Chapter Twenty-Nine

Think fast! Run—No! I dropped to my smoothest curtsy. I kept my head bowed as so Char couldn't see my face.

"Majesty," I breathed, "Please call me by my proper name. Elalaine." Elalaine? Where did that come from? My heart was pacing quickly; I fear it would jump out of my chest and run away. Char! The person I deceived, the person I swore never to go near ever!

Char said nothing. I knew it. He doubted me. I wasn't sure whether his mind was set on my identity, Ella. I kept my head bowed. I was certain he wouldn't be fooled. My reaction, my name! It didn't cross my mind that Vanessa, Vanessa of all the people, would lead him to introduce me!

Luck was on my side. No matter if Char didn't believe me. No matter. I had to get away. The music had started. I took the advantage.

"Excuse me, Highness." I almost said Char!

I snatched Cedric's hand and dragged him to the middle of the dance. Yes, anywhere with a lot of people as so he wouldn't see me.

"Tell me." Cedric said as we danced.

"Tell you what?" I asked.

"Why you acted to fidgety when Prince Charmont came along?"

He noticed! If he did, then surely Char did too! Somehow I needed an alibi. I laughed a little. "Cedric, you do know he is of Royalty. Well I have always wanted to meet with Royalty."

"And you didn't tell us that your proper name is Elalaine."

I shrugged. "I didn't like that name. I wanted to be called just Ella. I figured that Prince Charmont needn't call me by my improper name."

"Liar."

I didn't reply. What was the use? Cedric saw through me. But he didn't need to know. He only saw the vague image. He wouldn't be trouble. But I felt sick to the stomach, knowing that I deceived my friends that have trusted me. When would this end? What if I lose their friendship too? I didn't want that. I had few friends. I didn't want to lose the ones I had now. I notice Vanessa glance at me with uncontainable suspicion. She might have thought that I was planning to steal Char by acting as the mysterious maiden. Char was next to Vanessa. Though Vanessa looked at me for a couple of times, she didn't fail to entertain him with talk. But he wasn't listening, I could see. His eyes had the expression of wonder, doubt…but he still gazed at Vanessa. Larissa. She was dancing with another gentleman. Apparently, when I dragged Cedric, she followed too. What if she thinks that I was planning to steal Cedric? But surely not. She shouldn't think that. I would never try to steal Cedric. Cedric! Not that he wasn't favorable…the reason was, deep inside, I still had a part for Char. And it would never disappear.

I was lucky that I didn't trust my instincts and ran. If I did, Char would soon be certain that I was Ella. And he would question Vanessa. He would find out more and more…I didn't want to think about the consequences. And also, if I ran, they would be suspicious. And where would I go if I did? My cover would be blown and I might never face the public again!

"Vanessa…she should stop boring him to death?" Cedric said.

"Prince Charmont?" I wasn't listening.

"Don't you see them? Poor Prince Charmont stuck with a flirt. Unfortunately for him, that flirt is Vanessa."

"You shouldn't say that. It's natural for women—"

"So it's natural to you too?" Cedric interrupted. I felt myself blush.

"No." I replied indignantly. I wasn't a flirt! I never was! "I meant that it's natural on most women."

"So what you did awhile ago wasn't flirting? I doubt it." Cedric teased.

"No it wasn't. It was just a very clumsy introduction." I quickly changed the subject. I didn't want to talk about what happened. "Why did Larissa call Prince Charmont, Char?" I was curious. Who wouldn't be? It wasn't that I was suspicious. I was just curious. Friends call Char, Char. I wanted to know what happened between them.

"I've heard that she had a nice time with him during the balls." Oh, the balls. I had seen her dance with him for many times.

"And…"

"I don't know. Do you think I would go about, nosing in other people's business?" Cedric laughed. "If you wanted to know so much, then why don't you ask Larissa?"

"After the dance."

The music was still playing. We twirled about the floor. At long last the music ended. Cedric went to another direction while I sat down and watched the other people dancing. Vanessa was dancing with another gentleman. It was a miracle that she could forget Char and turn to another. She was so obsessed with him that I was surprised that she let him dance with another. Not after dragging him to places. Larissa was right. Vanessa was strange. My eyes spotted Char. He was dancing with another lady. His partner was Larissa. She was talking with him. I do hope that she didn't tell him about me. Larissa seemed to be enjoying herself. And Char too. I have never seen him look so happy since the time I was making him laugh. Maybe they really were friends. I sat there and watched, just as I did during the past balls. I wish that I could hide but then, I had company with me. I wish that I could talk to him like before. But I couldn't. How many times have I deceived him? Ella, Lela, Elalaine…when would this stop?  

I looked at Char. I had no choice but to stay here. Missing for two hours was fine. Missing the whole dance would prove to be suspicious. And I knew that Vanessa was curious about me. She knew something was the matter. She wasn't stupid. And with her scrutiny, my reaction was impossible to pass unnoticed. She already suspects me, I know. And she might think of me as a threat to her Prince Charmont.  I could let Char go. But I can't let him go to a woman like Vanessa. Vanessa wasn't mean or money-faced like Olive. It was just that…I didn't have a reason. Was I jealous too? Was I like Vanessa, protective of someone who wasn't her in the first place? Vanessa was my friend…but somehow I couldn't let her near Char. And I still didn't have a reason. Somehow, Vanessa reminded me of Hattie; she was sometimes complacent. But she wasn't completely like Hattie. Her attitude was something I could accept. Towards Hattie it was different.

A gentleman asked me for a dance. I obliged. I shouldn't just sit there. If I do, Char might just walk up to me and ask whether I was Ella. And I wouldn't let that happen. I have to keep myself preoccupied. But I made it a point to myself not to dance a gavotte. The steps might lead him to be my partner. Then I would be in trouble. Our hands knew each other… That was all there was to say.

As I danced, I still glanced around. Larissa was dancing with Cedric. Vanessa had claimed Char once more. I spotted Ivinia. I hadn't seen her. She wasn't dancing though. Lady Marianna was sitting next her. Ivinia looked tired. Lady Marianna proved to be garrulous.

I didn't stop dancing. My feet were tired, but my spirit to avoid Char at all cost wasn't. I often spot him glance at him, but the moment was gone before I got to confirm it. The clock ticked away. Soon I was extremely exhausted. I was sure that my glass slippers would break with all those dancing. It didn't matter whether Char was there. I wanted to rest. I needed to rest. I sat beside Larissa.

"Well, isn't it about time for you to stop dancing?" she asked me nicely.

"I know. I just love dancing! I couldn't stop." I replied. Liar.

"Hmm…eleven fifty…only ten minutes until the end of the ball!" Larissa sighed.

"Ten minutes? Time does fly by."

"I know. I'll miss this ball."

"Me too." I spotted Cedric dancing and suddenly his suggestion came into my head. "Larissa, why did you call Prince Charmont, Char?"

"You noticed? It is apparent…" Larissa had this faraway look. "Char—I mean Prince Charmont and I, were friends."

"Friends?" Like Char and I before? Or just known acquaintances?

"Yes, friends. Of course by now you're wondering why I still hadn't pulled a move on him."

"No actually. You told me before that…Cedric."

Larissa blushed and chewed on her lip. "Right. We just had a great time during those balls of his. Vanessa didn't speak to me for a week when she found out."

"What happened?" I was curious. Who wouldn't?

"I made him laugh during our acquaintance. I just said to him a silly joke. I wanted to entertain him since he looked so bored of all those simpering women.  But I thought that he would find it absurd but then, he laughed. He said that he reminded me of his old friend. He looked so…I couldn't explain it. I quickly excused myself, thinking that I did something that displeased him. Then he asked me a dance after all those introductions. I made him laugh for sometime before he said that he was quite taken by me. He is a very entertaining person. He wasn't haughty or proud like almost all the other high order persons I had once met."

 I had said that about him before! He really wasn't haughty like High Chancellor Thomas.

"It must be nice to be friends with him." I replied suddenly. I thought about our past friendship.

"I have to admit it is but then Vanessa, she can't stop pestering me! Oh! The music stopped! Let's go to Cedric!" She grabbed my arm and we proceeded to Cedric.

He knew we were coming so he waited for us. I saw Ivinia approach us. We all faced the gigantic clock. It began to chime. The chime was loud, resonating. Everyone sighed. Then everyone started to take of his or her masks. I lifted mine off. Right then I wished I hadn't.

"Ella?" I spun around. Char! He looked as horrified as I was. Or rather, he looked more expectant than I. He knew I was Ella.

Without replying, I pushed Larissa and Cedric away and ran. My glass slippers were making a riot on the marble floor. Everyone's attention was drawn to me. I kept on running. I heard Char behind me as I reached the grand staircase. But he was nearing me. I only had one option. I slid down the stairs. My glass slippers were exposed and Char saw them. He saw me slid down the stairs, he saw me without my mask, and he saw these slippers that he had found. Every piece fitted the description of Ella.

"Ella! I knew it was you!" He shouted to me as the endless race continued.

I know! I wanted to tell him!

"I'm so sorry!" I ran on. I knew he could keep up with me. I knew he could catch up. But then, when I turned my head, I saw that he was stopped. By Vanessa. I blessed Vanessa.

I didn't go to the carriage. I ran on, without thinking where I was going. I wish that I could come to the hall's kitchen and tell Mandy. But I couldn't. If I were back there…I didn't want to think about it. Only one place was etched in my mind as I ran through the night: inn. I dashed to the inn as fast as my feet could carry me. I wondered if my glass slippers slipped from my feet. I checked. They were still there. The inn had some distance away from the Hall but I could run the distance. When I did reach the inn, I pounded madly at the door and waited impatiently for Ben to open it. Wild thoughts came to my head. What if Char followed me and got to me before this door was opened? Impossible. I was shouting at the inn. Let me in! Let me in! I wanted to hide from all of it. I wanted to hide from everything. My insistence led the door to be opened. I pushed Ben away and locked myself in my room. I collapsed on my bed and waited for carriages to pull over and people insisting my presence. Nothing. I felt safe…but I was troubled. A part of me wanted to run back to the Hall and confess everything. But the larger part of me wanted to stay in this room and never to come out. I only hope that Vanessa wouldn't show the way to the inn. Or Larissa. Or Cedric. Or Ivinia.

I fell asleep. I was exhausted from my run. But I would never forget that night. Even in my dreams the memory kept playing on and on. And if more balls come, and if Char was in those balls, time would repeat itself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I'm sorry that this chapter took sooooooooooooo long to upload! It's just that we had this stupid orientation at school even if it wasn't still the start of the school. And I do wonder why the heck they put up that orientation when they just repeat things all over again?? And my internet time ran out. And there was a short string of brownouts. And the other reason was because I wanted so much for this chapter to be at least satisfactory because it was sort of a climax of the ball. This is a short chapter…I'll try to make the next chapters longer: )  Oh and not to mention, the Fanfiction.net announcement about not getting to upload, etc. You all know about that. And school just started!!!  

And I'm going nuts over my other stories. Shoplifting is just updated if anybody cares. And I just updated my joint fic. If you want to check it out the penname is Claidi and Moonlight Rhapsody. I would really be grateful if you read that. It's a whole new type of writing. I write for the super evil and egotistic villain Lara. If you really want proof on how egotistic she is…one of the reviewers wrote that she's a bitch (I reacted to that because I write for her and I kind of take sides. Am I that convincing??). I hope you like this chapter! Hey I always say that and that is what I always hope for!

Thanks a bunch to the reviewers!!!

®