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{DEAD!!!}Midsummer Festival: Day One
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Post by Tempest on Jul 2, 2008 21:37:53 GMT -5
It felt like all too soon the dance was over. Emilio finished his part with an ending he'd seen in a movie... he recalled the name being the Mask of Zorro or something along those lines. In any case, it called for him leading her through a few moves to end up in his arms.
Sure, it was slightly risque.... but what the heck. You only live once. Besides, if she took offense, all he would have to do is blame it on the heat of the moment. It would all be worth it for him to have her so close, even if only for a few seconds.
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Caroline and her partner joined in the applause for the musicians at the end, having ended their dance properly (he bowed and kissed her hand) and in the corner of her eye, she noticed Nikolai clapping his hands too, a weary smile on his face.
She turned to the stranger and smiled, stepping close enough to murmur, "What's your name?"
"Hector. You?"
"Caroline," she answered with a smile that he immediately returned.
A promising start, she hoped.
||Reference for the ending of Emilio's dance: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWp0SfYBlts
Note: Blah, short.||
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2008 22:00:11 GMT -5
Being lead through so many moves almost made her dizzy. Almost. It took all of her concentration not to fall or trip on her feet, but in the heat of it all she did not even have to look down at her feet. Her eyes never left his face as he lead her through the dance until she was in his arms.
Amorina felt her face begin to flush, her mind and heart racing. What should she do now? She definitely hadn't minded this in the slightest; it showed other people that they weren't just two strangers that anyone could have a chance with and it made her feel... Indescribable.
A part of her wanted to kiss him right there in front of all those people, but the other half of her worried that he wouldn't want it. Maybe this was all going too fast. She did not want him to feel like she was using him, but she didn't want them to end like last time. He was the only man who had ever actually bought her flowers, danced with her this way, randomly asked her out to dinner and showed her the most beautiful sight she had ever seen in her life. Why would anyone want to throw that away?
Compromising with herself, she placed her forehead against his and gave him the best seductive smile she could muster. "Gracias, Emilio." Amorina kept her voice low, not wanting to ruin anything. "Dancing with you makes me feel...incredible."
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Post by Tempest on Jul 3, 2008 21:04:29 GMT -5
Emilio blinked and looked surprised. Then he chuckled a little and said in a low voice, "Is right for you to... to feel like this... you are incredible."
Emilio held on as long as it was prudent- he would have loved to stay like that, but it would look really funny to the crowd around them. Slowly, though, he let her go. Still, he at least could leave this dance with more than he came with- more hope, more happiness to be where he was today...
He kissed her hand, pulling off "gentlemanly" fairly well, though he was sure that this didn't fool their audience completely after the way that dance ended.
---
He led her out of the dancing area, holding out his arm for her to take. "What do you do, Caroline?" "I teach at a nearby school," Caroline said, making sure she left out the bit about it being Gifted. It didn't feel right to be pointing out things like that to random people. She knew that, with all things interesting and different, there were some who would harbor ill-will towards them.
She had them pause to wait for her brother and asked Hector in the meantime, "What about you?" "What about me what?" "What do you do?" "...I deal in antiques," Hector said, not quite looking at her. "Ooh, how interesting," Caroline said, feeling a little off-hand in her flattery. "Do you own a shop near here?" "Not quite." He didn't embellish this bit of knowledge and Caroline was hurt until she saw his eyes resting on Nikolai, who had approached them.
Nikolai's tone and expression were hard to read, but at least his words were nice, "That was very good. It looks hard to do."
"Thank you, Nikolai," Caroline said warmly. "This is Hector."
Hector held out a hand and Nikolai shook it after a moment's hesitation. Still, the atmosphere felt slightly awkward.
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I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart - I am, I am, I am. |
Thunder Goddess
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Post by Seren on Jul 3, 2008 21:11:45 GMT -5
Jared frowned slightly as Clara hugged him, wouldn't she get paint on her arms? Not really minding though Jared reached forward and pulled her against him holding her head against his shoulder since she was only just a little bit shorter than him. "Fantastic," now that you're here, Jared blushed lightly knowing that she probably heard that anyways. Hugging her tightly he looked around for a moment and then sighed. Stuck in decision he closed his eyes and buried his face in Clara's dark hair, "I'm actually sort of tired," he mumbled.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2008 22:23:30 GMT -5
Amy gave him a small giggle. "I'm glad somebody thinks so." Her face felt hot and it took her a while to realize she was blushing again. She had never blushed so much in her life! It was starting to make her face hurt.
Keeping his hand in a slight grip, almost unnoticable, she would wait for him to let go of her hand. She was afraid of where this was going, if he was going to use her until he got what he wanted and then dump her on the street as well. Maybe she was being too forward.
Her mind ached as she tried to figure out the right thing to do. Amy decided to just grin at him and ask,"What should we do next?"
Clara felt her face flush at his thought, taking comfort in his arms. His reaction made her extremely happy; it meant he still wasn't scared of her and possibly still loved her? That still frightened her. Clara never wanted to hurt Jared, no matter what.
Feeling his head on hers, she backed away from him and shook her head. "Oh no, you aren't falling asleep on me again." Noticing the paint on her arms, she rolled her eyes with a soft smile. "See, this is what I get for loving you." As it left her mouth, she felt her blush return.
Jared was a good friend of hers, of course she loved him. Her crush on him was growing, but she was not sure that she loved him the same way he might. She wasn't even sure if he loved her that way or not.
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I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart - I am, I am, I am. |
Thunder Goddess
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Post by Seren on Jul 3, 2008 23:23:38 GMT -5
Jared gave Clara a look of pure fake shock, kind of making fun at her first comment- but the shock turned real at her second comment. In the back of his mind it seemed like every little thing they felt would just randomly slip out of their mouths at the oddest moments, like a snowstorm in the desert it just didn't fit. Looking down at her thoughtfully he reached forward to tuck some of her hair behind her ear, it seemed as if instead of being nervous now he just wanted to hug her and never let go. "I guess so," he said while smiling at Clara.
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Post by Tempest on Jul 4, 2008 8:48:53 GMT -5
He didn't let go. Of course not. Not when she was also holding on. Emilio was a little annoyed that he couldn't keep a simple promise he made to himself- no taking advantage of a woman who'd gone through a very rough breakup recently. It was just so hard... He reprimanded himself and let go of her hand. Bad Emilio! Very bad Emilio!
He shrugged. "Look around, I think. More dancing later." He liked dancing and all, but it would not do to wear everyone out too quickly. Especially when it would be more fun to dance again when the light changed. Sunset would be dramatic, night even more with the lighting the square would get.
He spotted his sister and a man he didn't recognize standing with the Nikolai kid they'd picked up earlier. Emilio was glad she was getting herself out there, but he still felt a brotherly sort of overprotection when it came to Caroline and complete strangers. He resolved to cast out his Sight for something on the fellow later.
Whether it worked would be anybody's guess, but at least he could do this for Caroline.
He waved his arm towards the three, gallantly saying "ladies first" in his expression without actually saying it aloud. From now on, he would attempt to be proper and interested, but from a distance. Bah, why was this so complicated? At least he could show some of his feelings when they danced. And Emilio had every intention of dancing with Amorina again.
---
"So... are you a student, Nikolai?" Her new companion asked. She raised an eyebrow as Nikolai took on a strange look.
He replied in his strangely-accented voice, "No. I am the new groundskeeper."
Hector had tensed at something for a second- Caroline could feel it in the arm she still had hers threaded through- but it was quickly over. Again, she reminded herself that she needed to stay away from alcohol in all forms in social situations.
At least she was properly surprised at Nikolai's job. So he wasn't a student.... either he was a dropout or he was somewhat older than he looked. Or he'd come from a place that didn't have mandatory schooling or something and he'd taken a job early. Somehow that seemed a bit more likely.
She asked politely, "How do you like your job so far?" Nikolai responded in a likewise manner, inclining his head slightly and saying, "It is peaceful. I have not done so much so far, though. I think I might put in a water feature in the rose garden."
Ahhh, the sanctuary of small talk. It was relieving to talk about nothing and not have to worry about hidden meanings. While it made her feel kind of shallow and vapid, like the sillier characters of Jane Austen novels, it was like reading a comfort novel in times of trouble. Distantly familiar, comfortable, and safe.
Hector joined in, giving his opinion on gardens and being otherwise very pleasant while they waited for Amorina and her brother. Caroline was surprised at her luck. This was a far cry from the guys she used to attract. She made a mental note to thank Emilio for his advice again later.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2008 9:15:31 GMT -5
He hadn't let go! In her mind she was doing a little jig of joy. Her smile had grown significantly until she felt him let go. Why were men so difficult?! Was there something wrong with her? Was she ever going to be good enough for anyone to take her seriously? Kenny had, but he was too scared of himself to let them live a good life. Emilio... He just confused her. When they danced, she was positive he was interested in her. When they weren't, she just never knew.
It was an odd fight she had never had to put up with, but one she would not give up. Flashing him one of the best smiles she could muster, Amorina walked towards their small group, smiling at the newcomer and turning towards Caroline.
"I don't think I've ever moved so fast in my life." She let out a small laugh before she looked at the man Caroline had been dancing with. She wasn't exactly comfortable with strangers at the moment, but she smiled again. "Hi, I'm Amorina, Caroline's friend." If they were all going to hang out for the night, it would be best to introduce herself, right?
Clara looked away from him at his shock, shrugging. "Sorry." Her emotions were running wild, not sure what to do. Her heart told her to hug him again and never let go, but her mind told her to talk for a little bit and build up to it. Why rush something that had never started?
Her face broke into a small smile when he touched her, and she reached up to grab his hand. "What have you been up to?"she asked, looking back at him. "I haven't seen you in a while."
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Post by Tempest on Jul 4, 2008 9:58:16 GMT -5
Yikes. That smile had sent pleasant shivers through him. Emilio knew then that it would be all the more difficult to keep his distance tonight. So many mixed messages... what if her interest was only because she was missing her ex, though? Emilio didn't want to fill a gap left by another man- they were too different and the fit would not be the same.
He was just a step behind Amorina when they left the dancing area. He could hear the musicians start into another great song, but he no longer felt the need he'd felt before. Emilio was seasoned enough to be unwinded from the dancing, but he could feel it in his limbs that if he did that sort of thing too much, he'd end up passing out early.
He was aiming for a balance- he wanted to be exhausted when he got home, but not too weary so he could protect Caroline and Amorina if trouble arose. Still, he did not want to dream tonight. He had an ongoing theory that if he worked himself hard enough, he would be too exhausted even to get the nightmares.
Emilio took in the newcomer and decided that he didn't quite like him. He was too... too something. It weirded Emilio out some and that was a warning sign.
Still, he introduced himself too. "Emilio. Caroline's half-brother."
"Nice to meet you, Amorina, Emilio. My name's Hector. Errr... I danced with Caroline," Hector said, the awkwardness not suiting him at all, but putting Caroline more at ease than she had been. At least he was smiling. The expression made his face look more... well, open than it had been. Friendlier.
She replied to Amorina, "What I saw of your dancing was excellent! If this was your first time dancing like that, I am very impressed and a little jealous."
Hector nodded in agreement. "I felt better about my awful dancing because I knew exactly who the crowd was watching." The blonde man turned to Caroline. "It's clear you came with a group. I would not want to intrude or anything..."
Caroline shook her head, almost too hurriedly. "N-no! I'm sure it's fine if you join us too..." she glanced at Emilio and Amy, her eyes asking permission.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2008 10:16:56 GMT -5
Amy couldn't help but smile at the awkward situation. She found it a little cute; it reminded her of a highschool dance where nobody knew anyone else. This man (Hector, he had said?) made her a little uncomfortable, but she pushed it aside as long as Caroline was happy. He wasn't bothering her; she was just a little shy.
Smiling at Caroline, she shrugged. "My cousin has been dancing for years so I may have asked her to help me out a little. Thank you though." Clara would be happy to know her hard work wasn't being wasted.
Feeling herself blush at Hector's comment, she gave a small laugh. "Yeah, I know who they were watching too. Him." Amy motioned towards Emilio, smilig at him too. He was an amazing dancer, one she had been scared to dance with out infront of the crowd. Once she had calmed down, though, it hadn't been as hard as she had expected.
Amorina shrugged and shook her head slowly, glancing at Emilio. "I don't mind, personally. The more the merrier." She wondered if Emilio was going to mind. He didn't seem as... Comfortable as before. Amy took a small step towards him more, not wanting Hector to put Emilio on edge. They were there to have fun, not to worry about people they didn't even know.
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Post by Tempest on Jul 4, 2008 10:57:34 GMT -5
Emilio didn't like this to fall to him. Despite the bad feeling this man gave him, he wasn't going to be a spoilsport. "Is all good," was Emilio's good natured response. Partnered with a smile, he made a very good effort at looking completely at-ease.
Still, he reached out and grabbed Amy's hand, just to make sure that this new guy didn't get any wrong ideas. Emilio was protective of his younger sister, but if this new guy went after Amorina instead... Well, it would be asking for a fight. This was just a preemptive measure to make sure Mr. I-don't-want-to-intrude would not... well, intrude.
Caroline smiled, happy that Hector was being allowed along. Now with two more in tow, they had a proper group. And if they made friends this easily the first day before night had fallen, it was safe to assume they would get to know more people too! Friends! She was ecstatic at the thought.
Hector was also smiling, and he said an amiable, "Thank you."
Nikolai was wearing an odd expression. Perhaps he felt strange now, like an extra wheel? Caroline was tempted to take her arm out of Hector's, but Nikolai suddenly brightened and said, "Let's go over there!" He was pointing to a booth that seemed to be taking down names for some reason.
Caroline guessed that there would be contests and all that and the booth was where people were to sign up.
---
Nikolai had almost made the mistake of pointing at what had really grabbed his attention before he realized that it was just a shiny grill beyond that booth. Boy, that would have been harder to explain away than the thing he'd quickly switched his focus to.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2008 11:24:12 GMT -5
Amy was about to say something when she felt something on her hand. Looking down, she realized that Emilio had taken her hand in his again. Men were so confusing. One minute he didn't want to hold her hand, the next he did. She gave herself a small sigh, feeling her mind race. Men.
She was happy, very happy that he held her hand again; a small gesture that had more meaning than expected. Maybe he was just being protective, nothing more. Amorina's smile faltered until Nikolai pointed towards a booth. It was bentter than just standing around awkwardly, doing nothing.
"Sure, let's go." The first to start walking, she made sure to walk next to Emilio instead of infront of him or behind him. If she walked ahead, she would feel like she was just pulling him along. If she walked behind, she would feel like he was dragging her along. Either way, it was a lose-lose situation.
Something felt weird. Looking around, she saw some people watching them. No, not them. Him. He had been the dancer people had been watching before he had pulled her in. It was an odd feeling, but jealousy bore it's head. Amorina took some comfort in knowing they had to see them together, smiling and holding hands.
It made her feel better.
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I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart - I am, I am, I am. |
Thunder Goddess
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Post by Seren on Jul 4, 2008 15:53:26 GMT -5
Jared looked down at her, thinking about what he was going to say- which was almost a first. "What have I been up to?" he repeated the question considering on whether or not he should tell her about his sister. Finally deciding there wouldn't be any harm in it he told he what had been happening, "I've been trying to take care of my sister, her ex-boyfriend is at the school now and it's been really messing her up... like after they broke-up she'd always have panic attacks over the littlest things," he sighed mumbling something about how Alex wasn't any good for his sister anyways. "Now that they've met each other she's become worse, I just wish she would forget about him already," now Jared had all the good intentions of a bigger brother- wanting to protect his little sister from all the troubles of the world. His mind though was a little confused thinking that it would make it all better if her memory was just wiped clean from thoughts of him.
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Post by Tempest on Jul 4, 2008 17:54:54 GMT -5
Well, at least she didn't pull away. Emilio had surreptitiously been watching Amorina more closely than the Hector character, just to make sure his actions were not unwelcome. The falter in her smile had scared him.
Nikolai's interruption into that train of thought was a welcome one. Emilio broke into a smile, remembering some of the things that Leo had said about festival. There were contests and competitions to go on throughout the three days. Emilio had been slightly interested in the dance one, but he didn't think too much on it. There was no way he'd join a dance contest without a partner... besides, he had promised to stay with Caroline and Amy.
There were other contests too- a few people milling around the table left as they approached. Emilio's limited English was even worse when it came to reading. Leo had told him all he needed to know, though. Eating contests, short footraces, contests designed to make the contestants look silly...
He was more interested in the person whose hand he was holding.
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Caroline had to laugh at a couple of the competitions- blindfolded giant q-tip fencing, watermelon-shoe shuffling... whoever signed up for them had to have a massive amount of self-confidence and easygoingness in order to put up with the laughter they'd end up being the target of.
She mentioned a couple to Hector, who looked like he seriously thought about them- after a moment he surprised her by signing up for the foam q-tip duelling. It was scheduled for tomorrow.
Hector flashed her a brilliant smile and that made up Caroline's mind. For the duration of the festival, she would attempt to know this man. If he wasn't a latent creep or half-monster thing, then she would pursue him.
---
Nikolai, feeling like he was obligated to do something since he had dragged them all over there, signed up for a couple of competitions without really reading what they were. He was attempting to ignore the shiny grill nearby- it was glinting so prettily, though.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2008 20:10:38 GMT -5
Amy half-heartedly looked at the contests and smiled at the ones she did read. The dance one made her think of Clara. Flashing a smile at Emilio, she nudged him gently with her hip. "You should sign up for the dance contest. I'm sure I could find you a partner." Amy knew she would be telling Clara about it when she saw her again.
Already making up her mind about not joining any (she planned on doing better things and didn't want to look like a moron in front of people she didn't know), Amorina looked at Caroline, Hector and Nikolai. "Did you guys sign up for any?"
Poor Nikolai. She felt bad for him. He seemed like the odd-one out, the one who didn't have a date and therefore nobody to really talk to except the group as a whole. It wasn't like this was an actual date but... Well, something had triggered Emilio into a PDA, and Caroline was obviously interested in this Hector character.
Clara gave a soft snort. "I know how that goes,"she muttered. "Amy, my cousin, just broke up with her own ex. She was really heartbroken over it until one day. I dunno what happened, but she's happy again. When I talked to her, she was pissed at Kenric, her ex, but didn't want to talk about it." She ran a hand through her hair. "Good riddance. Now she's got some other guy, but I like him better. He's nicer and treats her better already. They were dancing earlier, if you saw them. She's the perfect blonde and he's some dancer. He could show me up."
She smiled up at him, shrugging her shoulders. "What do you wanna do?" Clara kept her mind ready. Jared was never careful about keeping his mind closed, and she would be able to use it now for her own advantage. Maybe the festivities were getting to her, but she really wanted this to go somewhere tonight. He loved her, and she definitely cared about him more than usual. It was perfect. Right?
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