Phantom Pirouette

Chapter 1: R

“The dance is in three hours, hurry up!” My brother’s voice echoed down the long hallway, along with his footsteps that led into a crescendo as I found him before me, standing, hands on his hips and an impatient expression plastered over his face. “Why aren’t you ready yet?” I simply looked at him. “Why are you ready already? We have three hours, and I don’t need much to swoon the crowd.” I responded, watching as his brows furrowed and he became more agitated. “We have but three hours! That’s hardly enough time to get there if we’re dressing up!” I sighed; I was getting impatient now. I didn’t understand why he was stressing so much. I really didn’t need much to look good. He waved his arms, motioning at the floor, “Hurry up! I don’t want to be late again!” His tailcoat flew around him as he whipped to the side and walked down the hall again. I shut my door and approached my wardrobe. The mirror that I had mounted on the door sparkled without a speck of dust on it, and I could clearly see how nice I looked already in only slacks and a white shirt. But my brother insisted I got more dolled up. I can respect that; he wanted me to look better than my best. I opened my closet doors and picked out my finest suit and jacket, I’d attended only one ball in it because it was so new and I didn’t want to dirty it, but I got more eyes than the main attraction there. Men and women were stunned to see me in such elegant attire. I had everyone spellbound. I always paid close attention to how I dressed while I was putting on clothes, no wrinkles, no loose strings, a tight tie, absolute perfection. How am I supposed to win over the crowd looking like a peasant? 

The suit jacket was black and pin-striped, white and grey with a long tail on the coat that seemed to swim around in the air when I moved. I wore a white button-down underneath it, making sure that it was perfectly straight and clean, I slipped on my corset vest then the jacket over it. The pants were more basic, they were a solid black with stitches so small they almost seemed invisible.

They were sewn cuffed at the bottom, due to my height, and a white ribbon on the inside held the stitches in place. I draped the ribbon tie over my shoulders and stared into the mirror. I already looked bedazzling, there wasn’t much a reason to go over the top. But at the same time, I wanted to be the main attraction, no one was to look better than me. No one has or ever will outshine me. I tied my white silk tie and tightened it around the collar of my shirt. I hooked a chain that hung a pocket watch onto one of my belt loops and slipped the small clock into my pocket. I wore my finest rings and a black ribbon choker. A small detail, but I liked it. I wore only one 24 karat diamond in my left ear, so it didn’t look like I was trying too hard. I got on my most polished shoes and fixed my hair into a slightly slicked-back look and then put on my black gloves and shiny bracelets and I was done. It took only 10 minutes. I knew my brother was worrying over nothing. “DIMITRY!” I heard from down the hall; it was loud enough to make me jump, “HURRY UP WE HAVE TO LEAVE!” He sounded more irritated than normal. I sprinted toward the door and raced out into the grand room. There stood Corduroy, still wearing his agitated expression on his face. “You know it doesn’t take me long, Corduroy,” I said, walking beside him as we made our way to the grand doors, “I don’t need much to look stunning.” My brother looked at me with disbelief, “Your ego is far larger than your head,” he said, pushing me forward and motioning me to move faster. “Not my fault I got the good genetics.” I said smugly, I wanted to rub it in. I wanted him to know that I was the better brother and that I would charm more than he could ever dream of. “Say that if you please, but I believe you should pay less attention to your face and more attention to where you walk.” Corduroy said, right as I tripped over the rug. “This is why you will never get a girlfriend.” I said sternly, straightening my posture and my clothing. “Your ego shall be your downfall.” He said in return. We walked in silence as we approached our trolley, we always made sure to keep it clean, the last thing we needed was to go around looking as if we couldn’t even pay to keep our things clean...Also because Corduroy was a clean freak. I climbed into the back, careful to keep my suit from getting dirty while Corduroy boarded the front and began to move forward. We traveled in utter silence. Only the sounds of the carriage traveling over the dirt roads and birds accompanying us with song filled the air. As we went through the main street, I could see the commoners from the window selling things outside of stores, dressed in what looked like rags compared to our garments. Peasants, I thought, the type to shine our shoes and do our bidding while we enjoy tea and parlor games. That was how it always was and that was how I saw it. Corduroy said that they should also be treated like the higher ups, but they hadn’t any money to do it. I pitied them. But I admired how hard they worked. I never had to do that, so I often wonder how they managed to work that hard without getting tired. “Corduroy?” I called out to him, he looked back at me, “Yes?” “Do peasants sleep?” Corduroy scoffed, then he laughed, “Of course they do, how do you think they have enough energy to work?” I shrugged, “I don’t know. How do they afford beds?” Corduroy was quiet for a moment, “Well, they get paid to work, you know.” “Do they?” He nodded, “Indeed.” I asked another question, “Why do they get paid, but we don’t?” He laughed again, a little too hard that time, “We are the ones that pay them. That is the only reason they get paid, because we give them the money. We have more money than they could ever dream of. Our mere clothes are worth more than their houses.” I asked yet another question, “Do they really have houses?” Corduroy nodded, “Yes, they do, Dimitry.” I didn’t ask any more questions. I just stared out my window and watched the shops fly by. I checked the pocket watch I always carried, 6:43, another hour until it starts, I thought, closing it and shoving it back in my pocket. “Corduroy?” I called again, “How much farther until we arrive?” He thought for a moment, “Not too much longer, it starts at around 7:45. What time is it?” “6:45” I said in response. “We’ll be getting there early, then.” Corduroy said, turning right. I looked out my window, the ground suddenly became paved and lined with flora. I could see out of the front that other carriages like ours were ahead. Suddenly, I saw no more peasants or shops, only green grass, fountains and flowers that stretched for miles. I saw bushes and trees in the distance, I looked out of the front window once more, I could see a large white building far ahead. I looked out my window, I saw some elegant-looking people walking along the pavement, a very pretty girl accompanied by a beautiful man. I almost felt jealous.