“That I don’t like to be alone in large crowds. That I’m scared of breaking down in front of people, because that has happened before. If it gets to be too much, I’ll end up in a ball on the ground, crying until I’m throwing up.” She’d gone from silence and one-worded responses to word vomit. I wanted to comfort her, but I didn’t know how to do that, because even though I thought I knew her, I didn’t.
Instead, I turned around and held her hand.
“When I normally do these events, it’s just for the segments that I am a part of, not all of the extras, but I couldn’t very well turn down something like this. Something built in honor of my game.”
Odette held a hand over her mouth, and her eyes got wide at what she said. She’d just outed herself, but I tried not to bring any attention to it.
“If it’s any consolation, I don’t like to do these kinds of events either. I’m normally behind the stage, checking out others and minding my own business.”
She chuckled and ducked her head, resting it on her right shoulder.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Why is that?” Now I was curious as to what was running through her head.
“Because you have this air about you. You hold yourself in a way that makes it seem like you’re the life of the party. That you can talk to anyone and be the one everyone wants to talk to.”
I took my other hand and ran it through my beard poking out from under my mask, as if I was in thought.
“The way it looks to me is that you’re the only one I want to talk to.” Odette snapped her head up and opened her mouth to speak, but I got to it first. “And if anyone else came up to talk to me, I’d simply tell them I was too busy talking to the most interesting woman at the ball.”
Now she was left with her mouth hanging open. Speechless.
“You’re a little too good to be true.”
“Oh, yeah?” I took another step toward her, the space between us disintegrating.
“Yeah.” Her voice was shaky this time. “You’re providing some damn good inspiration.”
“I’ll be all the inspiration you’ll ever need.” I fucking meant it, too. She was everything I had hoped for and more. I wanted more time with her.
The song around us changed, and I thought it was the perfect moment.
“Dance with me.” I didn’t wait for an answer before I led Odette back down the grand steps to the middle of the dance floor. Turning her toward me, I pulled her flush against my body, eliciting a small gasp from her. I had one hand out, and the other wrapped around her waist. She had one hand in mine and the other on my shoulder.
The song that played around us was set to the part of theLeague of Witcheswhere Abigail is reunited with the love of her life after waiting for him for five hundred years. From playing the game so often, I remember the conversation distinctly.
“I waited.”
“But why, my love?”
“Because you were it for me.”
“Were you ever happy without me?”
“Always. Because I had our memories. I always had us, even when I didn’t have you.”
Abigail’s unwavering love was something I always admired about the game, hoping that it came from a place of truth within Odette.
“It’s been forever since I’ve danced with someone.” Odette’s comment was quiet, and I watched as her face fell. She blinked a few times before looking up at me with a slight smile. She was trying to push through whatever was going through her head. I wanted to soften all the memories that made her face fall like that. I wanted to be the one to fill her with happy memories, just like the ones Abigail held on to.
“How many more dances would you like tonight?”
“Is there a limit we need to hold to?” Her smile grew as I spun her around, letting the music engulf us. It was just us two, in this moment, and it was then that I realized why I loved being anonymous. No one to bother us, stop to ask questions, or bombard us with photos. We could just be ourselves in a room full of people.
“As a special part of the evening, we have a surprise we’d love to share with you all.” A gentleman walked up in front of the band with a microphone, his words echoing around us. I stopped myself and Odette, but didn’t let her go as we watched. “We are well prepared to give the honorary award tomorrow night to the production team ofLeague of Witches,but tonight we’re here to announce the momentous news of our very own Odette Reign being inducted into the Gaming Hall of Fame!”
Everyone around us burst into hollers and claps. I felt a tug on my hand and looked at Odette. We both knew what was about to come. No one knew who she was at this moment except for me, or at least, wasn’t supposed to. My hand tightened around hers, hoping she’d understand the silent response that I wouldn’t let anything happen to her. That, if she stayed with me, I would be there for her in this crowd of people.
