83Alas, here is chapter 3. I'm thinking there'll probably be just one more chapter after this, but you never know.
Anyways, there will be a lot of dancing in this, seeing as I went to a wonderful dance recently and I danced a lot...(With my crush twice!) Sorry. I'm going all girly on you. Oh, the shame!
Anyways, read it. What are you reading my boring and lame Author's note for?
Chapter 3 -
Jonah was bored, to say the least.
This party needed some real music. Not that all that Mozart-type stuff was bad. He was a Janus, after all. But it could get old after a while.
He looked around. He wasn't sure he wanted to dance. Ballroom wasn't exactly his thing. But then again, it's not every day you get to dance with a hot girl on a moonlit night...Yeah, he'd try it out.
Finding someone worth dancing with was the problem.
Not that he wanted to.
He just thought he could do a little sweet talking. Gain a few advantages.
He spotted Lilya chatting with Victor. (Victor. What kind of name was that? He was a bald dude, too. And from what Jonah understood, he spent all day shut up in a lab.) Lilya was pretty hot. Yeah, he could ask her. But how to get her away from Victor? He'd probably seem desperate if he just broke into their conversation and asked her right then and there.
He needed to wait for a lull, and then he'd just stroll up, and ask her.
And then the sweet talking would begin.
Of course, Lilya wasn't the only option. There was also Lan, and she was from his branch. But, the sweet talking wouldn't do him much good, he figured.
He could try Amy, but she was shy, and probably was clumsy on her feet, too.
Sinead...Well, Jonah honestly didn't know that much about her. She was hot, that was true. But she had two idiot brothers. Sinead was talking to Amy, probably trying to wheedle information out of her. Just like her was trying to do to others.
Well, great minds think alike, Jonah mused. Maybe he'd dance with her later.
He couldn't try Natalie. No, she'd see through his act in an instant. Besides, who wanted to dance with a snake?
Amy was terrified. For a second, she'd wanted to dance with a snake.
Not a real snake. But figuratively, yes, he was indeed a snake.
But she hated him. Right?
"Amy?" Sinead asked.
Amy whipped her head back around. "What? Sorry, could you repeat that?"
Sinead refrained from stomping her foot. "I said, why do you keep looking at Ian with a case of love-sickness, and then suddenly glare at him?"
Amy's heart nearly stopped. "I..." What could she say?! Had she really been doing that? "It's...personal," she said weakly.
Sinead laughed casually. "Oh, dear Amy."
Amy flinched.
"Honestly, you do not understand boys. Not that anyone can, but believe me, you need some help. Advice. And I would love to help you, but I can't if I am unaware of your situation." Sinead put extra emphasis on the word 'love', trying to play the part of a sympathetic friend as best she could.
Before Amy could try to protest again, Ian came up to them, abruptly ending the awkward conversation.
"Hello, Amy. Sinead."
Amy bit her lip, then managed to say, "Hi."
Sinead nodded, smiling, still trying to act cheerful.
"Amy, would you like to dance with me?"
Amy bit her lip again. She quickly glanced at the dance floor.
Not many were out there. If she said yes, no doubt many people would be staring at them. But, at the same time, it was rude to say no...Not that Ian would know the difference. And...she somehow couldn't help wanting to say that she'd love too.
Finally, she answered, "Uh...sure..."
Ian breathed a quiet sigh of relief. At least she hadn't slapped him for asking her.
Amy took Ian's outstretched hand, if a little reluctantly, and stepped out to the dance floor with him.
"Do you know the waltz?" he asked.
Amy nodded. "I don't exactly know any fancy moves, though," she blushed.
Ian refrained from smirking at her. She probably hadn't been to the numerous balls his mother had forced him to go to.
Ian put his right hand on her waist, and took her left hand in his other. Amy hesitantly put her free hand on his shoulder.
They began waltzing, Ian giving her tips every now and then, and before she knew it, Amy was actually smiling and having fun.
"I'm going to spin you now. Ready, go!"
Amy twirled under Ian's arm, and then gracefully came back into the dancing position she had been in moments before.
"Excellent," Ian smiled. "You're actually a wonderful dancer. To think, all this time, your talent has been wasted."
Amy blushed. "Well, I did have to learn to waltz in school, once."
Ian nodded. "Is that the only dance you know?"
Amy blushed again. "Yeah...I mean, I'd know more if I had the t-time to learn them, but..."
"The clue hunt distracts you," Ian jumped in. "Especially when you don't want it too."
Amy nodded, surprised Ian understood. The two danced in silence for a while, but it wasn't really awkward. Only slightly.
Finally, the music ended, and Ian gave Amy a little bow of the head. "Thank you for this dance. It has been a pleasure."
Amy blushed, but she smiled. "Y-your welcome. It was fun, anyways."
Ian smiled, too, then walked away.
"So," Jonah asked Lilya as they danced. It was later in the evening, and Jonah had finally got a chance to try his 'scheme' out. "You come from Russia?"
Lilya nodded. "Yes."
There was an awkward silence, then Jonah said, "Cool. Is it cold up there?"
"At times."
"...Cool. Haha, get it? 'Cool'? As in cold?"
Lily smiled. "Yes. Funny. But I would appreciate it if you stopped flirting with me. I do not find that funny."
Jonah gulped. "Yo. I wasn't...I wasn't flirting! I was...Making conversation."
Lilya chuckled. "Of course. I do not blame you for wanting to flirt with me, but I would like it if you stopped."
Jonah sighed. This wasn't working. "Anything...interesting happen there? In Russia?"
"No, my parents won't let me go with them to–Never mind." Lilya cut herself off. No way was she giving Jonah any information. Or, like Americans so often said, 'spilling the beans'.
The music ended, and Lilya pulled away from Jonah. "Thank you for the dancing," she said curtly before she swept away.
Jonah sighed. His plan was down the toilet...
The minutes ticked on, and the hours did, as well. Surprisingly soon, it was 10 'o clock, and Mr. McIntyre came to the stand again, gaining everyone's attention as the orchestra exited behind him.
"If I could have your attention again? Ah, yes, thank you. Now, it is 10 'o clock, as you can see by the grandfather clock on that side of the room." Mr. McIntyre pointed. "Now, I would like to introduce to you an activity for tonight. You see, as tonight is the 31st of December, tomorrow will be a new year. There are many traditions of sorts that families do, and one of them is to make New Year Resolutions. Which is precisely what you will be doing."
A few mumbles were heard as different people made different comments, and suddenly, Dan whispered to Amy: "Dude, I didn't realize how stupid that sounded until McIntyre said that out loud."
Amy jumped. "Would you stop doing that?" she hissed.
Dan shrugged. "Whatevs."
Amy rolled her eyes and turned back to Mr. McIntyre.
"Now, a servant is coming around with a cup that has different pieces of paper in it–You all will draw one. That will be the order that you will come up to say your resolutions."
Dan peered around, looking for the servant. "I see him!" he nudged Amy. "Whoa, the dude looks really scared and nerdy. Haha, I bet he's scared of the Holts."
"Or the Kabras," Amy muttered.
Finally, the servant came to them, and Dan grabbed a number as fast as he could. Amy rolled her eyes and took one as well.
"Hey, I got number 30! What'd you get, Ames?"
"Number 31." Amy showed him the small square of paper.
"Hey, right after me!" Dan grinned. "...Wait a second. Is this thing rigged?!"
Amy stared at Dan without expression. "Yes, Dan, it is," she said sarcastically.
Dan's eyes bulged. "It is?" he whispered hoarsely to her.
Amy hit his arm. "No, you dweeb!" she hissed. "It's just luck of the draw!"
Dan snorted and rolled his eyes. "I knew that," he said. Amy knew he was lying. But she turned her head back to Mr. McIntyre anyways.
"Alright, now that you have your order, I will give you ten minutes to ponder on any resolutions you would like to make. You do not have to state just one, but that is the minimum. Also...You cannot mention the 39 Clues in your resolution."
A few groans arose.
Obviously, Amy thought, No one here is very creative.
Mr. McIntyre left the stand, and a few of the guests went up to him with questions.
Amy turned back to Dan. "What will you say?" she asked.
Dan grinned. "I'm gonna' learn some ninja moves! Hee-YA!" Dan made a karate chop with his hand.
Amy leaned back. "You are still a dweeb," she muttered.
Dan straightened back up from his ninja pose. "What will you say, then?" he challenged, daring her to come up with something cooler.
She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I really just want to survive this next year..."
"And start dating Ian?" Dan wiggled his eyebrows, and made kissing noises. "Ian and Amy, sitting in a tree. Kay-eye-ess-ess-eye-en-gee!"
Amy rolled her eyes. Dan really needed to grow up. She knew that if she protested, Dan would just continue to make fun of her. So she crossed over to a row of chairs along one wall, and sat down, wondering what on earth her New Year's Resolution would be.
Mwa ha ha ha. I'm excited for the last chapter. A LOT is going to happen in that one. :D Anyways, hope you enjoyed the dancing. I just wrote another story that had a lot of dancing in it, too, for Another Artists' contest, so I've had enough writing about that for a while. I love dancing, though. It's so much fun! :) Anyways, review, blah, blah, blah, and if you have any super good suggestions for anyone's New Year's Resolution, please say so! I have some good ones, but I don't have EVERYONE figured out yet.
Here's who I already got:
Amy, Dan, Ian, Natalie, Jonah, Eisenhower, Hamilton, Madison & Reagan, (Most likely,) Lilya, Yasmeen, Ned & Ted, Victor, Alistair, Ivan, the director dude that I can't remember the name of, Gordon, Alana, Paul, Charlie, the Indian actor dude, and the Brazilian soccer dude.
I still need ideas/better ideas for:
Mr. Wizard, Mrs. Wizard, Mary-Todd, Sinead, Vikram, Isabel, Bae, and Lan.
All suggestions will be welcome, however!