Flustered at the old man's chiding, Claire stared at the sea of dancers and looked for someone in need of a partner. She felt like a fool. Surely, she had just gotten lucky with Saibara – no one else would be willing to dance with someone as clumsy as Claire. Sidling past an overenthusiastic Popuri and sheepish Zack waltzing, the farmer realized she was likely everyone's last choice for a dancing partner. Certainly, everyone had seen how long it had taken her to catch on to the dance everyone was so familiar with. The owner of Mystic Acres was an awkward city girl with two left feet. As if to confirm her bumbling nature, the young woman accidentally bumped into a woman in a mint colored dress.

"Oh, hi, Claire!" Mary's eyes were sparkling as she looked at the blonde; she was obviously having the time of her life. Claire bit down her jealousy as she saw who the librarian was standing next to. She would be having a wonderful time as well if she got to spend the entire evening at the apprentice's side. "I've been meaning to get the chance to say hello to you tonight. I haven't seen you at the library lately. How have you been?"

The farmer stumbled over her words as she saw that Mary was holding Gray's arm in a way Claire didn't like. "The farm's been busy… Lots of corn." Claire immediately embarrassed herself and could feel her face heating up. She must have sounded so simple and boring to someone with such an active imagination. Quite the contrary, Mary's face lit up at the young woman's final sentence.

"Well, corn is Gray's favorite, so you'll probably get rich this summer," she laughed. "It's hardly a secret that he's addicted to the stuff," she gave the young man a gentle pat on the arm, and Claire's heart burned when she saw the tenderness in the gesture. She was almost touching him as if the two of them were… no… I'm being paranoid… Claire shook the thoughts from her head; she still had plenty of time to win over Gray's heart. The young man rolled his eyes at Mary's comment, but they shared a warm smile.

She couldn't stand the way the two were looking at each other. "So, h-how are things at the library?" Claire managed to squeak out. Her voice had cracked and her question came out much more loudly than she meant for it to.

Mary turned her gaze back toward the farmer and gave her a warm smile. "Pretty good. My father brought in a new load of books, so there's plenty of organizing to do. I haven't gotten much of a chance to work on my story lately because of it. I know it probably sounds like boring work, but I really enjoy it. I also really love reading my father's notes on the plant life and nature in this area. Mineral Town really is a unique place…."

Claire nodded politely. Why was Mary talking so much? The young woman bit the inside of her mouth as punishment. Why was she being so mean? Mary was her friend. Just because they were rivals didn't mean that she couldn't be civil, and it had never stopped her from behaving in the past. The blonde forced a strained smile on her face, upset at her own behavior; she was aware that she was being immature and she disgusted herself a bit.

"Well, I am going to get a drink and get off of my feet for a moment. I wish I had chosen more practical shoes for tonight. Would you care to join me, Claire?" Mary asked gently. She had let go of Gray's arm and was nervously twiddling her thumbs as her gaze shyly moved to the floor.

Knowing she would get heckled by Saibara if she returned so soon, Claire responded with a polite, "No thank you, I just got back from resting myself. I was just getting up to dance…" While it was the truth, she immediately regretted saying this as she saw Mary's expression.

The librarian's face fell, but she quickly hid it. "Oh, okay. Hey, maybe you'd like to dance with Gray. He's a pretty good dancer for a blacksmith," Mary teased, beaming at her companion as she gave him a playful pat on the arm.

The farmer was stunned. "Oh." Claire wasn't sure how to reply. Her greatest wish of the night had just come true and she was too shocked to speak. Perhaps tonight was indeed her chance to win the favor of the apprentice. She wasn't about to question why Mary had just handed him over to her. Claire attempted to hide her overexcitement at this turn in events.

Gray shrugged as his pale blue eyes traveled to his date then back at Claire. "Sure, I'll dance with you. I mean, if you'd like to, of course." He nervously looked back to the bar where his grandfather was sitting and he rolled up his sleeves of his pale blue dress shirt, muttering something about it being too warm in the bar this evening.

Claire slowed down her breathing. Focus on the moment. Enjoy it, be yourself, and surely Gray will respond well.

"Okay. Sounds fun," she struggled to keep her voice casual.

"Alright, then. I guess I'll see you around, Mary," he called over his shoulder as the librarian waved goodbye to them and headed to the bar, stepping gingerly in her uncomfortable shoes.

She was still surprised that her rival had just given her blessing to dance with her date. Claire hoped she wouldn't leave a sweaty handprint on Gray's shoulder, and she prayed that he couldn't hear her heart hammering in her chest. She didn't know how to waltz very well, but Gray didn't seem to mind, although he had a somewhat concerned look on his face while they moved together. The young woman's mind drew a blank. She never knew what to say when she was alone with him, and she was not about to ruin it tonight.

"So, do you dance much?" Claire tried to keep a dialogue going.

He frowned, and she noticed that it took him a moment to respond. "Not really... Hey, do you mind if we just slow dance instead?" he mumbled. "Trying to remember all of these steps is giving me a headache, quite frankly," he admitted with an embarrassed smile.

She was now aware that the look on his face had been that of concentration. She was grateful that she wasn't the only one in the room that wasn't a seasoned dancer, but she hardly wanted to admit this aloud. "I don't mind." The young woman smiled at her good fortune; her risk of stepping on her partner's feet or kicking him in the legs had just decreased dramatically.

Claire couldn't help but notice that his stance was rather stilted. He put his hands on her waist and she had to admit she was a little disappointed that he didn't take one of her hands in his; she found the hand-to-hand contact much more intimate while dancing. However, a small part of her was grateful – she probably would have fainted if he had indeed done that.

Claire looked over Gray's shoulder and saw Cliff dancing with Ann. The waitress was resting her head on her friend's shoulder, staring off into the dance floor with an expressionless face. The young woman looked deep in thought, and the blonde recalled her conversation with Ann the other day. Could the person Ann felt she had lost her romantic chance with really be…? That seemed rather silly to Claire, as the two were close friends and in good standing. But the thought of the two being a couple…? Tonight is only a dance, Claire reminded herself once again that night with a slight chuckle. Cliff's eyes met Claire's for a moment, and he gave her a warm, friendly gaze. The farmer returned the glance and noticed his eyes flash toward his dance partner before giving the farmer an apologetic smile. She looked away, feeling a strong pang of something she couldn't identify.

Karen had found Rick and they were dancing together. The young man moved in an overly stiff, formal way, but his friend didn't seem to mind. Quite the contrary, Karen twirled and shot him a flirty smile that caused him to stumble a bit. She pulled him close and whispered something into his ear and Claire noticed that the poultry farmer turned a bright shade of red as he moved in a little closer. He was so focused on his dance partner he didn't notice Kai stealing a kiss from his sister. Claire wasn't sure if this was a tactical maneuver or not on her best friend's part, but the summer resident wasn't about to waste the opportunity.

The hardworking Elli was taking a break from her regular duties at the hospital and was dancing with Trent. Manna paired with Harris, and Zack had taken a break from dancing and joined Thomas in deep discussion beside the record player. It seemed like nearly everyone in the town had attended the party, and Mineral Town was very serious about their public events. Claire had never been a part of a close-knit community like this before, but she found that she didn't mind it at all. The city hadn't been exactly kind to her.

"This town seems to have a lot of festivals," She commented, but didn't look up at Gray. She feared that if she did, she would say something stupid. When she didn't get an immediate response, her stomach dropped. Perhaps she had already made a foolish comment…

She heard a soft grunt in agreement. "Yeah. They're alright… I guess it's good to have a break from the grind once in a while." His stance was rigid as he shrugged while still holding her.

Claire bit her lip. His body language was suggesting as if dancing with her was a chore. She was determined to make him see that he made the right choice in agreeing to accompany her for this song. "True, the farm can be really busy sometimes…" The conversation was going nowhere, and neither were her advances with him, she realized with a soft sigh. Claire felt her throat tighten. She was blowing it…

"Well, hey… you look nice tonight... I-I mean… I like your dress," Gray said abruptly and turned away awkwardly. "The color suits you." His cheeks flashed pink as his gaze turned to the ground.

"Thanks, you look great, too," Claire responded a little too eagerly, although she wondered why he always had to wear that hat. Her cheeks burned as she turned her face away from his, too embarrassed to look him in the eye. The only things she could think to speak of were Tucker and the fact that they both seemed out of place in this folksy setting. She still didn't feel comfortable talking about her horse, but she was unsure why. It should be a natural subject for them to talk about, as Gray had mentioned himself that he moved from the city to work with his grandfather and Barley by extension. Part of her wanted to say the reason she was hesitant to bring up the subject of Tucker was the fact that training him hadn't gone exactly the way she had hoped, but she shoved this thought down. After all, every relationship, romantic or otherwise, had their ups and downs, disagreements and misunderstandings. Perhaps she could put a positive twist on her second option for conversation. They were both from a more urban area, after all… "Th-They don't dance like this in the city, huh?" Claire tried to make conversation as she looked around them.

It seemed to have worked. "Not at all," he chuckled. "Dances in Mineral Town are like rip-snortin' hootenannies." They both burst into laughter, and it took Claire a moment to catch her breath. She wasn't aware that Gray knew of such silly phrases. The music changed, and the pair slightly picked up the pace, and he switched them back into a waltz. Claire was a little surprised that he had returned to the more complicated dancing style. Perhaps he was trying to impress her? His body relaxed significantly as they moved, and Claire took a tiny step closer to him. "This time last week, I would have been stomping on your feet." He gave her a sheepish hint of a smile.

She was a little surprised, but like Mary had mentioned, he wasn't a bad dancer. His movements were much more fluid since they first started dancing together. It was almost as if she was paired off with a completely different person in more ways than one. She found a smile creeping across her face. "So… who was your dance instructor, then?" She immediately regretted asking the question, knowing the answer would likely break her heart. She pressed her lips together into a thin line.

Gray was too busy avoiding her gaze to notice; the young man focused more on the steps. He stared over her shoulder and his face turned red. "My roommates… Although one was more of a heckler than anything else…" She saw him snap his gaze in the offender's direction and shoot a poisonous look at the back of Kai's head.

Claire stifled a giggle. The thought of the apprentice dancing with either of his roommates was a silly one, and she could easily see Kai giving Gray a hard time about it.

He cleared his throat to catch her attention. "Hey… Gramps is finally letting me start to help with tools. So… if you come by the forge sometime, I can help sharpen something for you."

Her heart leapt into her throat as she moved in a little closer. "That's great! And my first batch of pineapples will be ready for harvest soon. It looks like we're both moving up in the world." And it seems like we're getting closer as well, she silently added to herself.

"I guess you're right," Gray chuckled. The young man seemed to have a much looser feel to him tonight. She wasn't sure at what point the change had occurred with the young man, but it was almost as if he had a huge weight lifted from his shoulders. Claire stole a glance at his face and noticed that Gray looked the happiest she had ever seen him – the stress that was normally etched in his face had all but disappeared. She couldn't help but wonder if she was the reason for this change in his behavior and her cheeks burned. The music ended all too soon.

"Well, thanks for the dance," Claire hoped he'd stay for another song, and silently cursed herself for thanking him already. In doing this, she had said that the dance was over.

"Uh-huh." He took a couple of steps back toward the bar and paused, whirling around. "Hey… thanks, Claire. It feels kinda nice not being the only person from the city around here. I'll… uh… see you around." He gave her a small smile and her heart swelled. The young man rarely treated her to such an expression, but she was surprised to see that the joy in his face was confined solely to his mouth; his eyes were not smiling. Her stomach twisted. Perhaps he was sad to leave her? Maybe any moment, he would take her hand and ask for another dance…

He tipped his hat at her and walked away. Claire's lungs deflated. What had that expression meant? The apprentice had looked happy and sad at the same time. Gray truly was a mystery, and she wondered if she would ever figure out what was going on in that head of his.

Suddenly without direction, Claire instinctively looked for Karen. However, her friend seemed deep in conversation with Rick at the bar, and she didn't want to bother them. She thought about heading back to the bar herself, but she had been having so much fun dancing that she wondered if she should try to find another partner.

Claire felt a hand on her shoulder and whirled around in surprise.

0o0o0o0

Author's Note: Yes, Gray is an enigma. I promise there is a method to his madness and it will be revealed pretty soon.

I didn't really have any specific songs in mind when I wrote this dance section, but I imagine a lot of folk dancing and line dancing. This ain't your high school prom, haha!

I want to thank all the readers and active reviewers and followers. It's exciting to see other people enjoy your work. I hope that you all enjoy this chapter as well! Please let me know what you think of the story so far in the review box!