{ ball / with Renlin }
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The man in front of Aurora could capture her attention fully without even trying, she did not even have to listen to his words to feel this sort of admiration for him but just as easy as that was, it was easy for him to ruin it and replace all the good feelings with annoyance. There was something about Renlin Aurora could not figure out and it made her so drawn to him. However, that was not something she could or would easily show him. So for the sake of it, her attention would shift to other things around them. For example - the way Celestine was outshining everyone at this ball. Literally. The girl was drenched in gold. And yes, she could easily recognize it was her, it was quite simple. Aurora was here tonight to figure out who was who and keep track of this new beginning. “Saving the best for later? Oh, Renlin…” She let her hand slip to his, gently squeezing it as a form of apology for her next words. “You think I’d be saving that for you?”
Mirroring him, Aurora leaned in too, keeping a smile that could’ve been seen as both genuine and sarcastic. “How unfortunate,” letting go of his hand, she pouted. “I was not looking for your kind words tonight but I’m happy to hear I’m not just anyone.” With that she took a step away from him, a moment in which she also grabbed the long glass of champagne being carried around. “Thank you,” she happily exclaimed, the glass reaching her lips in a matter of seconds. Almost ignoring Ren, Aurora sipped her champagne, thinking about his words. She could sense Renlin’s eyes on her, waiting for her next move.
Aren’t we? Of course. Of course everyone was playing their own games, everyone had their own motives and end goals. But could Aurora really say that for herself? What will become of her life once she is out of here? Will she ever get out of here? “I think we are all here to learn and eventually be successful,” she finally spoke up, her tone so light, followed by a sweet smile. “I don’t quite agree with you or understand what you’re trying to say.” Her smile remained fixed, a shield against the gaze of those around her. Behind it, however, lay a mix of thoughts and questions. “Why don’t you go try that speech on someone else? Tell me later how it went?” Getting on her toes, a real effort that was, she gently places a kiss on Ren’s cheek before walking away from him.
{ Renlin’s speech }
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Walking away from Renlin, Aurora engaged in her usual conversations. Joining in on ones just to comment on the way someone looked incredible, the way someone’s dress was perfect for them, or to simply guess who someone was, followed by her saying how happy she was to see them again this year. What Aurora liked to believe is that she exuded warmth and charm, that her presence drew in others to her like moths to a flame.
Aurora’s laughter echoed as she engaged in conversations, her words flowing easily and sincerely. Hidden behind the mask, her eyes still sparkled with curiosity and kindness. However, one should always be prepared for things to change.
The moment the music changed, stopped, she knew something was not right. Her gaze immediately flew towards musicians who seemed to be as confused as the rest of them. It all led to everyone’s attention being directed to the person now on stage - Renlin. She, or anyone else for that matter, shouldn’t be surprised to see him there. They shouldn’t be surprised to see him potentially trying to make everyone laugh but as soon as he started speaking she could tell that is not the direction this will go in. She watched in silence as he commanded the attention of their peers.
Should she stop this? Someone should. Part of her admired Renlin’s boldness, his willingness to address the elephant in the room, yet she knew this was not supposed to be happening. Taking her gaze away from him, Aurora looked around almost frantically hoping to see someone was ready to intervene. What was he hoping to achieve with his words? Did he truly believe that anyone would dare to challenge her father?
Luckily someone did come to the rescue but she could already see how this would end. No, she would not be hearing back from Renlin, telling her how he charmed other girls when she walked away from him… He would be too busy explaining himself. If they were on better terms, Aurora would even go up to the savior Jesse and thank him for stopping Renlin from saying something incredibly stupid but they were not. And that was something she would not do.
What she will do is pretend like it was all just funny, a silly thought in Renlin’s head. They were all fine, nothing bad was happening - why was everyone so serious about it? Go back to dancing and drinking.
{ ball / with Amani }
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But was that the move? Wouldn’t her father want Aurora to do something about it? Of course she could go around and talk to people, be the positive energy everyone needs but how could that stop them all from talking about what they just saw? From Renlin’s speech?
So Aurora’s mind started working.
Finding a drink she could hold in her hand… Water, for many reasons. She started looking around the room, searching for a perfect opportunity.
When it finally showed up.
Under the mask Aurora could not tell who the person was but they were wearing a beautiful black dress with chains. They seemed to be in a rush, their movements hurried and distracted. Aurora’s gaze flickered to the clear liquid in her glass, a smile tugging at her lips beneath her mask. This was it, her chance to divert everyone’s attention. Did she want to do this? No, she did not want to embarrass herself but it’s better if she’s in the center of attention.
With practiced precision, Aurora moved into the person’s path. Feigning a stumble, she grabbed the person’s arm in a dramatic display of faux imbalance. Simultaneously, she deliberately tipped the glass of water (shh), its contents splashing on her own dress. The fabric darkened as it absorbed the liquid. “Why?” Aurora almost screamed at the person as if the whole thing was done on purpose. “Why did you do that? What have I done to you?” Her words reverberated through the room, drawing the attention of nearby students who turned to look at what was happening.
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@/Madilnel - Ren
@/Kristi - Amani