Day 14 NaBloPoMo - National Short Story Week

Apologies, original writing Wednesday has drifted to Thursday. But as I haven't yet gone to bed to me it is Wednesday still...ok?! If not blame Deb at Kicking Corners for keeping me chatting!

I read somewhere that this week is National Short Story Week so I have spent all day trying to come up with something to mark this occasion on my little old blog and here it is.

Some of you may have met Faith and Dan before here even in the space of that little exercise she was me without the baggage yet started to morph into her own character. Well she continues to have her own little random adventures, every now and then coming to play in my mind for a while, giving me snippets of her life before the cottage (or after I'm not sure sometimes). Today she wanted to play, regardless of my attempts to tell her tomorrow, today is for serious writing. I think she has a little of my childish side because this just caused a little strop and a day of nothing of use for a short story. Tired and past the daily deadline I have given in and she has her story, I hope you like it.

The Room looked sumptuous and elegant. The guests all in the monochromatic palate and the classy decorations of crystal and candles gave an air of magic about the place. The band playing a mix of pop and rock songs acoustically gave it a timeless energy, people were dancing and smiling. And the donations were coming in thick and fast, Faith had done this. They had been tasked with organising the annual fundraising masquerade together, but seriously Dan’s forte was lugging things around or being outdoors, not stuck in here with sparkly things. She had carried him and he knew it. Now all he had to do was not mess this up!

‘Slow, slow, quick, quick slow.’ The steps to their dance were revolving round in Dan’s head like some kind of speech in a language he didn’t speak or understand. He was going to prove he had two left feet not only to a room full of strangers, plus a few people he knew, but to her. Why exactly did they have to stick with tradition again?

In that moment Dan looked up to see Faith enter the Grand Ballroom and stand at the top of the stair case. She paused, surveying the room to make sure it was as perfect as she had left it. In that pause Dan couldn’t breathe. She simply sparkled. It wasn’t her dress; although it was stunning, a backless number, an interesting mix of lace over satin that skimmed her hips and just touched the top of her shoes, with a split up the left side to allow maximum movement. No she was radiant; her eyes shone through the black mask, adorned with feathers that had a blue/green cast perfectly complementing the green of her eyes, her red hair falling in curls over her shoulders and her red lips the only shots of true colour. Dan recovered himself, realising he had been staring open mouthed for longer than was polite and made his way to the bottom of the stairs.

“You look amazing” was all he could mumble as she glided to meet him.

“Looking good yourself” Faith admired Dan’s toned muscular body wrapped in the tailored black suit, black shirt and tie. “Opting for the non-traditional I see” noting the lack of a bow tie.

“You know me” he shrugged, attempting a natural smile and failing miserably. 

The band came to rest and the master of ceremonies announced the moment Dan had been dreading.

‘Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. Don’t balls this up, don’t balls this up’ Dan thought to himself.

“Relax” Faith whispered in his ear, sending an electric current down his back.

“Ladies and gentlemen it is my supreme pleasure to present the organisers of this evening’s festivities in the first tango of the evening. Please give them a warm welcome as the take their places on the floor”

Dan inhaled and led his lady onto the floor, presenting her to the room and their rapturous applause. Just for this moment she was his and he was hers, this was their time. Muse-Starlight began to pump across the dance floor and Dan took Faith into his arms, she had chosen this for him and that made him smile on the inside. The closeness of their bodies meant he could feel the beating of their hearts, as one, in time to the bass line of the music. His hand on her bare back and started to lead her in this dance of love. The sensual slowness around the floor, punctuated by the staccato change of direction and the pauses. The pauses that seemed to pulse with the desire they both felt in that moment.

Neither thought about the steps, neither thought of the crowd around them. There was only music. There was only the beating of their hearts. There was only the feeling of their bodies, moving as one, the tension between them growing. The last few steps and Dan dipped Faith into a classical kiss position, their eyes locked framed by their masks, holding that moment drinking each other in. Dan’s lips so close to Faith’s, how he would love to kiss her right now.

After a moment too long, paused and fighting temptation, the applause roused them from their dream and Dan brought Faith back to her feet, leading her to the edge of the dance floor and into the waiting crowd.

He didn’t speak to her again all night, simply watched her move through the crowd with the grace and air of a professional hostess. It was beautiful and alluring to watch. What was he doing getting jealous of the men she was talking to? And if that letch let his hand wander down her back one more time.......

PS Loki at The Modfather posted today (yesterday) one of her funniest posts since I found her.Go have a read and a giggle!