And boy did they dance. It wasn't the gramophone record in the corner she was used to, it was an orchestra. It wasn't some spotty lad had her overly intimate in his arms, but a devilish good looking guy in a tuxedo that gripped her tiny waist with a feather like touch. She'd learned from her friend's sibling the basics as soon as they said she'd won an invite. It was a Milliner's Annual Draw to win a complimentary ticket to the event they'd all been designing for all season. So she'd been prepared and she'd practised. In fact, she'd been so intent on getting better she'd hounded her sister to partner her so much, that said family member made herself scarce and started to avoid her like the plague. Their house wasn't designed for dancing, being a basic two up, two down small layout; so they'd had to go into the back yard. The music blared out from inside and could be heard well enough if they kept the kitchen door open. There'd been more than one curious face peered over the garden wall to check what all the music and laughter was about. Rose had then and there fallen in love with dancing. She found it freeing, liberating, fulfilling. So they danced, and he was happy to lead her, and she more than happy to follow. They conversed and they laughed, and stopped only briefly to accept another glass of champagne. It was perhaps the intoxication of good company, wonderfully exciting dances and an over indulgence in expensive drink that fed her daring. She'd kissed him. She'd no sooner thought it, than acted upon it. A kiss on the mouth, not a peck on the cheek. No lingering wispy thing cither, but a full on belter of a kiss. Had she regretted it at first? No. Had she been in Heaven at just that moment? Yes. But such moments don't last forever, despite the fact that kiss seemed an eternity. You just have to have the courage to take them when they present themselves. At that moment, Rose Tattersall, self proclaimed shy girl from a modest upbringing felt empowered. And when he broke them apart, removed her from his liplock and put some distance between them...her whole world started rapidly falling to pieces.
Yes she'd run. She didn't have the wits to know what else to do. The shame, the humiliation and the berating drunk voice in her head screaming "you fool!" over and over again, had her instinctively making a break for it. And his words...they just felt so damning, so shaming, so final. "Rose, hold up, wait, no, no... I'd love to, That was it, rejection. Silly little fool, stupid Rose with your big ideas and aspirations and ticket to a dream. When she heard that " I'm married," she' already turned round and was several feet away. What she hadn't heard was of relevance, what she had heard was enough. The tears came and her heart broke and the confidence and positivity she'd dressed herself in that night just slid right away. She was nakedly exposed for the world to mock and laugh at in their obvious incredulity. She saw the sneers and the shocked faces, heard the gasps and the muttered whispers as she left. She ran and ran until they were out of carshot. Down corridors, through rooms and hallways, not really paying much attention to direction, just away. Away from the music, the noise, the people. Into silent oblivion, to find her composure and then go home.
It was when she heard chasing footsteps behind her and that bumblee voice of his in the distance that Rose turned her head to see Raiph coming round the corner towards her. She carried on running. She couldn't bear the fool she'd made of herself, nor to hear the words again from his mouth so she just kept running Thing is, a woman in high heels and ballgown arc no match for a man of determined means, no matter the headstart or her sheer will power. And it was then she heard him calling out behind her, "Rose, Rose no wait, wait a moment...just let me explain. Rose hold up!" But no woman wants her love to see how he heart breaks and her face is a mess from snot crying at speed down endless empty corridors. No self respecting heroine from any story gave them a second chance did she? Her head was spinning, her heart racing, her lungs fit to bursting.. when she head it, and stopped abruptly. His words bounced loudly off the corridors and echoed in her head. "Rose,.I said I'm married to my job... only wanted you to wait a moment so I could tell you...I'm the guest of honour, a Prince. I ike you Rose, I wanted you to know, to see the real me like I've seen you. Rose don't run. I think we have something special. You are something special. Rose. Look at me" And as she wiped the tears and snot away before turning round, and looking a hot mess in front of her pursuer she faced him. And before she knew it she was in his arms once again and tears and mess be damned, he kissed her. Not a peck, not an innocent sweet little kiss, but a passionate toe curling humdinger of a kiss. And fate was scaled for Rose Tattersall of 6 Bilbury Road, Massachusetts's, USA.
End.
