"I don't have enough words in my vocabulary collection to describe your peculiarity," I muttered under my breath, glaring up at him.

His lips curved into a slow, teasing smirk, and once again, his grip around my waist tightened like a possessive lock.

"Peculiar? That's a new one," he said, clearly amused. "I've been called many things, but never that. I'll take it as a compliment though-coming from you."

Before I could snap back, he tugged me closer until our bodies aligned-chest to thighs, no space left to breathe properly. I could feel his heartbeat thumping against my own, quick and loud.

Discomfort prickled down my spine.

"Let go of me," I hissed, shifting slightly in protest. "I don't intend to dance with you, and especially not here. Not now, not like this."

He chuckled, entirely unbothered. His hand slid up to my shoulder, featherlight yet firm.

"Come on, don't be like that. We're having fun, aren't we?"

"Fun?" I echoed, baffled. "What part of this is fun?!"

He only grinned and started swaying again, holding me firmly like I was a partner in some deluded waltz.

"This place," he said, voice low, "is the perfect place for a little dance. No one else is around. That means we can do whatever we want."

"Ugh, just stop your nonsense and let me go," I snapped, trying to squirm free. "What about this seems normal to you? And for the record, you're probably the last person I'd want to dance with-especially right now!"

He didn't budge. If anything, he held on tighter, one arm locking around my waist like a steel band.

"Oh, no you don't," he said softly. "You're not going anywhere."

Then, in one swift movement, he spun me so my back hit his chest, and I could feel the heat radiating off of him. His chin dropped to my shoulder.

"You're going to have to dance with me, sweetheart," he whispered, his breath brushing against my ear. "Besides... I think you're secretly enjoying this."

My lips parted to argue, but then he started to move again, slow and smooth, as if some invisible orchestra was playing a private melody only he could hear. His body moved in rhythm with mine-whether I liked it or not.

"There's something intimate about dancing like this," he murmured, breath warm against my neck. "Just two people, alone in a room, moving together in perfect harmony..."

I stiffened.

"You feel it too, don't you?" he pressed. "The way we fit together... like two puzzle pieces made for each other."

"What are you implying?" I hissed, twisting to try and face him. "Have you forgotten that we're enemies?!"

He didn't allow it. He kept me firmly pressed against him, as if even a second apart would ruin the moment.

"I haven't forgotten," he murmured near my ear. "But that's irrelevant right now."

His hand slid from my waist, trailing upward with unsettling gentleness. Then, he tilted my chin back so I had no choice but to look up at him.

"Right now, all that matters is us. This moment."

"Who in their right mind would enjoy dancing with their enemy?!" I spat, trying to break the spell of his voice.

He laughed, soft and amused.

"Who said anything about being in the 'right mind'?"

With a fluid motion, he spun me around to face him. Our eyes locked. He looked far too entertained for someone who had just kidnapped my dignity and forced it into a ballroom fantasy.

"Right now, I don't care about being your enemy," he said. "I just want to dance with you."

His arms slid back around my waist, swaying again, moving us both in a slow, hypnotic circle.

"Just give in," he whispered. "Forget the rules, the rivalry. Just for tonight."

His gaze didn't waver, deep and almost... sincere. It unsettled me.

"Pretend for a second that there's no difference between us," he continued, "Just two people, dancing in the middle of the night..."

Then, with another spin, he pulled me even closer than before. My head rested against his chest now, involuntarily catching the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"Close your eyes," he whispered.

I blinked up at him.

"What?"

"Just close your eyes and listen to my heartbeat," he murmured again, lips close to my temple. "Let yourself get lost in the moment."

His palm rested on the small of my back, warm and firm. His heartbeat thudded beneath my ear-steady, yet quickening.

"Don't think about who we are or what we're supposed to be," he said, softer this time. "Just feel how our bodies move together. Like we were made for this."

I exhaled slowly, letting my eyes flutter shut.

"What am I even doing with my life..." I mumbled, defeated. "I'm questioning my life choices now."

He chuckled, deep and smooth.

"That's it... just let go."

One hand glided up my arm, drawing a slow, possessive trail. His touch was gentle-too gentle for a so-called enemy.

Every inch of his body pressed against mine. His scent clouded my thoughts-warm, clean, addictive.

"Dancing with you... it just feels right," he murmured again. "Like we were meant to fit together."

Another spin. Another pull. Another tightening embrace. I felt like I was being swallowed whole by the moment.

"I came here for spying," I grumbled quietly, mostly to myself. "How the hell did I end up in this weird scenario instead?"

Isaiah chuckled softly, fingers now rubbing soothing circles along my back.

"Sometimes life throws us into unexpected situations," he said. "Sometimes... they're pleasantly surprising."

With practiced ease, he twirled me once more and pulled me into his chest again-this time, his arms wrapping around me from behind. I stiffened instinctively, but he didn't let go.

"Like this one," he whispered near my ear. "Who knew dancing with a spy from a rival university could be so... enjoyable?"

Then-suddenly-he reached out and flipped the light switch.

The room darkened in a blink, leaving only the silver glow of moonlight seeping through the tall windows.

"What the hell is this now-?" I started, startled.

He let out a soft, amused breath, and held me closer, resting his chin on my shoulder again.

"Isn't this better?" he whispered. "Dancing in the moonlight... it's romantic, don't you think?"

The atmosphere shifted entirely. Shadows danced quietly along the walls. Everything around us faded into a dreamscape. I could feel his heartbeat again-louder, more pronounced in the quiet darkness.

My eyes narrowed.

"Do you think this is a romance novel or something? What in the actual romance fantasy story is this? We're enemies for god's sake! How is this atmosphere relevant?!"

Before I could say more, he silenced me with a finger gently pressed to my lips.

"Shhhh," he said. "Stop overthinking. Stop questioning everything."

He leaned closer, forehead almost touching mine.

"Just let yourself feel. Forget the titles, forget the rivalry. For now... just dance with me."

And before I could protest again, he began to move-guiding me in the slowest, most surreal dance I'd ever known, like we were no longer bound by logic, reason, or roles.

Just two strangers in the moonlight-floating in something dangerously close to magic.

---

You made it to the end of Chapter 2 -yay!

What did you think? Spicy enough? Suspicious enough?

Drop your thoughts, scream in the comments, or just say hi. I'd love to hear from you!

-Your slightly chaotic author

---