Valentine's palms were sweaty. He didn't know if the rose he had in his hands would be enough. They were preparing for a performance, and he wanted to give it to Odette beforehand. To place it in her hair, the same way Marcellus placed roses in Chavu's.
Yet, he had no idea if Odette hadn't been joking when she hinted that she liked him. She was not a cruel gnome, he knew. Yet, he had a small voice in his head telling him that she might be meaning to someone else, not herself.
More than once, Valentine had berated himself for running off to Anastasios's table like he had. If he had stuck around, if he had asked for clarifications...
Maybe now he would be able to share with people that he had his first kiss. That he had a girlfriend. Or notice whoever had noticed him. Valentine felt a sneeze coming up. He always sneezed when he was nervous.
The gnome pulled out a handkerchief and let the sneeze take its course. Odette sent him a puzzling look.
