” I looked at her shaking my head.

I finished up my eggs and put on my brown wool army jacket. I grabbed my backpack and my car keys from the hook by the front door. I made my way down the snow covered stone steps to my beat up Honda Accord.

School was only a short drive, maybe five minutes . I pulled into my usual parking space and looked for Shawna and Drew. I saw them standing by the front doors of the school.

Shawna and Drew have been my friends since kindergarten. We were pretty much the outcasts of the school. Though the kids were never mean, you just knew your weren't part of the crowd.

Shawna was the opposite of me. She was tall, around five foot seven inches and curvy. She was blond with baby blue eyes. I always noticed boys watching her, she definitely always got attention from her looks. She was outspoken and adventurous.

I was around five foot four inches with  medium length dark brown hair and green eyes. My body was slender.

Drew was our guy buddy. He would always give us the male perspective. He was average height for a 17 year old boy. He stood five foot ten inches. He had a athletic build. His eyes were a dark brown and he has jet black short hair. He had a dark complexion. He was cute, but I never noticed him in a crush kind of way. He was smart and sweet. Always polite. He had such a  deep voice.

Has I approached them I noticed a lot of whispering and commotion going on. When I got to the steps Shawna nearly jumped on top of me from her excitement. “What's going on with everyone? Especially you?” I looked at her questionable.

“There is a new student, well actually four new students! And when I say gorgeous, I mean like should be in a runaway good looking!” She  was delirious. I just looked at her dumbfounded. I looked in Drew's direction and noticed his annoyed glare at Shawna.

“She is like a kid in a toy store, she doesn't know which barbie she wants.” He glared at me rolling his eyes half smiling. “Please save me!”

I just laughed at Drew. Then I looked back at Shawna who was still beaming. “let's go to class please?” I begged as the warning bell rung. She pouted her lips and we entered the front doors.

I got my books out of my locker and headed to first period, Psychology. Mr. Anderson was the teacher. He was a middle age man with reddish hair that was balding in the middle. He had a thick mustache.

The desks were  individual and I sat in the back row closest to the window on the left side. The desk beside me on the right was vacant and in front of me sat Wendy Lewis. I sat down in my seat with my head down when suddenly all you could hear were whispering throughout the room. I lifted my head up to see what the commotion was and that's when he appeared.

I gasped when I saw him standing there. The expression was always, he looked like he stepped right out of a dream. But literally, he stepped right out of my dream into my reality. Mr. Anderson cleared his throat in an attempt to quiet the noise. “Um class we have a new student. This is Noah Valiente. He is joining up from New York City. Make him feel welcome. Noah have a seat in the back by Ms.Clark.”

I felt my breath catch in my throat. He was not only the guy from my dreams, but now my dream guy was going to sit next to me. This was too much for me to bare. I heard Wendy trying to get my attention and I came back to reality. “Psst, change seats with me. I want to sit next to Noah.” She smiled smugly at me.

Wendy was popular, head cheerleader. Beautiful and smart to boot. Long curly red hair with light brown eyes. She had a natural tan,unlike me. I was pale. My mom liked to say I was made of porcelain.

I heard Wendy tapping her foot looking down at me, obviously wanting me to get up so she could sit in my sit, Mr. Anderson came swooshing in like a savior. “Ms. Lewis, can you please get back in your chair.”

Wendy looked at me impatiently now. “Emma here was just going to switch seats with me sir.” She looked smug in my direction.

“Ms. Lewis, please take the seat you were assigned, no switching.” He was becoming agitated now.

Wendy gave me a evil glare and got back into her own seat. Noah had made his way into the back of the class and took his seat next to me. All the girls were staring at him giggling. I just stared straight ahead, not trying to look into his direction, but I couldn't help but watch him has he sat down. I caught his eyes, which in my dream were a piercing blue, now they were a brilliant amethyst. He was the exact boy from the dream, now he had a name, Noah.