Why Fear The Face ?

Chapter 12

Rose's P.o.v-
My stomach was doing back-flips knocking me into a numb kind of sickness.

The costume ladies had done a  magnificent job on actually making me look presentable for this certain occasion. The stage was set, audience was seated and everyone poised and ready to go. And then there was me freaking out wearing nothing but a ballet dress and tutu standing a top the rooftop, freaking out.
I was finding it difficult to breathe, although that could of been the breathtakingly sharp cold wind making it difficult to do so.

"You do realise the show has already begun?" Erik came up behind me and leaned over the stone banister looking down just as I was.

"I'm well aware..." I muttered unable to stand and look him in the eye."I'm truly, and utterly terrified."

"It's not that scary, even if you completely mess up the audience will still probably clap."I could tell a smirk was playing on his face.

"I'm not talking about whether I get the audiences approval or not." I snapped standing upright to directly address him."My family will be in the audience tonight; I'm terrified of not getting their approval."

"Well I can't predict what your family will think, but if they had any sense about them, like me, they would approve of you no matter what you choose to do." He put a hand on one of my bare shoulders which made me shiver."Gosh you're freezing..."at that moment he pulled me into his arms and cuddled me into his warmth. It was so reassuring, he stabalised my racing mind, however set my heart beating to an unnatural speed.

"Thank you." I whispered into his chest, my eyes were cast wide open, for fear if I closed my eyes I would miss a single second of this incredible sensation. This was so new, and so beautiful to me. This man was my rock and for that I was eternally greatful.

"It's my pleasure." He seemed far away in his thoughts so I decided it would be best for us both not to pry. What happened next came naturally, I swear I never intended to do so. Reaching up on my tip toes, I tentatively placed my freezing hands to either side of his neck, and placed a kiss on his cheek, before I could move away from him, his hands grabbed my waist pulling me even closer towards him, into his embrace and his lips effortlessly found my own. Without thinking I kissed him back, having never kissed a man before I would of thought I wouldn't of had a clue what do, but we fell together so perfectly it felt like some kind of perfect. We only separated momentarily when we ran out of air between the two of us. As I attempted to catch my breathe back I stared down at the floor, but I felt his lips brush against my forehead, the tips of his fingers hooked themselves under my chin forcing me to stare into his eyes. "Good luck, you'll do great, my Rose." he assured me before placing one last kiss delicately on my lips. "Go, your audience awaits you." he grinned taking a step back. Following his request, I ran to the side of the stage and prepared my pointe shoes, the whole time a stupid lovestruck grin plastered to my lips with the simple thought of him.

An uproar of clapping rung in my ears. It was done, my first official performance on stage went without a bump. My heart raced in ecstasy, I stayed motionless in my finishing position on the floor for what felt like forever. As I got up to leave and began walking to where Meg stood with open arms on the side of the stage. A hand grasped my forearm stopping me in my tracks, my heart sunk to my stomach, which drowned itself with utmost dread to see the man standing behind me.

"My daughter ladies and gentlemen." My father put my arm in the air, asking the audience for another round of applause. Utter embarrassment clawed its way to the surface of my cheeks, staining them with a blood like shade of red. "I believe in order to celebrate this evening a certain young man has one rather important question to ask of you Roselinda." I turned my head to look at the man standing behind of him. It was the carriage boy, more accurately my father's little minion, what on earth was going on here I had no idea. Phillipe was his name perhaps?