I decided not to continue this conversation with him, he wasn't worth my time. And I felt betrayed that he would react like that. I had trusted him, he should have trusted my judgment and left me alone. Not try to force it out of me by having me dance until my feet were bloody. The point is, for all that I was acting as if my pride was the only thing that had been injured, so had my (here it goes) feelings. HE lost my trust, and I realized I never had his. HE also lost my respect, and he was going to have to deel with the consequences of that. "Thank you for the lovely dance, I think I'll go get some punch now. I am very thirsty after all of that exersize. If you'll excuse me, you probably have many people to talk to." I told him, making sure to sound very distant, and not let my anger through. As I left he just stared at me in shock. Meanwhile I had remmembered that my feet still hurt, but I luckily didn't show anything.

"Wait a minute, I realize I pushed you a little too far, but aren't you over doing it a bit?" he hissed at me after he had caught up.

"I don't know what you're talking about, now if you'll excuse me, this ball won't last much longer and I just learned how to dance. I would like to make use of that knowledge." I said stiffly, sweeping past him and into the fray. He didn't follow me this time, a ton of girls swamped him. I had to admit that now that he wasn't a vampire, he was probably more attractive. I decided to sit down and watch the procedings, I'd let my feet rest and hope someone would come over and ask me to dance. I really was eager to try out this new found ability. Soon, luckily after my feet had recovered, the boy that had first talked to me came back over.

"Are you feet healed enough for a dance?" he asked with a grin.

"Yes, actualy, they are." I replied, his smile was infectious, it didn't hurt that he was cute.

"I see that you danced quite a while with Artemis, you don't happen to have an interesst in." he began as we headed out onto the floor.

"You think that I, EWE!" I exclamed, luckily remmembering just in time to lower my voice. "To tell the truth, he was teaching me to dance."

"It certainly took a long time." He teased.

"It can take me a while to get something before it clicks." I add libbed quickly. "Why are you so interested?" I asked, letting my curiosity show.

"He and I are chums, if you had said yes I could have teased him unmercifully till the end of his days." He replied with a laugh.

I wasn't sure if I believed him, "Artemis has friends?" I asked, watching him closely.

He had a good long laugh, leading me through a simple waltz as we chatted. "Yes, well, he has a few." He added as an after thought.

I gave him a long look, trying to read his expression. He obligingly looked down at me so I could get a clear veiw. My mouth half smiled at that, the result was my trademark quirky smile. "How did you meet?" I asked after a long pause. I tend to be a good judge of character, even though I often see the good side the strongest. As I have said before, you look kindly on another and they'll return the favor. We chatted lightly for the rest of the song, and HE was kind to my feet. I learned that they had met in a bookstore while Artemis had been "researching". They became friends slowly, but they would probably remain, as I would say, kindred spirits forever. They went to the same school, and their friendship had flourished there. He didn't learn anything about me though, when he asked me a question I evaded it, and he respected that. I was definatly interested in this guy, he had black brown hair and nutmeg colored skin, he was tall, dark, and handsom. "I don't believe I caught your name?" I said, phrasing it as a question.

"I'm called Flirt." He responded with a chuckle.

"Is that a warning?" I asked, watching him out of the corner of my eye. He just grinned, "So Cerinthia, would you like to go find Artemis?"

"Why would I want to go find him?" I asked a little to tersley.

"So I can tease him." He responded, giving me the same peircing look as Artemis.

"I think he's in the lounge entertaining some shameless girls." I responded, smoothly turning away and walking towards the said place. Flirt quickly caught up. We soon saw Artemis sitting on the couch, exhasted, and fending off girls with his glare. "The butterflie courtship getting a little tyrsome?" I asked him with a laugh.

He just sighed, "John!" he said in surprise. "I didn't expect you to be here."

"Neither did I, but my mother gave in last minute, it took a little," he paused glancing at me, "Persuading." He was definatly like Artemis, I'd have to watch my step. Artemis just shook his head and chuckled. Meanwhile I sat on the back of the couch, only just managing to catch myself before I hung on it upside down. Artemis gave me a warning look before continueing his conversation with John, aka Flirt.

"I suspect you've been busy dancing?" Artemis asked with a feral grin. I immediately started listening in.

"Yes, those girls, for some reason they're enraptured with me." He said, his fake modesty forcing me to cough, it was that or giggle. He gave me a grin in response. "I've heard that you and Cerinthia are quite close." He said suggestivly.

"Oh have you." Artemis responded, giving me his vampire smile. "I wonder who could have told you that." He said, clipping his sentence short. I prettended to be suddenly interested in the couches matierial. It seemed to pass, this was going to be fun.

"Yes indeed, in fact it's been going around that you two are quite comfterable together." He said suggestivly. I gave him a sharp look, he better not push his luck, but he gave me a reasuring smile. "This isn't true of course." He added, as if he disagreed with what he was saying.

"What ever game you two are playing, it is going to stop now." Artemis said coldly. His chilling smile left no room for debate.

"Fine Kovs." I reasponded.

"What?" he asked.

"King OF Vampire Smile." I explained.

"You are not," he began, but was cut of by John's laughter.

"Count your blessings, I'm not calling you Archy Kins." I told him with an impish smile.

"You will call me neither." He told me firmly.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you say Kovs." I said with a falsly light voice, my revenge was almost complete.

"I wouldn't push my luck if I where you." John warned, completely serious.

I gave him a glance before turning back to Kovs, "You realize of course that if it REALLY bothers you, you just have to ask me to stop." I told him. That was my rule, all any body had to do was ask, he didn't reaspond. I smiled a triumpant grin, that would clinch the deal. If he's not forced to listen to it, he'll put up with it.

"Just not where it can be heard." He said. John looked surprised, I was really enjoying this.

"Like here you mean." I said.

"Yes." He said stiffly. I just smiled secretivly, if he knew what I was planning. The best about Artemis was that it didn't take much to annoy him. I could drive him crazy and not even feel guilty.

My attention was immediately captured by a group of girls comeing towards us, all of them whispering and giggling. Flirt immediately began to preen. "I can see why you're called Flirt." I commented coldly, he just gave me a dashing smile.

"If you'll excuse me, I can't stay in one place to long or THEY find me." He said nodding to the girls, then he headed TOWARDS the girls.

"All of the girls consider him handsom and dashing." Artemis said warningly.

"I can see why," murmured as I followed John's progress with my gaze.

Artemis looked at me sharply, "I don't want you." He began in a you-aren't- allowed-to-date-till-you-are-married voice.

"Excuse me, you better hope you were not about say what I think you were." I told him shortly before walking away.