Jay's POV
One week of HVIS — done and dusted. Honestly? It was exhausting, but in that weird way that's still fun. C‑in cracks me up, though I made the fatal mistake of asking how he got his name — he gave me a full essay, a TED Talk, and probably a sequel I didn't stick around for.
So, finally, Sunday. A day for sleeping, scrolling, and pretending homework doesn't exist. Or so I thought. "We're going to the gala tonight," Pa announces at breakfast, just like that — no warning, no mercy.
Now here I am, standing in front of the mirror in my blue, glittery, sparkly dress. It catches the light like magic, the kind of glow you see on water when the sun hits it just right. It's not too over the top — just enough shimmer to feel confident. I curled my hair, added a little silver jewelry, and for once, I actually kind of liked how it all looked.
Jane walked in right behind me, twirling in her red dress, bright and bold — the total opposite of mine. The red suits her; she looks like every firework in the sky decided to team up and become a person.
"Wow," I said, pretending to shield my eyes. "Someone's clearly here to steal the spotlight."
She grinned. "Please, Jay, next to all that glitter? I'm practically invisible."
We both laughed, bumping shoulders before heading out together. The ballroom was breathtaking — golden chandeliers, soft string music, and enough sparkle to put a jewelry store to shame. Jare was already by the buffet table, looking like survival depended on shrimp cocktails.
Then the Watsons arrived — always so put together. Mrs. Watson gave a polite smile when people asked about their son . "He's sick," she said gently. "Just a fever, nothing serious." Poor guy — I really want to know who he is but you know curiosity kills the cat.
The night stretched into music and chatter, laughter mixing with piano notes. I still missed my couch, but looking around — at Jane glowing in red, Jare half-smiling for once, and Mum and Pa laughing with old friends — I thought, maybe this wasn't such a bad way to end the week.
Jane's POV
School has been really fun lately. Section E is like one big group chat that never stops — chaos, jokes, and people who somehow make even chemistry entertaining. And then there's Yuri. He's that kind of person — confident, smug, and ridiculously annoying… in the best possible way. Every day he finds some new way to tease me, and every day I pretend it annoys me (even though it doesn't).
So when I showed up at the gala in my red dress, part of me hoped he'd be there. The music was soft and elegant, people laughing in small circles, and Jay was already glowing in her sparkly blue dress — she looked like she'd planned the whole color scheme of the night herself.
Then, out of nowhere, I heard that familiar voice behind me. "Did they finally start letting movie stars in here, or am I hallucinating?"
I turned to see Yuri, wearing a white suit matching his hair - a fiery red and that stupid grin of his. "Wow," I said, crossing my arms, "you got dressed up and still sound ridiculous."
He laughed, stepping closer. "You're not denying the movie star part, though."
I rolled my eyes, but I could feel my cheeks warming. "Fine, fine. You clean up okay yourself."
He tilted his head, pretending to think. "Just okay?"
"Don't push your luck, rooster."
We wandered closer to the dessert table, still teasing each other. He tried to steal the strawberry off my plate, so I smacked his hand lightly — which only made him grin wider. At one point, a slow song started playing, and he half‑jokingly held out his hand. "One dance? Just so everyone knows I brought the prettiest person here."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Flattery won't work this time."
He just shrugged. "Didn't say it was flattery if it's true."
And honestly — I gave in. We danced, not perfectly, but enough to make me smile so much it hurt. For once, all the tiredness from the week melted away, replaced by the simple chaos of Yuri being Yuri.
Jare's POV
If this week had a slogan, it'd be "somehow surviving." Between school stress, Jay's late-night snack raids, and Jane humming love songs around the house, I was ready for a break. No such luck — Pa declared there was a gala tonight. Joy.
I showed up in a black suit — simple, classic, minimal effort. Jay and Jane? They looked like they stepped out of a magazine. Jay's blue dress glittered so much it probably had its own gravitational pull, while Jane's red gown stood out like warmth in a winter room. For once, I couldn't even tease them — they both looked great.
The ballroom was alive — gold chandeliers, orbits of small talk, the smell of buffet food that was way too fancy for me to pronounce. I grabbed a drink, pretending to look interested in a cheese platter, when Jay and Jane walked in together laughing about something. It was good to see them getting along for once.
Then the Watsons arrived, looking as polished as always.
The night went on smoothly — dancing, chatting, and light laughter everywhere. I'm not really the party type, but watching my sisters joke and my parents relax for once… yeah, it wasn't bad.
By the time the music slowed, I actually caught myself smiling — which, if you know me, is saying a lot.
The music had shifted into something soft and easy, the kind of tune people automatically sway to whether they meant to dance or not. I was talking with a few classmates when the corner of my eye caught something — Jane and Yuri at the edge of the dance floor.
They were laughing, moving with that slightly awkward rhythm of two people who don't dance often but are having fun anyway. Jane's red dress shimmered under the lights, and Yuri was clearly saying something that made her laugh even harder.
I smiled a little. They'd always been close in Section E — constant teasing, joking around during projects — so it just looked like two good friends blowing off some steam after a long week. Nothing more, nothing dramatic.
Jare saw them too and leaned over. "Guess she finally convinced someone to dance," he said casually, sipping his drink.
"Yeah," I replied with a small grin. "They're just messing around. You know how those two are."
We didn't think much of it. The song ended, they laughed again, and the night went on — simple, easy, and kind of nice to watch