Chapter 27

Amu burst from the changing room wearing a tight lime green dress that went to her ankles. It was made of an itchy fabric and was so tight it made walking hard. Not to mention the bright green clashed with the color of her delicate pink hair. Molly turned around and giggled, then she put on a serious face to confront Amu.

"How is it Hime-sama?" Molly asked. Amu looked at her and raised an eyebrow. Molly bit her lip to prevent more laughing. "How about I help you pick?" She asked. Amu reluctantly nodded. Molly turned to the line of dresses. Amu must have been very nervous, that was the only dress here that would have looked bad on her.

Molly pulled some clothes apart and considered something that would match Amu's hair color. Then made a face and pulled back some other dresses. Maybe something that complimented her eye color. Molly looked behind her at Amu's eyes. They were innocent and full of curiosity. Sweet, young, soft and bright. Behind the outer shell there was a worried girl, who had many dreams that she was restricted from dreaming. Molly sighed and hung some dresses back on the rack. 'Amu's eyes are beautiful but I doubt brown and yellow would look good on her.'

I brilliant idea popped into Molly's head and she jumped. Molly looked back at Amu's eyes. 'A dress that compliments her eyes! It's brilliant! There's more to eyes then the color!' Molly squinted and scanned the dress rack that seemed to go on forever. 'There has to be something that can represent the princess.'

Molly grabbed dress after dress, glancing at the color and design before tossing it over her shoulder. Puffy, showy, mature, casual, sexy, cute, safe, dangerous, hot, cold, black, white, long sleeved, strapless! They had everything imaginable! But Molly just couldn't find something perfect, she was scared she would pick something that wasn't good enough.

"How about this?" Amu asked. She pulled a dress down and held it in front of her. The dress had a mint ribbon around the neck with a large bow in the front. The bow connected to the front of the dress, holding it up. The dress was white with with other mint undertones and mint fringe at the bottom. ( desc_309369838_ )

"I love it!" Molly smiled and ushered her back to the dressing room. With a big smile. "So what are your plans for him?" She asked.

Amu rolled her eyes. She glanced at the mirror in the dressing room. It showed Amu's reflection, the slender graceful truth. Amu hung the dresses on a hanger for a moment and looked at the mirror. She but her lip. Amu hadn't had any problems with her body, it didn't matter all that much to her. But right now, Amu stared at the truth and saw lies. She wondered if she was too pudgy, because she had some healthy pounds on her stomach. Or if she was too clumsy, or weird.

"Princess?" Molly called. Amu jumped a bit, the lies faded away and Amu slipped on the mint dress. The images and feelings lingered but stayed in the back of Amu's mind. Pushed away by how Amu loved the way the dress made her look.

"Oh! It's perfect!" Molly gushed. "Too amazing!"

Amu blushed with a smiled. Molly pulled her into the next room. Waiting with two women to do her hair. They sat her down, surrounded with hair products, hair products and accessories. Along with various make-up items and other beauty products.

First her pink hair was straightened, then teased and tied up in two high pig tails. One girl took a brush and dipped it in a sparkly white eye shadow. The other girl pulled out a plastic box labeled 'Perfume' and began to dig through it. The first covered the base of Amu's eye lids with white and built it up to a deep sparkling emerald.

After a couple minutes the second burst from the box with a bottle filled with green liquid. She ran to Amu and sprayed her a couple times. A cool, sharp refreshing aroma of mint leaves left the bottle. Everyone inhaled deeply and sighed outwardly with nostalgia.

"All set!" The two girls said together. The stood side by side and bowed. "Have a wonderful night Princess."

"Thank you." Amu said. She waved at the girls before Molly rushed her out the door with a

"This is so exciting!"

The ballroom cleared for Amu's banquet was a light blue. There was no man standing by the door to announce the guests, Amu was thankful for that. Tonight's theme was snow. There was an ebony piano in the corner of the room and ice sculptures were abundant. Almost all the foods were cold, fancy foods. There were simple things like ice cream, which people urged her to call frozen custard, to things that Amu had never heard of before. Delicate snow flakes were scattered across the room.

Many royals had arrived already and were conversing in small groups. All the boys wore black tuxedos with blue accents. The girls wore everything from dark blue velvet to aquamarine silk. Amu glanced down at her blue green dress and felt like running to get something else. She stood out among the crowd like she was wearing red at a black and white ball. Or at least that's how she felt I don't think anyone really noticed.

Amu tried to ignore it and grabbed a cold glass of iced tea. She sat down, just sat there, sipping her tea. The room was cool and refreshing and it helped clear Amu's mind. So much had happened in five days it was hard to process. The first time she met Ikuto, was at the first coming night. She had kissed him, how many times now? Three, no five? (And it wasn't just in that last chapter.)

'And I still don't know if I love him. I like him that's for sure, but I don't know if I want to spend the rest of my life with him.

She had met many new friends from far off places, like the odd ball HaruHana group, the intriguing and mysterious Nagihiko, to the serious Kairi. Along with Tadase, who she hadn't seen for a while.

Amu closed her eyes and shook her head. It felt like a thousand things were flying through her head as she tried to organize her thoughts.

'I can barely remember what happened yesterday let alone the beginning of the week.'

"Ugh. What does it mean?!" She whispered.

"What ever you want it to mean."

"That doesn't help." Amu didn't think before acting and just answered on impulse. A thought about it never crossed her mind on who she was talking to. She just talked.

"Sure it does, just think about it."

Amu scrunched up her face and rolled her eyes. "What are you? William Shakespeare?"

"A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet."

Amu groaned. "Roses don't smell like any-" Amu turned to see whom she was conversing with and stopped in her tracks. "...thing." She finished weakly.

"Then maybe you should stop and smell the roses more often." Ikuto countered.

"Yeah." Amu breathed. "Maybe I should."

Ikuto could take her breath away in seconds, she couldn't figure out why. He sat next to her with his legs crossed and his arm casually resting on the chair behind Amu. Ikuto's hair was teased a bit and he wore a black tuxedo. His cuffs were an electric blue color that made his eyes brighter and even harder to resist.

"You look so...proper." Amu said. Again without thinking.

"Oh really?" Ikuto asked. "I'm wearing sneakers."

Amu smiled. Why did he seem so real? So easy to talk to.

The tall woman from the last banquet watched Amu and Ikuto from afar. She smiled and stepped up to the pianist.

She whispered a request in his ear for the next song and he nodded. The tune he played was upbeat and fun, it slowed and melted into the slow, gentle pace the woman's song was.

She began to sing, using her throaty elegant voice. Many sat down just to enjoy her voice. Others grabbed a partner and slow danced around the room.

Ikuto looked at the woman curiously for a second, then turned to Amu. He held out his hand and smirked at her.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked. Amu took his hand without hesitation as he pulled her onto the dance floor. (Ball room floor?)

Ikuto held Amu's hand tightly and put his other hand on Amu's waist. She awkwardly rested her hand on his shoulder. Ikuto shook his head to keep from letting out a laugh, then whisked her away. He spun Amu to the middle of the room and dipped her. Amu gulped and blushed. 'Perfect.' She thought.

Ikuto pulled her back up and Amu couldn't help but stare into his eyes endlessly. Ikuto watched her carefully, she wasn't very good at dancing so he had to watch his steps. Make sure everything went smoothly.

'He's absolutely perfect.' Is all Amu's conscious mind could think. She couldn't focus on dancing but in the back of her mind something was making sure no one fell flat on their face. After a while Amu relaxed and rested her head on his chest.

At the end of the song there was a long note that the woman held. Ikuto spun Amu around and switched the hand her held hers with. Then Ikuto pulled Amu back and wrapped her arm around his neck.

Their faces were only inches apart.

'Is he going to kiss me? In front of everyone?' The thought was more then Amu could handle, she slipped her hands away and stared at his shoes. Everything in the room was silent for a moment.

"Come with me." Ikuto said.