" Hurry, or we'll be late for the gala." Cat called out to Henri. She walked down the stairs of his house, they had decided to get ready here. Cat's dress was a navy blue ball gown with off the shoulder sleeves. The material was satin and it was classy. The dress covered her shoes, although she was wearing two inch nude heels.

" You look gorgeous."

" Thank you, do you need me to do your tie?" Henri was in a three piece navy blue suit with oxford shoes and his hair combed back. Cat sometimes did her father's tie and Steven's on occasion.

" Yes, remind me why we are going to this."

" Because both our parents are benefactors and they couldn't go, but someone needed to make an appearance.."

" So that means we have to spend the night with snobby adults where all they care about is money."

" Charlie and Emma will be there too, don't forget."

" So four teenagers and then a room full of adults?"

" Yes, now let's go- are we taking your car or mine?"

" Let's take mine."

Cat and Henri got into his black BMW, that was spotless and relatively new, Henri had gotten a new car for his 16th birthday in March. Cat got a car for hers in August, but hers was a hybrid and a lot less expensive. What did Cat expect though, she certainly wasn't Jason or Sammi.

" Are you cold, love?" Henri called her so many pet names, and Cat didn't mind in the least.  Love, darling, and princess were the most common, but occasionally he'd through in a baby.

" Yes, actually."

" I'll turn on the heated seats."

The drive to the gala was actually quite far, it was on the other side of town in a hotel ballroom. The drive was spent singing to songs on the radio.

" Sir, Ma'am. May I take your coats?" A woman at the front asked.

" Absolutely, thank you."

Once their coats were put away, they headed into the ballroom, holding hands.

" Names, please." A man standing behind a podium asked.

" Henri Bradshaw and Catherine Montgomery."

" Ah, yes here. Table six. Right this way."

They were led to a table on the far side where they were seated with an elderly couple and Charlie and Emma.

Emma was in a satin burgundy dress with spaghetti straps and Charlie was in a black three piece suit.

" You guys made it." Emma exclaimed. " We've been here for twenty minutes."

" Sorry, we hit a bit of traffic."

" You haven't missed anything, cocktail hour is almost over, but we can't really drink, so there's not that much for us to do. My mom made us promise to stay off our phones for the night, so we've been people watching, it's quite fun. Dinner is about to be served."

" Great, let's see if our lessons paid off."

At Carmichael, there was a cotillion class for all sixth to eighth graders that met during the summer. They were taught proper etiquette, ways of dressing, and dancing. The class lasted a month and met every weekday from nine to three. Not every student took it, in their class of 60, only about 20 showed up. Their etiquette instructor was Ms. McMann, she was a sixty something year old woman who had been brought up in " high society" as she said. She was hard as rocks and disobedience was not tolerated. If she said jump, they said how high. No one liked her, but she got results. Their dancing instructor was only a slight improvement. Madame P was a Russian woman who taught ballroom dance for a living. Everyday, after they had sat at a table, and walked the length of the room over and over, they would get up and waltz for a few more hours.

There were always a few more girls than boys, so at least you had a chance to sit out. Cat was always paired with Henri, because of their heights and they had grown closer dancing with each other for a month.

The first course was about to begin, so Cat instinctively put her napkin on her lap, there was a waiter walking around pouring champagne, but Cat declined politely. She was sixteen and saw what alcohol did to her family. The salad came out and while it looked appetizing, it thankfully resembled a salad. The last gala Cat had come to, it did not look appetizing at all.

Cat took slow careful bites with her salad fork, to pace herself with the rest of the table. There was so much more than just eating when it came to formal dining. You must never eat too quick, too loudly, too sloppily, everything that could be enjoyable about eating was not allowed.

The soup course was by far the trickiest, just in the execution of eating it. You weren't allowed to move your head to the soup and you had to use the spoon in the correct manner and you couldn't spill.

" I'm so nervous, I hate formal soup courses." Cat whispered to Emma.

" So dears, introduce yourselves." The old lady at the other side of the table piped up.

" Oh, my name is Catherine, this is Henry, Charles, and Emma."

" Isn't this such a wonderful cause."

Cat froze, she didn't know what cause this was for, it could be anything.

" It is." She bluffed.

" So how are you enjoying the gala, isn't it wonderful to be a benefactor?"

" It's lovely and yes. This is actually our first." Cat realized that the woman must think that they were the benefactors, they did look much older dressed this way. " I didn't catch your name."

" Mary Smith and this is my husband Dale." The old lady replied.

" It's a pleasure."

" It seems my husband and I go to a gala a month."

" That's very impressive."

The fish course was next, followed by the steak, and finally dessert. The chocolate mousse had to be the best part of the evening so far.

After all the food had been cleared, the orchestra began to play.

" May I have this dance, my darling?" Henri asked, extending his arm to Cat.

" I'd be honored."

Henri led her onto the dance floor and held his arm out and wrapped his other arm around Cat's waist.

" Ready?"

" You bet." Cat felt him leading her through the steps along the dance floor, better than many couples, who were years their seniors. It seemed as if those dance lessons had paid off after all.

The world was a blur and all that mattered was right in front of her leading her through the dance.