During the first few minutes of the ball, Robin spent just taking in everything. She’d never been in a place so huge and elegant. The walls were white with light blue columns and trim. Long windows reached up and a huge chandelier hung from the ceiling. There were huge gold framed paintings that hung on the walls. There was a space in the center of the room for dancing, lined by the columns to separate it from the rest of the room. People were eating, dancing, talking, and many were still arriving. Robin was completely overwhelmed. She walked over to a table filled with all sorts of food and grabbed a chocolate cupcake. Then, of course, she looked around to find a corner to wait out the ball. Finding one she liked, she walked over and began to eat her cupcake as she watched the dancing. Robin enjoyed watching people, so she figured maybe this night wouldn’t be so bad. As she watched she noticed, a little self consciously, that many other women had much wider and more layered dresses. Their waists were so tiny from wearing corsets all their lives, and they had their hair up in intricate braids and buns. She was glad she was in a corner. No one would notice her lack of style here. The first few hours of the ball were alright. She watched the party from her corner and ate an occasional cupcake or cookie (they were so good, how could she stop at one?). Every once in a while someone would take pity on her and try to talk to her. The problem was, she didn’t want to talk to them. She hated it when people assumed that because she was alone, she was lonely and sad. It just made things awkward. They went away eventually and she was relieved, but felt a little guilty, because her mother had wanted her to make friends here. She sighed and leaned against the column next to her. Deciding that the next person who came over she would talk to, she looked around, trying to figure out who might try next. Her gaze landed on a tall man on the other corner. He was leaning up against the wall as the person he had been talking to walked away. He had black hair, probably shoulder length, in a low ponytail and wore a traditional black vest and white, collared, long sleeve shirt. It wasn’t informal, but he definitely wasn’t as dressed up as everyone else here. He turned and looked straight at Robin. She realized she’d been staring and blushed, turning away. However, she glanced back over at him a few moments later, only for them to awkwardly lock eyes again. He laughed, or she thought he did. She couldn’t hear him from this side of the room. Robin panicked when he started to cross the floor. For an agonizingly long few seconds as he walked over, she tried to look nonchalant. When he was close enough, she decided it was safe to look at him. He smiled. “Hello. My name is Cade Stoll.” “Um. Hi. I’m Robin Adler.” She hoped he couldn’t see how hard she was blushing. “Sorry about… the staring.” Oh no. Should I have said that? “Oh, It’s fine. I get that a lot actually.” He grinned. She was a little startled by his response and didn’t know if he was joking. He was very good looking with his black hair, brown eyes, and angular features. Robin gave a tentative smile. He laughed quietly. “Anyway, how come a pretty girl like you has no one to talk to?” “Well I don’t really have any friends yet.” Wait- did he just call me pretty?? “Well, we need to fix that don’t we? I’m Cade, as you know, I’m twenty and I live in the outskirts of the city.” He gave another wide smile. Robin laughed. “Well, I’m nineteen and I live a few miles outside the city.” “Really! It must be nice and quiet all the time. I could use that sometimes.” “Have you never been out of the city?” Robin was slightly surprised. Cade hesitated. “...Oh I have, several times. For business purposes though. It’s very beautiful isn’t it?” “Yes, very beautiful. I will be moving soon though, to the city.” “Really! Well I hope you like it here! It’s not as pretty, but there are more people and if you’re ever bored there’s lots to do.” “Yeah, that’s a good thing I guess.” She laughed. “I don’t always enjoy other people though.” Cade smiled. “I noticed! I suppose that’s why you’re hiding in the shadows over here?” “Well I don’t know anyone yet!” “Why not talk to the people who have been trying to talk to you? I’ve seen a few people awkwardly wander away after trying to have a conversation with you!” Robin laughed. “I didn’t want to talk to them!” “And what about me?” Cade grinned. Robin blushed for about the hundredth time. “Um, I don’t know…” There was a short silence before Cade said, “I’m going to get some lemonade. Do you want some?” Robin suddenly realized the food had made her quite thirsty. “Yeah.” “I’ll go get you some too then.” other chapters:
