Suddenly

🌸Long Lost Happiness🌸

His hands dropped from my waist and I pulled away, staring back into his eyes. "Madame..." he whispered, he was still in a state of shock, "Please, there's no need to be formal...Antoinette will do." I responded. I couldn't even see him anymore, the darkness completely concealed him, a little reflection of his eyes was all I had to swoon over. "My apologies..." he responded, we just stood there for a moment, a mixture of shock and admiration. "Antoinette!" A voice came from behind me. "Antoinette there you are!" I finally turned, leaving his arms. "Antoinette, you disappeared, my mother and your aunt have been looking everywhere." Meg said, running over to me. "Why are you in the darkness?" She asked, taking hold of my hands. "I was...oh, no reason." I said turning, he wasn't there. It was as if he was never there in the first place. "The party's almost over Antoinette, hurry." She said dragging me from the dark hallway. "Who was that mysterious man you danced with nobody has seen him before." She asked as we walked through the crowd. "He's..." started, pausing knowing I couldn't really tell her who he was. "An old friend." I finished, she seemed satisfied with the answer as we stopped in our tracks. "Cherie, there you are." Lady Corrienne said. "My apologies Madame, I was catching up with an old friend." I responded with a smile looking up at her. "Oh was it that man you performed that breathtaking waltz with, I'd love to meet him." She said, she bantered with me like a schoolgirl, and for her age and status it was something that surprised me greatly. "He's left Madame, my apologies." I wasn't completely lying, I really didn't know where he'd gone. "Oh to bad, he seems like a charmer." She started, "So I'm told you're a dancer here, I'd love to know your history because frankly you fascinate me?" She questioned. "You remind me of a younger me, though I was never skilled in the arts." She joked, "What is it you're skilled in, ballet only or is there anything else?" She asked looking at me intently. "Oh, well I'm trained in opera though I've never performed. And I've done Ballet all my life." I answered.
"How interesting." She muttered. "And how was I never made aware that a family member of mine was so talented." She contemplated with herself. "I would have willingly paid for the finest teachers, and boarded you here in the heart of France." She said a look of confusion on her face. "I've always supported the arts highly, my sister was a dancer but never had the chance to succeed like you did." Her look of confusion turned to mild sadness as she looked away. "My, look at me I'm making a fool of myself." She tried to joke to hide her pain, she pulled out a fan to cover her face. "Cherie, please go on about your family. I've rambled in enough." She stated, looking back at me. "Oh...Madame don't you think it's better we schedule this for a more private time?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "Oh! Yes, yes Cherie I suppose your right." She said, pulling the fan back down. "I'll write to you with a date, we can talk over some coffee." She responded with a smile. "Oh Cherie...you don't know how happy it makes me to know I have family left in Paris." I could tell she was very happy, her eyes were warm and inviting. Large almond shaped eyes with hazel green iris's, years and worry had aged the skin around her eyes and made her appear older. "I look forward to our meeting." She smiled pulling me close to a light hug and turning to leave with her husband. They locked arms and rejoined what was left of the party. "Oh how exciting Antoinette." Meg said happily walking in front of me. I nodded awkwardly, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling in my stomach building a life off of lies. Sure it was easy in this decade, people believed anything. But my conscience was killing me, and I couldn't get the events of earlier this night out of my head. I stuck by Meg for the rest of the night, I didn't find myself enjoying the rest of the night. My mood had really been spoiled by my lies, how was I supposed to hold this story for as long as I'm stuck here. And what if I can't leave because I have to accomplish something. The party ended not more then two hours later, and soon it was just me and Meg sitting on the marble stairs looking at the mess of gold and silver confetti like decorations that covered the ground. Cleaners had come to sweep it up while we finished our drinks, I stood up leaning against the banister of the stairs and thought back on the night. Thinking about the conversation ruined my happy mood, but the memories of the kiss had flooded back in warming my cheeks and making me smile. The thought of him holding me in his arms made up for everything, a phantom feeling of his arms made the daydream all the better. "Now Antoinette, whatever got your mind so pleased?" Meg asked looking at my stupidly happy smile. "Why I've never seen a smile so big on your face, you're not even this happy on stage." She laughed. "Oh it's nothing Meg." I laughed with her, her little laugh was contagious. "Must be that man you danced with." She teased, I felt my cheeks warm and my hands shake. "Why Antoinette...do you fancy your old friend!" She teased me sarcastically. "Meg, don't be childish...I think I'm going to retire to my room." I replied in a mildly annoyed tone. "My apologies Antoinette." She said quietly, I know she meant no harm. "No worries Meg, maybe you're on to something." I winked with a smile as I descended the stairs and headed to my room. I closed the door and leaned my back against it, all I could do was laugh in my confused but pleased state. I danced around the room mimicking the movements I had danced earlier humming a mixture of the music from that night and an opera we'd performed that followed the same tune. I dropped myself into the vanity seat and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a little frizzy from spinning and dancing, but I had a glowing look of happiness that I hadn't seen on myself since I arrived here. A look of happiness I hadn't seen on myself even before all of this, to be honest I'd been going through a rough patch. I pulled the tiara and feathers from my hair and combed it out still humming the music. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad, and maybe I'd actually grow to like it...if I never got to leave.