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[hr]
Crystal glanced in the direction Castra had gone before slumping her shoulders just barely enough to be noticeable. [color=00aeef]"Thank you, Liam. I appreciate it. If [i]you[/i] wish to dance, however, it would be wrong of me to refuse."[/color] She took a moment to look the boy over before continuing, regardless of whether the two began to dance or not. [color=00aeef]"Though if I may offer some advice to the one who saved me from losing my mind in public... Take those lessons."[/color] Crystal smiled softly, the first time since she got to the ball. [color=00aeef]There's practical reasons, but I assume a boy would more care about the way dancing has been made into a courting process. It's silly, but not everyone will find skipping out on the formality endearing."[/color] Her smile turned to a frown. [color=00aeef]"Apologies. I didn't intend to be as condescending as I sounded."[/color] She continued without waiting for a response, finding herself rambling now, likely to her future detriment. [color=00aeef]"I've been forbidden from using my usual coping mechanism for stress, and have more than I should for a self-imposed reason. Then there's the heat from sticking so many people in one location, the speech that went on and yet nowhere, the need to keep up appearances... Though it's selfish of me to be under such duress when everyone is experiencing those things all the same."[/color] 

The quiet girl was talking more than she normally would as a way to keep her mind occupied. When she noticed this, she stopped, her eyes widening slightly as she caught herself. [color=00aeef]"And now I'm rambling and making a fool of myself. Once again you have my apologies."[/color]  

Depending on whether the young man wished to dance regardless, Crystal would find herself in one of two realities.

[hider=We can dance if we want to]
As Crystal took position to begin, she seemed to outsiders to be a bastion of stoicism. In truth, the familiar steps took almost no effort after having them seared into her mind from practice and helped alleviate her mind a little. Though a particularly observant partner might notice how Crystal's grip got slightly too tight when it was necessary to tighten, and slightly too loose when it wasn't; how her steps were slightly too light, as if she were stepping on ice and trying not to slip. However, as the dance wound down to a close, she was again smiling, regardless of how well her partner had faired. [color=00aeef]"That was surprisingly pleasant. Thank you once again, Liam."[/color] she curtseyed once again with her non-existent skirt and began looking for her teammates, her social obligations hopefully fulfilled for the day.
[/hider]
[hider=But your friends don't dance]
Thanking Liam for his assistance, Crystal would look around at her teammates, hopeful that they were nearing the end of their own dances. She felt selfish, but she really did want to present her work to them. Though the thought of their opinions being negative towards it brought her stress levels back up. She could only hope that she'd get a chance to show them and that they'd at least have some constructive criticism. 
[/hider]