The Invitation

A dance and a love story going in circles, pushing and pulling but never letting go.

...

All eyes turned as Anna step inside the room. She was but a silhouette of a lady in red—bold, enticing and mysterious. Women eyed her with disbelief. The audacity of a late comer to wear such a scandalous red dress that showcased the entirety of her back in a room full of dignified conservative catholics whose names spell the entirety of the country. Most women wore grandiose white to emphasize their purity unsoiled by their many sins hidden behind a whisper of prayers. 

Anna is different. Though her back is straight as rod, her will is shaking from all the eyes on her that she could feel it crawling accross her skin, trying to take off the mask hiding her from their judgement.

Just as she was about to run, a hand grabs her. "Come here, Anna. Quick!" he could never mistake that voice. It's Frauline, her sister-in-law—the same person who pulled her into the mess she's currently in.

"Where?" She was confused when Frauline sits her quite forcibly down a chair. "Fro?" She called, but she is gone.

The lights turned off, then it opened. Now, there's a man standing beside her and so does the woman next to her and the next. They all formed a line mirroring the ones right in front of them.

A song started. It reminds her of a trumpet calling to war. 

The men moved, walking a step or two in front before stopping in front of them. First, she saw his trouser. Up, her eyes go and she found a man wearing a tuxedo. His face is partially hidden behind a red mask that makes his steel blue eyes shine dangerously so.

He bows. She watch as some of his neatly combed hair falls accross his eyes that remained holding hers even as he bows deeply so. 

He extends his hand. "Dance with me." It was no more than a demand. The contact made her heart skip a beat.

Anna shivered. That voice!

When she didn't give her hands, he took it and pulled her up. Anna stumbled forward but now he moves beside her. He leads her on a few steps forward just like everyone else until a circle of couples formed. 

Waltz, Anna realized.

He turn to face her, bowing once more to which she replied with a curtsy as is customed. Once, she dance to a waltz but it was almost a decade ago that she almost forgot about it.

The corners of her lips twitch, making Anna's eyebrows raise. "Who are you?" She let him get her hand while the other rested on her side. 

"Do really not remember my little flame?"

They turn and twist. A time came when when he turned her around with her back against his chest. Only then did Anna remember. "Eugene?"

He was suppose to past her to the next man, but Eugene pulled her in the middle of the circle. A claim was visibly implied.

"Well done, Anna. I thought I might have to do something that would surely stir your memory." He whispers.

She blushed behind the mask. Anna felt dizzy, no not from turning over and again, but from the sheer disbelief that Eugene was here. He's back from the war. "It's been 9 years."

His jaw ticked. "Indeed." His eyes burned hers, forcing Anna to look away. There was hatred, perhaps a bit of resentment but something remains clear in the depths of those blue eyes. He still cares for her.

"How are you?"

"Don't give me that platonic bullshit Anna. We both know we were more than just friends."

Eugene twist her again a little to hard than necessary that her feet crossed and she almost stumble but he was quick to hold her steady. "What do you want?"

"You."

Anna rolls her eyes as they sway sideways once then twice. "Why did you come back, Eugene?"

It was a mistake to meet his eyes because now he holds her captive within those blues. "I told you I'd come back for you." He said as he twist her again and again. 

Anna held tigh on his shoulder when they slowed a little. "Eugene—"

"Tell me, Anna. Did you manage to forget me?"

"I'm married—"

"Was."

"Still, you shouldn't ask a married woman that question." 

He twist her once more. The anger can be felt with the way he forcefully pulled at her hands before catching her roughly with the other. He snorted. "It's no secret that your useless husband died before even reaching the door to your bedroom during your honeymoon."

Anna's cheeks flamed and she looks away. "Don't talk about him that way—"

Eugene pulled her up for a brief jump. "What? He never deserved you."

She glared at him. "He was still my husband."

"Which should have been me." He says through gritted teeth. He held her away then pulled her back roughlyroughly and spin her around before pulling her back to him.

"What happened then, Anna? One moment we were about to get married. The next I find I wouldn't be the man waiting for you at the altar." He growled.

She refuse to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"I don't need a fucking apology. I need to know why. Why did you hurt me so, Anna?" He laughs bitterly. "Thanks to you, it fueled me through each and every mission I did. It kept me alive all the three times I almost died."

Anna gasp. She had known that he's been through many dangers but never did she actually entertain the nagging worry that he almost died. Not a night past where she didn't pray for his safety. 

Again, they spin around in circles. Anna is starting to really get light headed from the repetitive steps but she must be strong. He shouldn't see past her façade. "But you're still here now, aren't you?" She turn her back away from him— the perfect step for the moment. "Haven't you moved on Eugene? I'm sure you didn't spend every single night lamenting over me." I did though.

He moved around her but he's still behind her as they move forward. "Oh I did. I sure did even with the company of all those women who warmed my bed. In my eyes they had your face as I—." Her silence stopped him.

Anna's heart pinch at the confirmation of all the rumors surrounding his lifestyle. Many woman bragged about sharing a bed with him, but all of them cried for not keeping their places beside him. 

"I did hear about your interesting tales." She says as they bowed for each other but she didn't dare lay eyes on his. It was hard now that they are facing each other again.

"You're jealous."

She glared at him. "I am not."

He was only smiling as he spin her around the dance floor. "You should know. They never did compare to you."

She glared even harder but it was hard, seeing him flash that boyish smile at her. It reminds her of when he used to gaze at her from their balcony while she plays the piano. They couldn't hear each other so he would only smile like a little boy.

Eugene lets her go so she could go in the middle where all the other women are. Anna was surprise to find her sister-in-law accross from her. Fro gave her a smile as they touched their hands. "How are you doing?" She asked Anna.

"Why did you bring me here?" Anna asked as they danced around each other. Then she realized something. "You knew he would be here." It was an accusation.

"I did. I'm sorry, Anna." But Anna did not answer. "I just wanted you to be happy. I am thankful enough that you married my brother because even though he left early, at least he died with his dignity intact."

They took steps towards the other girls, forming a circle with their backs on each other. "He was my friend."

"And you did more than any other friend would. You saved him. You saved us. You saved our family."

"It was my choice."

"I know and I knew it broke your heart." Frauline told her. As they took steps back to their partners and away from each other, Fro managed one last message. "Be happy Anna. Please."

Anna looked up at Eugene who was standing before her, waiting patiently after all these years. He offered his hand which she took in silence before dancing away from him again and back. 

"Always, you come back to me." He said. 

So do you. "As I should for the dance." She turn away from him, then back and then she duck under his arms but he turn around to find her again just so she could turn her back from him once more. Of course, she cam back, falling on his arms before they spin round and around.

"Marry me Anna." He said before she spin away from her.

She stopped, heart beating so loud she could hear it thumping against her chest. From the corners of her eyes, she saw him spinning his way to her.

Now, she's back in his arms. "Anna—"

“Eugene.” Her tone was a reprimand.

"Tell me you have no feelings left for me. Not even a little." His eyes called to her, watching her intently.

The fast paced steps is beating in time of her frantic heart. Anna was tongue tied. "Eugene—"

"Tell me, Anna. Look me in the eyes and lie in my face." He dared.

She was so distracted that she almost stumbled over if not for his quick reflexes. She close her eyes as she turns around, at least that way she can hide.

"Tomorrow, I will leave and I shall never come back again. Answer me now, Anna." It was an ultimatum she was never prepared for. 

Anna knew that what he said was true. It's no secret that he had already retired. That he plans to spend his days at a property he recentlt purchase a thousand miles away.

The song became faster, urging her to make the decision.

"I can't. Have you not any idea of what the people would say?"

His eyebrows knitted together. "You cared all about the little things that didn't matter. for once, care about me. For once, care about yourself."

Anna hesitated.

"We've been dancing around each other for longer than this, Anna. You love me, I know." He let her hands go and bowed in front of her again. "And I do too. Never did I stop loving you, Anna." He took her hands again.

She spins around him, getting dizzy with how fast everything is going. Eugene caught her, and together they made that spin. "Answer me, Anna."

The end is nearing and Anna had an inkling that once he lets her go after the dance, he would forever do so. With a racing heart, a quick glance to her sister-in-law who nodded her permission and one look at the man who once got away, Anna found her answer. "Yes."

Eugene smiled as he threw her away from him but never letting her go. When he pulled her back, she fell on his arms. Anna felt it the moment the mask fell down. It sound so loud as it taps twice at the marble floor.

People gasp. Whispers followed.

"Isn't that Mrs. Harvey?"

"The widow?"

"How shameful!"

One particular words caught Anna's interest, "Wasn't it written in the invitation letter that Mr. Eugene's fiancee will be shown after the dance?"