23|Dance floor? Furious.

"Eris...."

Rhea managed to utter as she slowly turned to face him. It was really him, Eris was here. She thought.

Although his face was covered by half, Rhea could still tell that he was really handsome. As he watched her look seriously at him, a smile graced his lips.

"Happy to see me?" He asked. His hand dropped on her waist and he tugged her closer to him. Rhea did not answer, she only blushed and hid her face that was beautifully red.

"Don't hide your face, you look really pretty tonight" He said using his fingers to raise her head. He swallowed her up into the abyss of his eyes as he stared deep in her eyes.

"How can you tell, I am wearing a mask" Rhea retorted in a small voice after recovering from his hypnotic gaze. Although she was blushing hard, she tried not to believe what he said to her.

"You really want to know? Then remove the mask let me see your face" He replied. Rhea did not answer him.

"Let's dance" Eris said and without waiting for her answer, he dragged her along with him to the dance floor.

"I like this dress" Eris muttered as he trailed his fingers across her exposed collarbone leaving a path of fire. "It suits you well" he added before returning his hand to her waist.

Rhea placed her hands on his shoulders and they danced slowly to the tune that was played.

"How did you recognize me?" Rhea asked. She was quite surprised at first when he came to her. She only knew it was him because of his voice.

"You underestimate me, don't you?" He said. "I will recognize you anywhere, even in thick darkness. Because...." he paused and sniffed the exposed space of her neck.

"It is you" He answered. Rhea looked at him and raised a confused brow. Eris smirked and swirled her around.

Her back faced him and he folded his arms around her. They moved slowly around with the music. Eris face was directly in the crook of her neck.

"Give it a little more time and you will find out how much you mean to me, then you will no longer wonder how I can recognize you" Eris said in a small voice.

Rhea was astonished to speak. Did he feel anything for her? He was successfully leaving her hanging on an emotional cliff. Her heart raced and created a different rhythm than its usual pounding.

"Flow with the moment. Rhea" She heard him whisper before swirling her to face him. He looked her in the eyes before touching his forehead against hers.

"I think the dance should be over. Only if we want to dance for others to watch" Eris voiced after a while.

Rhea who did not understand what he meant looked over his shoulder and saw that every other person had stopped dancing and were watching them. She became self conscious and blush.

"Hopefully, we will meet in better situation after this camp" Eris said still not tearing his heart melting gaze away from her face.

"Maybe" She replied in a very small voice but was audible enough for Eris who only smiled before he reluctantly released her from his hold.

"Good night Rhea" He said.

"Good night Eris" She responded.

Amelia was furious!

Tonight was supposed to be her moment with Eris but instead, he did not spare her a glance. She had spent extra energy to dress up for him but he had only looked at another girl! He even danced with her all night.

She had successfully convinced the person in charge of the ball to change it into a masquerade ball after tipping him. He agreed to her opinion believing it was a good idea and even agreed to invite Eris. No one knew she was doing all those for her sake.

As soon as Eris walked in, she had noticed him. How could she not? She had been with him for months and could tell what he looked like from far. Although she had always seen him and knew how handsome he was, she could not still help but be entranced in his alluring beauty as he walked in.

As she was about to walk to him to ask him dance with her, he walked past her towards another person. The way it looked, it seemed as if Eris had come because of the girl which was very true.

Still standing at a spot as the dance went on, she could not help but laugh herself to mockery. She should have seen all these coming, that little waitress finally seduced her man. But was Eris one to be seduced?

Amelia could easily tell the girl Eris had walked to was Rhea no doubt. After being with her a couple of times, she can tell how she looked perfectly and her hair color. Remembering she had seen Rhea in a man's jacket after their game the last time, she enviously clenched her fist till her nails threatened to break her palm.

Unable to watch anymore, she walked out of the ballroom and went to the tent she shared with Megan. The latter who saw her walk into the tent furiously decided it was best to shut her mouth and mind her business. It seems her plans did not go through after all.

Rhea hurried left the ballroom after Eris had left. She wanted to get to the room as fast as possible to avoid her best friend's probing.

"So, tell me who was it?"

As soon as Rhea entered the tent, Claire who had been waiting patiently for her asked before she could even register another presence with her in this room. This scared Rhea.

"Arghhh!" Rhea screamed and was about to rush out of the tent but seeing it was her best friend, she stayed back.

"Goodness, Claire, you scared me!" Rhea frowned.

"Sorry?" Claire shrugged. It seems she did not care that she just scared her best friend out of her wit.

"My patience is running dry, quick! Tell me" Claire urged. It seems there was no escaping today for poor Rhea.

Claire who had been keeping her eyes on her best friend after leaving her side in the ballroom had seen all of the scenes with Eris unfold. Because she only watched from a distance, she could not tell who the guy was and that is why she had left early to wait for the perfect time to question her friend.

"Oh.. Claire" Rhea said hiding her masked face in her palm. She was obviously blushing as she pictured her scene with Eris earlier.

"There, there, you don't need to be shy about it, just spill" Claire who was very curious urged.

"It's Eris!" Rhea said hurriedly. Claire tilted her head and scrunched her brows.

"Okay..., is that someone that I know?" She asked. The name did not sound familiar in a bit.

"No, I mean yes!" Rhea answered. She was calmer now so she pulled off her mask and sat on the bed.

"Ah... I see" Claire said. It seems tonight was not for identifying who it was yet. Since her friend already gave a name, that is okay for now.

"You know what Claire, I just... I don't know - but I'm just... Ah— nevermind" Rhea said making the already confused Claire become more confused. Claire raised a brow, a vein popped on her forehead as she stared at her friend.

"Just flow with the moment" Claire finally spoke after a moment of thinking. She could only advise her friend. She knew that whatever made Rhea happy will also be okay with her no matter what.

"But..." Rhea objected.

"Love is a good thing" Claire added calmly.

"Who said anything about love!" Rhea gasped as she looked at her best friend with widened eyes.

Claire: "..."

Is that not what you are obviously falling into girl? Claire thought as she furrowed her brows looking down at her friend, she shook her head and laid on her bed. She had enough for the night already.

In the room where Taylor and Eris stayed, Taylor watched as his best friend twirled the mask he wore earlier in his hand and smirked. The action continued non stop infuriating Taylor.

"I take it that you had a good night" Taylor finally voiced but he did not succeed in hiding that annoyance in his voice.

"You are a smart one after all" Eris mused.

"Eris!" Taylor snapped. He was not glad with the subtle jab. Putting aside the playing mode, he looked very serious and stared at his friend.

"Speak" Eris instructed. He dropped the mask and threw a deadly cold glance at his best friend who tried extra hard not to shiver.

"There is news" Taylor reported.

"Someone is going to receive an unwelcomed Santa Claus this Christmas" Eris said with a bad deep smirk. Taylor shivered. Did his best friend just spew icicles? He could not help but take an involuntary step back.

Had his best friend always been this scary?