Valentine's palms were sweaty. He had never so much as complimented another gnome from their colony. Only the gnomes from the neighboring colonies. He was certain that he and Odette were not related, so, there was no danger there.
He cleared his throat once he reached her chair. She turned and smiled at him. Now that he was looking, he could tell that Odette was truly cute.
She had a small button of her nose. Her eyes were big, like the eyes of all gnomes. Her hair was done in two adorable curly pigtails. And her costume, something an adoring fan had given her for tonight, was pretty as well. A green and blue polka dress with a ribbon for her hair. She looked like a doll, and he felt unworthy.
"Odette, you," Valentine began. Who was he to talk to a nice girl like this? Odette deserved a gnomic prince, so pretty was she. Not someone who considered her one of the boys. "Never mind."