Magnetic Collision

Chapter 16

"I've never seen you look so excited to go to any kind of event before." Lucas noted from the doorway of the bathroom, leaning against the frame with his shoulder.

"Because the ones students or the university arranges are unfamiliar, and weird. A party for the high-society? I've been practicing that for all my life." Candice shot him a smile as she carefully applied her mascara. She didn't consider herself to be an avid fan, or even visitor of the banquets of the wealthy, not unless her parents expected her to attend, but something was different this time. Lucas had been bringing her into his own life quite diligently, but she hadn't got the chance to reciprocate yet. And naturally, that made her look forward to finally be the one taking the lead in a setting, given her familiarity with it.

"You really are a spoiled Princess deep down. You've just learned to hide it." he said with a tone of feigned annoyance.

"Well, as my companion, that's making you a Prince for tonight then. Aren't you lucky?" she smirked as she grabbed his tie, pulling his head down for a kiss. He couldn't help but mirror her expression.

"Are you saying I'm otherwise a peasant?"

"If the shoe fits..."

"You treat me like this, yet you claim I'm the nightmare?"

"Well I can't let your energy go unmatched can I?"

"It'd definitely be a lot more boring without it."

"See, I'm doing you a favor here."

"... Is this new?" he wondered, examining her body clad in a form fitting blue dress.

"Not particularly. I bought it a good couple of months ago." she answered, letting herself be slowly twirled around by her hand as Lucas attempted to get a better look.

"How come I haven't seen you in it yet?" he pouted, almost offended.

"Well you haven't taken me anywhere fancy where this would be appropriate. I can't just wear this to a club." she explained with a sly smile. "Do you like it?"

"It's a great color on you. Suits you really well." he offered a rare compliment, and Candice had to bite her lower lip in order to control the evident happiness on her face.

"You aren't too bad yourself. Although it's hard for anyone to look bad in semi-formal wear, it's pretty universally flattering." she said, smoothing over his jacket with the tip of her fingers. "It's nice for a change, but I have to say I prefer your everyday clothes. They have a lot more personality." she added.

"Suits are a safe but boring choice. Guess I'll have to find other ways to make the night exciting." he winked cheekily. The girl smirked.

"I trust you'll manage."

Arriving in front of the enormous penthouse filled Candice with a familiar sense of anxiety. The building was far out of campus, dead center of the city, where even the smallest apartment had a rent way past an average soul's salary, let alone something as big as the homes that filled this particular tower of a complex. These type of buildings appealed mostly to the 'nouveau riche' of the wealthy, a trait her parents had always looked down. She had always found that quite ridiculous; if anything, self-made people always seemed much more impressive to her than whatever generational wealth was attached to her last name.

"This place reeks of snobs already..." Lucas grimaced, gazing up at the brightest window at top. Colorful lights zapped around within the room behind the glass, indicative of its identity as their destination.

"Snobs tend to have real good food and drinks though." Candice noted, linking her arm with his, which he accepted with a satisfied grin.

"That they do." he agreed, taking the initiative to escort her inside. She could barely believe she was actually excited to participate in a social event of this nature, but something about being seen as Lucas' partner made her giddy with excitement. It was the closest she had ever gotten to officially presenting as his girlfriend. And with how rocky their relationship had begun, she had to treasure any little step forward.