It was a Saturday morning and I groaned as I stepped into the changing booth at the mall. I was forced to put the thick, ugly, probably used fabric on in there. There was only one benefit for tuxedos in air conditioned buildings: I was cold so this clothing made me warm. How could people put these on anyways? It's so complicated to do everything. I had to call Flynn in to help me. He laughed when he saw my condition. I cursed at him and he put everything together for me. Flynn's only useful for some things.

As Flynn tied my bow tie, his face was close to mine. I liked the smell of his shampoo. I take it sometimes without him knowing and put it back after I finally remember to do so. Of course he gets mad and finds out because Repede tells on me every time. Then Flynn rewards him with a dog treat. I think he trained him to do that.

My blonde friend stood back a little to see me in it and laughed again. I glared at him and moved my hair out of the way so I could look down at myself. I even looked in the mirror. I thought that I looked fine. Nothing was out of the ordinary about my clothes, but Flynn was practically in tears from my appearance. I didn't understand it at all.

Flynn looked fine in his tuxedo too. It wasn't strange seeing him in it. I guess it's because he's elegant enough to be seen in one and his short hair allows him to not look feminine. Even I admit that I appear feminine from my long hair. I often feel like cutting it but Flynn won't let me. He's says I'll look weird. He doesn't seem to hesitate when it comes to bringing me down. But I'll have the last laugh since he has to dance with Estelle.

We only have two more things left to do before we leave for the royal ball. That is to take Repede to the vet and Flynn needs to teach me how to dance. Hanks offered to take Repede himself, but if Flynn and I didn't do it, then of course Repede would get mad and then Hanks would be his new best friend. He can be so emotional sometimes.

Just as we left the mall, Flynn finally stopped laughing at me. I didn't look ridiculous at all.

The both of us got to my room to find no Repede. I was going to freak out, but Flynn found a note from Hanks. Hanks wrote that we were late to drop Repede off so he took him there instead. That kind of pissed me off. Was he that anxious to have our dog that he just barraged in and took him? Flynn didn't seem to mind. He looked happy.

"Why are you so happy?" I asked.

He responded in a merry tone "Because we have more time to practice and we also didn't have to race to the vet."

"True…" In truth, his enthusiasm was beginning to scare me a little. Flynn was smiling from ear to ear. I think he just wanted to be alone with me. Obviously I don't mind it at all as long as he doesn't have any weird intentions.

Moments after eating lunch, we stood in the middle of the floor. Flynn told me to bow before we began. I did so and the two of us started waltzing without music. Unfortunately, I was a little shorter than him. I had the habit of looking down at my feet as Flynn instructed me. He taught me all of the simple steps and then turned on the radio.

"This time Yuri," he said "look at my face not your feet."

I nodded. We bowed again and started dancing. Immediately into it I stared down, but my face was pulled back up. My dark eyes stared into his blue ones. My heart began to race and I felt my face get hot. In a way I got lost in his eyes and forgot that I was dancing, but strange enough my feet didn't stop moving.

I noticed Flynn blushing. The slightly red shade on his pale skin brought out the color of his eyes. That made me even more hypnotized. Without realization or control, I pulled Flynn's head closer and kissed him dead on the lips. It was my first kiss too. Slowly, I backed away. Noticing what I did came back to me quickly.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I said.

"It's alright Yuri."

"No it's not. Just forget that happened."

"How can I forget? I'm going to get ready for the ball."

He left out. I leaned against the wall and touched my lips. I could still feel his against mine. Flynn was a good kisser, but I really didn't want to fall in a love with a boy especially since he was my best friend. Honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do with myself in this situation. Neither of us will forget our kiss.

XXX

The ball room looked much bigger than the outside of the castle. Everything seemed… sparkly and golden. There was also a lot of food. All of the people here were nobles or guards. Unfortunately, the Commandant was here too. Estelle was nowhere to be found. I guess she hasn't made her entrance yet.

Being here was uncomfortable because Flynn and I were the only poor ones here and I'm still not used to the strange feeling I get from Flynn's presence. He stayed with me for a while. I think it was mainly because we saw Sodia with her parents. Actually, many of the students at our school were here and even some teachers.

Suddenly, the lights went off and a spotlight shined at the top of the long stairs. The Imperial guards stood in a parallel formation which blocked the guests from getting in the way.

A voice on the loud speaker announced powerfully "Entering Prince loder."

Then a boy about my age came down the stairs gracefully. He has blonde hair with blue eyes and he had pale skin. Prince loder had on a green tuxedo. It reminded me of St. Patrick's Day. The girls whispered to each other and giggled. Yet there's another boy all females find sexy with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Anyway, after Prince loder came down the stairs, the voice spoke again. "Entering Princess Estellise Sidos Heurassein."

And down she came. Her blue puffy dress followed behind her. Everyone watched her. I could tell that she was nervous too. Estelle wasn't as graceful as loder and I'm sure all of the guests noticed how clumsy she was.

Estelle came down and stood next to loder. They looked around the room. Estelle's eyes lit up when she saw Flynn and then she looked at me. Obviously she wanted me tell Flynn to ask her to dance.

"Hey Flynn?" I said. "Why don' you ask Estelle to-"

Before I finished, like the jerk he is, he walked off and offered Estelle to dance. She took his hand and walked to the center of the room. Prince loder still stood searching for a partner and then he spotted me.

He held his hand out and asked "Will you dance with me?"

I scoffed. This guy reminded me of an elf even the sound of his high-pitched voice. "No."

"But…!"

"I told you no."

Just to my luck, a guard came forth. He told me "If someone from the royal family asks you to do something, you must do it or be arrested immediately."

I quickly became irritated. All loder could do was simply smile like a dummy. I hate elves.

Prince loder and I were supposed to waltz after Flynn and Estelle. I didn't mind waiting but I also didn't want all of the attention on loder and me.

Flynn and Estelle were amazing. I was surprised at how good they were together. Everyone stared in awe. Sodia did too, but she also showed jealousy. The whole room seemed to light up. Estelle's happiness made everything more bright, but Flynn darkened it all from his constant frowning. I think that I was the only one who noticed though.

They finished it off and bowed to the crowd. Everyone applauded. Prince loder was still smiling at me. I really do hate his elflyness. Hopefully our performance won't last too long and that I don't make any mistakes.

Prince loder held out his hand again to me but I refused to take it and walked to the center on my own. He followed behind me soon after. The guests stared in question by the fact that two boys were waltzing together. Sodia was silently laughing to herself, Flynn looked jealous, and Estelle seemed like she liked yaoi by the glisten in her big green eyes. Whatever she wants is not going to happen if I'm involved.

I took loder's hand, finally, and bowed. We danced. It felt okay, but it was nothing compared to how I felt with Flynn. When Flynn and I were together it felt like we were the only ones on Terca Lumireis. It was an amazing feeling. I bet I won't get to feel like that again with someone else.

During the dance, I wasn't in control. Prince loder did everything. Even the things I didn't want him to do. He often pulled on me forcefully in his direction when I strayed from him, even if I moved away slightly. The audience never seemed to notice loder's aggressiveness. I hope his tugging wasn't going to go any further than this and I really hope that my arms don't pop out their sockets from loder's constant pulling.

The grip of his hands was very firm. Prince loder looked down at my waist a lot. I guess he wanted to move his hands elsewhere. Why do I have to dance with the homo perverted prince? Well, I wouldn't mind it if loder wasn't attracted to me. His eyes were full of dirty desires and his palms were getting sweaty.

The song was going to end soon. The prince came closer to me and leaned his head in slightly. Instantly, I moved my head back but loder pulled me towards him once more. My lips almost ran into his. Prince loder smiled widely at me again. All of the girls that noticed squealed. Estelle including. She was obviously going to tell Flynn (if he hadn't seen) and then he's going to eventually take all of his frustration out on me.

Our waltz ended. Everyone clapped especially the girls. Flynn didn't applaud at all. Instead he gave me a mean look with folded arms. Flynn should know that the almost kiss was most definitely not my fault, but… why should I care what Flynn thinks of me and my actions?

As soon as I was allowed, I left loder and went back to my friends. Estelle had a huge smile on her face. Flynn wouldn't look at me.

"Yuri! That was wonderful! I had no idea you could dance so well!" Estelle said excitedly.

"…Yeah… Good job." Flynn added.

I smiled as innocent as I could and thanked them. I know that I'm still going to hear it from him.

XXX

Flynn and I left the party during nightfall. The minors weren't allowed to stay because the adults brought out the alcohol and other stuff. I was over at Flynn's place on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor. This was my punishment for loder and I's "passionate" moment. He was the one who assaulted me, but of course my blonde friend won't believe me.

Flynn sat at the kitchen table drinking iced tea watching me clean. I wanted to take a shower. I was sticky and drenched with sweat and his grin made me even more irritated. Luckily, he was kind enough to let me change my clothing.

"I can't believe this is for almost kissing a stranger." I mumbled.

"This is to teach you a lesson."

"Only because you're jealous."

Now he grew irritated. Probably more than what I'm feeling.

"Look." I said. I stopped scrubbing and faced him. My eyebrows furrowed. "I have no feelings for loder. When loder and I danced no weird feelings came over me, but when I was with you… it felt great. It was like no other emotion I had before and it was very pleasant."

I have no idea because I never saw it before, but I think Flynn had a look of guilt. Relief was also mixed in with it. I guess we both realized something.

"I'm sorry Yuri. I treat you like this because I'm jealous of the relationship of who you're with. You grow so fond of everyone and I think that I don't have a chance."

"A chance? What're you talking about?"

He came to me and crouched down to my level. Flynn grabbed my face. It startled me. Intentionally, he kissed me. It was deep too. He pressed hard too. I reached my hands up to shove him away, but I had second thoughts and decided to join the kiss. This felt good too. I never dreamed that my childhood would think of me this way. I don't mind it, but we're the same gender…

To be continued…