I had never taken a dance class once in my life. In Gregerson, there were not enough wealthy people to even host a ball! Nor teachers available to be able to learn a simple waltz.

I was as nervous as could be.

The uniform we were given was a plain, long black dress while the males had to wear a black tux. I walked in the room and sat next to Hazalen, elated she was in the class with me.

"Hey, girl!" She greeted me as she put on her high heels.

"Wait, we have to wear those?" I ask incredulously.

"Yes, go over there and get your size."

"I can't wear heels. I would fall and possibly break something." I say to her in all seriousness.

She just laughs," Annalise, you are fine. You will be a natural. "

I grimace and walk over to the heels. I put them on and stood up, almost falling over until somebody's hands were on my waist, steadying me. I gasped out and turned around to find Darius as the culprit.

"You alright?" He gave me an innocent smile.

Oh, he's good.

I move out of his arms, giving him narrowed eyes to see if he would yell at me or explode... yet nothing. Just a cheeky little smile.

"Yes I'm fine, just a little stumble." I reassure him, wanting to make the conversation short.

"A little stumble? You know, I can't catch you every time you fall. Your going to keep giving me a bad reputation," He winked at me and walked over to a group of boys.

I sat back down next to Hazalen to avoid standing in the heels at all cost. I didn't want to fall and have one specific Prince come to my rescue again.

"Hazalen, did you tell anybody about what happened in the hall?" I ask her calmly.

"What are you talking about?"

" You know, when I fell." I lower my eyes,"That's why he pulled me aside during lunch. He wanted to know how people found out."

"More like dragged you. I can't imagine how angry he was Annalise, are you alright?" She sounded worried.

I laughed,"I can handle myself Hazalen, I'm a big girl."

She gaze drifted to my chest area,"Right you are about that." I gasped at her and slapped her arm. She just giggled and smiled, laughing along with me.

"Ladies on the right facing the mirror, men on the left. I will come around and re-arrange you." Our waltz teacher proclaimed.

I walked up, last in the line, in front of a guy a few inches taller than me. He bowed and held out his hand to me," What a pleasure to meet the Annalise Woods. My name is Cole Reynolds."

I smiled warmly and shook his hand," Does everybody know my name at this point?"

"Pretty much," He gives me a lopsided smile,"You might have heard of me from somewhere too."

"Hm, I wonder what about?" I tap on my chin, playing with him. I remember Hazalen telling me he was one of the cutest guys in school, though he was dangerous.

Apparently that's what makes the girls love him, for he is a bad boy that does grievous things. Every girl loves the feeling of being with somebody who will give you a thrill. I've never quite liked the bad guy vibe.

"I do wonder what you have heard about me, Annalise Woods." He leaned up against the mirror with one leg propped up, staring into my eyes. I didn't look away, he didn't intimidate me.

"Only if you tell me what rumors you have heard about me. There seems to be another added to the list every day, none of them true."

"You fucked the Prince after you purposefully ran into him in the hall."

I gasped,"Oh my gods are you serious! I mean, I haven't even-"

"Yes, I can tell you haven't even kissed a man yet. I can show you if you want me to." He looked me up and down, giving me a wink. I felt a light shudder pass through me, not wanting my first kiss to be with Cole Reynolds, the bad boy in the school.

"Just joking, of corse." He adds. I had a feeling he really wasn't joking at all. Our teacher finally came to the end of the line after rearranging everybody but us.

"You two, back to back. I need to see your height." His high pitched voice boomed.

I pressed my back against his, not noticing too much height difference because of my heels. I also noticed a pungent, displeasing smell radiating off of him. It was very strong and made me scrunch up my nose, until I finally realized what the smell was. I had smelt it a million times back in Gregerson.

Mesgra.

The drug sold for medicine, but used in the wrong way by many. Some say it makes you feel as light as a feather.

Like a pillow feather. Where I would much rather be, in bed.

Back to the point, it made me frown to realize he smoked this drug for fun because he obviously wasn't in pain. Now I know why people say he is dangerous, he probably does lots of bad things if taking mesgra is one of them.

"No, you two don't look good together." Our dance teacher observes. Cole rolls his eyes in annoyance, obviously wanting us to be partners.

Me not so much now knowing he used mesgra.

Mr. Dennis observed my face, every detail you could look at. My arched eyebrows, green-blue almond shaped eyes, brunette long hair, every nook and cranny. In all honesty I didn't mind, I knew he was attracted to the opposite sex.

"I know who you would look perfect with." He pulled me down the line of all the girls. He stopped at Isabelle Daniels who was somehow already holding a scowl at me. Mr. Dennis pulled her out of the line and replaced me in her spot. I looked up to see a familiar Prince, already smiling down at me.

"Back to back! Fast!" Mr. Dennis pushed us.

I could feel every inch of him through his tight suit. His muscles were bulging, and not just in his forearms. His calves and torso too, and his thighs were swelling.

Too close yet again.

"You two look marvelous together!" He pulled us side to side, giving us a look up and down. It was almost as if he was rooting for us to be together.

I could already see the smirk on Damien's face looking in the dance mirror. Mr. Dennis sashayed away, leaving us side by side. I pulled away, getting back in line with the other girls.

"Did you hear that Annalise? We look 'perfect together'!" He tried to mimic our teachers high pitched voice, obviously not working. "Who would have known?" He acted as if he was pondering, taunting me.

I quickly rolled my eyes, but I was thankful he lightened up the tense mood after being so intimate. He made me feel so much better than Cole. I looked back at Cole to see I was replaced with Isabelle, who looked very displeased.

Hm, I guess she wanted to be with Daruis of Deltora! Well guess what? I look better with him so she can shove-

"Annalise, listen to the teacher." Damien whispers in my small ear. I jump from the hot minty-ness fanning across my skin, not ready for the impact.

"You see, the waltz is not just a dance. It's a way of art. How you express yourself through the movements of your feet, your legs, in a box-step. Go through the box step motions with me, a practice right now." Mr.Dennis explained to us.

I felt so nervous I was about to explode. I willingly went through the motions, giggling at the new feeling of moving in such an odd way, so rehearsed. Damien looked down at me and I could see his lip curve up slightly for a quick second as I laughed. As almost if he was trying to hide it.

I had finally gotten the hang of the box formation, it was quite easy after a minute of doing it. I mostly caught on by watching Damien's feet, whom were perfectly coordinated and glided across the dance floor like water. It was easier to look down at his feet and my own to learn the motions.

"It's time to start with your partner. Face each other, palms hand-in-hand. Now men, place your remaining hand on the ladies waist and ladies, place your remaining hand on top of their shoulder."

I faced him, my breathing picking up slightly. My palms already sweaty, I wiped them off knowing I would have to touch a whole other human.

He gave me an inconspicuous look and an arched eyebrow,"The Annalise Woods is not nervous, is she?"

"Yes the Annalise Woods is nervous. Why wouldn't I be? I've never danced before in my life, and now I have to dance with you, a bafoon with no sense of-" he shut me up by placing his hand in mine, guiding my other hand on top of his shoulder. My breath hitched as our fingers intertwined together.

Mr.Dennis never said we had to link our fingers together, just to hold their hand.

I looked into his intense eyes, ones that I can't look into for too long before breaking away. I heard the teacher say something in the background, but it just sounded like gibberish. I then felt myself being moved by Damien, stepping back with our hands still linked together.

"Wh-what are you doing?" I ask him.

"Helping you out, the first dance is always the worse." He looked away, as if he was embarrassed he was actually helping somebody because he wanted to.

"Well, thank you for taking the lead." I looked down at our feet, trying not to mess up as we twirled around. He moved so diligently, so swiftly and calm, as if he's done it a thousand times.

"Annalise, not so hard. You're going to tear off my hand." He smirks to me," You are really nervous, aren't you. I can't help but wonder why?"

"I can't dance." I squeak out.

"Ah, but see, you are doing it right now."

"You are doing all the work. I have no idea what I am doing at all." I manage to steadily state.

Just like our relationship.

"You stopped looking at my feet, loosened your grip a little, and you even forgot we were dancing." He stated, all of which were true.

Had he been watching me that closely?

"You are still nervous, why?"

"I'm not."

"Your pupils dilate every single time you look at me." He gives me a serious look,"You're worried about what could happen with me." He expertly pulls me in while dancing, his arms crossed around my tiny waist ready to spin me back out.

His mouth so close to my ear,"Why are you so afraid of me, Annalise?"

"I'm not." I breathed out, our closeness taking my breath away.

"Then why can't you think properly while so close to me?" His lips touching my ear.

"I can." I spin out myself, us continuing our dance again," I can think just fine."

"See Annalise, this is what I like about you. You can resist like the others can't. It's quite intriguing really, knowing somebody who doesn't always bend to my will," He was elated about that somehow.

"I'm not like that, Damien. I'm not just going to follow your every command."

"That's what interests me, Annalise. I could give you anything. Literally anything, yet you don't care. You really don't give a shi-" he laughs.

"Stop, no more invectives please." I shut him up with a scowl. He just laughs even more, me feeling the vibrations through his hand and shoulder.

"You know, you are quite the natural dancer." He changes the subject, a challenging look placed upon on his face.

"Speak for yourself, you look like you've been doing this you whole life."

"That's because I have." He blankly states, staring into my eyes. I quickly tear mine away.

"Why can't you look at me for a few seconds?"

"Stop with the questions. I'm not a suspect or anything, this is not an interview." I joke around.

"Just answer my question, I want to know for my own benefit- no interrogation."

"Because I just don't like it." I mutter. His face hardens, and our dance picks up the pace.

"Looking at me... you don't like looking at me?"

He bewilderedly scoffs,"That's a first, most people love looking at me. It's some of the female gender's favorite hobby." He seemed frustrated,"Yet not you, Annalise. Somehow you can't just be like everybody else in my whole kingdom."

I wanted to correct him, it's not just "his kingdom", but technically it was. Therefore I couldn't do anything about it, so I corrected him on a different topic.

"I think you are in over your head, Daruis." I smirk at him,"Not the whole kingdom."

"Why is that?"

"Because there is me." I widen my smirk, feeling more confident and playful then usual. He's the first person that's ever challenged me like this before.

I loved it.

"Speaking of kingdoms and lands, I have a question to ask you." His serious face was back. I froze up and I knew he could feel it. My breath hitched, heart beating fast. My hand stiffened in his, body becoming a stick.

"I have studied every map, every piece of land in this entire world. Some lands you wouldn't even know. And I have never heard of the land of Isutania." He harshly whispered.

"Who are you really, Annalise Woods?" He was intrigued.

We went on dancing for only a few seconds until the class was over. I was more than happy to get out of those dreaded heels and back into my comfy flats. Though I was mostly concerned about the Prince's interest in me.

Damien can't know about my past and how I was from Descuvi. All Descuvi are banned from Deltora, and most every land known. This is so Descuvi won't take their war elsewhere and kill other innocent.

Although with him it felt exciting that he was so intrigued. I've never had anybody who wanted to get to know me so much, or somebody whom would stand up for me in a classroom.

He cares, wether he tries to hide it or not.

Yet if he knows about my past, it could affect my future. I can't change the past, it's something already written.

I can't change I was born in Descuvi.

I can't change that my dad was murdered.

I can't change I illegally moved to Gregerson.

And I can't change the Prince wants to know who I really am.