Secrets Unveiled
Anne's Point Of View
The gala was overwhelming, yet my mind fixated on the feel of Mr. Miller's warm hand intertwined in his. Returning to the ball, we greeted other guests, and I felt comfortable in a way that I've never felt before in other places.
"Let us dance," He suggested and went towards the dance floor with me.
"Dance?" How outrageous! My heart started racing already. Dance has never been my thing.
"Trust me," he spoke back easily, girlishly even. "Just take my lead."
As we danced, the music took over our senses, he drew me to him, and I couldn't help but get all fluttery at how close he was. His hand was on my waist and I went with his motions allowing me to get lost in the flow.
"Dancing seems to come effortlessly to you," he said, his breath tickling my ear.
"I wouldn't go that far," I said, keeping my cool.
"Just let go of that stiff posture and have fun," he said, his eyes firmly fixed on mine.
Daydreaming, I caught myself grinning and blanked on the surroundings. It felt awfully intimate, as if we were the only people in the hall.
"You know, I am curious. Have you attended any of these events before?" he said, brushing his fingers on my cheeks.
"No, never," I said honestly. 'It's all too different for me.'
"Good. I wanted you to have something out of the ordinary," he added in a soft whisper.
As the song wore off, he drew me in, our heads almost touching. I bristled at the heat emanating from him and could not resist myself from leaning in a little.
"Anne," he called out. The pitch was soft, but there was no calm in it. "I need to tell you something."
Anxiety rushed through my system at those words. "What is it?"
"I'm aware of your sister," he admitted, piercing my eyes with his. "I didn't want to say it at this time but it cannot be avoided."
I felt discomfort lurking at the back of my mind that made me move away a little. "How do you bear that?"
He thought for a moment, and then turned to look at me hard. "I had something with her before… everything changed. I was present at that time."
I almost choked. "You were there? Why haven't you told me this before?"
He expelled a breath, ruffled his hair. "Overloading you with this information was not my goal. But, I want you to understand that you are important to me, and I wish to assist you in any way I can."
There were many things conflicting in me, such as anger, confusion, and bonding. "How will you help me like that? By carting me off somewhere out of reach?"
"No," he replied in an absolute tone. "I wish to provide safety for you. There are dynamics at play that I, again, don't wish for you to be exposed to any further injury."
I bore into his eyes, attempting to grasp just how far he meant. "What do you mean by that?"
"In your case, your sister was participating in something that was not safe and I don't want you entering that one," he elaborated, minimising his tone as if to hide it from the others.
I blinked and took a step back, my emotions in turmoil. "What do you mean? Which situation was she in especially?"
He fumbled, and his eyes darted in one direction. "I can't share everything at the moment, but I pledge to do so when the appropriate moment comes. Just understand that I'm with you."
Somehow I felt sick. "I have to know this. I cannot step into this without foreknowledge and restrictions, Alex."
He confirmed with a nod and a bright smile. "I understand. Just trust me for the time being. You will be okay with me."
I was about to give an answer, resuming the waltz to the friendship songs that played after the music changed. The tension between the two of us stayed but the uncertainty was even worse.
As the celebration went on, we moved among the guests, but I felt that something was off. The glances people threw our way, the clipped sentences it was quite a lot to deal with.
"I think we should step outside for a cigarette," Mr. Miller said and walked beside me towards the edge of the hall that was less packed.
Outside, I exhaled sharply since the weather was rather cool and I was grateful for it. "What's that tension in the air? Tell me Alex, what's really going on?"
He moved his eyes sideways, to check if we were the only ones there and came even closer. "There are those who are even now hunting down information on your sister and you might also become their target."
I almost choked. "Why? What do they want?"
"I do not know, not for the time being, but believe me, I will find out," he assured, sounding quite sure of himself. "All I am interested in is ensuring that you remain unharmed."
I nodded, swallowing both regret and terror. "It's fine, but there is one problem. I can't keep staying in the dark like this. I want to know everything."
He made a gesture and placed my hair at the appropriate place. "You will. I cross my heart. But for now, let us just force ourselves to enjoy this moment. More talking will come later."
When he pulled away from me, a strange sensation coursed within me. His warmth was soothing and vital, especially in the midst of such tumult.
"Fine," I relented, saying that it was okay to let out my tension. "Let us make the best out of the night."
We went back to the ballroom that was full of energy. I could feel the music in my soul as I moved with my partner and hearty sounds surrounded us.
There were those moments, it dawned on me, that even when a lot was unclear in the days to come, the two of us had a bond that was beyond any physical connections.
The night progressed, I began to become more comfortable with Mr. Miller and I found myself curious about our prospects.
Would I discover anything about my sister? And would I be able to have full faith in him?
In this case only time could tell but for this specific moment, I was happy to be in the moment since I was carried away by the night's beat and by his warm embrace.