I'm caught off guard.

I, Owen William Rhodes, leader of the East-side gang, is caught off guard by a golden work of art that steps through into the ballroom.

Goldy is wearing a golden dress that hugs her figure like it's her second skin. It falls down to the floor in a pool of gold after reaching her ass. The dress extends at the back - making it look like actual gold is leaking from Goldy while it drags behind her. The simplicity of the work is really what does it for her.

The warm lights in the ballroom caresses her dress and makes her shine even more. Goldy looks from left to right, a bit nervous, and then she looks straight at me.

Her golden hair is pulled back and falls down in near curls behind her - exposing her shoulders and highlighting her cheekbones. Her ocean blue eyes are a contrast to the golden look and I really can't stop staring at her.

She's breathtaking. Gorgeous. Beautiful. Magnificent. Perfect.

And at this moment, I know I'm in deep shit.

I gulp in a breath and try loosening my tie just a little because I can't breathe while I'm looking at Goldy.

I take a step towards the girl that'll surely be my downfall, but then Lynch with his golden bloody tie steps in front of my view and tells Goldy something. My blood starts to boil.

Her date is someone from the West-side?!?!?!

"If you stare any longer, the papers will gossip about how madly in love you are," Matt says when he suddenly joins me in watching Goldy.

"I thought being the one with two kisses makes the East in the lead for Goldy, but she chose someone from the West-side. What the hell are we going to do, Matt?" I ask through gritted teeth.

"Well, I think you're stupid if you think Amber's stupid. Faking it isn't making it with that girl," Matt points out.

I let out a heavy breath and try smoothing my hair back. "I don't even know what's fake and what's real anymore," I admit to Matt.

"Bro, she's real and that's all that matters," Matt says before walking after some redhead that passes us.

"Here goes nothing," I mumble to myself before walking over to Goldy and Lynch. The latter quickly jumps out of my way when he sees me.

"Excuse me, but may I have the first dance?" I ask Goldy.

"Uhm, no, I'm dancing with Lynch first," Goldy says.

I roll my eyes and sigh, "Let me rephrase that. I'm having the first dance with you," I say and sweep Goldy towards the dance floor as a new song suddenly starts playing. The violinists in the mini-orchestra at the side of the ballroom, furiously try to keep up with the pace of the song.

"I wish you guys would stop treating me like I'm some kind of object," Goldy growls.

I pull her body close to mine and her breath sends a shiver through me. Her ocean eyes are peering up at me and I just love being taller than her. Even in her heels.

"Why? Would you be nicer to me then?" I ask.

"I might not try to murder you in your sleep," Goldy shoot back.

I let out a chuckle and spin her around before bringing her back in closer than ever. People are dancing all around us, but it feels like it's just her and me and that really frightens me. Why does the rest of the world disappear?

"You, Goldy, will change the world one day," I laugh.

"Why?"

"Because you just can't fit in. This room, this town, this country. It's too small for you. You're not a drop in the ocean. You're an ocean in a drop," I say before swinging her - forcing her to hold onto me as I dip her low.

"To flatter and follow others, without being flattered and followed in turn, is but a state of half enjoyment," Goldy says before I pull her back up.

My mind sparks at that, because Goldy just quoted Jane Austen. I thank my lucky stars that my Mum is a huge Jane Austen fan.

"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart," I quote right back.

Goldy raises her eyebrow and we're dancing so in sync it's insane. I don't even have to try for our bodies to follow each other's rhythm.

"You know Jane Austen?" Goldy asks.

I rake my brain as quickly as possible for a witty response and find a quote my mother was going on about just the other day. "The person, be it gentlemen or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid," I quote.

Goldy looks really impressed, but then this competitive gleam shows in her eye. "Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boost," Goldy quotes.

She then does this little left-right with her head before going low with her leg between mine and coming back up. It's a classic tango move and I can't help but grin.

"You're pretty good," I comment both for the dancing and the Jane Austen quotes.

"Every savage can dance," Goldy quotes from Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice.

A comeback quote quickly jumps to my mind and I feel like a little boy that's excited over a new bike or something, but I try keeping that feeling contained - letting out a cool smirk. "Careful, Goldy," I say, "To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love," I quote.

Goldy's eyes stretches again and I spin her out - holding onto her with my outstretched arm, before yanking at her and spinning her back in. Her golden dress fans out from under her ass - making sure her figure is still hugged perfectly while the bottom of the dress turns into a wild storm of golden material. When I have her spinned back into my arms, her back is pressed to my chest.

"You can't deny that there's something between us," I whisper into her ear.

I can practically feel Goldy start to blush.

"W-what wild imaginations one forms w-where dear self is concerned! How sure to mistaken!" Goldy impressively quotes once again.

I quickly twirl her around before having her back in my arms with our eyes locked. She's looking completely flushed and it only boosts my confidence.

"You know, we're really good dancing partners. Do you remember how we danced at that party little more than a week ago? You were so drunk and yet you managed to bust out moves like it was the nineteen-eighties," I chuckle.

"I really don't think we're good dancing partners at all, Owen. We're not even in sync," Goldy says.

"Oh really?" I ask and twirl her with utter perfection before bringing her in close once again.

Goldy steps on my toes in response. "Oops," she says.

"You're wicked," I say and try not not let the sharp pain in my foot show in my expression.

The girl just stepped onto a gang leader's foot! Who does she think she is?

Since we're already so close, I take my chance and use the opportunity to lean in. Goldy goes stiff with panic and I smirk before going in even closer to try and steal my third kiss.

Goldy's eyes suddenly dart left and she quickly ducks out from under me - causing me to stumble and nearly fall.

"Bye!" she yells over her shoulder and I watch her rush to the buffet tables.

The song ends in anyway.

"Your ego must be little more than a wounded ball of rejections in a dark little corner," Sean comments when I dust off imaginary dust.

"Yeah, well, this isn't going to be funny when we lose that bet," I remind Sean.

"True," Sean sighs. "I'm just not liking having to spot Blake and his cronies every now and then. If I must hate the North for something, I will hate them for this ball that forces me to see the other gangs more than I'd like to," he adds.

"Yeah, I don't have any amount of patience when it comes to Bowmen," I growl.

"Hey, have you checked your messages though? We need to make sure everything's set," Sean says.

I grab my phone that's been on silence from my pocket and quickly check.

"Wow, you're right, I got a message," I tell Sean and quickly unlock my phone.

Sean leaves without another word.

And the message is from the same number that's been saving my ass lately. That told me Blake was in our territory that first day of school. That told me to walk into Goldy at school. That said I should take a different rout and that's how I got to save Goldy that first day from those two Northern thugs.

And it's this number that told me to make the whole bet in the first place.

All with the promise that Tygerwell will be as I want it.

I read the message.

What the hell? It's not even 8 PM yet!

Ignoring the text, I pocket my phone and go look for girls to dance with. I need my mind off of Goldy for just a few seconds so that I can breathe.

I don't notice the figure that keeps their eyes on me through the crowd.

I don't notice how they walk away - shaking their head.

But the night is young and I will notice everything when it's all too late...

Hey goldies!

SOOOOOO *in an Oprah voice* Amber gets an unknown number! Blake gets an unknown number! Owen gets and unknown number! EVERYONE'S GETTING AN UNKNOWN NUMBERRRRR!

Lol, but seriously, do you think they're all from Mysterious Fucker? And why does Owen have to leave the house? What's going to happen?!?!?! IS SOMEONE GOING TO DIE?

Thanks again a million for all the support and don't forget to comment and click that little star! Thanksssssssss and love y'all!!!!!

~ Holly Shmit