27 Learning About My Debut (Pt 3)

I looked the girl in the eye, face as stony as can be and immediately smiled wide from ear to ear.

'Yes they do look lovely don't they?', I replied.

At this sentence the noble women turned confused and started whispering to one another. I bet they were wondering why I wasn't more angry as the normally short-tempered Elaine would've been.

There was a look of acknowledgement from Anthony who gave me a small smile as if he knows my very thoughts.

'Yes we were just talking how great two look together,' Anthony said giving me a wide smile.

Oh so he was joining in on the fun as well huh.

'Yes you guys are a great fit,' I continued.

Anastasia just blushed as a smile crept onto her face. She must be happy about the compliments and thinking that everyone agreed she should be with Alex. What she doesn't know is that the meaning behind our words are not as simple as it seems.

A girl of her status hanging around the future crown prince so blatantly in front of his fiancé? I'm not the only one who should be embarrassed.

Or does she know and is just pretending to be a fool in front of Alex? I should know better than to not underestimate my opponents.

Alex on the other hand seemed perturb as if my little interest in him and Anastasia was bothering him. Huh he should feel uneasy because one day he's going to pay for all the humiliating things he said to me so far.

But why does it seem as if he wants me to feel bothered by him and Anastasia? Does he actually care what I think? Nah that can't be it.

'Is there a problem?', I asked feigning ignorance. The other noble girls looked at me not knowing what to say next.

Suddenly the music by the orchestra started playing and it seems that the first dance is going to begin. Now normally I would have to dance with my fiancé first, but I'm not sure I want to at this moment.

Without missing a beat Anthony bowed down in front of me.

'May I have this dance my lady?', dancing with another man besides my fiancé would probably incite some rumors but at this point I didn't care and wanted to show to everyone that I didn't have feelings for Alex.

'Wait shouldn't she dance with me first? I am her fiancé after all,' Alex meekly said as if not sure of the words that were coming out of his mouth as well.

So now he suddenly cares about our engagement? I don't think so.

'I-I thought you asked me to dance with you, Alex?', Anastasia said with the voice of a mouse, looking up at Alex with tears in her eyes.

Wow so he even asked her to dance first?

I put my hand on Anthony's and didn't look back. I could only imagine the faces on those noble ladies faces as well as Alex. But right now I feel so cool!

Anthony guided me to the center of the hall, I placed my right hand on his shoulder and put my left hand in his. We started to sway to the soft sounds of the cello and violins.

He then twirled me around on the dance floor and I felt like a princess. I wasn't that adapted to dancing yet as I only had that one lesson with Cedric in an orphanage home, but Anthony seemed to sense that I was a novice to dancing and lead the dance with confidence.

I was able to follow his foot steps and we danced like birds of a feather. The whole room seemed to dim when he lifted me up at the end of the song and all I could see was his face. His red eyes gleamed and he had a small smile on his face that no one else was able to see but me.

Slowly he placed me down on the floor as the song ended and we gave each other a bow. For some reason a little voice in my head wanted to try the dance again.

After I realized we were in a hall filled with people again I can slowly hear the clapping sounds from people's cheering. Apparently we drew quite the attention.

I blushed a little, never being in the spotlight like this before.

'Looks like the dancing lessons I taught you paid off. You danced wonderfully Lady Elaine,' Cedric came up to me from the crowd and gave me his praise.

'Well a big part of it is thanks to Anthony,' I turned around to gesture at him but he was gone. There was no sign of him.

I wanted to ask who he was but I guess that's not happening tonight. Who just leaves a party like that? I gave a sigh and silently hoped that I would be able to meet him again in the future.

I turned back to look at Cedric who just gave me a confused look probably wondering where my dance partner went off to as well.

I found out afterwards that apparently Alex did have his dance with Anastasia who look a little bit sad as Alex was pre-occupied looking at me and Anthony the entire time. Inside I was cackling like a hyena. I mean like a lady *cough* *cough*.

It turns out he can get jealous too. Maybe this was payback for embarrassing the real Elaine all those times before. Good he deserves it for being such a jerk all the time.

Cedric asked me for a dance as well and we danced together, but it wasn't as great as it was with Anthony. We just clicked, our feet never touching one another. Or maybe Anthony was the better dancer.

Anyway, the dance ended soon enough and now Alex was looking for me through the crowd of people dancing. I stood straight waiting for the him to badmouth me again, probably.

But he didn't.

He looked at me with confused eyes and all I see is a boy who did something wrong and is now trying to get the words out to apologize.

'Can I have this dance?', were the words that eventually found its way out of his mouth. I was reminded by the time he asked me to dance with him at the midnight festival.

We did have a good moment there, but if he thinks I'm so ready to forgive him after he embarrasses me in front of all the noble families, he had another thing coming.

'Actually I'm quite tired and don't feel like dancing anymore. But thanks for asking,' I then gave him a smile with my hands folded together in front of me acting as innocent as I possibly can. Hopefully that will aggravate him even more.

It did. He stormed out of the way past a crowd of people watching him leave. I didn't know where he was going but I didn't care.

I spent the rest of the night chatting with other noble families, I even managed to find Beatrice who laughed with me as I told her of the conversation I had with the other noble ladies.

Soon the night came to an end. People started leaving the house in their carriages one by one.

I stood in the front door giving everyone their goodbyes along with Elaine's mother. She then said something to me that surprised me.

'I'm glad you're okay,' Elaine's mother said standing beside me, both of us watching the crowd leave the manor.