Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
This is the longest chapter yet. I tried to make sure the errors are a bare minimum. Please Review!
"Ian, what on earth are you wearing?" Natalie's scream could be heard throughout the entire mansion.
"I don't see anything wrong with what I'm wearing now," Ian said looking down,"everything I'm wearing is what you bought me."
"In context yes, but that tie is not what you are wearing." She looked around his drawers in an attempt to find a different tie to replace the bright red one he was currently wearing.
"What difference does that make?" Ian said exasperated.
"This gala is a big thing. Mom is worked hard to with all the sucking up. Now we don't want to make a bad impression, now do we?" Natalie held a blue tie against Ian thinking for a moment before tossing it aside.
"How about this?" Natalie held a deep green tie.
"Whatever, we should really get going Natalie," Ian said grabbing the tie.
When Ian entered the large doors, he became a different person. His charismatic side took over sending many young ladies swooning and sighing.
"Ian, what is this gala about?" Natalie asked as they entered the ballroom. Everything was elegant and pristine, from the sparkling chandeliers down to every silver spoon. It had to be one of the finest Natalie has ever seen. No one goes this all out, not even the charity auctions and Christmas parties.
"Some new hotshot took the rival company by storm and we decided to merge the two companies. It's not smart to keep the rivalry. We already lost a pretty penny. This is simply a formality," Ian replied looking around.
"Who is the rival?" Natalie whispered. Ian looked at Natalie suspiciously.
"Since when were you interested in the business?"
"Never," Natalie flippantly, walking off to the other side of the huge ballroom. Ian watched her sister go into a group.
"Ian, what are you doing standing there?" Isabel came walking towards him.
"This is not how you should behave in this kind of event," Isabel reprimanded him.
"I am not doing anything."
"Precisely, go look for anyone to dance with, preferably someone whose friendship can aid the business. You never get to the top without allies Ian, remember that."
Isabel made sure Ian looked his best, brushing of invisible lint of his tux, before walking off to her socialite friends.
"I guess I don't have much of a choice," Ian muttered.
His eyes scanned around area looking for a girl to dance with. He was looking for someone his age, someone pretty, and someone interesting. After taking a good look among the sea of faces, one girl caught his eye. She was standing alone near the window. She was not surrounded by a group of giggling girls. So there is a bigger chance that they may hit off, based on the grounds that they both liked being isolated.
Ian walked towards her.
"Hello, may I have this dance?" Ian said making her turn around.
"You," Amy said in surprise.
"You," he echoed.
There was a moment of awkward silence, both of them smiling at each other.
"Fancy, seeing you here," Amy said blushing. She looked awkwardly around her.
"Touché," Ian replied.
They both stood there for a silent minute. Ian tried again.
"May I have this dance?" he said holding out his towards her.
"I don't really dance."
Ian came closer to her.
"Anyone can dance. It just depends on who they are dancing for," he said taking her clenched hand and pulling her towards the crowd.
"I really don't dance," Amy hissed. She looked at all the other women dancing around her. Some were old enough to be her mother and others were about her age. Yet all of them moved with their partners with such confidence and grace that it was intimidating.
"So try now and dance for me," he said putting my hands on her waist.
"If I die to tonight, I blame you," she said through her gritted teeth.
"If you die tonight, I'd do a Juliet." He answered back trying to distract her from her original fear.
Amy caught on.
"Oh, my darling Romeo, don't steal my scene," she said rolling her eyes.
Ian began to lead them into a slow waltz.
"Is this what we'll talk about the entire time, Shakespeare's great tragedies?" Ian said raising one eyebrow.
"Is that a fancy way of saying of telling me to change the subject?" Amy retaliated.
"I guess it is. What brings you here?" Ian said twirling her.
They danced in such a natural manner. People watching from the sidelines would never guess this was a chance encounter. They were so connected in a way that it seemed like they were more than what they really were.
"My dad dragged us here to keep up appearances. It's not that we do this often. We mostly keep to ourselves. A peek here and there to make sure people know we are still alive." Amy rambled.
"We? You and your dad?" Ian asked to clarify.
"We as in my dad, my brother and I."
Dan was by the buffet table. There were fancy sandwiches, chocolates, and foods he can hardly pronounce. He was watching the dancers as they pass by.
"Natalie, darling, have you seen your brother? " Isabel asked her daughter.
"Would it be a good thing if I say I haven't? I saw him go ask a girl to ask, I think. All the boys here look the same." Natalie replied looking at her drink.
"I did tell him to find a partner. Hmmmm, can you try to spot him? Lisa's daughter needs a partner to dance with and friendship only stands when you have something to offer." Isabel's eyes scanned the ballroom.
"Is that him? Over there mom, with the girl in turquoise dress, is that him?" Natalie stared trying to catch a glimpse of Ian's face.
Dan turned his head towards Natalie. He just heard their conversation. Amy was wearing a flowing turquoise gown, but there is no way Amy would be dancing with a boy. Those words, to Dan, just don't seem to fit.
Amy and a boy would go with the phrase 'doing a project'.
Amy and the word dancing would go with another word, 'can't'.
Dan followed the direction Natalie's eyes were at. True enough Amy and Ian were dancing in each other's arm deep in a conversation.
"I guess it is." Isabel answered in a soft voice. She stared at her son dancing with a vaguely familiar girl.
Natalie looked at her mother. She didn't know what to do next. She waited for any more follow-up statements. There was only silence.
Was she supposed to call him over? Should she find a boy to dance with too?
"Should I go call him over?" Natalie asked tentatively.
Isabel kept on watching him. Lisa's daughter should find a boy on her own. Ian seemed to be enjoying the dance.
"Mom?" Natalie asked again trying to catch her attention.
"Mom? Mom?"
"Hmmm?" Isabel's trance was over.
"Should I call him over?" Natalie asked again.
"No need," Isabel looked back, "How about we go get something to eat?"
Isabel turned around putting her hand on Natalie's shoulder, leading her to the buffet table.
"You're lying!" Amy said through her giggles. She gripped Ian's shoulders trying not to fall down.
"I'm serious Amy! She really wanted to buy the crown jewels!" Ian answered back, "the security guard, poor guy, didn't know what to do. Natalie was screaming all over the place."
"And you didn't do anything about it?" Amy said in a teasing tone.
"Of course I did something about it. What kind of brother would I be if I didn't?"
The next dance involved their partners changing. When Ian heard the familiar tune he asked Amy, "Do you mind if go out to the veranda?"
"I'm that much of a horrible dancer?" She teased.
Ian put his arm around her waist leading her outside.
"No, I just don't like sharing."
Amy thought nothing of it.
"So what did you do? To Natalie I mean."
"Well, I didn't really do anything." Ian started out.
Amy turned to face him, "Aha! You didn't do anything."
"Wipe that 'I-told-you-smile' off your face. I didn't do anything at first."
They were already outside. The veranda had a simplistic charm. There were soft lights, flower arrangements, and one of the most spectacular view of the garden before them.
"I explained to her how the jewels were hand-me downs. I may have also over exaggerated how dirty the previous owners were."
"Ian? Did you just say you had to insult the King and Queen's hygiene just to stop your sister's tantrum?"
"What can I say? Desperate times call for desperate measures," Ian said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, I know all about desperate measures," Amy said smiling at a memory of Dan.
"You experienced some sibling mishaps?" Ian questioned.
"He did something close to what your sister did, in a way. We were in a museum that featured some ancient artifacts that came from Asia. Majority of them showcased Japanese weaponry. Dan tried to take a samurai sword. When the guard got him, he started shouting that they were unworthy of having it. He continued saying that this must be given back to the rightful owner and stuff like that. Everybody was staring at him. I have never been so embarrassed in my life!"
Amy's cheeks were becoming red.
"So what did you do about it?"Ian questioned.
"Unlike you, I didn't do anything. My mother took care of it," Amy's eyes soften when she mentioned her mother, Ian noticed.
"I don't know what she exactly said but it worked wonders. Dan started acting like an innocent little boy and apologized. He never apologizes."
"Your mom must have been amazing," Ian commented.
Amy looked up at him smiling, "She was the best."
Ian noticed that her eyes were dry.
"As painful as it was I finally moved on. She's in a better place. If I know my mom like I think I do she would never forgive herself for surviving alone. She would want all lives to be spared. That's probably why she isn't here today."
"You are amazing too." Ian leaned closer to her.
"Your mom would be so proud with how far you have come."
"I hope so too."
Ian leaned in and kissed her.
It was soft and sweet.
Ian's hand held her cheek as he deepened the kiss. Amy's hand rested gently on his shoulder.
After a few more seconds, they pulled away both looking at each other's smiling faces.
"Do you think they missed us?" Amy asked.
"Not at all."