The Small Dance We Shared

Jeanette was picking her dresses from her closet and mom was touching up her face, I just look in the mirror pointing all the imperfection stained on my face.

The miniature point of my nose, the empty plain orbs, the thin unshaped brows and the small pale lips, there‟s nothing charming about me.

When Jeanette is the charming extrovert girl, I was the sad introvert girl. When mom was the stunning woman she is, I was the daughter that inheritance no beauty. When Pluvia, was the fairytale princess, I‟m the useless side-character.

To this world, I‟m nothing and my existence is worthless.

"How could I wish for you when I‟m nothing but a rich girl", a droplet of liquid drip down my cheek

"Amal are you okay?" she place her palm on my shoulder.

"Oh it‟s fine. I‟m just on my time of the month" I excused visibly after sobbing.

"Do you want some herb tea? I could make you one real quick" Jeanette said. The herb tea with a smell of citrus from Lemongrass, with the red color of saffron and the tint yellow of turmeric, the one mom learned from grandma and made it every month for us.

Jeanette and I used to pour it out at the flower pots near the pond at the garden, and the gardener found them all the time.

"No thanks" I chuckled a little, "I‟m only going to waste it after all" she smiled.

"Sweetie, are you ready?"

Mom had her hair tied up with a pearl clip to her bun, she wore a pearl necklace and a pair of pearl earring, she had her signature smile on with the most sophisticated dress.

I always admired her beauty at such age, she took care of herself so much and so well, it made her even more elegance to know she was surrounded by flowers every day.

"Come here, this one will look good"

Mom picked a gardenia in her shop and placed them on my head. "There, shall be beautiful"

A faint blush on cheeks, I smiled and wish it was true. If only I am beautiful as she said.

"Oh, wow Amalthea, you‟re looking so pleasant tonight"

His tall posture overshadowed everyone in the ball. His dark wavy locks, blue eyes that could kill, lips that speak words of manners and body of a player. He was a fine man.

"Thank you Iarlaith, looking fine tonight also"

A soft tint rushed up his cheeks, he smiled flashing his white teeth.

"Shall we dance?" a sleeping beauty waltz played as nobles enter the floor with their partner.

The pleasant and iconic waltz, it was so swift when we waltz. Seeing how good his waltzing skill

was, it was worth the pain of me growing up having sore feet after every practice.

"Wow, you are a very good dancer", "I guess it was worth the pain of my parents scolding after I complain of how hard it was" He chuckled.

"I used to cry so much because of practicing this. I wonder how hard it was for women to endure since you guys have to dance in heels"

"If you boys said yours death, I guess ours were hell already" I joked not breaking the eye contact.

"Also what degrees were you able to learn about magic?"

"Just the junior mage degrees, my parents want me to be a „woman‟ you know." I shrugged a bit upset.

"Well at least you got to study a lot more than most noble woman. Let alone a common one"

"I wanted to become more educated. I want to be a mage rightfully, so maybe I could makes woman life much better"

"I admired you"

My eyes were bright opened hearing his words. I know this was only out of respect but these three words made me fluttered.

"F-for what?", "Your desire to learn and to grow"

I smiled under my breath, "Thanks".

The atmosphere was so cheerful and happy, so merry and pretty like the ball in sleeping beauty.

A story about a princess that got saved thanks to the kiss of a prince. A fairytale we all wished to be a part of once and still do.

"I like strong women" he said smiling sheepishly.

"I hope you‟ll find one" I said still observing his features, "I already do"

My heart drop to the floor shattering, I flinched in his arms as if it was an electric shocking me.

"Are you okay?" Worries filled his voice, "Oh no I‟m fine, probably just dancing too long"

"Do you want to stop right now? We could"

"No it‟s fine, the music is about to end anyway. Let‟s finish this"

It was visible he tried to make it easier for me, as a courtesy.

As the music was about to end, we smiled at each other for a second as a token of thank you before we dance till the music stop.

And it was not that long, just as the music end, she came.