A Haunt of Ancient Peace

It wasn't as the girl thought.
Amid the flashing lights and pulsing, familiar music, her eyes stared, again, across the room. Only to stay fixed on that one spot. On him.
Again, she was abandoned. But she wouldn't be for long. Before she knew it, she had pushed her chair away from herself and pulled herself out of it. She realized that as she slowly paced to them that this was going exactly opposite as planned. It was exactly the opposite thing she was hoping for; the one action she never expected herself to make. But she knew this dance. She wouldn't miss this opportunity.
She stared past the one she had been looking at to another. "Come on!" she said enthusiastically, with a wide grin. "Let's dance!" At least this wasn't so akward.
Then her eyes averted to the boy of which gave purpose to her journey. "Come on", she urged, now obviously inviting him as well. All three progressed to the dancefloor.
It wasn't as she'd hoped. But that was okay; somehow she didn't expect it. He lingered around her for a time, but gradually left her with the one who wouldn't stop stepping on her toes. She teased him anyway, though, in all of her pain. She couldn't quite remember all the steps, and made some mistakes. But it was a step up. Maybe.
She smiled lightly at the irony of that.
Her own steps were a bit clumsy and akward, but she supposed it was better than none at all.
It wasn't as she promised herself it would go. Somehow she knew it wouldn't happen that way, anyway. Maybe that was what drove her to do what she did.
Anyway, she was content. For now, at least.
---
"Gilbert took the offered hand eagerly."