Hannah stood near the tables of food, hanging away from the thick crowd before her. At a request from Gaara and order from the Hime of the Village of Hidden Grass, she rigged up the largest building to appear more like a night club than a workout gymnasium.

The entire village was stuffed in the building.

Hannah couldn't help but remember, with a smile, the saying Frodo told Gandalf about Bilbo's 111th birthday party: 'Half the Shire's been invited, and the rest of them are turning up anyway.'

The music blaring on the speakers was one of the songs on her playlist for tonight called 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None Richer. Hannah momentarily spotted the poor girl-horded Kazekage waltzing with one of the hundred left over competitors.

Chika was dancing with Gaara with a soft smile on her face, brown eyes gleaming gently. Her long ebony hair had been braided and pulled up. She wore a mauve slim dress to accentuate her pale pink, curvy body. Hannah noted a little, subtle cleavage showing.

Hannah's finger ran over the rim of her grape juice in a wine glass that hadn't been touched by her lips. The American searched for the Hime of the Hidden Grass Village in the mass of transparent, expensive, glittery gowns.

Hannah spotted Maite without her mask on, revealing a pair of dark pink flushed lips and small delicate nose. The princess was a perfect porcelain doll in her mauve dress, swaying with her betrothed, Kankuro, who had been convinced to wear a tuxedo and no face paint.

The American had to admit they made a handsome pair.

Rin pushed past Hannah, nearly causing her to spill her drink. Barbie wore a pink dress that attacked poor male eyes with bulging breasts and strong hints of her thighs with high slits in her gown. Rin's coffee eyes blazed with jealousy as she downed a glass of sake. Her long magenta colored finger nails curled spitefully around another glass and shattered it.

Hannah kept a straight face, viewing the scene from the corner of her green-grey eye, as Rin cursed the stain on her dress and stomped off to the bathrooms.

The American sighed, feeling worthless. She couldn't help it.

Everywhere her eyes trained there was a reminder of how ugly she was compared to the beauty of every other competitor. 'You know that I'm just the kind of girl that feels so hurt and smiles.' And people wondered why she didn't come to parties…

Hannah smoothed out her own maroon dress. The sleeves were ruffles that hung off her shoulders connected to her dress by diamond pins. The top was a little more low cut that Hannah would have liked, but flashed no cleavage. It barely skimmed her petite figure, hinting at everything and giving away nothing.

Maite had let her borrow mascara, burgundy eye shadow, and cherry lipstick, applying a hint of rogue for a hint of a modest 'blush'.

Yet again she found herself feeling naked and hideous.

Hannah felt that the males who passed her and winked or smiled were being unnecessarily cruel. How dare they mock her unattractiveness? Rude, stupid men.

'And so she will sit alone and wait…'

The American set her juice on the table with a sigh. Maybe she should go outside and breathe some cool, fresh air before her senses got too addled…

"Hey."

Hannah glanced up at a tall, muscular man with dark tan skin and amused gold eyes from behind a mass of auburn bangs. His lips were quirked in a light smirk. His tan hand was held out.

"Would you like to dance?"

The American's happy façade automatically came to her defense, friendly smile and all. Hannah found her hand in his. "I'd be glad to," her disgustingly flirtatious voice gushed.

Too late. Her senses were addled.

'Someone kill me,' Hannah screamed mentally as the stranger led her away from her solace and into the mass of bodies. His grip was firm yet gentle on her hand.

He paused in the middle of a cluster of females.

Hannah blinked. "Aren't we going to dance?"

"Let's wait for the next song, impatient one," he chuckled.

Her face reddened and the American immediately felt stupid for making such a careless comment. 'Shoot me now,' Hannah inwardly whimpered as she heard a familiar song from her playlist pop up:

'I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me. I still feel your touch in my dreams. Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why, without you it's hard to survive…Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling and every time we kiss, I swear I could fly. Can't you feel my heart beat fast? I want this to last, need you by my side.'

Hannah felt herself lost in the fast beat, twirling with a genuine energy. Her eyes must have been playing tricks in the white strobe light. For a moment, she thought she had been dancing with Obsidian Luminosity, her Ouija-sama.

'Cause every time we touch, I feel the static and every time we kiss, I reach for the sky. Can't you hear my heart beat so? I can't let you go, want you in my life.'

"You look pretty," the tan male blurted out, and Hannah nearly slipped.

"E-excuse me?"

His face flushed. "I didn't mean any offense- I mean, that dress compliments your figure and you look…" he coughed, searching for the right word. "Healthy."

Hannah arched an eyebrow. "Are you insinuating I'm fat?"

"No," he burst out loudly, causing several heads to turn. "You have a kawaii (cute) blush on your face" –Hannah's face flushed deeper- "and your cosmetics were well done," he said in a lowered tone.

"Are you drunk?" Normal men didn't go around complimenting women unless they expected a reward- usually a kiss or time in bed.

"Pardon?"

"What do you want?" Hannah made her point crystal clear.

Her dancing partner's gold eyes were wide with disbelief and his auburn eyebrows were raised. "Nothing but the pleasure of your company," he answered.

"You're an Ouji-sama, aren't you?"

"How can you tell?"

"Your manners," the American replied dryly.

The prince frowned. "I didn't know I was so obvious."

Hannah's grin reappeared. "Only to those that have half a brain."

"Be nice," the prince whispered, but he was smirking. "My name is Rako Hui."

'So his last name means intelligent and wise…I wonder how true that is…'

Rako flashed her a charming smile-smirk. "What is your name?"

"None of your business."

"Oh, really?"

"Why'd you want to know?"

"I would like to know who keeps throwing excellent comebacks at me!"

Hannah ignored the flattery. "I'll tell you."

"Really?" He arched an eyebrow.

"No." Hannah slyly spun herself away from Rako and through a narrow opening of fangirls before it closed on the prince. She smirked and strode back into her isolated corner.

The American swooped up her glass of grape juice, taking a triumphant sip.

"Why won't you tell me anything about yourself?" an annoyed voice asked at her shoulder.

Rako, arms crossed, had materialized at her side, leaning against the wall as he glared down at her. He wore black robes with golden embroidery. Hannah admitted he was a looker in them.

"We met five minutes ago- that's seriously enough to get to know me."

"Just finish dancing with me and quit being so stubborn," he gestured toward the thinning dance floor. People in Suna went to bed earlier than Americans, who went home the next morning.

"Why?"

"I have a reputation. If someone notices that a girl snubbed me, my reputation will be tainted," Rako explained with a pained expression.

Hannah burst out laughing. "Like you have a reputation to ruin!"

Rako muttered something darkly as Hannah carefully wiped away a tear of mirth so she didn't smear the eye shadow and resemble a bloody-eyed panda.

'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling and every time we kiss, I swear I could fly. Can't you feel my heart beat fast? I want this to last, need you by me side. Cause every time we touch, I feel the static and every time we kiss, I reach for the sky. Can't you hear my heart beat so? I can't let you go, want you in my life.'

Hannah dashed out into the crowd with a magnificent twirl, arms outstretched with a broad smile on her face. She would show these pathetic pansies how Americans danced. Her body picked up the quick beat of the music with ease. It felt as though she was flying away from her body, free of restraints.

Hannah danced her way up from the ground, walked it out, pop-lock-and-dropped-it, and had fun with her erotic styles. The American panted slightly as the song ended, bursting with energy.

P-p-P-p-P-p-P-p-P

Rako watched the mysterious, beautiful woman dance with his mouth shaped in an incredulous 'O.' The prince was unable to keep his amber eyes off her teasing figure as she changed steps, her hair trailing behind her, her face lit with such mischief and glee, she was the most entrancing thing he'd ever seen in his life.

She was part of the music, knew every note, every beat before and as it was played…

The wild music suddenly halted and she froze in the middle of a move. Everyone had frozen with her, breathless and shocked.

The woman suddenly blushed and demurely crept back into her corner, trying to escape the eyes of Suna.

'So she isn't all tough,' Rako smirked, amused. He was transfixed by the feral movements and gorgeous grace of her. 'A shy little being waiting patiently for her chance in the spot light, but never getting the chance, all the while putting up with the temptation to burst into the spotlight and snatch it away forever.'

The prince wanted to hold her in his arms forever and enjoy the warmth radiating off her skin. 'What would she look like in lace?' he wondered, eyeing her.

'Ooooh…Naughty Rako,' he berated himself.

"What do I owe you for that dance?" he purred, teasing her. Rako felt silent amusement as her face became bright red and her hair hid her face. He smiled- a rare treat.

"I…" Rako stopped smiling, his psychic senses warning him that he'd gone a bit too far.

"I have to go," she made up desperately, green-grey eyes clouded.

Rako paled. The prince didn't want his only source of amusement at the party to leave. He might never find her again! "Now? Where? Why?" He gently grabbed her shoulders as she backed away to leave, closing the gap slowly.

"H-home," she stammered, staring up into his eyes with fear. Rako could see, in her eyes, barriers were rising quickly. The moment was decaying too fast.

"Why can't you stay?" he demanded. He was grasping at shards.

"I-I'm exhausted."

"Please stay," Rako whispered, letting her shoulders go.

She bit her lip, eyes darting from the door to the floor near his feet. Rako was stunned when she took a step closer to him. She was so close…her lips were deliciously close…

Rako was held when she held the side of his face with a hand. The prince felt his breath hitch. His cheeks colored. "Gomen nasai, but I can't," she murmured and disappeared through the door.

The prince touched his flaming cheek in pure disbelief. He was so out of it, he didn't feel the killer aura behind him.

When he finally turned around, Rako saw a very ticked betrothed princess of his with blazing orange eyes and purple hair.

"RAKO HUI!" she screamed, reeling back her fist.

P-p-P-p-P-p-P-p-P

Hannah ran as fast as fear would lend to her heels. She stumbled and fell against a wall, gasping for air, feeling ill with trepidation. It disturbed her how Hannah felt an underlying connection with the prince, as though she already knew him.

The American was drawn to him by an innate fondness, not love or lust. When she noticed this, Hannah realized she had to escape his presence. It wasn't a sexual attraction…just like she had known him a long time ago, and his presence soothed over her fears and comforted her anxieties.

Hannah had no clue why.

She was so confused.

Thankfully, the prince hadn't trailed after her.

Hannah entered the house in a flurry of red, slamming and locking the door, rushing upstairs. She retreated into the bathroom and kicked off her bothersome high heels. Tears ran down her cheeks as the American clenched the sink edges.

Her red eye shadow bled where her tears flowed.

'Eyes stained with crimson tears, a drop for all my deepest fears.'

Disclaimer: don't own quote from LOTR movie or book, 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence None Richer, 'Everytime We Touch' by CASCADA, or the little quotes

Kawaii- cute

Gomen nasai- I'm sorry (polite)