Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 5-4

The celebration was at its height. I managed to get a glass of Coca-Cola served at the buffet, but I had to fight hard to get there. Some of my friends were on the dance floor and others were sitting, talking. For a moment, Asarys had joined her sorority at a table. The Alpha Mus seemed to be in a very lively conversation.

I scanned the room in search of Lexy. I hadn't seen her since we'd entered. I then began to imagine her lying on the ground, in a place with little room, completely blocked by her costume with the impossibility of being able to get up on her own. Suddenly, my eyes found Faïz, who was contemplating me from a little further away. He was leaning against a decorative pillar at the top of the stairs opposite me. Rachelle was obviously not with him. I decided to go and join him, not taking my eyes off him for fear of losing track of him. He understood that he had to stay there waiting for me. I tried to stay calm and my hands became sweaty. My legs carried me with difficulty. How beautiful he was! I took care to keep the vision of this beautiful dark man in a corner of my memory, because I knew that tomorrow everything could change. After several interminable seconds, I finally reached him.

— "Good evening," I whispered without being able to speak louder.

The sound of my voice was drowned in the deafening music. Faïz had to read my lips.

— "Good evening, Zoe."

He looked at me for a short while and then came a little closer to me so that I could hear him.

— "You are very beautiful," he whispered to me in a charming voice.

I was on a cloud and decided to take advantage of Faïz's good mood to get what I wanted most this evening.

— "You promised me a dance, remember?"

He grimaced.

— "I'm afraid not everyone likes it, Zoe."

I guessed who he was referring to.

— "They will recover. People quickly forget," I replied.

Faïz sighed, preferring to look away, unable to support my gaze.

— "Forgetting is not so easy," he admitted, almost vulnerable.

I didn't understand what he was getting at. It was then that I finally noticed his outfit: a black tuxedo and a white shirt that suited him perfectly. I was not surprised he wasn't in disguise. It was not his style at all. However, he was very classy tonight, with his hair still more or less messy. I struggled against my desire to run a hand through it.

— "Faïz, it's a costume ball! Why didn't you dress up like everyone else?"

— "But I am in disguise!"

Her smile dazzled me at that moment.

— "No! Explain it to me?"

— "I am Gatsby the magnificent," he answered, amused by his own words.

The features of his face were so pleasant that I couldn't help but look at him. Suddenly, he took his seriousness back, feeling things slipping away from him. A voice deep inside me begged him to kiss me. His worried pout reappeared. Damn! I started praying for a little help and someone up there seemed to have heard me. The music stopped and a deep voice at the microphone was heard. We turned our eyes towards it.

— "Gentlemen, we ask you to invite your date, designated during the draw, to dance the next slow dance. Thank you for respecting this tradition and for taking your place on the track."

— "I'm gonna have to spend a few more minutes with you, Reyes. It's always the same problem," said Faïz, breathing deeply, obviously bothered by the idea.

— "That's fine with me," I said.

He then reached out his hand to me. One part of me hesitated to take it. Was he playing with my feelings? I kept hoping for something that would probably never happen. Faïz was loyal to Rachelle and had his principles. I looked down at the crowd for a second. That was when I saw Lexy, easily recognizable in her suit. I was relieved to see her again among us. Her dance partner, whose first name had flown out of my head, had joined her on the dance floor. A small redhead with an unattractive physique and an unattractive gait stood by his side. My friend must have been happy to have come dressed like that. The distance between those two would be maximum. I turned around to Faïz, my hand slipping into his, and a small electric shock surprised me. The heavy atmosphere between us was palpable. He wrapped my hand as gently as possible, as if he was afraid to break it. It was warm and soft. This contact was enough to make me lose my footing. Hand in hand, we went down to join the other couples already there.

The music began. I recognized from the first notes a track by Fetty Wap, remixed into a soft rhythmic melody. The track escaped me. This artist, better known in the hip-hop world, had made a successful exception on this song. When I found myself in front of Faïz, I saw Rachelle arrive behind him with a quick step. Her eyes seemed to come out of their sockets so much they were imbued with fury.

Asarys, at my side, felt that something was wrong. She followed my gaze and immediately understood. Not planning to let her spoil my moment, she went to meet her and instinctively blocked her way, leaving her no chance of getting to us. Rachelle wanted to force the way, but Lucas, Baudoin, and Lexy immediately came to the rescue. My friend's sumo costume was very dissuasive at the time. Rachelle accepted her defeat and sent me a look full of hatred.