Loneliness

Rose's heart froze. She knew very well who that was. She remembered the coldness in his eyes earlier and she looked up at the warmth visible in the dark eyes of the man she was dancing with. 

When the dance was finally over and a few other young men who thought themselves qualified requested to dance with her.

"I feel tired for her," Carl said as he watched from the side. After her first dance, the dance floor has other couples dancing on it.

"She did not ask you to feel that way. I am sure she is doing fine," Eric said.

"You should really have asked her to the first dance. That would have been the only means you might ever have to confess to her.

"She has found a lot of worthy suitors and you are not even on the list," Carl told Eric without restraint.

"I told you that I don't have feelings for her. She is my friend and nothing more. I only wish her happiness," the Eric tried without progress to persuade Carl.