#Un sogno d'estasi# was the brilliant piece that played as they slowly danced, maybe the song was a tad slow for someone like Zeno whose only hope and prayer was that the three minute song would come to an end quicker than it was supposed to.
He tried not to, but he just couldn't help but glance her way.
In his arms was Anna Marie. The ladies had been asked to pick their preferred partners, and she had chosen him, much to the dismay of Enzo who had hopes of getting the chance to dance with her.
Zeno feared that his dear Luna would pick him, but she didn't. She didn't even seem like she planned on going anywhere close to him for she still didn't look his way.
Not even once… She had picked Enzo as her partner, and Zeno didn't know why, but his insides were burning, he didn't want her to pick him, Yes.
But then if he didn't want that, wasn't she eventually going to pick someone else? What was he angry about? Why did he suddenly feel like putting a hole in Enzo's head?
Automatically, the two that were left were paired together and the music started, everyone with their partners close to their bodies, and only half a minute had passed since the orchestras began to play, and yet it felt like hours, long, long annoying hours.
"Diavoletto" He hissed underneath his breath, not once, not even by mistake, she didn't look at him. He was standing right there, they were dancing on the same stage, how could she not even look at him for a split second.
He knew this because since the beginning of the dance, his eyes never once left her body, devilishly eyeing the man that held her close.
At occasions like this, she either danced with him, or Edoardo, or Marco. Mostly him, but no one outside of that triangle, so maybe that was the reason why it seemed so strange to him now, maybe that was why he was feeling angry. That someone was taking his spot next to her.
Round and round they waltzed, twirling in sync, at the right times, gracefully dusting the air with a certain kind of enchanting appeal. It was an awkward dancefloor.
Yes, she didn't look at him, but that was only because she wanted him to believe she didn't care. But even as she walked up the stage, up until the moment the music started playing, she watched him, not directly, but from the corner of her eyes.
And even as they danced, she could see and feel him staring at her, could feel the darkness in his every twirl and turn.
``Even now, he still sees me as disgusting, that's why he's looking at me that way… was what she thought in her head as she danced with Enzo. She couldn't think of any other plausible reason or explanation as to why he was glaring at her with those threatening eyes.
Somehow, she had ended up coming here on behalf of her father, she had actually insisted on doing this. She personally wanted to see for herself how he was doing, and at the same time show him that she didn't care for him at all. But it was harder than she had imagined.
Walking into the hall at first, she couldn't take her eyes off of him where he stood on stage, ``he's definitely been drinking too much, his face seems dry and thin… she noticed, but then scolded herself for being observant.
And when she was called on stage, it took all her resolve to not glance his way at all, all she could do was watch him from the corners of her eyes.
And even as she danced with Enzo now, she still scolded herself inwardly, and cursed her racing heart for getting excited at his presence.
Reminding herself what he had said to her, and telling herself that she was not cheap, so she wasn't going to stare at him. She hated this feeling she was getting, his darkened aura, it was nerve-wrecking.
Every time they danced, and turned, and he was close to her, his back probably facing hers, she could feel it, that long missed Zeno scent, and she hated it, but she drew in long breaths, but not long enough to intoxicated her.
She could still feel him staring at her, and sometimes she feared he was going to do something stupid like pushing her off the stage with his broad back, or sticking his leg out so she would trip and fall face flat, or that he wound step on her feet each time they twirled, and pretend it was a mistake.
But it never came, nothing she expected came. He didn't push her, or step on her feet, or make her trip. All he did was stare at her like she was some pile of filth… At least that is what she thought his gaze meant.
Slowly, the long three minutes was coming to an end, and the ladies were twirled, and one step forward, two steps back, another step forward, and another twirl, and the end.
The music ended and the place echoed with applause, as the ladies curtseyed and the men bowed politely. Carefully helping the ladies off the dance floor as others who wished to dance too now climbed up to dance to a different song.
And Enzo instantly went after Anna Marie.
"She hasn't left her room for weeks, and here she is dancing perfectly…" He huffed as he walked down the stage, going back to where he was sitting, and she was ushered to sit right next to him at the same table.
Now they both sat down there looking at the stage as people danced, but the truth was neither of them was actually seeing the people on the dance floor.
All either of them could think of was the other sitting right across from them and flashbacks trailed through their heads simultaneously.
At parties like this, she'd always sit next to him, pointing out the flaws in people and making a mockery of them, but him being the poker face he was, would tell her off, and scold her that it wasn't right to point and laugh at people in occasions like this, which would cause her to pout.
But then he'd agree in a whisper that the person was really dancing funny, and she'd laugh and tease him for maintaining his poker face when he also found it funny.
This was how it always was, but tonight, tonight it wasn't like that. Tonight, she didn't plan on saying a single word to him.
``When you get to the occasion, you're going to meet Zeno, I want you to ignore him. I'm not telling you to shy away, or run away from him, or avoid him. No… You are to show him how sophisticated of a woman you are, and show him that you don't care about him, and you don't care if he exists or not. You must ignore him at all costs.
Pretend he's like thin cobwebs that you didn't even notice on the ceiling, like a spec of dust that you don't even see. In all you do, do not acknowledge his presence. Make him realize that you can be everything poise and refined, but definitely not cheap.
Those were the exact words of Nanny Maria, and Luna was going to do her best to follow those instructions to the core. She wasn't cheap.
She was definitely the most expensive lady in this gathering, so expensive that her price could not be measured in any digit or unit. She was that expensive, and she was going to prove it to him, but mostly to herself.