"Why would I—" Dorian began, but the words caught in his throat as Reese abruptly yanked him onto the dance floor. It was as if he were at light as feather. The sheer force of her pull left him wide-eyed and speechless. How could a woman—no, how could a mere teenage girl be this strong? He stumbled as she tried to regain his footing, but Reese gave him no chance to react.

In the blink of an eye, they were standing in the center of the dance floor, where the crowd subtly parted around them. Dorian’s expression was a mix of disbelief and shock, his body stiff as Reese firmly held his arm. The room seemed to still for a moment, heads turning toward them. The air in the room shifted as whispers spread like wildfire among the onlookers, almost every gaze now locked on this particular pair.

Reese remained calm, her expression perfectly composed, but beneath it all, she was enjoying every second of Dorian’s discomfort. The smug, arrogant senior who was now flustered, completely at her mercy. It was clear he had no idea how to handle this expected situation.

“I thought you were going to teach me,” Reese murmured, her voice soft but laced with enough weight to send a flush of embarrassment creeping up Dorian’s neck.

From across the room, Liam, who had turned back, could only do nothing but watch, his face a mix of confusion and frustration.The entire hall was now looking, eagerly waiting to see what would happen next.

The tension between Reese and Dorian was palpable. For a moment, Dorian just stared at her, his eyes filled with hesitation. He was unsure, caught off-guard by how confidently Reese had flipped the situation on him.

Then, the music swelled once more, a soft and elegant melody filling the air. Without missing a beat, Reese took Dorian’s hand and led him into the dance with practiced ease. Only, it wasn’t the dance anyone had expected. With a confident hand placed on his waist, Reese spun Dorian around, performing the lead role as if she were the man, guiding him as though he were the lady.

Dorian’s steps faltered, his body stiff as he awkwardly tried to keep up. His face burned red from humiliation, and his pride took a visible hit as he realized how completely Reese had taken control. He tugged against her grip, but it was useless—her strength and determination far outmatched his panic.

“Let go of me!” Dorian demanded, his voice strained, desperate.

“We’re going to finish this dance,” Reese whispered, leaning in just enough for only him to hear, her voice calm but unwavering. “Whether you like it or not.”

Anyone would agree that in this situation, the irony was at its peak. Just moments earlier, Dorian had mocked her for being a uneducated commoner, and now here he was, struggling in her grasp, his ego shattered like a frail glass plate, for all to see.

Reese, perfectly content with her performance, toyed with him a bit longer, spinning him in circles with precise, almost mocking movements. The crowd was riveted, and every spin only added to Dorian’s embarrassment.

“I said let go!” Dorian shouted again, more frantic this time. “I’ll make you regret it if you don’t!”

Reese sighed dramatically, still twirling him effortlessly. “Here I am, just trying to enjoy my first dance, and you’re so insistent on stopping it,” she teased, her voice dripping with fake disappointment. “Fine. If that’s what you want…”

And with that, she suddenly released him in the middle of their gyration. The momentum of the spin sent Dorian careening forward, completely off balance. His arms flailed as he crashed directly into a nearby table, toppling an elaborate display of stacked wine glasses. The fragile glass shattered with a loud crash, and Dorian fell flat beneath the table, dragging the tablecloth down with him.

The room went utterly silent. All eyes were on the mess of shattered glass and spilled wine, with Dorian tangled beneath the fabric, looking utterly humiliated. His once-pristine suit was now soaked, his dignity in tatters.

Reese stood still for a moment, letting the scene sink in before flashing a wicked smirk. “Don’t blame me, senior,” she said, her tone light, yet laced with sarcasm. “You were the one who asked me to let go.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away from the dance floor, her posture relaxed and confident. Each step she took was deliberate, and as she passed by Liam, she threw a casual glance in his direction.

“You might want to advise your friend to be a bit more aware of his surroundings,” she said with a sly smile before making her way to a distant sofa. Sitting down, she stretched out like nothing unusual had happened, completely unbothered by the chaos she had left behind.

The room buzzed with astonishment. No one could believe what they had just witnessed.

Frederick stood nearby with Valentine by his side, watching the entire spectacle unfold before them. His mouth hung slightly open, his eyes wide in disbelief.

“What in the world just happened?” Frederick murmured, still processing the scene. “I can’t believe she actually—”

Before he could finish, Valentine gently tugged on his arm, lowering her head slightly. "Let’s step outside for a moment," she said in a calm, almost detached tone, her expression unreadable.

Frederick glanced at her, thinking she might be feeling uncomfortable after witnessing the chaos. Without asking any further, he nodded and led her out to a nearby balcony. He quietly closed the door behind them, shutting out the murmurs and whispers from the crowd inside to give them some privacy.

The crisp evening air greeted them as they stepped into the quiet of the balcony, the distant sound of the music still faintly playing in the background. Frederick turned to Valentine, concern evident on his face. “Are you feeling alright?” he asked softly.

For a brief moment, Valentine didn’t respond. Then, out of nowhere, she burst into laughter—genuine, uncontrollable laughter that caught him completely off guard. She threw her head back, her laughter ringing out. Frederick just stared for a few seconds, blinking in confusion.

"Valentine?" he asked, startled.

It took her a few seconds to regain enough composure to speak. "Oh my god, Frederick! I’ve been holding that in for way too long!" she gasped between fits of laughter. "Reese... Reese is truly amazing! I couldn't have dreamed of a better outcome!"

Frederick let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. "I thought you were upset," he admitted, shaking his head with a faint smile. "But here you are, laughing like a maniac."

Valentine wiped a tear from her eye, still chuckling. "You have no idea how hard it was not to laugh like this in front of them. Seeing my brother and his closest friend get put in their place by Reese—It was everything that I needed!"

Frederick smiled, finally understanding. "You enjoyed that way too much, didn’t you?"

"Enjoyed it?!" she exclaimed, her eyes bright with amusement. "It was the highlight of my week! My God, I can’t stop laughing."

Frederick chuckled, shaking his head. "You and Reese... you both are really something else."

Valentine grinned. "I know, right?"

"Honestly, that was... quite the performance." He sighed, leaning against the railing. "She has no hesitation."

Valentine waved off the suggestion with a laugh. " Hesitation fears her."

Frederick chuckled at her playful words.

The two of them stood there for a moment, sharing a laugh as the tension from the earlier scene melted away into the cool night air.

..

Reese, meanwhile, was completely absorbed in her own little world, comfortably relaxing in her seat. She couldn’t have cared less about the whispers surrounding her. The chatter and whispers around her were background noise at best. She had no intention of letting the gossip get to her. She forked a large piece of dessert into her mouth, savoring the sweet, velvety texture as it melted on her tongue. Her expression reflected one of pure satisfaction as she did.

A teasing voice interrupted her bliss. “Ah, there she is, my troublesome underclassman, acting as though she not at all caused problems so far.”

Reese glanced up, recognizing the voice immediately. “Oh, Senior Julius! I didn’t see you before. Where have you been all these time?” she asked with a lighthearted smile, as he approached and stood beside her.

“I was running a bit late… for reasons,” Julius replied, his smile soft but amused. “But I certainly didn’t expect to witness such a commotion the moment I arrived."

Reese leaned back, unfazed. "You should thank me. You got see a brilliant show." she said, clearly proud of herself.

Julius chuckled, shaking his head slightly. “I have to admit, it was... entertaining.”

“What else was I supposed to do?" Reese shrugged casually. "Just sit there and let them insult me without a proper response?”

Julius remained silent for a moment, studying her for a moment before speaking. "No," he said, "If someone disrespects you, you should always give them a taste of their own medicine."

Reese blinked, genuinely surprised. She hadn’t expected to hear him to say that. “Wait... are you *really* Senior Julius? You are actually agreeing with me?”

"What exactly do you think of me?"

"A idealist senior." Reese replied with no hesitation.

Julius sighed without saying anything. From his perspective at least, He wasn’t really an idealist. For some reason, that he doesn't even know why, he just couldn’t help feeling concerned whenever he saw Reese disregarding her safety. He didn’t voice any of this, though; he doubted she’d care even if he told her. After watching her for these past days, Julius had come to the conclusion that Reese is someone who would do whatever she wanted, no matter the risks that might stand in her way.

For a few moments, he simply stood there, shifting his weight slightly. His fingers brushed together absently, a subtle fidget, as if debating something within himself. He glanced at Reese. His gaze flickered from her to the dance floor.

Finally, taking a quiet breath, he looked back at her, he cleared his throat "Um..." his voice soft but carried a touch of slight hesitation. "Would you mind joining me for a dance?” he asked, He extended his hand slowly towards her, “I think…It would be a shame to let this brilliant evening pass just like this, wouldn't it?”

___

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