YOU'LL ALWAYS COME BACK TO ME...

CHAPTER 21 - THE DANCE

Elizabeth's POV...

Thank goodness I have Lorenz with me to enjoy the night. I was extremely exhausted from having three straight dances in a row with him. But I couldn't stop myself. How could I when the music playing were all full of beat. It was only then that I realized how inappropriate the dress I was wearing for those beats. Even my toes started to feel sore. Poor Lorenz. I couldn't remember how many times I had stepped my heels on his toes. He must be in dead pain. We decided to take our seat. I wasn't sure if he's tired or he's really in pain.

"Lorenz... I am sorry... I caused you troubles with your fee--"

"No Liz you didn't... I just asked you to seat for a while and rest... I am okay, promise..."

Lorenz pulled up his right hand and swore that he's really fine.

"Are you sure?"

I was really embarrassed. I didn't even know how can I make amends to him.

"Yeah! Hey, take this... I am offering you another champagne so that would mean you didn't do any harm, okay? And you shouldn't be sorry... I am wearing safety shoes, I just forgot to tell you. I know a thing like this would happen."

He laughed hard after giving me the champagne and pointed to his shoes. I wanted to believe him but I realized that he was making fun of me just to make me feel alright when the truth is I was starting to feel bad. Why would you go in a party and wear safety shoes? The Andersons didn't mention in the invitation about a cave as the venue. I thwacked him childishly in the arm.

"Hey Liz... a love song! Come let's dance. I guess this one is ideal for you. You can dance slow and not jive and I can save my feet until I went home."

Lorenz pulled me up but at the same time had almost stumbled sideway which had nothing to do with his feet but more because he was in a total amusement of his own impromptu jest. I took notice how he held his stomach to suppress another uproarious laugh.

"Are you sure you can still dance? I can't promise that I'll never stomp for another one this time though the music is slow. I don't want you to go home paralyzed and tomorrow come at work in a wheelchair."

I knew that it was so easy to get along with his humour. He can make me laugh hard without any derision. He is way better than his cousin who knows nothing but cryptically shoot me with his biting sarcasm.

"Okay, seriously... may I have this dance young lady?"

Lorenz tried to be serious this time and bowed his head. I offered my hand as a gesture that I am willing to have a dance with him. He put a little space between us, just the right amount for me to guess what he was trying to convey without words. I rolled my eyes. I know what he meant. The spot where I was standing was my space and his was just right below his toe. Yeah, he was protecting his feet from getting another stomping from my heels. He didn't have any idea that I was and still good in this kind of slow music. I recalled a memory of how my governess taught me to dance in a ball. She used to tell me things I must remember when dancing... be calm, look into you partner's eyes and sway gracefully, feel the flow of the sweet melody...

At that moment, I felt utter proud to say this is my floor. Lorenz smiled at me and I was contented to see him starting to feel at ease.

"You dance like a princess you know."

"Yeah I know. Someone taught me this one and I did so many practices to perfect my performance in dancing especially in a grand ball."

I proudly replied to him as if it was my biggest success. And we swayed together in the song of You're Still the One by Shania Twain.