Chapter 3
Repayment........
“So do you have an answer to my question?” asked Giselle on the bus. “Did you sleep well last night?” I asked. “Surprisingly, yes! I forgot about the question the moment I reached home. What about you?” said Giselle.“Yeah, me too”, I lied. “You still owe me an answer, Ella”. “Oh yeah, well, I don’t think he’s my type, he’s rude”. I replied to Giselle. “Do you mean it?” “Obviously”. I said to Giselle because I don’t know how to answer her question, cuz no way I would fall in love with my enemy just because he ran five hundred metres for me. Well, I can’t technically say that he ran for me. Maybe he just skipped leg day; that’s why he ran. Or he just wants to jog. I don’t think it’s for me. We’ve been enemies for over 2 years, and his running for me? His enemy? I must have gone nuts thinking that we both like each other. Well, I don’t. So I must have gone nuts thinking that he likes me. “Girl, please be for real this time, he has a girlfriend, what are you thinking?” I said to Giselle. “Well, I don’t think he has one.” “Huh? I know him better than you do, we're both classmates,” I replied to Giselle. “But my instinct says so,” Giselle replied. “Fuck your instincts, bro, please be for real this time”. “My instincts have never lied to me, by the way”. “Bro, are your instincts Shakira’s hips or something?” We both laughed as we got off the bus, and I didn’t see Leah at the entrance waiting for me today. The smile on my face immediately disappeared because I thought she had taken a leave today that too without letting me know. Again. If she had let me know, we would have taken a leave together. When we entered the campus, I saw everyone rushing to the reception. Giselle and I wondered. We then went up to the notice board, and Rhysan’s picture was still on the board. We didn’t laugh this time. On the notice board, we saw a notice saying:
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24/8/25 Lanyun University, Miami, Florida
NOTICE
Greetings to all. We are happy to announce that this year’s Ephemera Night has been declared. It will commence on 10 September 2025. The last date for registration for the items is 25 August 2025. You are permitted to wear masquerade prom attire. Parents are welcome to accompany their students to the festival. Students registering for the events have to pay 10$ as a registration fee. We hope to have your support for the event
Headmistress
Lanyun University
Signature.
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“Dang bro we got one day to register for the items. I don’t how’s the office gonna handle this”. I said to Giselle. “Online registration is possible too but the rush here, imagine getting trapped between the rush. Giselle replied. That’s gonna be the end of me.” I said to Giselle. “So are u participating Giselle?” “Prolly cuz my friends are gonna register me into some dance. The worst part is we got only two weeks to prepare”. “Damn good luck”. I replied.
Suddenly someone grabbed my hand and took me to the reception counter for registration. It was Leah. “What are you doing?” I asked her.“What the heck you think I’m doing?” she replied.
“Registering for the program?” I asked her, “No registering for corn audition,” she replied. “Beach jump off a cliff. What are you registering me for by the way?” I asked Leah, “Huh? We are gonna dance as usual?”. “Usual, what do you mean usual?”. I replied. The only time I danced was for the Annual Ceremony. “I wanna watch you dance, I’m not joining,” “But why?” asked Leah. “Um, I wanted to wear an outfit that is a breathtaking embodiment of gothic glamour and evening elegance.”
My gown features a deep crimson hue, exuding both richness and intensity, ideal for anyone channelling dark romance or masquerade mystique. Its high neckline and sleeveless silhouette give off a regal aura, while thin shoulder straps add a subtle softness. The bodice is form-fitting and drenched in glitter, which sparkles like stardust against candlelight—perfect for dramatic entrances and poetic exits.
Flowing into a voluminous skirt, the gown layers sheer fabric that cascades like midnight mist. There's movement, texture, and a sense of enchanting drama—like something a tragic heroine might wear to a ballroom just before revealing a secret.
“When I first saw it on Pinterest, I was so obsessed and-” “okay fine!” Leah interrupted me.
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After that, I went with Leah to the dance practice room. She met her teammates, who were girls from the other section. Section E. We are from A. Other sections are of different courses. It was a big room with A/Cs, and the tile was kinda woody, and the room was painted dark blue and had white lighting. There I saw another group, which had Rhysan, Asael, Cyan, and Ivy. She was talking with another guy and completely ignoring Rhysan. “Wait, did they break up? Did we miss the tea?” Leah startled me. “I don’t know, let’s ask him.” We went up to Rhysan and asked, “Um, do you mind if I ask you a question?” “Yes, I do. I don’t wanna talk to you right now”. Replied Rhysan.“Oh, sorry”. I said, and Leah pulled my hand. “That mother fucking bastard is so rude,” said Leah.
“Look, Asael’s dancing too,” I said to Leah. “Wassup, babe?” said Asael the moment he saw us. “Who the fuck is your ‘babe’?” Leah replied. “I mean, future babe,” said Asael. “What the fuck is a future babe, and who the fuck is that?” “Oops, sorry, I mistook a bitch for my girlfriend”. “You moron-” said Leah. “But he doesn’t have one,” I said to Leah.
Then Leah went to her group, and I sat somewhere where I could see their dance. Rhysan and his group are doing some kinda sensual dance, but not completely intimate. It has a few intimate steps. I know cause I saw them playing the choreography on the smart board. The song was Confident by Justin Bieber. It was kinda slowed, but sexy too. The one Leah’s group chose was Shake It to the Max.
Well, I like Confident by Justin Bieber, and Shake It to the Max is not bad, too. Leah’s group is full of girls, but Rhysan’s is doing a duo one. They would dance with their partners in a duo. Everyone in the dance had a partner, but the person who was supposed to be Rhysan’s partner was none other than Ivy. Ivy was in the room asking Rhysan to dis-include himself from the dance cause she’s going to Germany.
Obviously, Rhysan refused. He had organised the dance himself. But now he has no partner.
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I was staring at him and I didn’t realise Cyan, his friend coming towards me. “Hello, do you mind joining the dance for Rhysan?” I was astonished. I was like “Huh? What do you mean, I don’t wanna dance? Even my own bestie asked me to join hers. How can you think that I’ll join?” I replied to Cyan. “I’m sorry, but we can’t find anyone for the dance right at this moment,” Cyan replied. “You have an entire day for registration and still can’t find someone-” “You can think of this as a repayment you are paying me”. Rhysan interrupted. I was shocked. The guy who just said he didn’t wanna talk with me is now asking me to be his partner for a dance, and that too a sensual one!?! Has he gone nuts again? “ What repayment do I owe you?” I asked Rhysan. “The one you owe me when I ran five hundred metres for you”. I was too stunned to speak. But he does have a point. After all, I made Rhysan suffer so hard, so I should repay him this way. I said “Okay then”. Everybody cheered, Rhysan for the first time smiled at me, and I smiled back.
I had these shivers inside me when he smiled at me. ‘Do I like my rival now?’ I don’t even know the answer. And about the choreo. It’s not a strip show or a lap dance, so he ain’t gonna touch me that way, so I don’t have to worry about that. But where do I get 10$ from? I don’t have extra cash within me, and I. I don’t think mom’s gonna be happy seeing me dance with a man, and she ain’t gonna give me money for dancing with a man on the stage. So I asked the group, “Where do I get 10$ from?” “From your pocket, of course-” Rhysan interrupted Asael by saying, “I’ll pay it on your behalf”. I didn't expect that. HELP, HE’S SO CONSIDERATE. Asael went away, and his face didn't look so happy to hear that. They are rivals, so of course, he wouldn’t be happy. “Are you joining our dance?” asked Cyan to Asael. “Obviously, that’s why I’m here”. You cannot join without a partner,” said Rhysan. “Aw, man,”. “Call Amaria,” I said. “Uh, should I?”
After five minutes, Asael came with Amaria. “I thought you didn’t wanna dance,” I asked Asael. “I never said that”.
Asael does not participate in events like these, especially the Ephemera Night. He just roams here and there without a specific map. This is his first time dancing. That too with a girl whom he just rejected.
“Guys, so let’s go register the new members”. Said Cyan.
Leah was staring at me this whole time. “We’ll talk in chat. Bitch.” Saying this, she left the dancing room as well.
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and then Add to home screen.