A Ball Just For Me - four years later

Today is my sixteenth birthday, and as expected of a young lady, I am having a big party. My uncle Robert and aunt Rosabella had to talk me into doing this for weeks, but I gave in, knowing how much they wanted this for me. Really, I think they did this more to save their reputation than because they actually wanted me to have this ball.

Since my parents died four years ago - when I was twelve - I live now in my uncle's house with him, his wife and their two children: eighteen year old Ash and ten year old Vivian. Uncle Robert was my mother's brother, so we don't have the same last name, but they're all the family I have left, even if they're not always nice. Or never.

The good thing is that my best friend Nox lives close by and he's almost always with me, so I don't spend a lot of time alone with my family.

A knock sounds on the door, and reluctantly I say, "Come in."

A maid comes in and I instantly relax when I see it's not my aunt coming to try and 'help' me get dressed. "Lady Hawkins, your uncle wanted me to tell you that they'd be ready for you at any moment now."

I nod and smile a little. "Thank you, Sharlot."

She bows her head and leaves the room. All I can think about now is how nervous I am and why did I even agree to do this? I hate those sorts of things. The balls and parties where everybody stares at you are talk about unbelievably boring things.

I make sure my ice blue dress is sitting well on me, and that everything is in place, and when I'm sure I can't stall anymore, I sigh and walk to the door.

My dress is ice-blue per my request, and it has some white lace decorations near the bottom of it. Its cut doesn't show too much; if I agree to wear a dress, it has to be pretty, but not too grand and flashy. Not outrageous, but not too boring. Something in between which earns a few glances and no more than that. I wear high heels and elbow-length almost-white gloves.

I am not looking for someone to court me, and I am not eager to meet someone at those parties, so I try to make it look like I try so my nudging uncle and aunt would be pleased, but really I just spend most of those parties in the corner laughing with Nox.

When I climb down the stairs, I can see a familiar figure waiting for me at the end. I smile instantly and hurry down the stairs and as much as I can in the high heels I'm not used to. "Nox!" I call and he turns around to look at me with a smile spread wide on his face. He's wearing his beautiful dark blue formal suit and has a rose painted the color of my dress in his left lapel.

"Sage," He looks me over with a small smile. "You look incredible."

I hug him a quick hug as a way of greeting before I pierce him with an annoyed look and he laughs. "Don't tease me." I say, embarrassed. "It takes hours to look like this."

"I'm not teasing you," he says and we make our way to the grand hall where my ball is. "You look beautiful."

I smile at him even though I don't know why he says this. "Thanks."

"Your uncle agreed for me to be your official escort for this party, so you don't have to worry about dancing with strangers." he says with a smile and winks at me. I give him a look. "What?" he asks.

"You are in an exceptional mood today. What happened?"

He shrugs the question off. "Nothing in particular for me, I'm happy for you."

"For my sixteenth birthday?" I ask. "If I recall correctly, you were so down on yours last year that I had to do some crazy things to cheer you up. How come my birthday is different?"

"Because," ha says and leans closer to me. "today is your birthday and not mine."

"You realize you sound mad, right?" I ask, utterly confused but amused.

He smiled broadly. "Yes, I do."

I roll my eyes at him but smile.

Nox's POV:

Sage and I reach the grand hall, decorated in blues and wights and silvers for her birthday. I'm excited for her more than I thought I'd be, and I can't even explain why.

I look over to her and she looks more beautiful than ever with her ice blue dress and beautiful light blue elbow-length gloves. The colors bring out her beautiful blue eyes. I know she hates it when I compliment her, so I really try not to, but I already failed twice, and I am destined to fail again.

As I'm sure her uncle and aunt persisted, she wears her long bright golden hair up while I prefer it down and loose, but she looks gorgeous all the same. We climb down the stairs to the ball while everyone has stopped and has their eyes on us - her, more than me. They stare at her with stunned looks. She doesn't go to most of the parties her uncle throws or goes to, so people always seem to be shocked when they see her after a long stretch of time. And I'm not the one to blame them; to look away I have to force my gaze to move, and I can't seem to stop glancing at her. But I do my best while everyone is staring, and when we come down someone announces our presence: "The young lord Nox Waylen and the lady Sage Hawkins."

We both bow to the crowd and then her uncle comes forward and waves his hand at the crowd to continue doing their own things. They obey without question, though some eyes keep staring at her, which makes me glare at each and every one of them until they avert their gaze.

It seems that while I was doing that, Lord Winthrop - Sage's Uncle - came and started introducing people to her. I follow them and realize that Winthrop is trying to undermine me. He has no right to find Sage a partner for the evening when I'm the one she chose in advance. Before I reach where they are, talking to Lord Benedict and his son Charles Graydon, Sage is turning around and giving me an exasperated look that tells me how cornered she already feels. I smile at her calmly and reach them, making sure to place my arm around her waist in a possessive manner. "Excuse me, gentleman, but I need to still her away for a moment." I say.

Her uncle and the other lord look irritated, but Charles doesn't look like it bothers him so much and he even says "Of course" as a way of farewell.

Sage immediately leads me through the crowd towards what seems to be her special corner. At every party she attends - and suffers in - she finds herself back at that corner, which is a perfect hiding place for her.

When we get there and the half-darkness of the room covers us, she sighs. "Remind me why I'm doing this?"

"To help your family," I say.

"Why do I even want to help them?" she asks and her eyes scan the ball room like she is trying to find an escape.

"Well," I say with a little gentle smile and lean on the wall beside her. "I think it's because you're considerate and kind." I avert my look, but I get to see a glimpse of her surprised expression. I had said things like this for the last three months, and she still seems to be confused when I do so. I know it's because that is the way she is, and for a crazy reason she cannot seem to understand why anyone would want to compliment her, or like her, or find any real interest concerning her, but I think she's breathtaking, no matter if she thinks that I'm mad for thinking that or not. I've wanted to tell her how I fell for quite some time now, however, I wanted to wait until she was ready to hear it. And I planned to tell her tonight. Let us see if I get the right chance.