The car pulled to a stop in front of a high-rise building. Lucy stepped out, paid the driver, then looked up at the towering structure. Confusion flickered across her face as she walked into the lobby.
"This looks... different." She murmured.
Lucy glanced around the elegant lobby. Marble floors. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows. A concierge behind a polished reception desk.
This hardly looked like the kind of place university students threw parties.
She pulled out her phone and quickly texted Victor, letting him know she’d arrived.
Victor replied almost instantly, telling her that he’d be right outside.
Lucy glanced at the message, and she kept her phone.
A few minutes later, Victor stepped out.
His lips pulled into a satisfied grin as he approached her.
"I’ll admit it," Victor said with a grin. "I didn’t think you’d actually show up."
Lucy smirked softly. "I told you I would."
Victor chuckled. "You did," he said, intertwining their arms. "But I was eighty percent sure you’d bail."
Lucy raised a brow as she allowed him to lead her in. "I take it that you don’t have much faith in me."
He turned to her, his smile widening as he nodded. "Lucyiscute, I don’t trust you that much."
"I’m glad that I was able to disappoint you today."
Victor nodded. "But I still don’t trust you that much."
Lucy’s lips twitched while she tried to hold back her laughter.
She failed miserably. Doubling over, she burst into laughter.
Victor frowned. "What? What did I say?"
"No... you didn’t..." she said in between her laughter, which caused Victor’s further confusion.
"You know what?" He said as they made their way into the elevator. "I’d prefer to remain clueless about why you can’t stop laughing."
Lucy chuckled, the laughter finally dying down.
Once in the elevator, Victor disentangled their arms, and turned to her, concern etched in his tone.
"Lucy, you have to remain by my side throughout. Do you understand?"
Lucy’s brow shot up.
"Please." He pleaded, and she nodded.
"Good," he patted his chest, sighing in relief.
The rest of the elevator ride passed in comfortable silence.
As soon as they stepped out, Lucy was hit by blaring music. She instinctively winced.
"Victor?"
"Hmm?"
"Why are we having a party... here?"
Victor shrugged. "No idea."
Lucy blinked, caught off guard by his answer.
"Seriously?"
"Seriously." He laughed. "One of the football guys said that his cousin’s friend owns the penthouse or something. We just needed a place big enough to fit everyone."
Lucy’s brows furrowed.
He gestured ahead. "Come on before they finish all the food."
Victor pushed open the double doors.
Music poured into the hallway almost instantly.
The spacious event lounge buzzed with conversation and laughter. Strings of warm fairy lights stretched across the ceiling, while colored lights pulsed softly over the dance floor. A long table at one end held snacks, drinks and enough pizza boxes to feed an army.
Lucy slowed to a stop. "This is bigger than I expected."
Victor spread his arms dramatically.
"Welcome to football culture."
Before Lucy could reply, three boys rushed over.
"Victor!"
"There you are!"
"You disappeared!"
Victor pointed toward Lucy. "I went to get her."
The boys eyed Lucy curiously.
"Would you introduce us or would you quit being a tease?"
Victor laughed.
"And this, gentlemen, is the legendary Lucyiscute."
Lucy groaned. "You actually introduced me with my username?"
"I absolutely did."
One of them laughed, extending his hand. "So you’re the girl that embarrassed Charles."
Lucy accepted the handshake politely. "I wouldn’t exactly put it like that."
"I would," another muttered, earning a round of laughter.
The conversation drifted effortlessly after that.
Victor introduced her to more people than she could remember.
For the first few minutes, Lucy mostly smiled and nodded. Eventually, she found herself relaxing.
Maybe Chelsea had been right.
Maybe getting out once in a while wasn’t so bad.
Someone shoved a paper plate into her hands. Another student insisted she try the pizza.
Someone else challenged Victor to a game near the pool table.
Within minutes, Victor was dragged away.
He pointed at Lucy as he walked backward. "Don’t move!"
Lucy laughed. "I’m literally standing here."
"I mean it!"
"Okay, protective big brother!"
He glanced at her for a second, and only after she nodded did he finally disappear into the crowd.
Lucy smiled to herself. She was enjoying herself.
For once... she was simply existing.
"Lucy."
She turned at the sound of her name.
Charles stood a few feet away, one hand tucked into his pocket.
"I don’t think our last conversation ended on the best note."
Lucy regarded him quietly. "I’d say that’s an understatement."
Charles let out a small laugh. "Fair enough."
He rubbed the back of his neck. "I was angry... and I said a lot of things I shouldn’t have."
Lucy didn’t respond.
He reached for a drink from the refreshments table and held it out to her.
"Truce?"
Lucy hesitated. To say she didn’t trust him was an understatement.
But he seemed genuine enough.
With this thought, she accepted the drink. "Truce."
Charles disappeared into the crowd without looking back.
Only when he was certain that Lucy wasn’t watching did the corner of his lips lift.
His gaze drifted to the cup in her hand.
"Serves you right," he muttered under his breath before melting into the crowd.
Lucy tracked his movement, before her gaze drifted to the cup in her hand.
Just as she lifted the cup to her lips, she heard a very enthusiastic scream.
"Lucy!"
She turned, and her eyes lit up on seeing familiar faces.
"Maya. Sasha. I had no idea that you both would be here."
"We almost didn’t come," Sasha admitted. "Victor practically begged us."
"And threatened to sulk if we refused," Maya added with a laugh.
Lucy smiled. "That sounds like him."
The three girls drifted into easy conversation, talking about classes, the research project and Victor’s dramatic personality.
Without realizing it, Lucy took a small sip from the cup in her hand.
Then another.
And another.
The drink disappeared gradually as the conversation continued.
Across the room, Charles watched from behind a group of students.
A slow smile crept onto his face.
"Drink up," he muttered under his breath. "You’ll regret ever making a fool out of me."
Completely oblivious to the malicious gaze fixed on her, Lucy laughed at something Maya had said.
For the first time in what felt like forever... she genuinely felt at ease.
Or so she thought.