Chapter 20: Dancing
Months had passed since I had escaped with Steph and Shido. I was happy and life was good. I had nothing to worry about. Finally my life was going the way I wanted it to. I was living in the cottage with Steph and Shido. I had even met someone. His name was Galahad, he was quite handsome. He had pointed ears and long blonde hair, piercing green eyes and perfect shaped lips. He and I were newly acquainted friends, but soon became more. We started courting.
"Are we going to the dance tonight?" Shido asked Steph who was seated on his lap.
"I am not sure. Perhaps we can go if we ever find Nicolle and Galahad"
"Why, did they go into the woods again?"
"Indeed they did."
"They have been doing that a lot lately I wonder what they are doing."
"Well it is best that you never mind."
"Why do you know?"
"Of course not." Steph replied a bit shocked that he would ask that.
"Yes you do." Shido smirked, looking at Steph with sneaky eyes. "You do and you are not telling me."
"No." Steph stated turning her head.
"Yes you do." He smiled. "And you are going to tell me."
"Make me." Steph teased.
"Alright." And he began to tickle her, as much as he could. Steph began laughing and trying to get off of him. She squirmed and fell off of his lap and onto the floor, with a thud.
"Oh! Steph are you okay?" Shido asked getting off the chair and kneeling beside her. She was still laughing. She grabbed him, and pinned him down.
"Yeah I am fine." She laughed, looking intently into Shido's gold colored eyes. Shido stroked her cheek and kissed her.
"It is always so nice to see you laugh. You just look so beautiful."
"Just kiss me." She whispered and returned his kiss.
Today was a beautiful day, the sun was out and the leaves were turning colors of red and yellow. The air was crisp and fresh. Galahad and I were holding hands walking through the woods.
"Nicolle I am so glad that you had fun last night."
"Yeah me too," I smiled.
The leaves crunched beneath our feet as we walked. I of course by no surprised tripped but Galahad caught me, before I kissed the dirt.
"Thanks." I blushed.
"You welcome, and you really must be more careful when you walk." He laughed at me.
"Hey!" I smiled, punching him on the arm. "Thank you very much." But he could not stop chuckling. I loved his laugh. It was the sweetest laugh that you could ever hear. We walked and walked. He bent over and picked some flowers for me and handed them to me.
"Thank you they are beautiful."
"Just like you." He smiled, but I just blushed. I had never felt so childish then when I was around him. He really took care of me and made me feel loved.
"So what do you want to do tonight?"
"Oh I don't know, I thought that we were going to go to the dance tonight with Steph and Shido?"
"Oh okay if that is what you want to do." He looked disappointed.
"Why what did you want to do then?" I asked, rubbing his hand.
"Oh nothing we can go to the dance if you want to."
"Well I am not going to go if you do not want to Galahad." I stated seriously.
"No I do not want to take you away from your friends."
"Look I have been to the dance several times we can do something different if you want to. Did you have anything in mind?"
"Well I was thinking, maybe you would like to come to my home and see what is there, perhaps meet my family."
"Oh that would be wonderful." I smiled with glee. "I would love to do that!" My eyes sparkled.
"Well then it is settled, we will go to my home. My family will love you."
"You think so?"
"I know so." I blushed again when he said this.
"You're just saying that."
"I would never." Then he picked me up and spun me around. We headed back to the cottage to get ready to go.
"Oh hello there Nicolle…Galahad," Shido stated, getting off the floor and brushing his clothing, he then helped Steph to her feet.
"Yes hello, we were just ah…"
"It's okay." I laughed. And they both sighed.
"So are we going to the dance?" Steph asked eagerly.
"Oh…ah…actually Galahad and I decided that we were going to go to his home so that I can meet his family."
"Oh…"
"Why are you upset?"
"Oh no…that sounds really nice. I hope you have fun. Come on Shido lets go and get ready for the dance." Steph took his hand and pulled him with her into their bed chamber. I looked to Galahad and he shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh well." He stated, "Shall we go."
"Well don't you think that I should change first?"
"What…why? You look wonderful just the way you are."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Okay…if you say so." I smiled, he took my hand and we left the cottage to his home. I had never been there before.
"Steph what is the matter with you?"
"What do you mean?" She asked unsurely.
"Well you look upset."
"How so?"
"I know…you are mad that Nicolle is not coming to the dance with us."
"What…No that is just ridiculous."
"Is it?"
"Okay. Well you're partly wrong. I just think that it is strange that she does not hang out with us anymore and that she wants to do everything with Galahad."
"How is that strange? They are in love Steph. And there is nothing that you can do about it."
"I know, but I miss her and she is not even gone."
"I know what you mean there Steph and everything is okay."
"I know."
"Do you?"
"Yes…yes I do…really." Steph stated looking at Shido.
"Okay then, take your mind off of it and let's good dancing."
"Okay." Steph smiled taking Shido's hand as they left to go to the dance. When they got there, there were several different couples dancing, and they all looked wonderful. Shido took Steph's hand and pulled her on the dance floor.
"Oh Shido you know that I am not that good." She laughed.
"You are perfect to me." She blushed, and followed him. He spun her around and they began dancing, joining in the waltz. They became the highlight of the floor, everyone else stopped dancing to watch, Shido lead Steph across the floor. Now there's a pair! A man stated to his date, watching them dance.
I wish we could dance like that! Another one stated. Shido and Steph dance all through the night, never noticing the audience they had attacked. Once they stopped dancing they looked around to the hundreds of hands that were clapping at them. They smiled at one another and bowed to the crowd.
"Thank you!" Shido shouted. "And I could not have done it without my beautiful partner…" He pointed to Steph and she also bowed to the crowd. Then every one stopped clapping, all but one figure continued clapping working through the crowd.
"Bravo…bravo…that was wonderful really"……