The Ball

No romantic hotel rooms, no proposals, no mind-blowing kisses - meaning nothing overly exciting.

I decided to go without a date since I was part of the organizing team and I wanted to be able to mingle around. Bringing a date outside of the company didn't seem like a good idea since I would've had to pay him too much attention so he wouldn't feel lonely.

I was looking around, sipping champagne, making sure who had already arrived and what were they up to. And then I spotted William. He was talking to our colleague but right next to them were some of the girls I knew. Most naturally I went there to chat with the girls, standing right next to William. Soon enough I was engaged in both conversation - the one with the girls and the one with him and the colleague.

After the colleague left he made some compliments to the girls but then suggested we'd step aside so we could chat better. He bought me a drink and a truffle. So I went from champagne and people-watching to Martini and William-watching. Unfortunately I had some duties so after a quite a long talk we went our separate ways.

There were hundreds of people there and we both had a lot of people to talk to so we didn't get any more time for ourselves. Some people have become a little suspicious about him openly favoring me anyway so maybe it was for the best. This also means neither of us kept the promise to dance with the other.

As I was strolling around, stopping here and there for chats and cheers, I greeted one of my colleagues. As William had left rather early, this young man became my companion for the rest of the night. So why don't we call him the Ball Boy for now. 'Where are you heading?' he asked me after I smiled at him with a nod. 'Nowhere, just wondering around. You?' I asked back. 'The same. I'll walk with you to the other side,' he told me.

As we were perambulating through the hallway, I asked him where his companion was since I knew he had a girlfriend. Instead of saying she was at home as had said the last guy I asked, he pointed at me: 'Right here.' I just smiled in silence, flattered yet not knowing what to say since we've never had exactly too close of a relationship.

Soon enough we were standing next to the dance floor, chatting away. He, too, offered to buy me a drink. Why would I ever say no to a Martini served by a charming gentleman? We talked mostly about work and politics. We even made some work related agreements. And then he finally asked me to dance.

After the dance we kept on chatting. Then it was time for the cake and Calvados so we joined others. From there on we hung around in a bigger group, drinking Calvados and having some good laughs. When there was only half an hour left until the end of the ball I decided that only one dance throughout the whole night most certainly will not do for me.

The Ball Boy is rather tall and I was wearing unusually low-heeled shoes so I rose to my tiptoes and asked him quietly if it could be my turn to ask him to dance. He obviously liked spending time with me since he hadn't left my side since that first chat but the eager way he said 'yes' was still a delight.

Another song passed after that one when he suggested we should dance some more. 'Let's use the last minutes to the fullest,' he said with a smile. So we stayed on the dance floor until the last song was played and the party was over.

Our dancing was more like bringing the weight from one leg to the other and slightly turning the same time but being really close while doing so. As I said, he was rather tall and I had only 4-5cm heels. Meaning I couldn't see over his shoulder. I did look to the sides every now and then but it was actually kind of comforting to just stare at his chest and feel his hand caressing my back. This way it felt like it was just the music and us - I knew that others were there, too, but they weren't in my focus at all.

After the ball a lot of people went to a night club to have an after-party. We had missed the time where free tickets were handed out so I got two from an elderly couple who had took the tickets but now had decided to go home instead. One for me and one for the Ball Boy. He got us a cab and to the club we went.

The party sucked. The music was awful, the people hideous. There was someone driving his direction so the Ball Boy went home quite soon, thanking me for a wonderful night. I think I left around fifteen or twenty minutes after him. I haven't seen him since but we have changed a couple of work related e-mails. Fortunately no awkwardness between us.

So, as I said in the beginning, nothing overly exciting. Yet I enjoyed the night. I'm also going to see what's the deal with the Ball Boy. He had made me a compliment about looking very beautiful just the night before the ball so maybe his interest in me wasn't just a breeze. If so, I'll probably encourage it. Wouldn't be like me not to, right?


Love,

Passion