Before I start, I just want to let people know to go check out my story "What Have You Done To Me, Blaise Zabini?" It recently reached 1K reads and I would love it if you guys could give me some more feedback!
p.s. that's the shawl Eva wore to the ball.
-Dominique M.
Eva commanded the ballroom as she twirled with both boys and girls. She didn't notice the green eyes slightly darkening every time another man touched her waist, shoulders, hands.
* * * * *
"...You'll have a terrible headache tomorrow," Eva overheard Laurie tell Meg. She cocked her head a bit and untangled herself from the young barron, swiftly walking to where Laurie and Meg were talking.
"Then it's a good thing that it is still tonight," Meg responded with a slight attitude.
Eva resisted the urge to slightly laugh at the eldest March sister.
Then Meg looked at Laurie curiously. "Do you like the way I look?"
Eva almost scoffed at Meg. Of course she looked good. Who would say otherwise?
"No, I don't."
Eva's eyes almost popped out. Did...did Laurie just say that she didn't look good?
Meg looked upset as one should when a respected man tells a respected girl that he doesn't like how she looks. "Well why not?"
Laurie looked at Meg and softened a bit before responding. "I don't like fuss and feathers."
Eva reeled back in shock. Wasn't he the one who had just told her that she looked "perfect"?
Eva saw Meg tear up but still stand tall. "Yet you still love Eva," she whispered before leaving in a flurry of fabric.
Eva was shocked at how un-elegantly Meg had handed Laurie her glass and went off to dance with another boy. "We don't like fuss and feathers now, do we?" Eva said in an accusatory tone as she stepped out of the corner she was listening the conversation from.
Laurie's head immediately turned to her delicate voice. "I never have, Eva. You know that," he responded in almost a whisper.
Eva scoffed. "You are the rudest boy I've ever met," she muttered before turning a full 180 degrees and swiftly walking to the window seat behind the curtains to look at the night sky full of stars.
* * * * * * *
Eva put down her 6th glass of champagne, leaning on the cool glass of the window. She would be lying if she said she wasn't slightly intoxicated from the alcohol she had drunk.
"Please forgive me and come dance." Laurie sat down next to her and took her glass from her hand.
Eva turned to face the older boy. "I believe I'll be too disagreeable for you, Mr Laurence," she responded, a hint of bitterness in her tone.
Laurie pulled her up, taking out the ribbon from his pocket and tied up her hair. "Awh Eva. Don't be like that. You look splendid!" he stated, twirling her.
Eva pouted slightly. "Maybe I would want to dance with the son of the Duke of York," she jested but still placing her hand on his arm.
Laurie rolled his eyes as he danced with her, fully knowing that Eva didn't know that the two of them were attracting stares from both girls and boys. "Bah. Who cares of the son of a Duke? I believe being a duchess holds much greater power," he told her, dipping her slightly to the beat.
Eva snaked her arms around his neck and twirled. "That is your opinion, Theodore. In reality, a son of a duke holds much more power than a mere duchess," she responded, laying her head on his chest as they swayed to the music.
Laurie chuckled. "Well, I believe my opinion matters to you, for you are-hopefully-not mad at me."
Eva smiled. "I could never stay mad at you, Theodore," she muttered before twirling out of his arms and striding to Meg.
And for some reason, Laurie caught himself staring at how her golden curls bounced every time she took a step, how her dress slightly flared when she danced, how her dimples went in the slightest bit when she smiled, and how her grey eyes looked so pretty in the light.
But he pushed it aside.