The event tonight was not in the hotel like the last one but in the lab space I was at earlier today, knowing that made me feel a little uneasy but having Vee with me helped. We pulled up in a very expensive looking car that Vee said was already paid for and made our way up the steps to the lab. They had fully transformed the clean looking entryway into a classy event space like nothing I had seen before. There were so many more people than the night before and everyone was dressed to impress. As I am gawking at the room I notice Vee pull two champagne flutes off a try that was passing by and she casually slips one to me.

  “No one cares at these events” she says, taking a sip of her drink. I take a deep breath and copy her movements.

  Vee brings me around the room and introduces me to a few other scientists she knows. It is incredibly awkward since they are at least two decades older than me and only seem to have interest in asking Vee where her dad was this weekend. She played it off really well by giving some bullshit excuse about government work and ‘special projects’ and the men just ooo’d and ahhh’d until they eventually left to get more drinks. I dipped out of the current conversation Vee was having with an older woman who was talking about knowing her when she was in diapers and headed to get another drink. As I was about to grab another champagne I heard a voice behind me.

  “Are you sure you want to learn that lesson again?” I knew who it was before I even had to turn around.

  “You didn’t seem to mind” I said as i whipped around to look at him

  “I-” his voice cut off as he looked me up and down. I just remembered the dress Vee forced me to wear and felt immediately self conscious.

  “Ehm” Liam cleared his throat before he tried to speak again

  “Wow” is all he mustered

  “Liam Huxley, man of many words” I say taking the champagne glass and indulging in a long sip

  “Sorry i just mean that that dress-” i look at him waiting for the rest of his sentence

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “You look nice” is what he finally decided on saying

  “Thank you” I say, taking my turn to look him up and down. Man did he clean up nice, I thought he looked good the other night but whatever he chose to wear tonight was fantasy worthy. We stood in silence just surveying each other before he held his hand out to me and said

  “Wanna dance?” It was at this moment I realized that there was music playing and a ton of uptight lab types were dancing to the slow symphony playing. I think I took too long to respond because he just grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the other dancing scientists. It was at this moment I realized that I really and I mean really don't know how to dance.

  “Liam” I say in a whisper “I can’t dance” I admit.. He chuckles and says

  “Neither can I” he pulls me into him and I can feel his hands slipping around my waist so I follow suit and wrap my arms around his neck. I avoid looking in his eyes worrying that the memories of my blackout earlier today would come flooding back. His face pale and his mouth covered in black-

  “You there?” Huxley says pulling me from my thoughts. My head snapped up to meet his eyes and I realized that maybe I was avoiding them for another reason

  “I am going back home to the lab tomorrow” I blurt out

  “Oh” is all he responds with

  “I got called back by Melvirn, believe me if I could stay I would” I say earnestly

  “I can take you” he said almost immediately

  “No Huxley” I say defeated

  “Don’t leave your event early because of me, Vee offered to drive” I told him. He was no longer looking at me but looking lost in his thoughts or something above my head which was inches from resting on his chest.

  “Huxley?” I say trying to bring his attention back

  “Huxley” I say a little louder

  “Liam” I finally said, lifting my hand to meet his cheek. His eyes snap back to me in a second and I think I see a flash of black pass his eyes. I drop my hands and take a staggering step back. Unbeknownst to me I was stepping back onto another dancer's foot and rolling my ankle inevitably making my way to the ground very ungracefully. Before I actually hit the group I felt an arm around my waist helping me back up.

  “Sorry” is all he said

  “Its fine” I say brushing myself off and turning around

  “Goodnight Huxley” I say making it my goal to stay as far away from Liam as I could tonight.