A FASHION FAIRYTALE: THE BELLE OF THE BALL

CHAPTER 13
Dana Lee resplendent in the Grand Ballroom, at The Heritage Hotel, 9pm.

Dana Lee took Adam Tan’s arm and they arrived in due time at The Ice Ball, dressed to the nines. The regal pair ascended the sweeping marble stairs (1910) and entered a room splendidly lit up by huge crystal chandeliers (Viennese), pressed full of the best (very few) and worst dressed (overwhelming majority) in society. Toes and trains were trodden upon, as was the custom. Many assumed that Dana and Adam were a couple – so compatible did they look, and in some minds, they were destined for each other. They certainly did go out in public together often enough.

The ballroom was insufferably hot, despite the “ice” theme, and the heat caused the ladies’ makeup to melt, so that they looked like characters from a Tim Burton movie. When they had paid their tribute of politeness to various dignitaries (His Excellency, the Swedish Ambassador was gracing the ball) in the VIP area, Dana Lee and Adam Tan went their separate ways to network in the crowd, and take their share of the heat and inconvenience, to which their arrival must necessarily added. Dana, with a flute of Dom Perignon (1995) turning quickly warm in her hands, had not remained circulating long, before she spotted Bella Teo, standing in the middle of the room, in earnest conversation with a model-tall, elegantly-clad and very fashionable-looking young man whose back faced the Dana. Bella caught her eye, and Dana nodded slightly in acknowledgement, but without attempting to speak. She have had enough of Bella over the many days of fashion shows, and had run completely out of politeness and patience. And for once, Bella Teo also failed to assail Dana, but continued what appeared to be an intense conversation with the young man, whose back faced the room, surrounded by a knot of trendy young things. "Bella," Dana thought, "looks like a mongoose hypnotising a young cobra!"

Suddenly, Queenie spotted Dana and swished swiftly up to her, his whole countenance glowing with delight and excitement. Dana said to him: “Queenie! Please get a hold of yourself! People will think you’ve never been to a ball. They’ll find out that I sneaked you in with Emma’s invite.” But Queenie clutched at Dana’s arm, almost panting with excitement, and gasped, "My goodness! He’s there - he looks so hansome - Oh! Why doesn’t he turn around and look at us? Why can’t we speak to him? Why won’t he leave Bella Teo’s side? Don’t you see him, Ms Dana?" cried Queenie impatiently, and would have moved towards Bella's black-clad male instantly, had not Dana caught hold of him.

Who was the mystery man that got Queenie all excited? Finally, the young man turned round, for Queenie had caused quite a little commotion. Queenie made such a fluster that everyone noticed, and the young man saw them both. Dana Lee turned cold, all of a sudden, and saying his name in a whisper, held tightly on to Queenie, to stop him from dashing forward. The model-tall man, wearing an elegant glossy-black tuxedo, and talking only to Bella Teo with his back to the room, was none other than Eli Kee.