"Isabella Clifford." They call my name and I walk down the steps.
Cameras are flashing and I keep the big smile on my face as I walk down to the ground floor with the rest of the girls.
They then call the rest of the girls. A toast is said and champagne in poured. The ball commences as people crowd the dance floor and I slip away to get a bottle of champagne and walk out of the ballroom. I go to the auditorium's theater and pop the bottle.
The party is massive enough for no one to notice I'm gone.
"Hey!" Luke calls.
"Can't you leave me alone on my night." I whine.
"What are you doing here?" He asks as he takes the bottle from me and takes a swig before sitting next to me.
"Trying to be alone." I glare at him and take back my bottle.
"You're apart of one of the most prestige events in town, and you are wasting the night by drinking alone in a big stupid dress." He reminds me.
"It's a gorgeous dress." I defend.
"It doesn't make you gorgeous." He blurts out.
"I don't have to sit here and get criticized by you." I stand up to leave.
He grips my arm before standing up himself, cupping my face and kissing me.
"It doesn't take a big stupid, gorgeous dress to make you beautiful." He bit his lip.
"I am not a cliché. I am not some sad princess that needs you to rescue her." I put the bottle down and walk out.
I passed the ballroom and walked out the door to call a taxi.
"You're not a sad princess, but you are still are a princess. And maybe you don't need me to rescue you, but maybe I need you." He catches me outside.
"Come back inside. I'll leave." He asks of me.
I turn around and walk up to him.
I stare at him before I ask, "What's changed? How can you go from hating me to kissing me in a matter for seconds? And you had the nerve to call me psycho."
"You've got a mouth to scary off any guy, you know that." He rolled his eyes.
"Clearly, it doesn't work that well." I sigh heavily.
"It does when you kiss, and when you laugh, or when you smile. Even when you tell me to fuck off." He chuckles.
"Where does this leave us? What exactly do you want?" I ran a hand through my hair.
"I want a lot of things, Belle." He groans.
"You're so vague." I sit on the step.
"You're mother will kill you if you fuck up that dress." Luke gestures his handout.
I take it and he pulls me into his chest.
"Can we go and drink champagne and pretend I still hate you so I don't ruin your night?" He asks.
"I need something stronger." I groan.
"Bourbon?" He pulls a flask out of his pocket.
"We can be friends if you promise to always carry a flask of bourbon for me." I giggle and take it.
"I'll take friendship for now." He takes my hand and guides me back to the ball.
