A/N: Hey guys! It's been quite a while, yeah? Sorry about that. I've finally got the creative wheel turning again and I am starting my return with this story. It was originally posted by ReticentNinja but she has discontinued it. So, I figured, why not pick it up? I will continue re-posting her chapters until I get to the point where she stopped and then continue on my own. I have edited her chapters as well.

-あい

"C-Can I have this dance?"

The blaring trendy music gradually interchanged to a slow-beat rhythm. Artificial multi color lights dimmed in the low lit gymnasium, making it a romantic night for the students fluidly moving on the dance floor. Ruben stood there shaking in his black slim fit-dress pants, and he could feel his arms trembling underneath his black dress shirt that sported a red tie around his neck. His hands were tucked behind his back and his shoulders straightened like a ruler, the same posture that soldiers gave at attention. His teeth lightly chattered and he could feel balls of sweat forming on his palms. Everyone could see what a nervous wreck he was. Behind his back, he could even feel his cousin, Yang, face-palming herself to how humiliating he probably looked right now.

It wasn't his idea to do this. His friends persistently pressured him to ask the cheerleader captain and student council president, Weiss Schnee, for a single end of the school year dance. They insisted how cute the two would look despite how they barely knew each other. His friends went off on how they were the two smartest students in the school, and that was enough reason to get together. Then they gave his back a big shove and told him to go now before a bunch of other male bees swarmed around the alluring white flower. As for their last parting helpful advice, they said to be suave because women like men brimming with confidence, but what they were asking for was practically impossible. Ruben couldn't be suave when he was this edgy.

And that's why he's standing here.

That's why he's standing in front of the dazzling Weiss Schnee who was wearing a strapless white dress that hugged her curves real nicely. Ruben could feel the icy blue eyed beauty staring up at him, judging him to his very soul. He never actually saw her up close like this before. This was a first time, and he had to admit that the rumors were right. No wonder she had the males flocking like sheep to grab at least a date. She was definitely beyond gorgeous and smelled really nice. The way her platinum hair glimmered under the flashing lights, and the way her lips curled to the movement of words leaving her mouth captivated his silver eyes.

Wait a minute... Words?

"It's not can I."

"Huh?" he replied stupidly.

"It's may I," she corrected him.

"Ah! Of course! Um, may I have this dance?" Ruben sheepishly flashed a grin at her.

There was a bit of silence.

"No."

That 'no' stung a bit, leaving Ruben's mouth dry. Weiss shot him down in an instant even though he knew there wasn't a slim chance she would say yes. But he tried anyways with some slither of hope. He already knew they lived worlds apart. There wasn't a single person on the planet that didn't know about the Schnee Business Company. They were one of the wealthiest families that contributed to the economy. Whether it was for better or worse, they were the ones constructing skyscraper buildings and putting more jobs in the market.

And him?

He lived an ordinary life with his mother. He loved tinkering with technology and loved running, but there was nothing exactly special about him. Other than his natural gift of intelligence, he was just a normal boy with normal knees.

"O-Oh, okay. Thanks for the opportunity."

He left with an awkward uptight bow. Rather than feeling Yang face-palming herself, he could feel the whole gang doing the same. They probably felt terrible for sending off a doltish boy to the great Weiss shark. Ruben trudged back to his friends with his head hung low in dejection. He mentally slapped and cursed to himself for bowing. Seriously, who bows? A heavy sigh left his mouth for the cringing embarrassment that cannot be undone.

"Hey Ruben, it's okay!" Jaune, Ruben's best friend, patted him on the shoulder. They met during elementary school and the blonde had just transferred in from another state. Jaune was an awkward young boy just like he was, and that's how their friendship sprouted. "On the bright side, the other guys aren't having much luck either." The blond boy pointed behind him. Ruben turned around and saw a crowd of students surrounding the platinum beauty. However, every single one of them were shot down mercilessly.

"Indeed. It seems like you held the longest conversation compared to the rest of the males," Ren added in to cheer him up.

"Really?"

Ren nodded back at Ruben whose head perked up with a gleaming smile. He understood how observant the magenta streaked haired boy was. His speculations were not always far off track after knowing him these three years. They met in the beginning of freshman year of high school in one of their required classes. He was a quiet person, but that's because he enjoyed people watching. Even to this day as juniors, going to be seniors, Ruben could never comprehend how a quiet person like him could be best friends with Nora, a girl with intense spasm of energy.

"At least you tried!" Yang gave him a proud smile. Her strong arms wrapped around her cousin's neck and gave him quick pull. Ruben choked a little from Yang's strength. She was in the school's varsity boxing team and had been since freshman year. It was all thanks to her that her team were able to compete in the nationals. "Now you won't have any regrets."

"Yang, please let go," Ruben pleaded. "It's hot in here as it is." Students dancing and sweating with barely any air circulation in the gymnasium made the building quite stuffy. The tingling nervousness that still hadn't left didn't do it justice either.

"Well, let's head out. Dance is almost over and I'm thinking ice cream sounds about good right now," Yang said as she pulled her strangling arm away from her cousin.

"I concur. Ice cream does sound delicious," Pyrrha giggling admitted while she fanned herself with her hand. Her backless red dress matched perfectly well to her toned arms that she had developed over the years in track and field. Ruben often saw Pyrrha out in the open field, but she was never there for the sake of running. The redhead favorite shot put and javelin throws over short and long distance runs.

"Ice cream!" Nora sang aloud in her normal enthusiastic voice. The orange haired girl was a bundle of excitement to the point that it was sometimes overtaxing to be around her. Ruben could never understand how Ren could be with her almost the entire day without collapsing from mental exhaustion.

"You're not going to slow dance with your girlfriend? Speaking of which, where is Blake?" Ruben turned his nose and directed his question to Yang.

"Nah, she's in the bathroom. I'm sure she would rather be somewhere quiet than this, and I quote 'rowdy place.' "

"It is rowdy," Blake affirmed as she joined the conversation. "I rather read my books." Ruben smiled at Blake's comment. Like between Ren and Nora, Blake and Yang were two polar characters. They met when Yang accidentally went into the wrong classroom for detention, and that was during the time when Blake was about to hold her book club meeting. His cousin had caught Blake reading a notorious book known for its smutty, detailed narrations; the same book that Yang enjoyed reading.

"Then it's settled. Those who are in favor of getting ice cream, say bonzai!" Yang cheered over the loud music.

"Bonzai!" Everyone said in unison.

As everyone exit through the gymnasium door, Ruben took one glance back. The smile left his face as his eyes landed on the white haired girl that stood off to the side, seemingly as if she was not there. The boys buzzing around her had dispersed and left the girl standing there idly alone. Not a single smile graced her face as her arms were crossed underneath her chest.

To Ruben, it didn't seem like she enjoyed her night.