ACT 9 - Save The Last Dance

Featured title from: Save the Last Dance by Monkey Majik

Days passed by with us busy with the practice in dancing, until the day finally came for our greatest family gathering: THE LATE NIGHT DANCE PARTY.

"Gob, I feel like I'm gonna puke. I don't think I'm gonna dance tonight, grandma..." I complained during breakfast. Mieko and Mike wasn't here, thank goodness.

"But why, dearest? It took you this long to learn the dance. Come on now, I know you can do it!" She tried to cheer me up, but I slouched and frowned. She can try to persuade me to dance and I might just do it, but the feeling is just not there.

"Don't worry, grandmother," Kazimir butted-in. What is it with him this time? "I'll teach her how to dance again." He looked at me. I blushed.

"Oh?" Grandma raised a brow. There's nothing to be curious about, though.

"Well that's kind of you, Edgar!" His mom clapped her hands.

"But, Kazimir... I'm so sorry, dear. The two of you won't be partners tonight."

"WHAT?!" I can't believe it! She's a big fat liar!!! I thought Kazimir and I would be partners!

"Didn't you listen to me when I discussed your partnering?"

"Eh?" Come to think of it, I think so. I was so bored of your chit-chats, grandma... "Oh." I realized my mistake, "I'm sorry." 

She grimaced. It felt horrible. "Kazimir, even though Vera and you won't be partners for the night, you can still teach her this afternoon, okay? Mieko and Mike won't be here until this evening, so I'm counting on you."

"That's what I meant earlier, grandmother."

"OH? Oh, alrighty then. I understand!"

Hahh... This is terrible! How can this happen to me?! Is she saying that my real partner would actually be that Mike guy?! Disgusting!!! 

+---000---+

Kazimir and I planned to meet at the front porch after lunch to practice the waltz.

"Okay, so are you ready?" He took my hand and placed his other on my waist.

"Ah-I think so?" I placed my hand on his shoulder and the other held his hand.

"The way we're gonna do this thing is by counting 1,2,3,1,2,3 to add our rhythm; and note that all of the steps are gonna be even. You wanna make sure that you step forward with the heel, and you wanna make sure that you step backward with the toe of your foot, so..." He pulled me closer. I prepared myself for my mistakes that were about to come. "We're gonna start. Make sure you're offset to the right. I step with my left foot, and you step with your right foot, with you starting backwards. And 1,2,3..." He stepped forward and I stepped back, subsequently doing all this continuously in a few seconds while he kept on counting.

I was amazed by the trick he used to not let me step on him. "I'm surprised I'm not stepping on your foot!" We continued to dance around the whole porch.

"I'm lucky, I guess." He smiled and winked at me. "So the pattern for you is back, side, together, then forward, side together, got it?" I nodded in agreement. I looked down at our feet, moving perfectly together. This is really fascinating! I laughed as I thought about the song being played. After a while, "So," he suddenly stopped, "do you think you can dance with those basics?"

"Definitely!" I kissed him upfront. "Thanks, Kazimir!" 

He held my shoulders and kissed me back. "You're welcome, Vera," he said, then he pulled me back and we started dancing again. This is really fun! I never knew dancing would be such a nice thing!

"By the way, Kazimir, what does that 'XOXO' mean?" I almost forgot about this part of the dance. My grandma suggested this anyways.

He winked. I wasn't so fascinated about it 'cuz I felt something gross come up my stomach. "After the dance, we kiss and hug," he said. It took a while for my brain to process the info, and since it was something romantic, my nervous system reacted to it like it would usually do.

"Oh..." I blushed. After dancing we'd have to do that? This is seriously embarrassing! Why the heck does grandma want us to do that?

But, knowing it's only my family and I who are to dance in that huge ballroom with bright chandeliers, yellow lamplights, and big ornamental flowers hanging on the walls with colorful paintings, maybe tonight could become a success.

Hey wait a minute.

"If you're saying 'XOXO' would be kiss and hug, won't that mean I'll be kissing and hugging Mike?!" I blurted out in panic. Oh my gothic, that's right! I'd have to kiss and hug that disgusting Mike! Yuck!!! With that kind of appearance? He doesn't even appeal to me!

Kazimir didn't say anything. His face was like it was in a frozen frame. Oh what now? Is he gonna leave me be kissed and hugged by some other guy? I waited patiently for him to answer. But he doesn't. "Kazimir?" I pinched his nose to snap him out of whatever he was thinking. He couldn't possibly be thinking about that Japanese girl, right? No way, not a chance. I won't let him.

"What?" He looked at me when he noticed that I've stopped moving my feet. He was like a dumbass. I felt like hitting him with my gun.

"What are you thinking?" I stared at him, hoping to find some sense in him. "I asked you a question, remember?"

Now he realizes. "Oh, yeah." Geez, he seems to have spaced out thinking about something. 

"Hahh, Kazimir, come on now..." I tried to pull him back together when his phone suddenly rang.

"はい、カジミルです。ああ、あやのさ�"。"(Yes, it's me. Oh, it's you, Ayano...) His face changed to a happier mood. Hmm? Ayano? Where have I heard that name- AYANO?! That woman, she's from that hotel.

 Yes, now I can remember! The woman who came to us during breakfast in Makati Shangri-La! 

After answering and taking quite a long chat with that woman, I went close to his face and asked, "Who was that, big bro?" I pretended not to know. He smiled and said it was an old friend of his, without looking straight at me. What the heck? He shouldn't really keep any secrets from me 'cuz I know when someone's lying in front of my face. "I heard something like 'Ayano', or whatever? I think I've heard that name before, don't you think?" I smirked at him. Hah, think I didn't notice? He now looked like a doomed figure, just because I broke his wall of hiding the truth. "Hmm, so was I right?"

"You're right..." He innocently bent his head. Ahaha, he's so innocent. "Innocent", for some reason. I think I just repeated it thrice.

I poked his forehead and started to walk away from him. "You're really cute, you know that? Keep up that good work, brother dear. You'll need it if you don't inherit the throne." Surely I was headed to the path of statues as usual.

"Yeah, right." He blew me a flying kiss and went inside the mansion.

I toured around the labyrinth for the rest of the afternoon. It wasn't really a pleasant day, considering that the sky turned dark and it rained for like an hour or so. I stayed outside, didn't mind getting drenched by it. I'm gonna wear something weird later on, so I better hang on tight to nature before they call me.

+---000---+

Okay... Calm down, Vera. This is a just a temporary thing. Relax. Relax.

"Vera, you look wonderful!" Kazimir's mother turned the chair around and made me face the mirror. She got my hair done.

"What?" I looked at myself in shock. The top portion of my hair was done into a puff and the rest were curled loosely with big volume curls. Woah, dude, this woman's got style! I'm impressed!

She held both my shoulders and leaned on my neck from the back. "So, do you like it?" I couldn't help but smile and say thank you. She clapped her hands. Geez, sometimes she acts like a kid.

"Dear," my grandma appeared at the door of the drawing room. When she saw me, she looked stunned at what I have become. "Wow! Look at that hairstyle! It's beautiful, dearest!" I nodded at her. She approached me and took my hand. "Dear, it's time to wear the dress I picked for you." She pulled me away from my seat and I had no other choice but to follow her outside. "Thank you for your hard work!" She said to the other woman before closing the door. 

The two of us went to the parlor room, where she displayed a huge cabinet full of different types of gowns. I couldn't believe my eyes. What the heck is grandma doing collecting all of this stuff?

"Now," she picked up a gown from the right side and displayed it in front of me, "I think this will really suit you, dear."

A baby blue-colored off-shoulder gown; the skirt was designed with frills and laces, including the hem, and the top was full of flower patterns, with a huge butterfly ribbon on the chest. This was just so beautiful.

"And even your hairclip is a butterfly, dear," she stroked my hair, admiring the style and the hairclip.

I held the dress she chose in front of myself and agreed that it would really suit me. "Mhm, now take that dress to your room, dear. We still have to do your makeup," she said, and pushed me to the door. I nodded, then I ran back to my room and hung the dress behind the door. Kazimir will definitely like this! But wait... He still isn't my partner for tonight. Sheesh, after all of the hard work I've been doing, it'll all be wasted on a certain nobody. This is just great...

When I went out to the front porch to get some fresh air before putting on those make up things that might ruin my pure face, I found Mike slumped on the bench next to the door on my right.

"Mike? What are you doing here?"

"Just got a little earlier, that's all..." He sounded kinda sad, like his girlfriend just broke-up with him or something.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, really," he said, but he said it all depressed-like.

"Come on, you can tell me." Gob, I wanted to shoot his head.

He looked up to me and said, " You know, the dance is tonight, and I feel really bad for not teaching you well. Maybe we shouldn't dance anymore, and that's what I wanted to talk to you about, that's the reason why I came here earlier."

"So?"

"I feel like an idiot for coming here, and I think you'd rather dance with your brother, right? So, maybe you won't dance with me anymore, or something, but I never asked. Will you?"

He was the dense dumbass I've been wanting to use for target practice.

"Will you?"

"Are you asking me to go with you?"

"Uh huh."

I put my hands on my waist and said, "Well, we're partners, aren't we?" Seriously, I wanted to hang him up that cherry tree at the back.

"Really?"

"Yeah." Out of pity, I forced a smile.

"Okay then! See you tonight!" He walked away, jumping with joy.

Tsk, I seriously wanted to kick his a*s off.

"Vera, time for makeup!" Kazimir's mom called me from inside. I hurried back in, and found her in the drawing room.

"A simple but graceful one, right, Vera?" She showed me the powders and lipsticks and other stuff she would be using to me.

I smiled. "Anything that makes you do your style." She's a good person, now I admit. I may have been an ignoramus too, like my dad, but now, I hope something much better will happen, to my family, and to Kazimir's too.

+---000---+

9 PM - This is the night I have been not desiring to come. A night to dance with the man I do not love, to kiss him and hug him with no feeling of affection at all. My gown may be beautiful, but it's the woman wearing it that counts.

In the ballroom, it seems like Mike worked himself up into a nervous wreck and his mood fluctuated between morose insecurity and babbling excitement. This time, he was definitely pissing the heck out of me off.

He brought a boxed corsage and his hair combed and slicked down with some kind of shiny gel or stuff. The dress made me stand out too much, considering that it was only the whole family in the room, and this gown shocked him as much as his hair shocked me.

"Wow. You really look great." The way he said it felt insulting - as if I'd never looked great before. Before I could answer, my dad was posing us under the center chandelier, placing Mike to the left or right.

"Wait a second!" Dad said. "Vera, smile, will you?"

"Don't you dare do this to me, dad." I walked away from them and searched for Kazimir, who wasn't in the ballroom yet. Where the heck is he?

Surprisingly before my eyes, Kazimir entered the huge door, super handsome with his tall hat, his hair fixed up, and was wearing his cool blue tuxedo. My face suddenly felt like it had been shot by a huge machine gun when Mieko appeared next to him, arm-in-arm, wearing a red kimono. I frowned. Tsk, her again? 

The two approached me, and Mieko bowed. Kazimir smiled at me. "Good evening, pretty lady." 

"Good evening, milady." Mieko greeted.

"Hi..." I couldn't help but feel shy. My internal organs were all stumbling because of the way they looked being together. I felt like Kazimir really had the sense of Japanseness, and even if he was in that kind of outfit, he still looked good together with a Japanese woman. I think my glass heart just cracked.

"す�"くきれいですね、ヴィエラさま。" Mieko said.

"What?" I can't believe she spoke to me in Japanese! That darned idiot! I looked at Kazimir and asked, "What did she just say?"

"She said you're very beautiful, Vera." He laughed. I can't believe him, them. I can't speak Japanese. I felt so stupid not being able to understand what the fool just said.

Fine, if they spoke something I didn't understand, then I'll speak something they wouldn't understand either! "�'ы го�™орите по-русски?" I smirked and did "beautiful eyes".

"Pardon me?" Mieko asked. Both of their faces turned blank. Hahaha, payback time.

"Nothing..." I walked in between them and waved my hand, "Good luck, Kazimir!" I said.

Ha, think they could handle that? I just asked them if they can speak Russian, what an easy question to answer!

A few minutes later, grandma took the stage and announced something to everyone: "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! I, Cecilia Wolff, have prepared this dance party as another family gathering for my dearest grandchildren. I wish that when the date of the competition arrives, all of us will be happy at whatever happens, okay?" She raised her wine glass. "A toast to my grandchildren, Vera Wolff, and Kazimir Sankt!"

Everyone applauded. Then, the orchestra started to play Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Waltz of the Flowers, and everyone just started to dance. Mike suddenly grabbed my arm and we started dancing too. He might have noticed the way I was moving, and this might've surprised him.

"You're not stepping on my foot anymore!" He exclaimed. Ugh, this stupid little... He should be happy that I'm not stepping on him anymore.

"I'm lucky, I guess." I smiled. "Take that, you moron." I murmured with my eyebrows twitching. He wouldn't hear me anyways. 

We danced around the room, enjoying the wonderful sound of music. I can't believe I'm actually enjoying myself.

"You're a great dancer, Vera!" Mike said, making me flush.

"Thanks for the praise, but really, dancing is not my style." I winked.

The music came to an end, and this was the part I have feared to happen the most. In each end of every music, grandma's "XOXO" must occur.

Oh no, Vera. We're doomed!!! I panicked to the soul. I wanted to throw up.

Mike held my face, preparing to kiss me. He came near me and whispered, "Won't be long, babe." WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT IS HE PLANNING TO DO TO ME?! AND HE CALLED ME "BABE"?! 

I closed my eyes, never wanting to watch the scene that would happen. I felt the heat of his lips draw near me, when suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Mike. My eyes opened wide and I looked at the person holding me. "I'll be taking her with me, thank you very much!" Kazimir waved at the Filipino. He dragged me to a far corner of the room, then he positioned me and we started dancing as the orchestra started to play Nobuo Uematsu's Dance with the Balamb-Fish.

"Was that even allowed, Kazimir?!" I panicked. What if grandma saw us?!

"Don't worry, everything's alright now." He winked at me.

I shrugged. "Well, if that's that, then..." I was really waiting for someone to save me, but I knew no one would, until Kazimir came. Without him, Mike could've kissed me and maybe I - forget it. Anyways, I must be grateful to my older brother since he saved me from the immature hell. "Thanks for saving me from doing XOXO with Mike, Kazimir," I said.

"No worries. I wouldn't bear to see you two kiss and hug anyways," he said, and he grimaced. 

Wait, was that a-? Was he... Jealous? Ohoho! Oh, Kazimir...

I noticed someone missing, and it was... "Huh? Where's Mieko?" I looked around the room. She was nowhere to be found.

"I left her to get you," my partner said, burying the crap out of me.

Is he serious, man? "What? What were you thinking?!" I yelled at him, completely embarrassed. "You'd leave a woman for me? Why the heck do that?!"

"Hmm, I thought about it, but I just can't get enough of you." He raised my chin and came close to my face. 

"Wha-?!" I can't stop blushing! I held his hands and tried to push them away from me, to prevent any further advances. Surprisingly, the music ended, and it's now time for XOXO. I closed my eyes and anticipated the kiss that Kazimir would give me. 

"You're now mine," he whispered before pressing his lips against mine.

"Vera? Kazimir?" We swiftly let go of each other recognizing the voice that was approaching us. It's Kazimir's mother. 

I glared at that other woman. She broke our moment! "What is it?" I questioned her. Damn, woman. You interrupted us!

She handed us each a glass. "Would you like some wine?"

My frown just wouldn't disappear. "Is that all?"

"Umm, well, yes..." I bet that was another excuse.

"Thanks, mom," Kazimir pulled his mother away and positioned themselves to dance. "Dance with me for a while, mom." What is this?

Kazimir looked and winked at me. "Save me a dance," he whispered. Okay, so technically, he left me. Great. Just great.

After staring at them dance for a while, I got bored, so I went to the buffet tables and grabbed a sit. I didn't notice my dad was also sitting there.

"What are you doing here, daughter?"

"Dad?" I looked at him. He looked as clueless as ever. "My partner left me." I answered, obviously depressed, and I bet he noticed it too. And "oh" was all he could say. "Why aren't you dancing, dad?" I asked. I thought he'd be the man having the most fun right now, but it seems that he wasn't.

"Well, this occasion reminds me of your mother, when I was courting her..." He smiled and looked at the people dancing.

"Mom?" I giggled. "Haha, really?" It felt so nostalgic, imagining what mom and dad were like when they were in the same time as Kazimir and I.

"We used to dance here, like, everyday... Mom would watch us, and your grandpa too."

I've never met my grandpa. I guess he died long before I was born. "I see..." I nodded.

"It was a whole lot of fun back then, until you were born, Vera."

I raised a brow. "What? What about me?" Was I the cause of your troubles, huh, dad?

"After you were born, your grandma told me to entrust you to them, since I didn't have a job yet because it was all provided by them."

"What? So you mean... You could've surrendered me to them?"

He nodded. "Honestly, I was never willing to do it," he said. "That's the reason why I left and searched for jobs that I can do, just so that I can prove to them that I can take care of you, and your mom, even if I'm just the only one working. I dedicated myself to you, my family. And that's how I founded our company and everything else."

This almost brought me to tears. "Thanks for your hard work, dad..." I smiled at him. "I promise you, dad, I won't let you, nor mom down. I swear my life to it, as your heiress, and as grandma's heiress." 

"Yeah. You got it." He patted my head. "You make me proud, Vera."

"You're talking to the best sniper in the world,dad!" I winked.

He laughed. "Yeah, I know I am, hahaha!"

"Dad, I'll always love you, okay? No matter what happens, I'll never love any other dads except you, dad." I said.

He laughed. "I'm your ONLY dad, silly!" 

"Excuse me, but may I take your daughter to dance with me?" Someone suddenly popped out from upfront. Dad and I looked at the man.

I flushed and looked at dad. "Go ahead, boy!" He pushed me to Kazimir.

"Dad?" I turned back at him, shocked to the ribs. He gave me a thumb up, and told me to enjoy my night. I sighed and looked at Kazimir, smiling at me.

"Thank you sir!" Kazimir pulled me to the hall and we danced again.

"What took you so long?" I asked. 

"I had to distract mom for a while, so she won't bother us by now."

"What? How can you be sure?"

"Dancing isn't also her style, you know. It makes her feel dizzy," he said, and this made me feel a little bit guilty.

"Ah... You big bully!" I laughed. He's just completely unbelievable.

"I thought you could've danced with your father?" And so he asked. I shook my head and told him I was saving the last dance for him. He chuckled, and we continued dancing, enjoying our time together.

When the music ended, Kazimir and I executed the XOXO again, and it felt like the night was at its longest. I didn't want any of this to stop. Not now, not ever.

Author's Note

Monkey Majik - Save the Last Dance track : youtu.be/ck0ZjOKE7RM