19 Actions & Their Consequences

She stood there, an unerasable look on her face looking at the three students.

"Please. Come in," she said sternly.

The three shuffled in.

"Take a seat," she ordered.

Lily and Emma took a seat right by each other, while James took the seat farthest away from the two of them.

"As Monsieur Gabriel mentioned. You were tardy to your first ever classes?" She asked coldly.

James cleared his throat.

"Dean Fleur, does this happen to affect any of my grades? I won't get expelled, will I?" He asked worriedly.

She shook her head.

"Your family's history here is not to be ended just because of one day. Your excellent performance in previous ZALE events make up for this incident," she answered.

She craned her head, now staring at the two girls.

"You two, on the other hand, don't have anything to make up for it now, do you not? As I said previously in my speech. ZALE is a strict school that enforces discipline on all its students. What you did today was highly immature and-

James cut her off suddenly, saying something the girls hadn't expected him to say.

"With all due respect, Dean Fleur. These two girls wouldn't have been tardy to dance class if it wasn't for me. Please, if anyone's to get punished, I rather it on my accord," he said, defending the two girls.

Lily and Emma stared at him in shock.

He was defending, and standing up for them? In front of Dean Fleur, no less?

A look of understanding crossed Dean Fleur's face, even though it didn't change her serious expression slightly.

"Well. If you admit to doing it, I'll have to punish all of you accordingly," she stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Tonight, you'll be tidying up the ZALE library and shining its trophies," she announced.

"And I expect all of you to pitch in. I'll have someone watching over you so you don't get into any more trouble, and if you step another toe out of line, I won't hesitate to expel you from ZALE. Permanently."

James nodded, his face regaining the colour it had once lost.

"Yes, of course. Dean Fleur," he said as he stood up, straightening his now crisp suit.

"See yourselves outside my office. I expect you to return to your class," she ordered as Lily and Emma nodded, getting up and immediately leaving the room, their faces still clear with shock, and a dose of fear.

"What was that?" Lily asked.

James, who had been following the girls as they were returning to the ballroom, answered.

"That was how Dean Fleur treats any other student in ZALE that had stepped a toe out of line," he answered confidently.

Emma lost herself in a train of deep thought. She would never let herself forget how she was late to her first class at ZALE. She shook the thought off but frowned.

"Well, thanks for helping us with Dean Fleur when we were in there," she mumbled, not wanting to be caught thanking someone like him.

"What was that?" He asked smugly.

Emma glared at him, and he almost laughed.

Lily piped up, "Well, it's better we head back to class, shouldn't we, we could still follow the rest of the class if we hurry."

Emma nodded.

"You're right. Let's go," she said as she waved to James, and hurried off to the ballroom with Lily.

James followed slowly, already planning what to do next.

Oh, if only they knew.

It was about halfway through the class, and it was time for the physical part of dance class. The actual dancing.

Emma and Lily made it to class right before Monsieur Gabriel had asked the students to partner up.

They snuck in class, not being noticed by Monsieur Gabriel, whose back was turned.

"Everyone, find a partner to waltz with. I've taught you the proper steps, now go!" He exclaimed as he clapped his hands.

Everyone looked at each other, chatting and choosing pairs.

Courtney had walked up to Emma and Lily, her designer dress sashaying, and Winnie right behind her.

"Too bad no prince wants to dance or even pair up with a loser like you, while you have no one to pair with, I'll be waltzing with my boyfriend, Prince James," she stated as if it was a fact.

Lily prepared to lunge at her, almost punching her if it wasn't for the familiar voice that cleared his throat behind the four of them.

The other girls let out a gasp. Emma turned around to see James.

Courtney pushed past her.

"Honey! You came to ask me to dance, didn't you? You're such a sweet little thing," she said as she tried to kiss him on both his cheeks.

He pushed her away.

"And dance with someone as cruel and phoney as you? I don't think so," he said as he ignored her afterwards, holding out his elbow next to Emma in a sweet, old-fashioned gesture.

"May I have this dance?" He asked, much to Lily, Courtney, and Winnie's surprise.

As if on cue, the music started. A love ballad started playing. How ironic.

Emma's heart weirdly screamed, 'YES!', but her head had told her to decline it.

She went with the first option.

"I suppose," she said, as equivocal as she could.

She looped her arm around his, then whispering to him, "I don't even know how to waltz. How am I supposed to get through this?"

He shrugged.

"I'll guide you. I've been attending balls ever since I was a young boy. I've always been praised as the best waltzer the ballroom's ever seen," he bragged.

Emma playfully poked him in the shoulder.

"You're a jokester, aren't you?" She asked.

He ignored the question.

"But I believe we haven't properly introduced ourselves," he said as he placed his arms on Emma's back, bringing the both to the centre of the ballroom, they barely heard Courtney whimpering.

"What...why...how?" She asked.

Winnie stood beside her, trying to comfort her heartbroken soul, and Lily simply grinned.

She mouthed to Emma.

'Go. Have fun.'

Emma jokingly pouted as she looked back at Lily while walking to the centre of the ballroom, where everyone else had started waltzing to the music.

It didn't help that all the girls gawked as he and Emma made their way to the centre of the ballroom, hand in hand. Much to the girl's jealousy, there was not much they could do other then silently wish he was their partner.

As one girl said loud enough for Emma to hear, "I wish I had my own prince charming," Emma snickered.

A part of herself hissed with slight rage, 'He's my prince charming. Go find your own.'

As she did, James placed his hand around Emma's waist, and she placed her arms on his shoulders.

"Emma. Emma Grey," she introduced.

"James. James Carrington," he said as he faced Emma and kissed her hand gentlemanly.

She raised her brow.

"So, from what Dean Fleur said, you're the school nerd?" She asked.

He smirked, not answering her question as he placed one hand on Emma's hip, and clasped Emma's hand, following the positions Monsieur Gabriel had taught while they were absent and getting reprimanded. The two swayed together to the rhythm, and a few meters away, Lily had been asked to be another royal's partner.

She seemed to be enjoying it, but she seemed awkward around the guy she was waltzing with as he showed her how to slow-dance and waltz.

James changed the topic.

"You look beautiful in this dress," he praised.

Emma sniggered.

"What was that?" She asked innocently.

"Don't make me repeat it," he grumbled as he guided her around the ballroom floor, swaying together.

Emma looked James up and down.

He was dressed in a crisp suit, a dark blue suit jacket over a grey buttoned shirt. He was tall, and had grey eyes, and light brown copper hair.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Emma muttered, barely loud enough for James to hear.

He smirked.

"No woman can resist my charms," he said pridefully.

"Well, why haven't you gotten yourself a significant other if you're so 'irresistible'?" Emma asked jokingly.

James narrowed his eyes, before laughing heartily.

"Touche," he replied.

They continued dancing, James occasionally gracefully twirling Emma around as a show of skill.

Emma stared into his cloudy grey eyes, sensing an emotion she couldn't possibly comprehend.

She thought to herself, 'What was that? What could it possibly be?'