Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ To Dance With a Criminal ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Ensahmnyak 
When Isabella attends her birthday ball, her parents try and convince her to pick a husband. But she's picky and wants someone her own age. She accepts a dance from a stranger and little does she know, that one dance will turn her life upside down.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.29.2010 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.9K | Visits: 395 | Status: Work In Progress
When Isabella attends her birthday ball, her parents try and convince her to pick a husband. But she's picky and wants someone her own age. She accepts a dance from a stranger and little does she know, that one dance will turn her life upside down.
Miscellaneous: Original Stories Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.29.2010 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.9K | Visits: 395 | Status: Work In Progress
there! I hope you enjoy this first chapter! It shouldn’t be too long before I get the next one up, in fact I may have it up by the end of the day! These characters are all of my own creation and the story is of my own idea as well. (As far as I know anyways.)
.:Chapter 1:.
“Isabella! Isabella, please come out of there!” An older woman, probably in her 50’s, pounded on a door. She wore a frilly light pink dress and her graying hair was pulled into a tight bun on the top of her head. “Lord, child! Your mother and father are looking all over for you!” A white pearl necklace bounces off her bosom. The door opens but the young woman inside is already walking away from the door and back into her room. The old woman looks around in distress as if to find another maid or servant to help her but finds no one and charges into the room. “What are you still doing up here? Your birthday party has already started and if you don’t hurry, you’re going to miss it!”
Isabella just looked at the older woman in exasperation. “Evelin, I told you a thousand times, I’m not going.” She was sitting down on her windowsill in a white nightgown with her leg dangling carelessly out of the window.
“Well why on earth not?” Evelin walked over to the bed and picked up a gorgeous royal blue, Victorian, dress.
“Because mother and father are only having this party for one reason and that reason is NOT to celebrate my birthday.” She pulled her leg inside and turned to face Evelin. “How much do you want to bet that they’ve got the entire ballroom filled with stuffy, overdressed, pigs that they want me to marry!” She got up from the windowsill and sat down grumpily at her vanity.
Evelin put the dress down and walked over to Isabella. “Now, the least you could do is humor them. Just because you go to the party doesn’t mean you are promising to marry one of those men. By god, I helped raise you for 18 years now and I know that if you don’t want to do something, you won’t do it. You’re so stubborn but you’re very strong too. Just like your father.” Isabella smiled at the kindly old woman. “There we go. Now lets get you changed and ready.”
Minutes later she was in her dress and applying her makeup. Evelin was busy wrapping Isabella’s chestnut brown hair into an elegant up-do. When they both finish, Isabella stands up and turns to face the old woman. Evelin smiled and tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Oh it’s nothing. It seems like it was just yesterday I was hand feeding you your first solid food and now look at you. You’re all grown up and you look gorgeous. You’re mother definitely blessed you with those striking blue eyes.”
Isabella gave her a big hug. “I’m not going anywhere, Evelin. It’s only a birthday party.”
Evelin nodded as Isabella slipped on some shoes. Just as Isabella was about to walk out, Evelin stopped her. “Honey, just remember, not all of those men are stuffy, overdressed, pigs. Some just need a chance.” Isabella nodded and gave the woman one last hug before grabbing her mask and reluctantly leaving the room. It was a masquerade ball after all.
Almost immediately after she left the room, a maid runs into her. “Oh, my word, Miss Isabella! There you are! Mr. and Mrs. Concetto have been looking all over for you!” The maid grabbed her arm and rushed off down a flight of stairs and into a huge crowd of people, most of which Isabella didn’t even know. Then before she could bat an eye, she was standing between her parents being introduced to a man. He looked like he was at least a good ten years older than her. ‘Well he’s not getting a chance.’ She thought in mild disgust as he bowed and kissed her hand. She didn’t even fake a smile and ignored him as he tried to tell her his name. “Pleasure.” She rolled her eyes. Then she began scanning the crowd for a familiar face or even just one that could be her age. Then her mother began shaking her and squeeling with delight. “Let go of me!” Isabella yanked herself out of her mother’s grasp. “What is it?!” She snapped.
Her mother ignored her obvious attitude. “What, are you deaf now? Goodness. He has just invited you to live with him in his manor in Venicia!” Isabella turned to the man who was sporting a cocky, victorious, smile as if he’d just won some grand award.
“I’m not going.” She said flatly.
Her mother’s face contorted into one of sheer horror and the man looked on in disbelief. Her father chose that moment to step in. “Why the hell not?! You should consider yourself lucky that such a grandly wealthy, handsom, strapping young lad has chosen you!”
She turned to the man who she chose to remain nameless. “How old are you?”
“32. But what has that got to do with anything?” He was genuinely confused.
She snorted with a bit of sarcastic laughter. “I refuse to go anywhere with you. You’re practically old enough to be my father! I won’t even consider anyone that much older than me!”
Her mother stammered. “B-but I didn’t invite anyone your age!”
“Exactly.” Isabella crossed her arms and looked off into the crowd. Then an old man approached the group.
“Excuse me but I couldn’t help but overhear your dilemma.” Her parents looked at each other nervously. They didn’t want to admit that they had no idea who this man was. “Now, if you don’t mind me saying so, you remind me so very much of my grandson!” he said proudly. “Very picky, that one! He refuses to just settle for any pretty girl, he insists on waiting until he’s sure he’s picked the right one! It’s all just one big load though if you ask me. Why when I was younger-”
“Pardon, but how old is your grandson?” Asked her mother.
The old man smiled. “He is 19!” Then he frowned. “And he still has yet to pick a wife…” He began grumbling incoherent things to himself.
Her father looked the man up and down. “Is he at the party?” he asked suspiciously.
“Yes, of course! And he has been asked to dance more than a few times but the damned fool keeps refusing!”
“That’s funny… I don’t recall inviting-”
“Must have slipped your mind! That’s alright though, it happens to the best of us! I’ll fetch him and in the meantime don’t you go anywhere young miss!” The old man hobbled off and disappeared into the crowd. Isabella turned to leave but her mother grabber her arm.
“Oh no you don’t! We may not remember inviting them but they’re here and he’s your age and by god you will dance with this gentleman at the very least!” By now the older man that Isabella had rejected had left. She glared at her mother but stayed put. Minutes later, the old man emerged from the crowd dragging a man behind him by the collar of his jacket. The old man was red in the face and angry and the younger man looked angry as well, as if they had been arguing. She found it to be a funny sight. Maybe she wasn’t the only one attending the party unwillingly. The old man shoved him towards Isabella and her parents. The young man walked up to them keeping his eyes locked on Isabella. When he reached them he held out his hand and Isabella let him taker her hand and he bowed low and kissed it while she gave a half-hearted curtsey.
“My name is Antonio. And what may I call you?”
“Isabella.”
“A lovely name.”
“Thank you.”
He finally broke eye contact with her to greet her father with a hand shake and her mother with a kiss on the hand. Her mother laughed. “Oh, dear! He’s a handsome one isn’t he, Isabella?”
She rolled her eyes in fake disgust. She just hoped it wasn’t obvious that it was fake. She refused to admit it but she was right. He had messy dark brown hair, the color of chocolate, and piercing green eyes. And his thin black mask brought him an edge. His anger was completely gone and it was replaced by a mischievous smirk. “Well, Isabella, will you join me in a dance?” He held his hand out to her again. This time she stubbornly kept her hands to her sides.
“Sorry, my dancing skills are horrid. You’d have nightmares after trying to dance with me.”
“Nonsense!” Her father broke in. “You took dancing lessons for five years straight and were at the very top of your class!”
“Oh, that’s right…” She grumbled in frustration. “How could I ever forget…”
“Well that settles it then!” Antonio said, his voice dripping with victory. He took her hand and placed it on his arm and led her off to the dance floor. The song ended and they prepped for the start of the next one. His arm went around her waist, holding her close. His face was only inches from hers because of how close he was holding her and he still had that smirk on his face. She wanted to smack it off. She let her hand rest on his shoulder while he gripped the other one. The music started up and they were off. Every now and then he’d spin her then she would end up with her back to his chest but the entire time he kept her impossibly close and in-tune. Not once did they lose their pace. When the song ended his smirk was gone. “You dance beautifully.” He said seriously, refusing to break eye contact again.
“You aren’t too bad on your feet either.” She kept trying to snap herself out of it but she was caught in a sort of trance. He leaned in until the tips of their noses were just barely touching then she managed to get a hold of herself and pull away, making him stumble forward a little.
“Hey! Where are you going?” He called after her but she was already rushing past her parents and up the stairs towards her room. The old man came back to Antonio.
“We are still awaiting your signal… Boss.”
.:End Chapter 1:.
Sorry that chapter was short. It’s just to get things going and start the story off. I hope to have the next chapter up tonight. I hope you liked it though, please read and review!
.:Chapter 1:.
“Isabella! Isabella, please come out of there!” An older woman, probably in her 50’s, pounded on a door. She wore a frilly light pink dress and her graying hair was pulled into a tight bun on the top of her head. “Lord, child! Your mother and father are looking all over for you!” A white pearl necklace bounces off her bosom. The door opens but the young woman inside is already walking away from the door and back into her room. The old woman looks around in distress as if to find another maid or servant to help her but finds no one and charges into the room. “What are you still doing up here? Your birthday party has already started and if you don’t hurry, you’re going to miss it!”
Isabella just looked at the older woman in exasperation. “Evelin, I told you a thousand times, I’m not going.” She was sitting down on her windowsill in a white nightgown with her leg dangling carelessly out of the window.
“Well why on earth not?” Evelin walked over to the bed and picked up a gorgeous royal blue, Victorian, dress.
“Because mother and father are only having this party for one reason and that reason is NOT to celebrate my birthday.” She pulled her leg inside and turned to face Evelin. “How much do you want to bet that they’ve got the entire ballroom filled with stuffy, overdressed, pigs that they want me to marry!” She got up from the windowsill and sat down grumpily at her vanity.
Evelin put the dress down and walked over to Isabella. “Now, the least you could do is humor them. Just because you go to the party doesn’t mean you are promising to marry one of those men. By god, I helped raise you for 18 years now and I know that if you don’t want to do something, you won’t do it. You’re so stubborn but you’re very strong too. Just like your father.” Isabella smiled at the kindly old woman. “There we go. Now lets get you changed and ready.”
Minutes later she was in her dress and applying her makeup. Evelin was busy wrapping Isabella’s chestnut brown hair into an elegant up-do. When they both finish, Isabella stands up and turns to face the old woman. Evelin smiled and tears began to well up in her eyes.
“Oh it’s nothing. It seems like it was just yesterday I was hand feeding you your first solid food and now look at you. You’re all grown up and you look gorgeous. You’re mother definitely blessed you with those striking blue eyes.”
Isabella gave her a big hug. “I’m not going anywhere, Evelin. It’s only a birthday party.”
Evelin nodded as Isabella slipped on some shoes. Just as Isabella was about to walk out, Evelin stopped her. “Honey, just remember, not all of those men are stuffy, overdressed, pigs. Some just need a chance.” Isabella nodded and gave the woman one last hug before grabbing her mask and reluctantly leaving the room. It was a masquerade ball after all.
Almost immediately after she left the room, a maid runs into her. “Oh, my word, Miss Isabella! There you are! Mr. and Mrs. Concetto have been looking all over for you!” The maid grabbed her arm and rushed off down a flight of stairs and into a huge crowd of people, most of which Isabella didn’t even know. Then before she could bat an eye, she was standing between her parents being introduced to a man. He looked like he was at least a good ten years older than her. ‘Well he’s not getting a chance.’ She thought in mild disgust as he bowed and kissed her hand. She didn’t even fake a smile and ignored him as he tried to tell her his name. “Pleasure.” She rolled her eyes. Then she began scanning the crowd for a familiar face or even just one that could be her age. Then her mother began shaking her and squeeling with delight. “Let go of me!” Isabella yanked herself out of her mother’s grasp. “What is it?!” She snapped.
Her mother ignored her obvious attitude. “What, are you deaf now? Goodness. He has just invited you to live with him in his manor in Venicia!” Isabella turned to the man who was sporting a cocky, victorious, smile as if he’d just won some grand award.
“I’m not going.” She said flatly.
Her mother’s face contorted into one of sheer horror and the man looked on in disbelief. Her father chose that moment to step in. “Why the hell not?! You should consider yourself lucky that such a grandly wealthy, handsom, strapping young lad has chosen you!”
She turned to the man who she chose to remain nameless. “How old are you?”
“32. But what has that got to do with anything?” He was genuinely confused.
She snorted with a bit of sarcastic laughter. “I refuse to go anywhere with you. You’re practically old enough to be my father! I won’t even consider anyone that much older than me!”
Her mother stammered. “B-but I didn’t invite anyone your age!”
“Exactly.” Isabella crossed her arms and looked off into the crowd. Then an old man approached the group.
“Excuse me but I couldn’t help but overhear your dilemma.” Her parents looked at each other nervously. They didn’t want to admit that they had no idea who this man was. “Now, if you don’t mind me saying so, you remind me so very much of my grandson!” he said proudly. “Very picky, that one! He refuses to just settle for any pretty girl, he insists on waiting until he’s sure he’s picked the right one! It’s all just one big load though if you ask me. Why when I was younger-”
“Pardon, but how old is your grandson?” Asked her mother.
The old man smiled. “He is 19!” Then he frowned. “And he still has yet to pick a wife…” He began grumbling incoherent things to himself.
Her father looked the man up and down. “Is he at the party?” he asked suspiciously.
“Yes, of course! And he has been asked to dance more than a few times but the damned fool keeps refusing!”
“That’s funny… I don’t recall inviting-”
“Must have slipped your mind! That’s alright though, it happens to the best of us! I’ll fetch him and in the meantime don’t you go anywhere young miss!” The old man hobbled off and disappeared into the crowd. Isabella turned to leave but her mother grabber her arm.
“Oh no you don’t! We may not remember inviting them but they’re here and he’s your age and by god you will dance with this gentleman at the very least!” By now the older man that Isabella had rejected had left. She glared at her mother but stayed put. Minutes later, the old man emerged from the crowd dragging a man behind him by the collar of his jacket. The old man was red in the face and angry and the younger man looked angry as well, as if they had been arguing. She found it to be a funny sight. Maybe she wasn’t the only one attending the party unwillingly. The old man shoved him towards Isabella and her parents. The young man walked up to them keeping his eyes locked on Isabella. When he reached them he held out his hand and Isabella let him taker her hand and he bowed low and kissed it while she gave a half-hearted curtsey.
“My name is Antonio. And what may I call you?”
“Isabella.”
“A lovely name.”
“Thank you.”
He finally broke eye contact with her to greet her father with a hand shake and her mother with a kiss on the hand. Her mother laughed. “Oh, dear! He’s a handsome one isn’t he, Isabella?”
She rolled her eyes in fake disgust. She just hoped it wasn’t obvious that it was fake. She refused to admit it but she was right. He had messy dark brown hair, the color of chocolate, and piercing green eyes. And his thin black mask brought him an edge. His anger was completely gone and it was replaced by a mischievous smirk. “Well, Isabella, will you join me in a dance?” He held his hand out to her again. This time she stubbornly kept her hands to her sides.
“Sorry, my dancing skills are horrid. You’d have nightmares after trying to dance with me.”
“Nonsense!” Her father broke in. “You took dancing lessons for five years straight and were at the very top of your class!”
“Oh, that’s right…” She grumbled in frustration. “How could I ever forget…”
“Well that settles it then!” Antonio said, his voice dripping with victory. He took her hand and placed it on his arm and led her off to the dance floor. The song ended and they prepped for the start of the next one. His arm went around her waist, holding her close. His face was only inches from hers because of how close he was holding her and he still had that smirk on his face. She wanted to smack it off. She let her hand rest on his shoulder while he gripped the other one. The music started up and they were off. Every now and then he’d spin her then she would end up with her back to his chest but the entire time he kept her impossibly close and in-tune. Not once did they lose their pace. When the song ended his smirk was gone. “You dance beautifully.” He said seriously, refusing to break eye contact again.
“You aren’t too bad on your feet either.” She kept trying to snap herself out of it but she was caught in a sort of trance. He leaned in until the tips of their noses were just barely touching then she managed to get a hold of herself and pull away, making him stumble forward a little.
“Hey! Where are you going?” He called after her but she was already rushing past her parents and up the stairs towards her room. The old man came back to Antonio.
“We are still awaiting your signal… Boss.”
.:End Chapter 1:.
Sorry that chapter was short. It’s just to get things going and start the story off. I hope to have the next chapter up tonight. I hope you liked it though, please read and review!