A Dance with Destiny

Chapter 9

Diana stood there for a moment, a quiet warmth spreading through her as she processed Mattheo's words. She had never felt so seen, so understood, and in a place like this, surrounded by so many people playing their roles, it felt almost surreal. The way Mattheo spoke to her—like she was more than just a name, more than just someone to talk to—made her feel a little lighter like maybe she had found something real amidst the chaos.

She took a slow breath, feeling more comfortable in her own skin than she had in a long time. Her eyes met his again, and this time, there was no hesitation, no second-guessing. She wasn't hiding behind her food or pretending to be anything she wasn't. She was just... Diana. And it felt right.

"You know," she began, her voice soft but steady, "I didn't expect this... any of this. To be talking to you, I mean." She smiled slightly, biting her lip in that endearing way she always did when she felt nervous or vulnerable. "I thought you'd be just like everyone else—focused on the surface, on what I should be. I didn't think anyone would actually care about who I really am."

Mattheo's expression softened as he took a step closer, his voice low and sincere. "I don't care about the surface. I don't care about what people think they know. I just want to know you, Diana."

Her heart fluttered at his words, the sincerity in his voice making her feel like they were the only two people in the room. For a second, the bustling sounds of the party faded away, and it was just the two of them, standing in the corner with the world outside of them forgotten.

She glanced down at her half-empty plate, a little embarrassed by how much food she had eaten, but it wasn't the food that mattered. It was the fact that she had felt comfortable enough to let her guard down.

"I've never had this before," she admitted quietly, her eyes flicking up to meet his. "Someone not just... talking to me because of who my family is or what I'm supposed to be. I didn't even think it was possible." Her words were soft, almost unsure, but she knew she meant them.

Mattheo smiled, that familiar, confident smile that she had grown used to, but this time there was something different about it. Something warmer. "Well, I'm not just anyone, Diana," he said, his voice teasing but gentle. "I want to get to know the real you. Not the girl everyone thinks they know."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, and before she could stop herself, she reached for her lemonade and took a long sip, just to have something to do with her hands. But even as she tried to distract herself, she couldn't help but feel a growing sense of anticipation—like something was about to change. Like the way she felt about Mattheo might not be the same tomorrow, or the day after. And she wasn't sure if she was ready for it, but she also wasn't sure if she wanted to resist it.

As she set her glass down, Diana looked up at him again, her pulse quickening in the quiet moments between them. She knew she wasn't imagining it—there was something here, something real, something that had sparked when their eyes met earlier in the night. She couldn't put it into words, but she could feel it in the way he looked at her, the way he didn't treat her like a trophy or a puzzle to solve. He just... saw her.

"So, what happens next?" she asked, the question slipping out before she could think better of it. "We keep talking? Or does this whole 'getting to know each other' thing end with me running off again like I did earlier?"

Mattheo chuckled, a low, amused sound that made her feel like he wasn't just joking, but actually enjoying the moment with her. "I think we could try the talking part again," he said, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "But I'm not going to let you run off this time."

Diana felt her heart race at the promise in his words, her fingers subconsciously playing with the edge of her plate. "What if I want to run off?" she asked, her voice playful but with a hint of challenge.

"I don't think you do," he said, stepping even closer now, his voice soft but filled with intent. "Not anymore."

His words hung in the air between them, and Diana felt her chest tighten. Her instincts told her to pull away, to retreat back into the safe space she had always created for herself. But a part of her, a bigger part than she cared to admit, wanted to stay. To see where this was going. To see where they were going.

"I guess we'll see," she said softly, her lips curling into a teasing smile.

Mattheo smiled back, his eyes lingering on hers. "I think we will."

For a moment, they stood there, just the two of them, surrounded by a sea of people, but completely immersed in their own world. Diana felt the weight of her own uncertainty, the nagging fear that maybe this wasn't the right time, that maybe this wasn't the right person. But as she met Mattheo's gaze, something in her told her to stop doubting it. To stop running from it. Because for once, she wanted to see what could happen if she stayed.

And for the first time in a long time, Diana Greengrass felt like she was exactly where she was meant to be.