No Time To Lose

Ch. 1: Ballerina In the Box

I wasn't horribly sociable on the drive to the auction, and understandably so. Not only was my family about to carelessly give away Great Aunt Ruby's precious artifacts, but on top of it all, I now had to fret over whatever it was that Eric had to say to me later on in the week.

Had I done something to make myself suddenly so undesirable? I couldn't recall anything having changed on my part. But then again, things were always more clear to an outsider looking in.

My mother and father noticed that Eric hadn't come to pick me up, but thankfully didn't press me about it when I gave half-hearted, one word answers to their initial questioning. Strange for my mother, who normally enjoyed putting her nose into my business, but I tried not to question the universe lest it change its mind and bring my mother's interrogation upon me tenfold.

The best reasoning I could come up with for their silence was that perhaps they were as anxious for the auction as I was. I knew that their worries stemmed from their dire need to keep up with appearances. Tonight, my family would be surrounded by the town's finest, and even a hair out of place could mean social suicide.

"Do try to smile, dear," my mother sounded more like a tyrant than a concerned parent as we pulled up to the estate.

I tried to pull myself together long enough to follow my mother's orders. I tried to think happy thoughts. Sadly, the happiest thing I could even begin to imagine was the fact that at least Great Aunt Ruby wasn't alive to see all of her prized possessions being pawned off to strangers. At least she wasn't here, in my shoes, seeing through my eyes.

I grinned at the man who took my jacket. I grinned at the server who rushed by with a platter of champagne glasses. I even grinned at my father's old business partner, even as he brightly cheered my name and rushed to give me a hug despite my not even remembering who he was or how he could possibly know me.

I felt quite proud of myself for being able to hold this smile for so long despite the circumstances. That is, until I found my way to a section of the main ballroom that held all of Ruby's belongings. It was there that my smile began to falter.

There was the vanity she used to use just before every special occasion, always seated in front of the mirror with a hairbrush in hand. There was her wedding dress, as pure and white as freshly fallen snow. I could even see her old, oak book case wedged somewhere in the back, all of her favorite novels had disappeared from its shelves.

My heart sank at the sight and what it represented. An entire lifetime collected into a single corner, memories collecting dust and waiting to be given away.

I half heartedly scanned the items, unsure if I could single handedly afford any of them, and convinced that my parents wouldn't let me keep them anyway.

In my searching, a flash of metal caught my eye, and my day immediately went from bad to worse. I stumbled over to a nearby dresser, my head reeling as I snatched up the silver box and balanced it in my hands. My eyes welled up with tears as I popped open the lid, releasing the music hidden inside.

A tiny ballerina figurine; blond, tall, far too skinny-much like myself-spun in a circle as the music box played Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. It had been Aunt Ruby's jewelry box, but the moment I had discovered the dance inside the box, it had become both of ours.

I remembered Ruby's fingers, wrinkled and knobby, cranking the box's lever just before opening it up to grab out a bracelet, or some earrings. Always cranking it if she knew that I was nearby. Always encouraging me to twirl along to the music, to become the ballerina inside.

I couldn't believe that it was here, and worse, that it was being sold. For some reason, this hit me harder than the rest of the rubbish here, and I nearly lost face completely. That is, until someone interrupted my sulking.

"What's this you've got?" A soft voice, unmistakably that of a male rang beside me.

I sniffed as softly as I could, blinking away the tears before turning to see who it was who had pulled me from my trance. I was greeted by a warm smile and a head of shaggy, yet well kept blonde hair.

I truly hoped he hadn't seen me crying. How mortifying would that be! And if my parents caught wind of it....I gave him a shrug, as if I hadn't just been breaking my heart over a stupid box.

"Just a bit of old rubbish," I replied, slamming the lid shut and killing the music.

He seemed to be studying me as I placed the box back down onto the dresser, a strange sort of grin on his face. I kept my eyes lowered, not really wanting to start a conversation with some stranger at yet another stuffy party. The last thing I needed was for my parents to see me getting on with some posh heir and arranging a marriage for me. I was sure they'd try to get rid of me the moment they caught wind of a possible suitor, and this bloke looked to be about my age range.

"Folks I know don't look at rubbish the way you look at that box," he spoke again.

It was strange. He wasn't being accusing, nor was he exactly teasing me. Still, I felt defensive. I thought about shooting back with a sarcastic jab of my own, but thought better of it when I remembered where I was. I also realized that I hadn't a clue who this man was. What if I insulted him and he ended up being a Duke or a Lord of some sort? Then my parents would really tear me to shreds.

I decided the best way to handle this would be to say nothing at all. Just ignore this bloke, ignore this party, and try to ignore the fact that everyone around me was here to fight over my dead aunt's things.

"Excuse me, sir," I bowed awkwardly as I began to step away. "I'm going to get a drink."

-YoureARayCatQueen