A Dance with Destiny

Chapter 2

Diana felt her heart still racing as she slipped away from the crowd, her soft giggles bubbling up in an attempt to mask the flurry of emotions inside her. She had never expected to find herself in a moment like that—so close to someone like Mattheo Riddle. Her mind screamed at her to run, to hide, to avoid the inevitable chaos that could come from being seen with him, but her feet carried her anyway.

She quickly made her way through the maze of bodies in the grand hall, her cheeks still flushed from the kiss. Her fingers brushed against the fabric of her rose-patterned dress, trying to calm her nerves. She darted behind a tall marble pillar, out of sight, and pressed her back against the cool stone, taking a deep breath. The party's loud music and chatter seemed to fade as she leaned her head back, trying to center herself.

Her thoughts raced. What did I just do? Diana bit her lip, both thrilled and terrified by the kiss. She had never felt such a pull to someone, and even though she had no idea who he truly was, she couldn't shake the way he made her feel—alive and electric like the world around her had fallen away.

The soft giggles continued to escape her lips, a reflection of the giddy chaos inside her. She peeked out from behind the pillar, trying to get a glimpse of the Slytherin king. Had he even noticed she was gone? Her eyes searched the room, but there was no sign of Mattheo, not yet at least. She could still feel the weight of his gaze on her even though he was no longer there, and her stomach fluttered with both excitement and fear.

"Where did she go?" she heard a voice call from somewhere across the room. It was unmistakably Mattheo's, and Diana's heart skipped a beat. She quickly ducked further behind the pillar, her hands fidgeting with the bow in her hair, her face now bright red as she stifled a giggle. She didn't want anyone to catch her before anything else would happen.

She could hear the whispers of his friends, but she couldn't bring herself to look. The last thing she wanted was to be caught in the middle of all the Slytherin drama. Why did he have to kiss me? she thought. Why couldn't I just have a normal night like everyone else?

But then again, everything about her felt different now. Her world was shifting in ways she couldn't control, and she wasn't sure if she was ready to face it.

She peered out again, her eyes catching a glimpse of Mattheo. He was scanning the crowd, his intense gaze searching for something—or someone. The thought of him looking for her made her cheeks burn even hotter. She knew he wouldn't stop until he found her, and the last thing she wanted was to face him again, not yet, not when everything was still so new, so unknown.

Diana took a few more steps back, trying to blend into the shadows. Her soft, nervous laugh echoed in the quiet corner. It was like a small, helpless part of her wanted to hide away from the whole world. But as much as she tried to disappear into the night, she couldn't forget the way his arms had held her, the way he kissed her like he had no idea she was supposed to be off-limits.

I can't let him find me... not yet. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling both excited and terrified about what the future might hold. But even as she hid away, a small, dangerous part of her whispered, Maybe I don't want to run away from this...

And as the night wore on, Mattheo Riddle's eyes never stopped searching for her, determined to uncover the mystery behind the girl who had stolen his attention—and, for the first time, his heart.