When we finally got there everyone was looking at us as we went up the steps to the auditorium where the dance was taking place. I felt so many eyes on me that it was creepy. When we finally entered there were so many people that I suddenly lost Dakota, I walked around in search of Dakota but couldn't see her anywhere. Suddenly I felt someone behind me.
"You look gorgeous, I guess it was worth all of the time getting ready" someone whispered near me. I as usual recognized the beautiful voice and turned to see Belvedere dressed to kill. At least to kill me, I almost fainted when I saw him. He was wearing a white long sleeve button up shirt, and black flannel pants and a pair of white moc toe loafers. He looked scrumptious. Every girl had her eye on him and he was talking to me.
"Thanks, you look pretty good yourself," I said as I pointed at him respectfully. He looked down at himself and shrugged.
"If you say so" I can't believe he doesn't know how amazingly gorgeous he is. It's just too obvious.
"How long have you been here?" I asked as I looked up at his wandering eyes.
"Not long, just got here in fact" he looked at me and stared into my eyes deeply. I looked away as my heart started to beat real fast he made me too nervous.
"Are you going to dance? Or are you like all men 'Men don't dance'" I said imitating a man's voice. He laughed and pointed a finger at me.
"Nice imitation but no, I do dance. Very well actually" he said as if he were challenging me.
"Really?" I asked in disbelief. He smiled and nodded as he bit his lower lip (I wish I could do that). I snapped out of the thought and went back to reality.
"I do, I do really. Want me to demonstrate?" the music playing was a ballad and I really wasn't good at slow dancing so I sort of backed away and shook my head. "Come on, I'll lead" he grabbed my hand which made me so weak (his touch was so cold and yummy) and before I knew it I was swept onto the dance floor and Belvedere was guiding me. He was a great dancer; he practically carried me throughout the dance floor. "You're not that bad" he said looking me in the eyes and smiling.
"Ha ha ha, that's because you're carrying me," I said in a joking tone and he let out a slight giggle. His laugh was like pure music to my ears. As he twirled me around to the sound of "You and Me" by Lifehouse I looked around the room and finally found Dakota. Making. Out. With. Kevin. She was sitting in a corner of the room on his lap making out intensely.
"Wait, I'm sorry," I said to Belvedere when I stopped dancing as I stared at Dakota.
"Are you okay?" he asked in a worried tone. I pointed over at Dakota.
"She just cleared up all of our questions. I'm sorry I have to go look for Sebastian," I said as I walked away from him, it took all of my will power not to stay. I walked around the auditorium for a while and found myself face to face with Sebastian who was standing up right then to leave. He had a perfect view of Dakota.
"Sebastian!" I yelled about the music and gave him a huge hug. I looked up at him and he had tears in his eyes.
"I can't do this Ella Mae, I'm sorry" he was so sad, not sad he was hurt. I couldn't believe Dakota would do this to him and I was so stupid to believe she had been talking about nothing with Kevin the love of her life.
"Did she tell you she was coming with Kevin?" I asked as I saw some tears stream down his freckled face. He looked very handsome tonight sadly Dakota couldn't see that. I wiped the tears from his face and he spoke.
"Yeah, right after school. She called me while at your house, she said she was getting things from her car when she told me" I couldn't believe she did this. She lied to me, she went downstairs and made the best of it and called off her date with Sebastian. I love Dakota but what a bitch.
"I'm so sorry, I had no idea" I didn't even know what to say to make him feel better.
"It's okay, I know you didn't" he put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. "You look amazing" he winked at me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I'm gonna go, take care" I smiled at him and watched him walk away.
When Sebastian left I decided to walk up to Dakota. She was still on Kevin's lap and since I was closer I could see he had his hands on her breasts. It made me so angry.
"Dakota, can I speak to you for a little sec?" I asked in a relaxed tone of voice. I knew I had to act like I was okay. She nodded and stood up to speak to me a few feet from Kevin.
"What the hell are you doing?" I asked her in a more angry tone.
"Look Ella Mae, I don't need this shit from you right now. You know I've been in love with Kevin since like forever" she thought that was a good excuse, it wasn't.
"And what about Sebastian? Leave him hanging? Remember he didn't even ask you, you offered this date. You brought this upon yourself" I said as I poked her on her shoulder gently. She got angry.
"Ella Mae I've been very patient with you but you got on my last nerve. You're just jealous that two guys asked me and nobody asked you," she said so high that everyone in the Dance heard it and people began to giggle and make fun of me. I looked around desperately; she had hurt me so much. I couldn't even believe this was my Dakota.
"Yeah, that's right. I'm so jealous of you," I said as I ran out of the auditorium because my face was burning up and tears were about to run down my face. I sat on the steps outside trying to control my tears and I heard someone come down the steps so I turned to the other side so my face wouldn't be visible to the person. The anonymous person sat next to me on the steps.
"Ella Mae?" I immediately recognized the beautiful voice that I dreaded to answer. He was the last person I wanted to see me like this. I stayed the way I was without answering. "Ella Mae don't listen to her, she's just angry. She's probably regretting the words as we speak" he said as he ran his hand down my back and back up again trying to comfort me. Little did he know that that was exactly what I needed.
"Just go," I said as my voice was cracking up. I wiped away my tears.
"Why?" he asked still sitting there frozen. He seemed hurt by what I said.
"You're the last person I wanted to see me like this" I said in a low tone of voice but he captured it immediately.
"But why?" he asked again still confused.
"I didn't cry because of my dad's death but I cried because of a stupid comment my best friend said. What are you going to think of me?" I thought of that word 'best friend'. She's no best friend.
"I already told you Ella Mae, that doesn't mean you didn't care about it. Maybe it was so hurtful and serious that you weren't able to cry. I understand perfectly and please don't listen to whatever she said" his voice was so sweet and concerned. It made me feel cared for, something that hasn't happened in so long.
"She was right, no one did ask me here. Not even Cameron, maybe I am jealous of her" I really didn't feel jealous but maybe it was a hidden jealousy.
"She wasn't right because guys would be dying to ask you out but you just seem too much for them. Maybe they're afraid of being rejected" I looked up at him with tears in my eyes and stared into his tremendous blue eyes. He wiped the tears off of my face with his fingers, which made a mark in every single place. His touch was so cold and addictive.
"Yeah right" I said in disbelief as usual. "I'm nothing special," I said once again. This time he kneeled in front of my step and stared into my eyes in desperation.
"You have no idea do you?" he asked staring into my eyes so deeply I could feel his gaze in mine.
"Of what?" I asked confused. He seemed to have something to say but he was trying to force it back.
"You seem to have no idea of the effect you have on me, I've been teaching for a.. for two years and never has a student ever appealed to me. Ever. You are so amazing that I can't help myself" as he spoke my heart began to beat so fast that I couldn't help but think he could hear it. I could feel my cheeks burning up but this time because I was going to blush. "See that," he said pointing at my cheeks that were probably every shade of pink. "I love how you blush whenever I compliment you, I love how you notice the little things I do that nobody else does like the staring deep into the eyes, I love that when you talk to me it's like there's no one else around, I love the way you smell like honey and strawberry but I hate how I can't get you off of my mind" he lowered his head as he spoke which made it difficult for me to hear perfectly what he said but thankfully I was able to make out every word. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Belvedere was telling me, he likes me? He looked up at me and I let a smile appear on my face. "No, it's not a good thing" he said noticing my smile. I frowned immediately.
"Why? You know I feel the same.." he put his hand up to quiet me. I pressed my lips together making sure nothing escaped them.
"I'm no good for you, or for anyone in fact" his eyes were filled with pain and I knew it was because of what we were talking about.
"I think you are" his eyes suddenly filled with anger and he stood up quickly. I looked up to stare at him but he was looking away in disgust.
"You have no idea how bad I am for you" he said slowly under his breath. I sighed and stood up in front of him. "I'm your teacher Ella Mae, this is wrong" his words were painful to me. I cared so much for him, now that I know he cares as much as me it's difficult to lose him.
"You're only like 4 years older" I clarified, he might be my teacher but he isn't a normal teacher.
He let a small 'Hmph' escape his mouth and looked into my eyes. "I could never give you a simple life" I didn't understand.
"Is this about the whole teacher thing or is there something more?" I asked confused staring into his eyes that were deeply in pain.
"There's so much more" he spoke breathlessly. He brushed his hair back with his hand.
"I'm willing to take chances" he walked away and the back again. He stopped in front of me and everything about him lured me in his smell, his eyes, and his lips. He was so much more then beautiful he was gorgeous. Unwillingly my hand found it's way to his and slowly made contact that made my whole body shudder, his touch was enough to make me faint. "Your touch is so cold and satisfying" he looked like he was in pure fantasy, he seemed to love my touch just as much as I loved his. He pulled away immediately when he noticed the source of his pleasure.
"I must go," he said as he debated whether or not to go with his mind. I could see he didn't want to but he seemed to think he must.
I looked behind me and noticed people were already beginning to leave, when I broke out of my Belvedere trance my butterflies disappeared until I looked back at him. "I don't know whom I'm leaving with" I remembered Dakota brought me and she was probably going to stay at my house.
"I'll take you," he answered quickly. He looked down at the ground and back up at me with apologetic eyes.
"Sure" I said as I let a smile curve up the sides of my lips. He slightly smiled back and began walking as he took his keys out of his pocket.
We walked into the parking lot and there was the stupid BMW that was always parked in the school parking lot. We continued to walk and stopped at the stupid BMW. My eyes widened.
"This is your car?" I asked in disbelief. I had cursed whoever had this car the first day of school.
"Last time I checked" he answered as he gave me a wink and in a very gentleman manner he opened the passenger door for me and I slid inside quickly. He entered the car and turned it on, I had to admit this car is hot.
"Nice car" I complimented him even though I know nothing about cars. He smiled and I smiled back, not being able to control it.
"You know nothing about cars do you?" he seemed to see right through me. I hated that.
"Not really" I blurted out in embarrassment. "All I know is that this car is expensive," I said and he laughed out as he drove out of the parking lot. "How did you afford this? Is the school paying that well? If it is I'll make sure being a teacher is on my list," I said in a joking tone looking at him as he looked back at me while driving.
"I inherited some money from my parents" he said while I was looking down at the road.
"So how did you become a teacher so young?" I asked confused. I had always wanted to ask him but never got around to doing it.
"I was a brilliant kid," he said in past tense. I looked at him with a 'Yeah right' kind of look and he chuckled.
"Was?" I asked playing with my fingers and not looking at him.
"Yeah, now I'm a brilliant man" he laughed out and I couldn't help but join. My giggle seemed so dorky next to his musical laugh.
"So why aren't you married already?" I asked while I dropped my gaze to my shoes. They looked so pretty; I loved the little designs around them.
"I've never really been with someone" immediately after he spoke I looked at him and he looked back at me with a small grin on his face. "I've never met someone worth it, I just thought she wasn't out there for me" he stared into my eyes and I know he realized I was thinking about how much I wanted to be that someone. "Now I realized she is out there but I can't be with her" I let my gaze fall back on the road and he stopped at my house even though I never told him where I lived.
"How did you know?" I asked looking at him with confusion. He remained silent in confusion and then realized what I meant.
"Of course I know," he said with a huge smile across his face and I smiled back as I unbuckled myself and he appeared opening my door quickly.
"I hope tonight wasn't terrible" he said sweetly as usual. He was so perfect, I just wanted to kiss him right then and there but I knew it was wrong. I stepped out of the car and stood in front of him.
"It wasn't. You made sure it wasn't" I smiled once more and he smiled back. He walked me to my doorstep. He stood there looking like a statue, a gorgeous statue as I opened the front door and walked inside.
"Sweet dreams," he said in the most musical voice I had heard him speak and I nodded. He walked towards his car and disappeared into the night. I ran upstairs and grabbed the jar of honey he had given to me. He really did care for me. I can't believe it.
As I lied on my bed hugging my jar of honey I heard my phone ringing so I jumped up looking for it. I finally found it underneath my bed; I had totally forgotten it tonight. Woops. I flipped open the phone.
"Hello?" I spoke into the line.
"Ella Mae, will you open the front door please?" I heard Dakota's voice on the other side of the phone and she sounded like she had been sobbing.
"Yeah, wait" I closed the cell phone and ran downstairs to open the door. Dakota had her hair all messed up and her eyeliner had run down her cheeks.
"Are you okay?" I asked as I grabbed her shoes, which she had in her hands. She looked like she had been beaten up.
"No" she fell to the ground and began crying uncontrollably. Something happened, it wasn't good.
"Speak to me, what happened?" I asked desperately. She seemed so sad this was serious. I was shaking so badly I didn't even know what to think.
"You were right, Kevin.." she began but she trailed off. I grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her gently.
"Dakota I need to know what happened," I said as I wiped the tears from her face. She looked devastated.
"Ella Mae I've been raped" she said slowly and when she finished her sentence my heart just exploded and I began to tear up.
"How? When?" I didn't even know what to say to her. If I was sad imagine how she should be feeling. I dug my face in my hands and breathed deeply.
"We were making out you know and all of the sudden he starts feeling me up and I'm fine with that right? But then he starts putting his hands up my dress and I push him away. Thing is we go to his car and we start making out again but this time he forces me out of my dress and I start yelling and he doesn't care he just tries to shut me up. I couldn't stop him Ella Mae, he was too strong" she took her time explaining with the sobs and all but I just wanted to kill Kevin. How could he?
"But that's not like Kevin" I said shaking my head from side to side trying to make sense out of what was happening.
"He was really drunk," she said crying her eyes out. I carried her to my room where I laid her on my bed and let her fall asleep. While she slept I walked out to the front porch with my golden dress still on and a jacket. I sat down without even looking to the front and just buried my face in my hands again. I couldn't believe what happened, she probably doesn't want to tell her parents because if she did she would've gone home instead of here.
I looked up and noticed a BMW parked in front of my house. It was Belvedere's. I stood up and walked towards it and he was in the driver's seat just staring to the front. I knocked on the passenger's window and he opened the door without even looking at me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked as I slid into the seat with my eyes still poufy of all the crying. He looked at me and pain was across his expression.
"Please tell me you're alright," he said almost breathless. He seemed to have been in pain for quite some time.
"I'm fine I guess," I said quietly trying to see what he meant. He seemed to know something wrong was going on, but how?
"You guess?" he asked looking at me furiously.
"Dakota has been raped, that doesn't make me completely fine" I said immediately, maybe he's been misunderstanding. If not I don't understand his anger.
"What?" his eyes widened and his blue eyes popped. He looked at the steering wheel and back at me after a while.
"Yes, Kevin raped her" I said quietly. I didn't really want to explain every single detail. His eyes stayed on my face, studying it I imagine.
"I'm so sorry, I just felt that you were sad and angry so I thought something happened to you. Forget it, I should go" what did he mean by he 'felt'? I looked at him in confusion and his eyes didn't meet mine.
"What do you mean you felt that I was sad and angry? How?" I asked still focusing on him.
"I had a feeling that's all" he said simply as he opened his door and stepped out of the car. He appeared opening my door and I slid out of the BMW.
"Don't go," I said as tears began to run down my cheeks and I grabbed his wrist, which was so cold and yet still caused pleasure to me. He grabbed my hand and with his free hand he wiped the tears from my cheeks.
"Don't cry everything will be fine. I'll make sure of it" he said as he continued staring into my eyes.
"I want to kill him," I said crying and burying my face in my hands once again. Belvedere grabbed both my hands and removed them from my face (it caused me so much satisfaction that it's indescribable).
"Don't say that, it's not true Ella Mae," he said in a hushed tone, which made him even more desirable. Unwillingly I reached out for his face but he immediately pulled back.
"Sorry, I'm such a dork" I hit myself against the forehead with my palm and he laughed.
"You don't know how much I want you to touch me but it's better if we don't" he said while he let go of my hand. I looked down at my bare feet and tears dripped.
"I should go inside" I said silently, almost inaudible. He nodded and slightly smiled.
"It's late, you should get some rest" he walked me to my front door again and smiled wider.
"If only you could stay" I said while opening the door and he froze where he stood.
"Don't worry, whenever you need me just think of me and I'll be here," he said in a whisper. He took a step back as my cheeks burned into a bright red. "Sweet dreams" he stood there until I closed the door and he disappeared. I put my cell phone alarm clock to wake me up in the morning for school, that's the suckiest part of the Dance of Hearts being a Thursday. I ran upstairs, took a shower and fell asleep on the couch downstairs.