Elina's P.O.V

He kissed me!

I got kissed by a Lord!

He didn't even warn me before crashing his lips on mine.

Okay, It felt amazing.... What the hell am I thinking?!

How am I supposed to act normal after all these thoughts keep popping in my head? Moreover, I have to accompany Evan as his escort to the Masquerade ball. How will I possibly stay normal around him? Don't these people have anything else to do then partying every random day! I like parties but at this moment I am feeling terrible. I can't even act like I am sick because I was absolutely fine until yesterday night.

Whew. I should calm down.

Breath in. Breath out. Calm down Elina. Calm down.

I can't back out now. I will act like nothing happened yesterday and try to look normal. Yeah, that's a good idea.

I heard a knock on the door. A maid entered with a wooden casket in her hands. I looked at her eagerly as she placed the casket on the table in front of me.

"His Highness wants you to wear this." with that she exited the room leaving me speechless.

I opened the casket and there layed a beautiful necklace with an oval emerald pendant carved with diamonds and a silver chain along with two emerald studs. The necklace was soo beautiful.

Should I wear it?

It was beautiful and kind of matched perfectly with my dress so why not wear it? I will return it later anyway. It's not like I have any other option. I can simply not wear it because of my blatant excuses and disrespect His Highness' orders.

I scooped the necklace around my neck. Thank God, the maid was still out there as she helped me fix the hooks of the necklace.

Once I was done I looked at my reflection in the mirror. Okay, I looked fine and my hair looked great in an open hairstyle. I decided to keep it open and just part all my hair on the right side, messing it a bit which gave volume to my hair making it look wonders. My dress was a dark green coloured off shoulder full-length gown made of exquisite silk brocade which had a royal effect to it. Curtsies of my dress to Stephen, ofcourse. At last, my mask was silver coloured with feather at the right end. Glancing at the mirror one last time, I exited the room.

As I dismounted the stairs, I saw Olivia and Stephen stood at the porch talking about something which looked quite important. Olivia wore a purple full sleeve gown which was also made with brocade silk and her hairs were tied in a loose messy bun with few tendrils of hair left at the front. She looked stunning as always. Stephen was in his black tuxedo. It was funny looking at him all dressed up like a man.

I walked over to them. They stopped talking as I approached them.

"You look Gorgeous" Stephen and Olivia complimented at the same time and then glared at each other. Stephen's Copying logic I say.

"So do you two" I complimented.

Seconds later, Evan came wearing a black tuxedo. Well, he looked HOT. I didn't dare to look him in the eyes. Yesterday's kiss replayed in my mind and instantly I was fully red. This wasn't the time to think about it.

Act normal!

Evan walked towards me and I could feel my heart catching its pace. Why does he always have this effect on me?! I gulped the lump as he approached me and raised his hand for me to hold it. Ofcourse, I was his escort so I had to walk beside him. How did I forget that! I placed my hands on his warm ones. He leads me to the carriage and sat across me. Stephen and Olivia were in the other carriage like always and all this while, both of them were shooting teasing glances at me and Evan. These two, I say.

In the carriage, I cast my eyes down, not able to look at Evan. I couldn't just ask him why he.....

Screw that!

The ride was becoming so deathly silent that I just felt like standing up and asking 'What's with the silence?'
But hey! I am not so brave to actually do that. So, when we reached the destination after what felt like an eternity, I barged out and caught up with Olivia and Stephen who were arguing again.

"Hey! What's wrong with you two? Can't you both, just for a change, stop fighting?" I snapped gaining their attention.

"Not happening, Sista. Because she started first and she should be the one to back off" Stated Stephen flaring his nostrils while pointing at Olivia and glaring at her.

Olivia glared back at him. "You were the one who was eating my head the whole ride speaking ridicules and you expect me to keep quiet!" Olivia snapped back crossing her arms over her chest.

I just felt like banging my head somewhere. These two weren't going to stop fighting over stupid things. I thought Stephen liked Olivia, I still think but then why do they have to fight so much?!

"But-" Stephen started again only to be cut by none other than Evan. "If you guys finished with whatever you were doing let's get inside the hall. People are staring at you Stephen" he said making Stephen stopped talking, looking around glaring at all the people staring at him. Then he shrugged, rolling his eyes like nothing happened and stormed inside the hall almost in a flimsy manner followed by Olivia.

Really. This brother of mine is delusional and dramatic?

Then when I was not even paying attention, Evan scooped his arm around mine and we entered the ballroom.

When we entered, I observed the place. The hall was so amazing and big! There was a huge crystal chandelier at the middle of the ballroom accompanied by the small chandeliers at the sides of the walls which illuminated light everywhere. Men were in their tuxedos while women's wore expensive designer dresses.

Evan and I seated at the bar where he was talking to two men. I twirled the straw in my juice and looked around. People were gathered on the dance floor wearing their masks dancing with their partners. Hell! I want to dance! I turned to look at Evan and there I saw Giselle in a very exposing black dress clinging on to Evan.

"Baby, are you bored? Can I do something to fade your boredom? I guess there are guest rooms here" Giselle said batting her eyelashes and winking at him.

I felt anger build up inside me. I rushed to them.

"Do you need anything, your highness?" I asked Oh.So.Sweetly. and glared at Giselle. I just wanted her of off him. I never felt like this or maybe I did but for someone special. I don't want to compare those feelings with these. I kind of regretted those feelings when he left me. I shrugged that memory of my head and focused my attention back on Giselle who glared at me.

"What the hell are you doing here leech! You pathetic low-rank human!" She shouted in disgust. I just rolled my eyes. At least, I wasn't a bloodsucking monster.

"She's my escort if you don't mind!" Evan growled shoving her of off him. She looked shocked but continued giving me a death glare and then stormed away.

What is wrong with her?

I chose to ignore her. At that moment, I just wanted to snap that pretty little neck of hers or slap her hard or strangle her to death. Wait, why am I having these criminal thoughts?

I sighed and was about to go to Stephen and Olivia but Evan took hold of my hand and lifted it.

"Care for a dance?"

Before I could respond, he tugs to my hand leading me to the dance floor. He placed my left hand on his shoulder. His right hand went around my waist and the left held my right one. We swayed our bodies along with the song as the rhythm became slow. I looked up into his brown-red orbs which now had golden rings around them. His eyes were something which fascinates me a lot.

"Don't mind Giselle's words." Evan twirled me just to get us back to the former position.

"Like I care" I whispered but I am sure he heard through his enhanced hearing.

"I see you wore the necklace" I felt sparks all over my body when his hand came in contact with my neck as his fingers fiddled with the necklace.

I nodded in a daze.

He gave a charming smile and then started grinning like a maniac.

"What?" I asked.

"Your lips are rosier when kissed."

Just like that.

I. Was. Speechless.

All the blood rushed to my cheeks and I looked everywhere but him. Yesterday night's kiss flashed in my mind. Oh God! I don't wanna embarrass myself.

I need fresh air.

"I-I need fresh air" was all I could muster before I freed myself out of his hold and ran out of the ballroom to the backyard leaving him dumbfounded.

I ran so fast that I didn't even notice the cliff ahead of me and accidentally tripped. I was about to fall off the cliff when a man grabbed my hand and pulled me into his embrace.

"Why do you wanna suicide, beautiful?" the man asked in a quizzical tone.

I looked up from his chest to see icy-blue eyes staring at me with his head cocked to the side.

_______

Who do you think the guy is?

Well, It's a surprise and the party is still left!😉

Bad me! Isn't familiar with something called an update schedule. I am sorry for glitches in the text and a big thank you to those who stuck along.

Love you all😘