I tried to keep my steps light and airy, as if I was walking on a cloud or a frozen lake in the spring. I kept my head held high, as I walked towards the ballroom. Most of guests had arrived; a few were milling about in the halls or having a celebratory drink in Grandfathers office.
I could hear the music from the ballroom pounding through the floorboards. It was waltz music, Grandfathers favourite of course. The ballroom itself was a pristine white colour with billowy white curtains on every window. A grand crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling lit with over a hundred candles that gave the room a soft yellow glow.
Men in their suits and ties and woman in their finest evening wear were dancing in the middle of the room. They looked like swans swimming on a lake in summer. Anybody who wasn't dancing was near the sides of the room, by the punchbowl sipping a cool beverage out of crystal glasses, or by the window grabbing some cool winter air.
I saw Aunt Lucille dancing with an older gentleman. My other two aunts were huddled in a corner gossiping with some women. Daniel was talking to a group of men a few years his senior. My brother said something that made all the men laugh. One of them Patted Daniel on the back while wiping a tear from his eye.
As I entered I saw several people turn to look at me. Their eyes widened with every step I took. Be confident, I thought, hold your head high. A couple of boys whispers something to one another and a group of girls eyes narrowed at me. I gripped the pendant once more, for good luck.
Eventually, a young boy, maybe a year or two older than me, approached me. He was a head taller than me, slightly on the gangly side. But he had a boyish charm to him with his ruffled red hair and dimples on his cheek. He gave me a bow and in return, I gave a curtsy.
The music was slowing down meaning the next waltz was about to begin "would you like to dance... with me, perhaps" The boys said, flashing me a smile.
"I would love to"
He held out his arm for me, which I took as he led us to the dance floor. I put the left arm on his shoulder, while his right hand came to rest between my shoulder blades. His left arm rose to grab my right hand and holding it up. The music began as we began to dance. I personally only knew the basic box step for the waltz, but my partner was far more adept as we glided across the floor. Occasionally he spun me around allowing me to laugh, and when I laughed he laughed. The other people faded away as I allowed myself to get lost in the music. Every now and again I would look into my partner's eyes, those dark dark eyes. For some reason, they would flash gray for a second, and then fade back to black.
The dance ended, my partner bowed to me grabbing my hand and giving it a kiss. Another boy a bit shorter than the first with brown hair asked me for a dance as well. I agreed and soon I was dancing once again. a few more boys after that asked me to dance, and I was flattered by the attention I was receiving. I don't recall there ever being a time when I had gotten this much attention.
Eventually, my feet got sore and my throat felt parched so I excused myself from the blonde haired boy who I had been dancing with and went to grab some punch. the punch was cool and refreshing with a slight tang to it.
"I don't understand why all the boys are flocking to her," A voice from behind me said. "wearing a dress and doing her hair doesn't make her any less of a freak"
I grabbed some more punch so I would be able to listen to this conversation.
"I know," another girl said "I saw her talking to that statue they own. She was acting like it was her boyfriend."
"Probably the closest thing she has ever had to one" Both girls began to laugh as my cheeks glowed red.
I slammed my crystal glass down on the table. Red juice sprang up and stained the white tablecloth. I turned around walking over to the girls. "did anyone ever tell you that it was rude to talk about someone behind their back" I said
The girls laughed at my anger before one of them spoke up "just because you're wearing a nice dress, and some makeup doesn't mean you're like one of us. You're a freak who has nothing better to do than read and flirt with a statue."
"and you're a girl who has nothing better to do than put others down," I said, "I wonder why? Compensating for something"
She pushed me, not hard enough to push me down, but hard enough that I staggered back near the punch bowl. I saw my glass still half full and before I knew it the drink was in her face dripping down her clothes.
We both stared at each other and then she screamed. Men and woman flocked to the scene to see what was the matter, to see how the youngest McGiver was once again a disgrace to her family's name.
Daniel was the first one over, grabbing my shoulders "what did you do rose"
"what did I do," I said my voice rising an octave "what did I do. Where were you when she was saying how I was a freak, and insulting me"
Then maybe stop acting like one all the time" HE said. I looked at him as his face quickly turned to one of regret "Rose I didn't mean"
I Pushed him away sending him to the ground before gathering my train and storming out of the room. Aunt Lucille tried to grab my attention but I was not in the mood. Instead, I ran out Past grandfather and into the library slamming the heavy door shut and locking it. I ran my hand through my hair until the French twist came out. I passed the floors kicking my shoes off in the process.
I couldn't face anyone right now. I wasn't ashamed by what I had done but by the aftermath of it all. Soon people would begin gossiping "Oh that's why they shipped her to boarding school" some would say, "oh there is no future for that one".
Eventually, I couldn't do it anymore. I sat on one of the couches and just began to sob.
~
The party was still going on downstairs but most people had left leaving only the core group of my family's friends. Once it had started to quiet down, I had made a run for it upstairs to my room. Once in my bedroom, I had thrown myself on my bed only to cry some more. After that, I had gotten up and changed from the gown into a white cotton nightdress then sat down at my vanity. I removed my makeup and brushed the knots out of my hair. I removed the pearl bracelet I had been wearing and went to remove the locket, but couldn't. on my vanity next to a small plush doll was a picture. It was the last one to have been taken with my parents.
My father was in his soilder uniform beaming ear to ear. My mother sat on a chair in front of him holding me on her lap. She looked beautiful her eyes big and round, her hair soft and lush. A younger Daniel stood next to her, his hair combed back handsomely. Father left for the war that same week the Picture was Taken.
My fingers caressed the picture of my parents "Some daughter I turned out to be. I must make you two SO proud"
I put the picture down. And stood up, grabbing my robe slipping it over my nightdress. I then opened the window and carefully climbed onto the roof.
The night sky was pitch black except the silver twinkling of stars, that reminded me of stories about fairies who danced in the sky. The cold air blew right through my clothes numbing my skin. It was glorious. Every now and again I would hear a car start a couple talk and the sound of tires crunching in the snow.
I heard the door to my room creak open and the sound of slippers on carpet got closer. Daniel peeked his head out of the window and saw me. He too used his strength to climb onto the roof sitting next to me. He was in a set of Pyjamas, dark blue and silky by the looks of it.
"Should have known you would be up here?" He said "whenever we came here during the summer and someone got you mad, you would climb up here. Mother used to beg father to get you down. He always claimed that you would crawl down the first time you got hungry"
I refused to laugh at the childhood memory. "That was a lifetime ago wasn't it," he said "Look, Rose, I came here to Apologize"
"You're not sorry for what you did," I said, looking at him "You are only sorry that you actually said it out loud"
Daniel sighed, looking out into the frozen night "I mean it wouldn't kill you to get your nose out of those books and try to meet some people. maybe even try to get along with some of the girls in our circle"
"That isn't me though Daniel," I said, throwing my arms out in an enraged gesture "I like to read, I like to dream. Out of everyone in this house you should be the one standing up for me. Instead you sit back if that means people will like you more"
There was a pause in the conversation "your right, I do. But deep down Rose I only want what's best for you"
"You don't even know me anymore."
"We used to be so close, what happened to that"
"We both began to notice how people talked about us. You changed to make them like you, I didn't"
"Mother was the exact same way," He said, "didn't change for anybody. father too"
I didn't respond, "Maybe we could try being closer" Daniel suggested, "after all, you're the only sister I have."
I relented and gave him a soft smile, reaching over and grabbing his hand "I would like that"
Daniel smiled back holding my hand before shivering. We both decided to go back inside and get some rest. Daniel went in first with a promise to help me in. then I made my descent, but not before noticing a moth, sitting only a Meager foot away. The moth looked at me before flying off. I heard Daniel call my name, and sure enough, I felt him grab my feet, helping me slide into my room.
I told him about the moth which he dismissed as my imagination, before giving me a quick kiss on the forehead and saying his goodnights. I went to the window and looked around once more before shutting the glass and latching it
I could still hear the waltz being played, but now it was a bit off key.