2) A ball & A him

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It's simple, I hate dancing and I hate balls. Why can't people understand that? It started when I was a young girl. I used to step on my teacher's feet all the time. I just can't memorise the steps and honestly, I don't want to. It's so weird and boring, having a man so close to me.

Of course, when my sister started to learn how to dance, my position was terrible. She is a natural dancer. It's not my problem that I am not. Until our day, I step on the foot of any man who dares to ask me to dance.

Sometimes on purpose.

In my opinion, I learnt something much better than dancing, observing.

It's simply amazing. Sitting down watching people, knowing how they think, how they act. The best joy in life is when you predict what is going to happen next and it is right.

I am very lucky that Meg never has new guests. So all of those men know very well how terrible I am at dancing. They also know that I am not one of those girls who is desperately searching for a husband and is so shallow that she would choose according to appearance and wealth only.

So, when men see me, they either walk the other way or keep walking and laugh at me.

Aren't they gentlemen?!

What astonishes people is not who I am but actually who I am related to. My mother, who is the perfect sociable and aristocrat and of course my sister.

My sister with her golden hair, emerald blue eyes and pink lips, is sadly the normal shallow girl. Every girl envies her and every man wants to be with her. She has a lot of suitors; she just has to point a finger. I, for one pity her. She forgot everything that truly matters in life. Love, family and true friends.

She spends most of her time with her terrible friend, Cassandra and they do nothing but gossip and bet with each other.

I thought once they grow up they would change but I was wrong. They once bet when a man would stop talking to me.

If you wonder who won, Cecelia did. He only lasted five minutes. Cassandra was so kind to give ten.

Thankfully, my mother always cared for Cecelia and her friends more than she cared for me so it made it easy to escape. At the first chance, I slowly walked away to my quiet corner.

To make balls less painful for me, I would escape to a quiet corner where people can't see me while I observe them for a while.

Let's see, I was right, Mr. Blake left Miss. Thompson and is with Miss. Elton now. Poor Miss Thompson, she must be heartbroken... Or not, I can see her now laughing while holding Mr. Downey's arm. How could she forget so fast? How could it be that easy for them to shift people like they shift clothes? Here is Miss. Timothy but why does she look so sad? I should keep an eye on her, tonight. I should probably be looking for Meg; I will not leave her until she tells me what...

While I was at that thought, I felt a body next to me. I looked at it from the corner of my eyes and was purely shocked. A man not older than thirty with perfect curly golden hair, perfect honey eyes and perfect shape was seated next to me.

After I was astonished by him for a second or two, I looked in front of me.

Who is that man? I never saw him before. Is he new to town? He can't be, I would have known from mother's and Cecelia's gossip. Is he a relation to someone? Probably. But most importantly, has he anything to do with tonight's secret?

I stayed silent waiting for him to speak. After a few minutes, I figured out that he is waiting for me to start talking. He doesn't know who he is up against. I will never crack first.

"I have been sitting here for about five minutes, now," he started "and I still have no idea what we are looking for"

I didn't answer.

"Why don't you tell me, miss... Sorry but I don't think I caught your name.

I wanted to smile at his weak attempt at knowing my name but I stopped myself and kept silent.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes to find him doing the same thing, I immediately looked in front of me again but after two seconds or something, he started laughing silently.

His laugh was contagious and I couldn't stop myself from laughing silently with him. Then we looked at each other, "why can't we talk like two adults?"

I shrugged, "because it is more fun like that"

"Wow, so you can talk"

I looked in front of me, again, "yes, I can and since I started speaking let me tell you that a gentleman should ask the lady if he could sit next to her before he does"

"Sorry, but I am not quite the gentleman"

"Good," I smiled and looked at him, "because I am not quite a lady"

He laughed again and I found my smile getting bigger.

"Seriously, half lady, what are we looking at?"

I frowned but still kept the smile, "half lady!"

"You don't want to tell me your name and you said that you are not quite a lady"

"Fair play," I said, actually convinced but I had to smile at his second attempt to know my name.

"You still haven't told me what you are looking for," he reminded me.

"I am not looking for anything I am just looking at the people"

"Don't you prefer to be with them?"

I shook my head, "no, I don't"

"So you are waiting for the dancing to begin?"

I shook my head hard while smiling, "Definitely, no"

"You are going to stay here all night?"

I tilted my head, "Most of it until I find Meg"

"And Meg is?"

"A friend"

I looked at him, again, "who are you?"

"You didn't tell me your name but you expect me to tell you mine," he said with a smirk. It looks like it's his signature that smirk.

I ignored his third attempt to get my name and said, "I never saw you here before and I know everyone"

"You don't look like a sociable person," he said laughing.

I smiled then he continued, "I am from London, this is my first visit here"

After a few minutes in silence, I decided to break the silence, "observing"

He looked at me with confusion, "Excuse me?"

"You asked what we were doing here, we or I am observing"

"Observing who and why?"

I looked at him, "The people, it's a hobby"

"Should that be a normal thing?"

I looked at him and smirked, "you said it yourself, I am a half lady"

He smirked then stood up, "excuse me, then, half lady because I have to go search for someone," before I even realise it, he had taken my hand and planted a kiss on it. Then he flashed me a smile, "I hope to see you around," then he disappeared into the crowd.

Who is that man with the golden hair and the contagious smirk? And why am I sure that he will have an impact on my life?

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