My Fiancée Hates Me
Chapter 20: Practice

Preparing for my first debut ball in my first life...

Step.

"Ow..."

I accidentally stepped on Erik's toes for maybe the fifth time.

"I'm sorry," I told Erik.

"It's fine... Love can get me through anything," Erik said.

Ah, he is pale...

"...If love could get us through anything, we would not need doctors or other religions," Garett said.

"Welcome back," Erik told Garett.

"... Yeah. Have you two been dancing for so long?" Garett asked.

"We just started a half an hour ago," Erik answered.

"From the looks of your shoes, it looks like you have taken quite the beating..."

I had no words to deny it.

I released Erik's hands.

"I think I will go back to my previous instructor..."

"Switch over to me," Garett said as he moved in between us. He impertinently grabbed my hands without any warning and positioned them onto himself. He then placed his hand by my waist and pulled me in much closer. "You have to be around this distance."

It was a bit too close for my comfort, but I suppose that is what dancing with another person is like.

The music soon began playing. I felt as though I was being led strongly by Garett. Erik was so gentle with teaching me before. The difference made it difficult for me to catch up.

I soon made a mistake and overstepped when I was not supposed to. I thought that I would step on Garett's toes, but missed by a hair.

"Phew..."

"Let me teach you as well, Prince Erik... When she makes a mistake, you must avoid it and retaliate," Garett said as he stepped down on my toes.

I flinched from the pain.

"... You are too cruel, Garett," Erik said.

"They say that when the gentle approach does not work, it is better to learn through pain," Garett said coldly.

"Lady Wordsworth?" my dance partner called out to me.

"Yes?" I answered him as I snapped back to reality.

My dance partner was a senior. He already had experience in dancing. It was not his first time being a representative either.

"I was calling you for a while, Lady Wordsworth..."

"My apologies... I am used to being called that."

"May I have the pleasure of calling you by your given name then?"

"...Of course."

"You can also call me by my name, Glen Elsie."

All of the first years were to be trained by elder students. The other students were getting tutoring lessons from the other instructors. About halfway, we would switch and repeat the process. Senior Glen happened to ask for my hand first.

Glen Elise was the previous student council president. He retired from his position last year. He was gifted looks of having chestnut brown hair and peridot green eyes and much charisma. In short, he is a capable man with also good looks.

"Yes..."

Charlotte was dragging her partner around with her strength and refusal to yield to another man.

A female instructor soon came by to scold Charlotte for her actions.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Did I happen to make a mistake?"

"No, you dance rather splendidly for someone daydreaming."

I forgot I was in the middle of dancing...

"I could not help but recall a distant memory."

"You move rather well on your feet. Do you happen to have experience dancing?"

I looked over at Prince Erik. He was dancing with a senior girl that happened to fancy his looks.

"It's my first time..."

"Lady Arielle, did you happen to know of the jinx that the couple that receives the last dance together during the intermission will end up as lovers?"

My ears perked up.

"No, I do not believe in jinxes like that..."

"...If we end up a couple, would you start believing in them by then?"

He got my full attention when he moved his hand from my shoulder blade to my lower back and pulled me closer to him.

"...S-Senior."

"You broke formation for a moment," he said deviously.

He did not seem like moving his hand anytime soon.

I decided to press on despite feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Senior Glen is a jester..."

"I think that I am a rather serious person. I have my eye on you since you first came to this school. We were in different grade levels, and you happened to always hide away somewhere during your breaks. I would have never thought that I would have the chance of seeing you here or having you in my arms like this."

"...The masquerade ball is exactly as it says. It is a costume party. I would not be able to identify you even if I could."

"How about a hint? I will be wearing some kind of 'gold' somewhere on my body."

"Senior, it is not nice to tease me too much..."

"I suppose that I am just a bit excited. I just want to share my last dance with you in a beautiful ball gown. I would be honored if you would choose me as your dance partner," Senior Glen Elise said as he kissed the back of my hand and separated from me.

When I saw Crown Prince of Nariel on my way to the library, I tried jumping out of a window

"How about leaving through the front door, my fair lady?" Prince Nariel asked.

I slowly came back into the hallway.

"I have been caught..."

"What a wild young lady... Shall we have a talk?" he suggested with a smile.

I sighed.

"It is your win, Curious Prince," I said.

I followed him to the flower garden where a table and a pair of chairs were set up coincidentally.

He pulled out my chair for me and poured out a cup of tea for me.

I am doing something rather crazy to have the Crown Prince serving me tea and having him sitting across from me.

"I was under the misunderstanding that you were a fairy. It turns out that you are a student attending here."

"It just so happened that fairies need an education."

The Prince chuckled.

"We have met each other several times, but yet we have not formally. I am the Ryder Seles Zafiro. Does Miss Fairy have a name, or do you prefer being called that?"

"Here, I am called Arielle Ira Wordsworth."

"Arielle? What a beautiful name."

I felt a bit uncomfortable with him staring so deep into me.

"Your Highness, I believe there are many other people that you would prefer to spend your time with..."

"Arielle, I hope that you choose me as your dance partner... You do not have to choose me as your last partner. I just want at least one dance with you. One dance does not mean that people will become a couple. If I can get anything out of it, I get a dance with the young lady that I fell for at first sight."

My heart skipped a beat.

Why does my young heart trouble me so?

Within a week the ball is going to proceed. I am left with only perplexed feelings.

"Your book is upside down," Garett said.

"Huh?"

I looked down at my hands and saw that he was right.

I finally had some time to myself again. I spent my time in the library after a long time away. Prince Erik only showed up during the first practice. I never saw him again and I probably won't until the day of the ball where it is mandatory to attend.

"You look lost more than usual," Garett said.

"I think I am just tired."

Having multiple men wanting my affection is more stressful than books may suggest. I have no idea how Kaya Ouchi was able to handle the pressure. Rather, she chose to answer all of their affections... "Aren't you popular?" Garett said without lifting his eyes from his book.

...Does he know?

"...With what may I ask?"

"...Three men, huh?"

My heart dropped.

He knows...

"How did you replace out?"

"There are rumors that the previous student council president and the Crown Prince are fancying a girl that has caught their eye. You are a rather mysterious individual, so some think that it must be you. I thought that since you caught the eye of the Crown Prince before, the previous student council president may have fallen under your charms as well... However, the one you have your eye on is that Prince of Arundel," Garett concluded.

This person blessed with intelligence...

"I would have thought for sure that you would be the top scorer for the tests..."

"I am."

"How did you get out of the representative dance?"

"I told Headmaster Ingram that it would be better publicity to just use the famous two princes of our school. In return, I received a pass that allows me to leave class whenever I want."

There was that option... I should have reviewed other students. I would have had a replacement by now if I did so.

"Does that mean that you can bypass the dance?"

"... Unfortunately, it is mandated by the school."

I felt slightly relieved that Garett was going to be there.

"I see... You are going to attend too..."

"What are you going to do?" Garett asked me.

"About what?"

"You have to choose one of them. There are five guys. You will be dancing for three songs and cannot possibly dance with the same person more than once. Even if you dance with two strangers, you will have to undoubtedly dance with one of the big three in the end."

I sometimes feel like Garett may be just my conscience and lays all my worries out in front of me.

"That is true..."

"Why not just pick one randomly?"

"Random?"

"It's a masquerade ball. Everyone will wear masks. The most distinctive way to tell those particular three apart is by their hair color, but they might wear wigs. The only thing that you can do is check their eye colors if you are close enough... Leave it up to fate. You might end up with your favorite prince if you are lucky."

"I don't have those kind of intentions..."

"I was a joke... It's just a dance anyways."

Even this Garett is able to make jokes... or he sensed my uneasiness?

"A dance... That's all it is."

That's right... a dance is all that it is.

I was returning to one of my classrooms when I saw Prince Erik at ground level.

I quickly crouched down when I thought our eyes met.

As I thought, it's impossible for me to hold my confidence around him...☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐