Yesterday, 02:02 PM
She survived it. Because like so much in Noémi’s life, she had no choice.
The music lasted forever. She saw Nikolai dancing with Sofia now, and it weighed on her heart that he should have to witness her in Dmitri’s arms. It wasn’t a question she wanted to answer, not because any feeling remained to untangle, but because of what it would reveal of her past. How many women in Nikolai’s life had tried and failed to snare him in such a manner? Would he wonder the same of her now? Yet for Nikolai there was no artifice; it was only Noémi’s soul she shared along with her body. For him alone.
By the end Dima pulled her close, like the world around them melted into the final notes of music. He was magnetic in a way that suffocated, never aware of her neatly hidden discomfort. His hands palmed her hips, brushed up her waist like he never wished to let go, like she was art he was enthralled by. She knew what he would do next, just as she knew he would not like her reaction. Her heart was beating fast when she gently caught his wrist and disentangled herself, not confident at all that she could disengage without some kind of scene. But the guests were gathering, and if there was ever a time to do it, it was now.
Noémi slipped against the movement of people. Saw the terrifying scarlet of Sofia’s gown in her peripheral, but didn’t stop. She couldn’t leave – she wouldn’t risk ending up in a situation with Dima alone, should he take chase and find her on the grounds outside. The consequences then weren’t worth thinking about. Bad enough she knew Sofia must have finally noticed her presence.
She found herself on the fringes, uncertain where to go. There was only the slightest flaw to her grace, her breath a little high, the smallest flush to her cheeks. Her hand touched her chest, feeling the skitter of her heart inside. Most people were tuned to Nikolai’s words – she could hear his voice, but what he said was for now lost. She turned, looking for Rafael, quite sure despite his plea for air he had by now escaped entirely, and left her alone. Her soft eyes found Kristian by chance, then. She did not rush to him, though clearly she was looking a little lost. For all her finery tonight, this was simply not her world.
“Kristian,” she murmured. A little relief touched her tone. “Do you mind if I stand with you?”
The music lasted forever. She saw Nikolai dancing with Sofia now, and it weighed on her heart that he should have to witness her in Dmitri’s arms. It wasn’t a question she wanted to answer, not because any feeling remained to untangle, but because of what it would reveal of her past. How many women in Nikolai’s life had tried and failed to snare him in such a manner? Would he wonder the same of her now? Yet for Nikolai there was no artifice; it was only Noémi’s soul she shared along with her body. For him alone.
By the end Dima pulled her close, like the world around them melted into the final notes of music. He was magnetic in a way that suffocated, never aware of her neatly hidden discomfort. His hands palmed her hips, brushed up her waist like he never wished to let go, like she was art he was enthralled by. She knew what he would do next, just as she knew he would not like her reaction. Her heart was beating fast when she gently caught his wrist and disentangled herself, not confident at all that she could disengage without some kind of scene. But the guests were gathering, and if there was ever a time to do it, it was now.
Noémi slipped against the movement of people. Saw the terrifying scarlet of Sofia’s gown in her peripheral, but didn’t stop. She couldn’t leave – she wouldn’t risk ending up in a situation with Dima alone, should he take chase and find her on the grounds outside. The consequences then weren’t worth thinking about. Bad enough she knew Sofia must have finally noticed her presence.
She found herself on the fringes, uncertain where to go. There was only the slightest flaw to her grace, her breath a little high, the smallest flush to her cheeks. Her hand touched her chest, feeling the skitter of her heart inside. Most people were tuned to Nikolai’s words – she could hear his voice, but what he said was for now lost. She turned, looking for Rafael, quite sure despite his plea for air he had by now escaped entirely, and left her alone. Her soft eyes found Kristian by chance, then. She did not rush to him, though clearly she was looking a little lost. For all her finery tonight, this was simply not her world.
“Kristian,” she murmured. A little relief touched her tone. “Do you mind if I stand with you?”
![[Image: bannernoemimenthe.jpg]](http://thefirstage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bannernoemimenthe.jpg)