The Odyssey || 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝗻𝗲

Two | Surrender

"You can dance, now." She remarked a little teasingly as he held her at a respectful and friendly distance of three inches away from his body.

"You too." He replied, swaying her body in a circular motion around the dance floor, minding the other couples.

"Philanthropy is demanding. Some things you just have to learn." She almost shrugged with a hint of a smolder.

"How did England treat you?" He changed the subject towards the one that remained on his mind.

She smiled. "Quite well, thank you. Oxford was brilliant." She nodded in acknowledgment to her prior institution. She learned many many things while she was there, though half of them weren't for academic purposes. "Cambridge was insane."

"Top of your class?" He raised a brow expectantly. He wouldn't be surprised if she was valedictorian two times over. She was an overachiever.

The corner of her ruby red lips tilted upwards with a little smirk. "Who would I be if I wasn't?" Her painted white fingernails softly drew an imaginary figure on his shoulder.

He chuckled and he couldn't resist the opportunity. "Just a beautiful woman with big ideas."

She held back a snort and lightly rolled her eyes. She knew he was teasing her, but deep down she knew what he was really doing.

"Seven minutes and you're already flirting with me." She made a little cynical expression with her lips pursed to the side. "Aren't you here with someone?" She tilted her head. "That woman you were talking to perhaps?"

He raised his brows at her sudden defense and let out a small chuckle. "I came here alone." Though now that she was there he didn't so much plan on leaving alone.

Her brows raised as well as if asking really. The way they ended it was tragic really, and he could see that she still thought back to it and winced. Then again, thinking about it now, he internally did too.

"What about you, someone special up your sleeve?" He inquired cooly and her lashes bat slightly as if she didn't quite care for the inquiry.

"No." She answered simply with a sprinkle of agitation. That same question had been asked in a variety of both colorful and quite dull ways over a good fifty times. She'd given the same answer the same way every time.

I'm far too busy for a love life.

"That's it?" He asked as if there was supposed to be more to the story. He was curious. Especially considering his hand was remaining at a very friendly level on her back above a place he used to know oh so well.

"Yes." She nodded definitely. "How's life been treating you?" She changed the subject quickly and carelessly. He looked at her mischievously. "Well..." he started before he let her back go and she spun out and back in so her back was to his chest. She would've blushed if she wasn't so good at being nonchalant. He had her arms crossed across her torso, fingers intertwined with hers. He leaned in to whisper in her ear and she looked to the side with anticipation as she swayed her hips to the background sound of smooth jazz. "Yale." He whispered with a bit of a tease and she rolled her eyes with a little smile. "Naturally." She drawled out, looking out. People were looking at them curiously.

Nosy.

He spun her again and pulled her back into him. "Harvard was close." He chuckled, replacing his hand on the small of her back. She put her hand back on his shoulder with a small playful eye roll. "I spent two years undergrad." She shook her head. "And I only went for their law program."

"Right. Then Oxford." He said like he was finally getting it right.

"For my business degree." She shrugged a little. "Cambridge for the hell of it, did you stay at Yale?" She tilted her head and squinted with playful judgment.

He gave a deadpan look and blinked. "Princeton."

"Oh? Two time Ivy Leaguer." She smiled, impressed. "I think I'm proud." She creased her brows with a tease, patting his shoulder as a congratulatory and supportive gesture.

"Funny." He said dryly. "Goes great with your elegance and flair."

Her mouth opened and she creased one brow, offended. "Tell me, have you any idea what elegance is?"

"Hm." He pretended to be thoughtful. "Is it standing on the top of a lunch table in a poofy dress dancing and singing that song...what was it..." he paused, looking up in actual thought, and she scoffed, smiling wide. "Are you talking about homecoming?" She giggled. "When I won homecoming princess and afterward I made you dance with me to that one Cheap Trick song..." she shook her head, trying to think of it as well, chuckling a little. "Surrender."

He quirked a brow. "Surrender?"

She nodded. "Surrender. I think I might've been drunk because all I remember was--"

"Monica Heigel's last-minute rave." He chuckled, shaking his head and closing his eyes. "Jordan Hoover jumped off the roof."

Elizabeth burst into a fit of giggles, prompting Bruce to begin chuckling whilst admiring her. She still had the most beautiful laugh.

She was on the verge of tears before she could suppress the laughs, looking him in his deep blue eyes. "I'm sorry." She said, still at the end of a laugh.

"About what?" He inquired, smiling softly, quirking an eyebrow.

"The way we fell off." Her smile became sympathetic.

His lips parted, and he was surprised she mentioned it.

"...Well, look at how far we got. Success." He chuckled softly and she smiled again, sadly. "Success." She repeated.

"Miss Jefferson?" A voice made Elizabeth look back a little startled. Standing on the edge of the dance floor was a young woman wearing a black dress with short black hair pushed behind her eyes and blue eyes. Bruce creased his eyebrows, confusedly.

"Alexi." Liz's regular smile returned. She glanced at Bruce. "This is my assistant Alexi." She let go of the man and clasped her hands in front of her.

The girl smiled very slightly, nodding her head towards him. "Mr. Wayne."

He gave a small polite smile. "How do you do."

"All she insists on doing is work, so I made her come." She shook her head before looking back at her. "Is there something the matter?" Elizabeth inquired.

Alexi looked back at Elizabeth, keeping her blank expression. "You have a call."

Her brows quirked. "Oh?"

She nodded, glancing at Bruce quickly, then back at her. "Work."

The woman let out a sigh before looking at Bruce. "Well, it was lovely to see you again, Bruce." She smiled softly. "Work is quite demanding."

"It's not a problem, Elizabeth." He smiled. "I enjoyed...this."

She chuckled. "I did too." She drew a strand behind her ear. "I will see you around." She fluttered her lashes, turning, trying to make it as not awkward as she could. Alexi turned, ready to walk with her.

She paused. Looking over her shoulder she smiled a bit. "Surrender." She quipped lightly, before following behind her assistant into the crowd of wealth and socialism.

He watched her go. "But don't give yourself away." He muttered.