Hidden In The Dark (IN EDITING)

I Promise You

Forward, right, backwards, left.

Forward, right, backwards, left.

Forward, right, backwards, left.

"No no, lead with the left foot! You're gonna make us fall!" My head falls back in a groan, some colorful words leaving my lips when Damen corrects my movements again. It's not my fault, not everyone is born knowing how to do the waltz. Nor was I blessed with the ability to make any of my movements graceful. I'm not a graceful girl, in fact the very opposite, I'll probably stumble and drag both of us down to the ground in the middle of the floor.

Me and Damen have been practicing for literally weeks but for some reason I still manage to mess a step up. Naturally this wouldn't be a problem, but being as my birthday party takes place in a few days, this isn't just some small problem. I'd rather not be humiliated in front of a bunch of people at my birthday ball. I'm usually a quick learner but for some reason I haven't been able to grasp the simple steps. Deep down, I know I've been too distracted to actually pay attention, but that's with the fear deep down in my heart.

Everything is starting to come together, I've already bought my dress which ended up being the same as the one from my dream. Figures. The venue has been rented and cleaned, all the decorations are being prepared for the massive party being held in exactly three days. I have three days to get myself together and put on a show with the constant reminder of darkness lurking just beyond my reach. All aspects of these past months from the moment I met Vali will come into play. All of the techniques I learned, all of the information I gathered, it will all be used on my night.

I haven't seen or spoken to Vali since that day when I first saw the venue, things were left on a bit of an odd note. Not just because of what he was wearing and acting like, but the fact that we both knew what was in store for us, well more of me than him. There was this strong tension that neither of us regarded for each other's sake. I could stand in front of my mirror everyday and tell myself that the fear of losing Vali isn't real, but the thought does settle fear into my blood.

At first I had no intentions of knowing him, he was less than compassionate in every way, empty of emotions like a blank chalkboard. But after so many things were said and so many dangerous situations I was thrown into, I found myself not afraid of death, but afraid of leaving him behind.

"Babe, we've been practicing for weeks and you still haven't gotten the steps down." The words that leave his mouth leave a bitter taste on my tongue. My face refraining from cringing at the pet name he had given me over the course of our 'relationship'. Everything seemed so rushed and rehearsed between us, nothing realer than the couples acting on the tv screen. He had feelings toward me, ones that made me feel more repulsed than spoiled milk. It wasn't his fault, though, fate guided him to trail after me like a puppy and bend to my every need.

Guilt plagued my every thought in reminder that I was falsely leading him on and making him think what we have is real. Somehow I felt suffocated, forced to act a certain way just to maintain the balance of fate. I couldn't go running around messing things up, Vali was extremely straightforward in explaining the seriousness of it all. "I'm sorry my head just hasn't been in it."

"Stop worrying Leaigh, it's normal to have nerves. But I promise you that everything will go perfectly and you'll have plenty of fun." The slight smile on his face was oddly comforting to me, although he didn't know the true reason of why I was worried. When his lips press against my forehead I tighten my grip around his hand. No matter how many times he called me babe, kissed me, and told me he loved me, I'd never settle in comfort by the actions. They felt like poison against my heart, temporarily dulling my own thoughts and feelings by replacing them with artificial replicas.