Chapter 49 COMPOSE YOURSELF
MERRIELYNN.
Between working on dodging Cormac’s persistent meddling, and Juniper’s icy stares, I’d been walking on eggshells.
The only thing keeping me going was the Auction Dinner.
It wasn’t just an event; it was my lifeline.
Organizing the dinner was my ticket to proving to the headmaster that I could be a valuable student at Pinnthorpe Academy, despite the stigma that had followed me since day one.
If I could help pull off a flawless evening, I could leave this school with my dignity—and my record—intact.
The rehearsal was tonight, and I told myself I could make it through without any surprises.
The committee had turned the dining hall into a trial run for the big night.
String lights hung overhead, soft music played in the background, and students moved between tables set with pristine white linens and silverware. A few of us were running through a checklist, making sure everything was in order.
By some miracle, it was all going smoothly.
I smiled, just a little, as I watched the others laughing and chatting while they rehearsed their roles. If we could keep this up, the actual event at the end of the semester would be perfect.
I felt hopeful.
But then the doors opened, and in walked Cormac.
I stiffened, my smile disappearing as quickly as it had come.
He was late, of course.
He strolled in like he owned the place, his hands shoved into the pockets of his tailored pants, and a cocky grin plastered across his face.
A few heads turned to look at him, whispers starting up immediately. Most people weren’t used to seeing him at things like this I supposed. He wasn’t exactly the school spirit type.
I told myself to focus on my task—arranging name cards for the seating chart. But my fingers fumbled, and I dropped one.
“Mere, are you okay?” Nina, one of the committee members, asked from across the table.
“Fine,” I said quickly, bending down to grab the card. I avoided looking in Cormac’s direction.
For the rest of the night, I did my best to dodge him. I moved from table to table, checking centerpieces, marking notes on the program, and chatting with the other students. I even volunteered to carry trays of glasses to the back when they needed help.
Anything to stay busy and out of his way.
But as luck would have it, I wasn’t invisible for long.
I rounded a corner near the dance floor, and there he was, leaning casually against a column. His dark eyes locked on mine the moment I stepped into view.
“Merrielynn,” he said, that lazy smile creeping back onto his face.
I froze, every muscle in my body tensing. “Cormac,” I said flatly.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said, pushing off the column and taking a step closer.
“No, I haven’t.”
He tilted his head, his smile growing. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“I’m busy,” I said quickly, clutching my clipboard like it was a shield.
“Too busy to say hello?” he asked, his voice teasing.
“Yes.” I turned to walk away, but he moved faster, stepping in front of me and blocking my path.
“You’re really going to keep this up all night?” he asked, his tone light but his gaze sharp.
I sighed, my frustration bubbling to the surface. “What do you want, Cormac?”
He didn’t answer right away.
Instead, he held out a hand, palm up.
“Dance with me.”
I blinked. “What?”
“You heard me.”
I stared at him, half-expecting him to laugh and say he was joking.
But he didn’t. His hand stayed outstretched, waiting.
“No,” I said firmly. “Absolutely not.”
“Why not?”
“Because—” I glanced around, lowering my voice. “Because people are already talking about us. I’m not giving them more to gossip about.”
He smirked, like that was exactly the answer he’d been expecting. “Let them talk.”
“No,” I repeated, trying to sidestep him.
But he caught my wrist, gently but firmly, and pulled me toward the center of the room.
“Cormac—”
“It’s one dance, Merrielynn.”
Before I could protest again, he placed a hand on my waist and took my other hand in his. The music slowed, and I realized too late that the band had started playing a soft, romantic tune.
I wanted to disappear.
Every eye in the room seemed to be on us as we moved across the floor. My heart pounded, and I kept waiting for the inevitable moment when Cormac would do something humiliating.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he guided me through the steps with surprising ease, his movements smooth and confident.
“You’re not terrible at this,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Gee, thanks,” I muttered, trying to focus on anything but the fact that his hand was on my waist.
For a few minutes, we danced in silence. The whispers around us faded into the background, and I found myself relaxing just a little. His grip was steady, his steps careful. It was…nice.
And that scared me.
When the song ended, he released me and stepped back, a light grin on his face. “See? That wasn’t so bad.”
I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded, my cheeks burning.
Without another word, he turned and left the room, his friends trailing after him, one by one.
It was almost robotic.
But I noticed Valtor wasn’t among them.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the door.
What had just happened?
Why hadn’t he used the dance to embarrass me, like I’d expected? And why, despite everything, had it felt…good?
“Hey, you okay?”
I turned to see Tobias, he was holding out a hand, his smile warm and inviting.
“Do you want to dance?” he asked.
I hesitated, still caught off guard by my interaction with Cormac. But Tobias’ smile was genuine, and I found myself nodding.
“Sure,” I said softly.
As we moved back onto the dance floor, I let myself breathe for the first time all night. Tobias’ easy conversation and kind demeanor were a welcome distraction, pulling my thoughts away from Cormac and his confusing behavior.