A Dance.

She placed the glitter mask on her face, and headed down to the dance. Her family always held a masquerade ball but this was the first time, she was old enough to go. Her mother had curled and styled her hair to the point of angelic. Her dress was beautiful, and she had loved it from the moment she’d seen it. It reminded her of the sunset. It was a light pink at the top, and it flowed into a dark orange at the bottom. Her mask matched the light pink. Her parents were already down at the ball. This was the biggest social event of the season, and debutants were expected to act a certain way, in hopes of catching the eyes of a rich man who could be a potential husband.

She danced with a few of the usual contenders, but when the stranger in all black with a matching black mask came in, her attention was diverted. There was no doubt a murmur throughout the crowd. Who could this tall, dark, and handsome stranger be? The rumor mill churned even more when he stepped in front of her and bowed. She bowed back, and was taken by surprise, when he swept her into his arms and across the dance floor. She was certainly in a dream, as he guided her around the ballroom. But then the music stopped. He let go of her waist, bowed, and with a sweep of his cape, he was gone. She stood there in shock. Who was this stranger and why did he leave after just one dance?

She spent the rest of the night dancing with men as was expected, but her mind constantly went back to the dark stranger. She wasn’t the only one who was intrigued by this mysterious figure. The rest of the crowd couldn’t stop talking about him. She began to compare the men she was dancing with to the masked marvel. This one wasn’t tall enough, this one was too skinny, and this one couldn’t dance like he did. Finally, the event was winding down. By this point, a lot of the crowd had parted. The ones that remained were either too drunk to go or were flirting with their next one-night stand. As the daughter of the host, she was expected to bid everyone good night. She was certain that her feet were going to fall off after dancing all night in heels. Eventually, everyone had said farewell, and she headed upstairs to her room.

It was such a relief to take off her shoes, and to strip out of her dress. She put her pajamas on, and undid her hair. Her brunette ringlets traced down her back. She was scrubbing off the make up when she heard a sound outside her window. She unlocked the latch, and swung the window open. A breeze fluttered through her hair and ruffled her pajamas. The night was beautiful with a pregnant full moon. She didn’t see anything, but the feeling in her gut told her that something was out there. She grabbed her robe and headed downstairs. She went through the patio door. She didn’t know why or what but something was compelling her to go outside. Her eyes adjusted to the dark, and she could tell there was someone standing just beyond the trees lining the patio. “Hello.” She should be scared but she wasn’t. Her mind flashed to the dark stranger who had captivated her on the dance floor. Was he out here luring her away? There was only one way to find out. She pushed through the trees, but when she got close enough to see, the shadowy figure would move farther away. She knew she should go back, but the unknown kept pushing her along.

She was absolutely certain that she was lost when she came to a clearing. The moon shone brightly as if it were illuminating it. Maybe it was even warning her. There was the figure standing in the middle as if he were on stage. It was the man from the ball but he had doffed his mask. He had the most beautiful white skin complimented by black hair that curled at his temple. It was his eyes though that made him truly stunning. Even from this distance, she could see that they were sapphire blue. He didn’t speak, he didn’t move, and she wasn’t sure he was breathing. “Who are you?” She asked in awe. He opened his arms, and even though it went against her better judgment, she went to him. He pulled her into a dance, much as he had at the ball. She loved every minute. He finally pulled her closer in his embrace. Before bending to her neck, he said “I’ll show you who I am.” She felt the smallest pinch and then euphoria washed over her body. He had to have been a magician to make her body feel that way. He took her by the hand once more and danced under the moonlight.

She woke up in her bed, dazed and confused. When she figured out where she was, she questioned how she’d made it back to her bed. The last thing she remembered was dancing with that dark stranger. Maybe she’d been dreaming the whole time, except when she swung her feet out of bed, she noticed the dirt stains on her sheets. Her hand wandered up to her neck but she didn’t feel anything. She got up on legs that were shaky and looked in the mirror. The smallest pinpoints were noticeable on her neck, so that had to mean it wasn’t a dream. She opened her curtains and looked out, but she didn’t see the forest that she had trekked through the night before. Maybe it had been a dream, but she felt that it had happened. She wondered if she’d ever see him again.

Night after night, she waited for her dark stranger to come dance with her.