14; dancing shoes.
Dancing Shoes.
green light (stoplight system.)
concerning: Victoria Winters, Roger Collins.
871. words; complete. original post date: 09-21-09.
The Collins family knew how to throw extravagant parties when the situation called for them. In the case of Carolyn Stoddard, every year she thought she deserved one of said extravagant parties for her birthday, and every year, her mother and uncle indulged her.
Vicki was sick of the party a week before it started. Having only been at Collinwood a couple of months, she didn't feel that she had the right to say anything, but it was all that Carolyn talked about. Earlier, she'd thought that she might be able to get out of it, saying she was going to the library to grade David's schoolwork, but once Carolyn started with the, you will be there, right, Vicki?s, she knew she'd have no such luck.
All through the night, Vicki had been thinking up ways to leave the party. It wasn't for lack of respect; the yard had been decorated stunningly, and it was a beautiful night to be outdoors, but there was something about being at a party where she didn't know most of the guests that made Vicki completely miserable. Less than an hour in, she slipped around the house to the terrace. Should anyone ask about her, she decided, she'd say that she felt sick. They couldn't fault her for that.
Vicki sat down on the bench near the fountain and let herself relax. Luckily, none of the other guests had found her retreat yet; she could escape, if only for a few minutes.
Those few minutes didn't last long, however, and Vicki tensed when she heard the door to the house open.
"Quite the wallflower, aren't you?" she heard him say.
Vicki leaned over to peer around the bushes and see Roger looking right back at her, an amused expression on his face.
She smiled back at him. "I suppose. What brings you out here?"
Roger clasped his hands behind his back and made his way down the steps toward her. "I could ask you the same question."
He sat down next to her on the bench and Vicki folded her hands and turned away slightly. "I needed some air."
"The party's outside, Vicki. I should think you're getting the same amount of air there as here."
"I..." Vicki trailed off and bit her lip. She'd always been a bad liar.
"As for myself, I'm rather bored of chaperoning," he commented with a smirk.
Vicki turned in his direction, brows drawn together in a questioning look. "Chaperone? Carolyn's an adult."
Roger rolled his eyes and said, "Liz seems to think otherwise. though, I can't say I blame her for wanting to make sure that Carolyn's... reputation isn't heightened."
Vicki nodded but said nothing, thinking that it wasn't any of her business. It bothered her that Carolyn's uncle would comment on something such as that so frankly.
"She's looking for you, by the way," Roger said after a moment.
"Oh." Vicki sighed, but she didn't move.
"You don't seem terribly eager to go back there." He arched an eyebrow.
She smiled. "I will in a moment."
It was silent again. For the first time, Vicki noticed the traces of music from the backyard drifting to the terrace, slow and gentle. She made to stand, but Roger did before she could.
"As we're not doing anything productive..." Roger extended a hand toward her, smirking again.
She looked at him quizzically. "What?"
"A dance, Vicki." His amusement faded slightly and he gestured from her to take his hand.
She tried not to laugh. "Alright..." Vicki took his hand and he helped her to her feet, at teh same time pulling her closer and letting his opposite hand rest on her waist.
"Though - I'm afraid I'm not really the best dancer," Vicki warned him, cautiously laying a hand on his shoulder.
He gave her a mockingly stern look and replied, "I'll be the judge of that."
Roger's expression lightened again and he took a step forward, gently guiding Vicki back. She tried to suppress another laugh and concentrated on following his lead as they danced in circles around the fountain, head bowed as she made sure not to tread on his feet by mistake. He spun her unexpectedly and pulled her back to him, hand now resting on the small of her back as she recovered from it. She tensed from the new contact and being so close to him, but the dance went on, a not-quite-waltz across the lawn.
The song came to a close and Roger ended the dance. the two stood there for an awkward moment before he bowed with a dramatic flourish. "On the contrary, Miss Winters, you are a wonderful dancer."
Vicki actually let herself laugh this time before dipping into a quick, informal curtsy. "I should say the same to you, Mister Collins."
Again, Roger smirked and offered her his arm. She took hold and he led her into the house and into the drawing room. He paused by the liquor cabinet and she let go of his arm.
"I should go back to the party," Vicki said, making her way into the foyer. "You said Carolyn wanted me."
"Yes." Roger poured himself a glass of brandy and glanced after her. "And Vicki?"
"Yes?" She looked back at him over her shoulder.
"Be sure to save me a dance." He lifted his glass toward her as if in a toast before downing it.
Vicki smiled. "Of course."
green light (stoplight system.)
concerning: Victoria Winters, Roger Collins.
871. words; complete. original post date: 09-21-09.
The Collins family knew how to throw extravagant parties when the situation called for them. In the case of Carolyn Stoddard, every year she thought she deserved one of said extravagant parties for her birthday, and every year, her mother and uncle indulged her.
Vicki was sick of the party a week before it started. Having only been at Collinwood a couple of months, she didn't feel that she had the right to say anything, but it was all that Carolyn talked about. Earlier, she'd thought that she might be able to get out of it, saying she was going to the library to grade David's schoolwork, but once Carolyn started with the, you will be there, right, Vicki?s, she knew she'd have no such luck.
All through the night, Vicki had been thinking up ways to leave the party. It wasn't for lack of respect; the yard had been decorated stunningly, and it was a beautiful night to be outdoors, but there was something about being at a party where she didn't know most of the guests that made Vicki completely miserable. Less than an hour in, she slipped around the house to the terrace. Should anyone ask about her, she decided, she'd say that she felt sick. They couldn't fault her for that.
Vicki sat down on the bench near the fountain and let herself relax. Luckily, none of the other guests had found her retreat yet; she could escape, if only for a few minutes.
Those few minutes didn't last long, however, and Vicki tensed when she heard the door to the house open.
"Quite the wallflower, aren't you?" she heard him say.
Vicki leaned over to peer around the bushes and see Roger looking right back at her, an amused expression on his face.
She smiled back at him. "I suppose. What brings you out here?"
Roger clasped his hands behind his back and made his way down the steps toward her. "I could ask you the same question."
He sat down next to her on the bench and Vicki folded her hands and turned away slightly. "I needed some air."
"The party's outside, Vicki. I should think you're getting the same amount of air there as here."
"I..." Vicki trailed off and bit her lip. She'd always been a bad liar.
"As for myself, I'm rather bored of chaperoning," he commented with a smirk.
Vicki turned in his direction, brows drawn together in a questioning look. "Chaperone? Carolyn's an adult."
Roger rolled his eyes and said, "Liz seems to think otherwise. though, I can't say I blame her for wanting to make sure that Carolyn's... reputation isn't heightened."
Vicki nodded but said nothing, thinking that it wasn't any of her business. It bothered her that Carolyn's uncle would comment on something such as that so frankly.
"She's looking for you, by the way," Roger said after a moment.
"Oh." Vicki sighed, but she didn't move.
"You don't seem terribly eager to go back there." He arched an eyebrow.
She smiled. "I will in a moment."
It was silent again. For the first time, Vicki noticed the traces of music from the backyard drifting to the terrace, slow and gentle. She made to stand, but Roger did before she could.
"As we're not doing anything productive..." Roger extended a hand toward her, smirking again.
She looked at him quizzically. "What?"
"A dance, Vicki." His amusement faded slightly and he gestured from her to take his hand.
She tried not to laugh. "Alright..." Vicki took his hand and he helped her to her feet, at teh same time pulling her closer and letting his opposite hand rest on her waist.
"Though - I'm afraid I'm not really the best dancer," Vicki warned him, cautiously laying a hand on his shoulder.
He gave her a mockingly stern look and replied, "I'll be the judge of that."
Roger's expression lightened again and he took a step forward, gently guiding Vicki back. She tried to suppress another laugh and concentrated on following his lead as they danced in circles around the fountain, head bowed as she made sure not to tread on his feet by mistake. He spun her unexpectedly and pulled her back to him, hand now resting on the small of her back as she recovered from it. She tensed from the new contact and being so close to him, but the dance went on, a not-quite-waltz across the lawn.
The song came to a close and Roger ended the dance. the two stood there for an awkward moment before he bowed with a dramatic flourish. "On the contrary, Miss Winters, you are a wonderful dancer."
Vicki actually let herself laugh this time before dipping into a quick, informal curtsy. "I should say the same to you, Mister Collins."
Again, Roger smirked and offered her his arm. She took hold and he led her into the house and into the drawing room. He paused by the liquor cabinet and she let go of his arm.
"I should go back to the party," Vicki said, making her way into the foyer. "You said Carolyn wanted me."
"Yes." Roger poured himself a glass of brandy and glanced after her. "And Vicki?"
"Yes?" She looked back at him over her shoulder.
"Be sure to save me a dance." He lifted his glass toward her as if in a toast before downing it.
Vicki smiled. "Of course."