A Changed Night

Words: 2,000

Daniel let out an exasperated sigh as he remember his and Nicole's most recent fight. He was one who took everything as personal to himself. She was the exact same, and would always scream and yell whenever he would try to compliment her on something or just try to talk to her general.

'It's exhausting trying to understand women.' Daniel thought as he fell onto his couch and sprawled out in front of his TV. Tonight he was going to pick up the disgruntled woman for a dance at a dining room ball, and he had to admit
he wasn't sure if he would be able to take anymore verbal thrashings from Nicole.

'Maybe it'll be different? Maybe she'll realize how much I care for her and how I have been in love with her since I first laid my eyes on her. If only she would take my compliments and enjoy them, instead of taking them the wrong way.' Daniel felt a small smile pull at the corners of his mouth as he remembered what he always thought at times like these. That only love could hold him so close to Nicole and it had to be love for all the times he never yelled back at her and merely took her bitter words and walked away with a broken heart.

The young man flipped threw the channels but saw nothing which caught his attention and he soon felt himself drifting off and daydreaming again.
His eyelids began to droop downwards slightly and before he knew what was happening he had drifted off to the comforting darkness of sleep as his mind became dead to all thoughts.
**
The man woke up with a start as he felt his heart quicken as his groggy, sleep filled mind cleared and he remembered the ballroom dance.

"Ah, damnit!" Daniel cursed as he jumped out of his couch and ran into his room. The man quickly changed into a black tuxedo with matching black pants and sprayed cologne on his shoulders and on the white shirt which he was wearing underneath his tuxedo suite. He combed his dark brown hair back and put the last finishing touches on his outfit. Daniel grabbed a jacket and threw it over his shoulder as he raced out the door and ran to his car.

The man fumbled through his pocket and breathed a sigh of relief as his hands gripped the cold metal. The keys clattered against each other as he turned on the ignition of the car and floored the gas pedal. Daniel didn't even think of looking at his watch and gave it a quick glance. He smiled with relief as it showed he was going to be on time and he wouldn't arrive late at Nicole's house at all, but actually rather early. The man relaxed as the cold wind softly caressed his face and he wondered what the night would bring.
**
Daniel arrived at Nicole's house and looked at the glimmering lights
which seemed to invite him within her house. Twinkling, and almost mischievously winking at him as he turned off his car and walked toward the door and lightly knocked.

"Just a minute!" Daniel could hear Nicole's sweet as honey voice call out. He obediently stood there and awaited the woman to open the door and smiled broadly once she finally did. His eyes widened as the light from inside of her house enveloped her body and gave it a light glow, making her look absolutely angelic. A red dress clung to her body, showing curves which he had never saw until now. Her blonde hair fell upon her shoulders in waves and all which he could think of was that she looked an angel which had fallen from heaven. 'How corny sounding is that?' Daniel thought as Nicole's voice broke threw his thoughts.

"Well, are you going to stand there and stare, or are we going to the dance?" Nicole said as she impatiently tapped her foot. Daniel merely nodded his head and walked her to his car. The man abruptly opened her door first and then move to the driver's side and opened his. Their car trip was in complete silence, neither said a single word and the uncomfortable silence was broken when they arrived at the dance.

The ball room was alight with light and there were chandeliers which
glimmered with the abundance of light. Red carpeting covered the floor up until the dance floor, which had wood floors which shone with care. The two avoided the dance floor and sat down at a square table which was adorned with a pure white table and two wine glasses.

"Ah, welcome to the second annual Fall Ball. What can I can get you, madam?" A waiter asked as he immediately appeared at their table with a notepad in hand.

"Um, just a coke please." Nicole replied as she looked up from her menu
and looked over to Daniel for his answer.

"And you, sir?"

"I'll have the same." Daniel said as he caught Nicole's gaze and
gave her a wide grin. She quickly turned to her menu and covered her face as she seemed to engross herself in the menu. The man could have sighed right then, he knew what the woman was doing. She was ignoring him, and once she started to ignore someone she would ignore them for the rest of the night. Before he could linger on this thought he noticed that the waiter was once again waiting for them to state their orders.

"So, what is it that you would to eat, madam?" The waiter asked as he flipped opened the notepad and awaited her answer.

"Um ... really nothing. Thank you though."

"And you, sir?"

"Well, I'm hungry myself. I'll have the chicken teriyaki." Daniel stated as he handed the menu to the waiter and looked at Nicole and noticed she was watching the dancers on the ballroom floor.

"Here you are, sir. Your food, enjoy." The waiter announced as he quickly left their table.

"Man, that was quick, wasn't it?" Daniel said as he grabbed his knife and fork and began viciously eating the food as if he hadn't eaten for weeks.

"Dining room etiquette demands that one shall not eat as though eating was the aim of existence." Nicole said as she watched the man gorge himself with food. Her pretty face showed apparent distaste at his table manners, but her eyes glimmered with her enjoyment of pointing out how he was nearly inhaling his food.

"Heh, uh, sorry about that. I haven't had any food all day, I'm starving!" Daniel exclaimed as he gained control and began to eat much slower. He didn't let his now-filled stomach to rest though as he stood and walked over to where Nicole was sitting and offered her his hand.

"Would you like to dance, madam?" Daniel said as a playful smile played across his lips.

"I guess so." Nicole said as she placed her small hand in his and they walked to the dance floor together. They arrived together with the other dancing couples. Daniel first did a mock bow as he bent his waist forward and bowed his head. Nicole looked strangely at him and just walked closer toward the man. She entwined her fingers in his and stood in front of him as he brought one hand around her waist and the other was entwined with her hand. He began the dance and walked toward her body. The woman responded by walking backwards and they walked several paces backwards and then stopped. Daniel brought his body closer to hers and he could feel the silky cloth of her dress brush against his skin, and her warm body made him want to never part from hers. Daniel began to spin Nicole in tight circles and her dress followed her
every movement as if it was water. He was captivated by her beauty and after he had finished spinning her he brought her body close to his. He revealed in the warmth and was surprised to find her as breathless as he was. This time the man knew that her cheeks were flushed pink and he whisked her off the ground and they glided across the floor. Their dance became more sensual as Nicole threw herself towards the man and then gracefully circled around him. Daniel could hear the ending and climax of the song and quickly grabbed her waist with his hands and dipped her towards the ground. The woman breathed heavily and stared into the man's eyes as he held her mere inches from the ground and his face was so close to hers that his breath danced upon her exposed neck.

"We really better be leaving."

Daniel stared down at Nicole in disbelief, he didn't want to leave,
he wanted to dance some more with her. But, he complied to her request and she stood on her two feet. The woman walked briskly threw the place. She walked out the door and Daniel trailed behind her as she opened the door and closed it herself and sat inside of his car. The man was puzzled by her behavior, one-second she was throwing herself at him, the next she was storming out of the dance she had been talking about for months.

'I'm going to loose my sanity over this woman.' Daniel thought with an exasperated sigh as he walked to the car and opened the door. He turned on the car and drove back to her home, the same silence which had accompanied them on their trip to the ball room followed their trip back. Daniel finally arrived at the woman's house and he turned off the car and they both sat there in silence.

"I was stunned by the lightening of your absence." Nicole said in a hushed voice as she broke the unbearable silence.

"What do you mean, Nicole?"

"I mean, every time you've left me, every time we've parted I
just can't ... thinking about you. It enlightened me, I never knew that my thoughts of you would plague my mind constantly, but they do." Nicole replied in the same soft voice and she turned her head to meet Daniel's gaze. The man remained quiet and he seemed to encourage her to continue with his forest green eyes.

"I'm sorry I've treated you ... so wrong, Daniel. I'm afraid I may be in love with you. I've never had a boyfriend before, I've never fallen in love before. I'm just scared of the new feeling, so I push you away and hurt you. I'm so sorry that I have to, but I just can't deny my feelings for you anymore. I've loved you since the first time we've met, I just hope I didn't push you so far away from me that you no longer feel the same, or
if you have never felt the same way." Nicole said as her voice broke with emotion and she fought the tears which brimmed at her eyes. Daniel was right next to her side in a second and lovingly caressed her face with his thumb and smiled at her. He had waited forever for her to say this to him, and was beginning to think that he was just being hopeful that she would love him, but there was always that doubt in the back of his mind. Temptations were constant and many, women were almost always throwing themselves at him and putting numbers in his pockets. But, he always tore the papers apart, he ignored their advances towards him, he only had one woman which he wanted and loved.

"You haven't pushed me too far away, I've waited forever to hear you say that.
I love you so much, Nicole. You are the most beautiful, and intelligent, woman I have ever met." The two inched towards each other and their lips met together instantly. Their kiss was soft, yet full of emotion and passion. Their pent-up emotions were released within that kiss, and neither ever felt as happy as they did in that moment. Too soon, they separated and merely stared into each other's eyes, content to stay inside of each other's embrace for the rest of the night.

"I hate for you to leave me, beautiful. But, you should get some sleep, and so should I. One step at a time." Nicole smiled in understanding and gave him a quick, parting kiss and then left the man alone with his thoughts. Something had finally changed with him and Nicole, and the woman had finally opened her heart to him. It was definitely the happiest day of his life.

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