The next day, Beatrix woke up early as usual.
She adjusted her collar as she walked to class. The bruises on her ribs from the fall still ached slightly when she moved too quickly.
As she turned the corner toward the Literature wing, a voice stopped her mid-step.
"Trixie." the voice echoed.
"Oh fuck." She muttered to herself, she knew who that voice belonged to.
"Hi Lucian"
He leaned against the archway like he'd been sculpted into the frame.
Trixie kept her face neutral. "Morning."
"I looked for you yesterday." His eyes narrowed slightly. "When I was done with my own classes."
"Oh," she said, shifting her bag on her shoulder. "I had class. Then… more class. Time got away."
"Right." His voice had a thread of disbelief in it. "I waited at the east courtyard."
"I wasn't there."
"I noticed."
She didn't flinch, she just kept her gaze steady.
Lucian leaned in slightly, his tone changing a little bit. "Are you avoiding me?"
"No," she answered quickly, too quickly. "No, I'm not, why would I?"
"I don't know." Lucian shrugged. "Maybe someone told you shit about me or something."
"No….nothing like that, I was just a little too busy yesterday."
Lucian leaned closer. "I dropped my number the last time, you were too busy to text too?"
Beatrix swallowed hard. "I…I lost it somewhere."
Lucian knew something was wrong but he just didn't know what it was.
"So, how have you been catching up? You got any troubles?" He asked.
Trixie stumbled backward. "No, I'm good…still breathing."
"That's all?" he asked, stepping closer. "Just breathing?"
"For now," she replied.
Lucian studied her for a long second, then nodded slightly like he could read her mind. "Then maybe you should come to the Gala with me."
"What?"
"Do you have a problem with that?" He asked
"Uhmm…no, not really."
"Then yes it is?"
Beatrix looked down at her boots, then up again, she mustered the courage to speak. "I already said yes to someone else."
Lucian's smile faltered. "Seriously? To whom? You've made friends already?"
"Alec." She replied.
They remained silent for a few seconds, staring at each other.
"That's… surprising," Lucian said slowly. "Didn't take you for the type to fall for a guy like him."
"I didn't fall for anything, it's just a party."
Lucian stepped back slightly. His once bewitching, sparkling eyes now cold. "Right. Of course. Your choice, it's just a one day party."
"Of course, I've always wanted…."
"You don't have to explain yourself." Lucian interrupted, his tone was polite. "It's just a date, not like anyone cares."
Beatrix smirked. "I wasn't going to explain myself…I was going to say, I've always wanted to be Alec's date for the welcoming gala."
Lucian eyes turned colder and darker. "You…you have?"
"Yeah"
"Now you've got him, congratulations." He said through gnashed teeth.
Beatrix nodded, turned and walked past him without another word.
That was the very first time Lucian was asking anyone to be his date, and he got rejected, he is usually asked by many girls when it comes to any party.
He knows who Alec Myles really is, but he doesn't know what Beatrix had gone through in the past twenty-four hours. All he knew was that she had a different gravity now.
"There you are," a voice called.
He turned, seeing the figure walking towards him, he sighed and hissed.
Talia approached, perfect as ever, in a pale violet blazer and pearl earrings. She gave him a casual seductive look.
"You're hard to find when you're brooding," she said lightly.
"I wasn't brooding," he muttered.
She smirked. "Then you'll have no problem saying yes."
"To what?"
"The Gala." Talia stepped closer. "Come with me."
Lucian sighed. "I've told you times without number, stop asking me to be your date Talia, I'm not interested, I won't be going with you."
Lucian tried leaving.
"Lucian please." Talia blocked his path. "You've never agreed to go with me before…I'm begging you to let me be your date for just that night."
"What do you want exactly?…I'm not in for new relationships, don't you get it?"
"I completely do." Talia replied soberly. "It's just for that night, no strings attached…please."
Lucian gently moved her aside, after taking two steps forward, he remembered how Trixie turned him down a few minutes ago.
He turned back and his eyes met Talia's. "Fine. Let's go together."
Talia smiled. "What?…Thank you so much."
He smiled. "It's no big deal, I love red…I'll send a red outfit to you tomorrow." He added.
Talia's eyes widened in excitement. "Oh my gosh, it's the best day of my life." She said, more to herself.
*********************************
"Oh my gosh, I'm so frustrated right now." Cassia threw herself on her bed.
"What's the matter with you girl?" Trixie asked. "You've literally been turning this room upside down since morning, who are you going out with that's making you look for the best dress ever made?" She teased.
Cassia sat up. "Not like I even know who I'm going out with." She hissed out with no emotion in her tone.
Trixie raised an eyebrow. "What? No one asked you out?"
Cassia threw a pillow at her. "Don't mock me right now."
Trixie giggled, holding her laughter. "Of course not, I'm just asking."
"Come here." Cassia gestured to her to come sit near her."
Trixie walked over and sat close, she was curious to hear what she was going to say.
"Trixie help me with this…I'm still into my ex, I want to ask him to be my date, and there's a boy in my class who asked me to be his date already."
She paused, then turned to Beatrix. "What do you suggest I do?"
"Wait, so you've not really decided on your date yet?"
"Nope." She replied flatly.
"Then go with the boy in your class."
"But my ex is really hot." Cassia added.
"Would he go with you if you were to ask him out?" Trixie asked
"That, I'm not sure of, but he's still single…that's all that matters."
"Oh…looks like he's not all that after all." Trixie teased.
Cassia hit her playfully. "He's got a lot of girls pesting him, he's just picky, that's all."
"Oh, who's this infamous Mr ex though? He must really be hot."
Cassia smiled. "Lucian….Achilles Lucian, he's a top student."
Trixie froze immediately when cassia mentioned the name, she never knew Lucian was cassia's ex boyfriend.
"What? You've heard the name before right?"
"Right." Trixie nodded, "I heard he's powerful."
"Obviously." Cassia blushed.
"You should ask him out." Trixie added.
"Right."
"Wait for my return." Cassia ran out.
Beatrix let out a soft relief immediately after she left. "Thank goodness I turned him down, I'll never want to be Cassia's enemy."
Less than thirty minutes later, Cassia came back with a mixed facial expression, not happy, not moody.
"How'd it go?" Trixie asked.
"Good and bad…. I can't believe Lucian turned me down for some lousy girl."
"Oops…that's bad."
"Not really…I got an expensive dress from my date."
She brought out the gown, it was a short bodycon silver gown, it has a simple, yet exclusive design.
"A win is a win." Trixie exclaimed..
Both girls burst into laughter.
"Lucian and his girl should just wait to see me oppress them that night." Cassia added. "It's going to be a long night."
She turned to Trixie. "Don't miss any part of the show girl."