Chapter 23

How did I let Mokuba talk me into this?

It was late Tuesday afternoon, and Alex was pacing back and forth in the front hall of Kaiba's mansion. She was wearing a lavender dress with a matching hair ribbon along with black leggings, waiting for Mokuba and Roland to set things up in a nearby room. As Alex waited, she recalled what had happened that led to this.

As Alex was finishing up work at Kaiba Corp yesterday afternoon, she overheard a few co-workers talking excitedly about an upcoming charity ball. The female employees were especially excited although Alex hoped that she wouldn't have to go.

After finishing up her work for the day, Alex approached Mr. Williamson and said,

"Sir, I'm all done for the day. There's something I wanted to ask you, but it's not really work-related."

Mr. Williamson looked questioningly at Alex, but nodding, he replied, "Go ahead."

Alex then told him what she had overheard about the charity ball and then said, "I don't have to go, right?"

Mr. Williamson replied, "Only full-time employees are required to go to these events. As you're a part-time intern, you don't need to, but I am surprised you'd rather skip out on it."

Alex replied, "Why's that, sir?"

Mr. Williamson smiled and replied, "The women get really excited over these events. It's pretty obvious why, having an excuse to dress up. And everyone can't help but be curious over Mr. Kaiba's date. He always escorts a lady to one of these events, and she tends to be outstanding."

Although Alex wasn't too surprised to hear this, there was something inside her that felt like her heart was clenching. However, she smiled and replied,

"I see. I can certainly understand, but I really dislike these kinds of events, so I'm glad I can skip out on it."

"Alex, you don't want to go?"

Alex turned towards the sound of the voice, and that's when she noticed Mokuba. Mr. Williamson quickly smiled at Mokuba and said,

"It's a pleasant surprise to see you, Mr. Mokuba. I was just answering Ms. Lawrence's question."

Alex replied, "Yes, that's right. Thank you, sir. I'll be going now, and I'll see you on Wednesday."

Mr. Williamson nodded, and then Alex turned to Mokuba and said,

"I'm tired, so I'll head back to my apartment now."

Alex headed towards the elevator, but Mokuba followed and said,

"Roland and I will give you a ride, and we need to talk."

Alex sighed, guessing what Mokuba wanted to bring up. However, she nodded, taking up Mokuba's offer.

During the ride home, Mokuba pressed Alex on why she didn't want to attend. Although Alex had many reasons, she noted that she was a terrible dancer. That's when Mokuba proposed his idea to Alex.

Alex sighed and muttered to herself, "And that's how I got myself into this situation."

Mokuba approached Alex and happily said, "Ok, everything's all set up. Let's go."

He grabbed Alex's hand and led the way towards what appeared to be a beautiful ballroom. Once they arrived, Alex took a moment to look at her surroundings and she commented,

"It is a beautiful room, but I'm a lost cause."

Mokuba replied, "Anyone can dance, Alex."

Alex replied, "If I was Tea, maybe. But I wasn't joking when I said that I'm a terrible dancer. Cas even hired professional dance instructors, but all I did was injure their feet and had them sent to the hospital."

She looked at Roland and said, "Mr. Roland, if I were you, I'd wear lead boots."

Mr. Roland smiled a bit and replied, "I'll be fine, Ms. Alex."

Alex sighed and said, "You remember our deal, Mokuba. If you can't teach me to dance, then you help me come up with a plausible excuse to skip out on this."

Mokuba nodded and replied, "I know, but I really don't get it. I've never heard of anyone refusing to go."

Alex replied, "I'm not just anybody."

Mokuba replied, "Obviously, but it can't just be because you don't know how to dance."

Alex replied, "As I told Mr. Williamson yesterday, I really don't like these kinds of events, especially the ones where I have to pretend to be something that I'm not."

Alex thought to herself,

Although that's ironic, coming from me.

Mokuba replied, "But masquerade balls are lots of fun. Besides, Seto will be disappointed if you don't go."

Alex replied, "Why does Kaiba care?"

Mokuba shook his head and replied, "It should be obvious by now, but I guess you'll have to figure it out yourself."

Alex looked questioningly at Mokuba although she didn't press him further. Mokuba then said,

"Let's give this a try."

Mokuba then pressed the play button on a CD player, which played a slow waltz piece. He then had Roland stand in front of Alex and hold her in a dance position. Then Roland tried to take the lead in the dance, with Mokuba giving instructions to Alex. However, Alex kept overthinking things and stressing out, so she ended up stepping on Roland's feet.

After several attempts, Mokuba said,

"Let's take a break."

Roland let go of Alex and muttered, "Thank you, Mr. Mokuba."

He took a seat in a nearby chair, and Alex said, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Roland. Please don't sue me."

Roland smiled and replied, "It's ok, Ms. Alex. You gave us fair warning."

Alex smiled a bit and then took a seat next to Mokuba. Mokuba turned to her and said,

"You weren't lying about not being able to dance, but I don't get it. You were able to fight off those guys without breaking a sweat, but you can't dance?"

Alex sulked and replied, "I'd rather fight off 20 guys than slow dance."

Mokuba shook his head and replied, "I'm not giving up that easily."

Alex replied, "It's probably easier to, though. Even if we were to accomplish the impossible, I'd need a dress, and it's simply not in my budget to get one for this kind of event."

Mokuba replied, "Oh, that's not a problem."

Alex looked confused and replied, "Huh?"

Mokuba smiled a bit and replied, "Seto already anticipated that, so he's going to send a really good dress designer for you and you can custom design it. And he says you're not allowed to refuse."

Alex sighed and replied, "It feels like charity, but whatever. It's a moot point, anyway, since I'd have to be able to dance and I can't."

Mokuba replied, "And that's why I'm not giving up. You'll learn to dance, so you and Seto can dance together."

Alex blushed and replied, "Is that why? I, um, really don't want to."

Mokuba looked surprised and replied, "You don't want to dance with Seto?"

Alex replied, "It would be unprofessional since Kaiba's my boss and all. What would people say?"

Mokuba replied, "You do remember what I told you before, about Seto doing his own thing? He isn't going to care what others think."

Alex replied, "I know, but image is important."

Mokuba looked carefully at Alex and then asked, "Alex, is there another reason you don't want to go?"

Alex avoided looking at Mokuba. In truth, Alex didn't want to see Kaiba with another date. Alex looked back at Mokuba and replied,

"Not really. I mean, I'd rather relax in my apartment and watch a movie on TV or something."

Mokuba replied, "You can do that anytime, but these events don't happen often."

Alex sighed and replied, "I guess, but I still don't want to go."

Mokuba shook his head and then replied, "Ok, I'll hold up my end of the deal. If we're unable to get you to dance, then I'll help you come up with an excuse."

Alex smiled a bit and replied, "Thanks."

After a few more minutes, Mokuba then said, "Let's give this another try."

Alex and Roland stood up and took up their positions. Again, Alex tried to dance according to Mokuba's instructions but to no avail. Mokuba looked like he was about to have a headache, and Roland was doing his best to suppress the pain that his feet were enduring. Mokuba then said,

"Stop, stop."

He looked to Alex and said, "You win, Alex. It would be cruel of me to let this continue."

Alex smiled apologetically and replied, "I agree."

She turned to Roland and said, "Again, I'm so sorry, sir. I'd put some ice on your feet and rest. At least, you're stronger than a lot of the other instructors who tried to teach me."

Roland nodded and slowly walked towards a chair to sit down. Alex turned to Mokuba and said,

"I don't want to say that I told you so, but I did say that I'm a lost cause."

"A lost cause?"

Alex, Mokuba, and Roland turned towards the direction of the voice, and there was Kaiba standing in the doorway. Alex looked like a deer caught in headlights, not knowing how to respond. Mokuba replied,

"Welcome back, Seto. All done with work?"

Kaiba nodded and replied, "I am, but what's going on here?"

Alex quickly smiled and replied, "Nothing important." She looked at the time on her phone and added, "Wow, I had no idea it was so late already. I should get going."

She then tried to quickly walk out of the room, but Kaiba grabbed her wrist and said,

"Not so fast. I want an explanation now."

He looked at Mokuba and added, "Mokuba?"

Mokuba laughed and replied, "It's really nothing important."

Kaiba shook his head and looked at Roland, who appeared to be rubbing his feet. Roland said,

"Mr. Mokuba or Ms. Alex should explain, and I need some ice."

Mokuba quickly replied, "I'll help with that."

He helped Roland to his feet, and as the two of them left the room, Mokuba said, "I'll see you later, Alex."

Alex pouted as Mokuba and Roland left and thought,

Thanks for abandoning me.

Alex turned to Kaiba and said, "Can you let go of me now? I really do need to get back. Lots of homework to do and all that."

Kaiba frowned and replied, "I do not like being kept in the dark. Now tell me what's going on."

Alex sighed and replied, "It's really nothing. Let's just say that I'm helping to save you from some major embarrassment."

Kaiba replied, "What do you mean?"

Alex remained silent, but as Kaiba still kept hold of her wrist, she couldn't escape. She looked nervous, hoping that Kaiba wouldn't figure it out.

Meanwhile, as it looked like Kaiba wasn't going to get an answer, he decided to make his own conclusions. He noticed Alex's outfit and behavior, and then he remembered seeing Roland rubbing his feet. He knew the room they were in, and then he figured it out. Although he wasn't totally certain, he asked,

"Were you trying to dance?"

Alex looked worried although she quickly tried to mask her feelings. She replied,

"No, nothing like that."

Kaiba replied, "It's pointless to hide the truth from me, Alex. Just tell me, please."

His face softened as he gazed directly into Alex's eyes, and finally relenting, she replied,

"Ok. Yes, I was trying to learn how to dance. But like I told Mokuba, it's impossible."

Kaiba wondered why Alex was trying to learn how to dance until he realized something and asked,

"Is this about the charity event?"

Alex nodded and replied, "Yeah, but I'd rather not go. But Mokuba insists that you want me to."

Kaiba replied, "I do want you there."

Alex replied, "Why?"

Kaiba replied, "You've been a huge help, and you deserve a night of fun."

Alex replied, "But you've done more than enough for me already. Besides, these events always make me uncomfortable, so I'd rather not go."

Kaiba looked deep in thought and then said, "I propose a challenge. I teach you to dance. If you can't, then you can skip out on it."

Alex nodded and replied, "Ok, but there's got to be a catch."

Kaiba smirked and replied, "There is. If you're able to dance, then…"

He whispered some words into Alex's right ear, making her blush. She then replied,

"That really isn't fair. It seems like you have more to gain than I do."

Kaiba replied, "If there's something you should know about me by now, it's that I don't necessarily play fair. Also, I play to win."

Alex muttered, "That's true."

Kaiba replied, "So do we have a deal?"

Alex nodded and replied, "Ok."

Satisfied, Kaiba walked towards the CD player and pressed the play button. A romantic slow song began to play, and Kaiba approached Alex. He wrapped his right arm around her waist and held her right hand in his left hand. He then said,

"Now put your free hand on my shoulder."

Alex did as she was told. Then Kaiba said, "Now I'm sure you're used to being in control."

Alex couldn't help pouting over the comment, and Kaiba smirked. Then he continued, "But that won't work for this kind of dance. You need to follow and trust in your partner. Trust is everything, Alex."

Kaiba gazed meaningfully at Alex, and Alex felt like there was some hidden meaning behind those words. But she didn't have much time to think it over as Kaiba continued,

"Now you need to relax and follow my lead. Let yourself enjoy the dance and not overthink it. And trust me, ok?"

Alex nodded, and Kaiba took the lead as the two of them danced. Although Alex still struggled at first, she didn't step on Kaiba's feet and she was able to quickly pick up on the dance. She followed Kaiba's advice and let herself trust him. Soon, she found herself dancing, almost as though she had been dancing for a long time. She relaxed and found herself even enjoying it.

After a few minutes passed, the two of them stopped, and Kaiba said,

"It looks like I win, and I'm looking forward to my reward."

Alex blushed deeply, but before she could say anything, Kaiba leaned in to kiss her passionately. She couldn't help but kiss him back, holding onto him. The two of them continued to kiss for a few moments until they heard a loud cough from the doorway. Their lips parted, and they quickly moved away from each other and looked towards the source of the cough. Mokuba was standing there with a mischievous grin on his face. He commented,

"I wanted to let you know that Roland is resting. I hope I wasn't interrupting."

Kaiba replied, "I was just teaching Alex how to dance, and she finally can."

Mokuba replied, "Is that what you call it? But it's good that Alex can dance now."

He looked teasingly at Alex and added, "You don't have an excuse anymore."

Alex sighed and replied, "I suppose not."

Kaiba turned to Alex and said, "I'm looking forward to dancing with you."

Alex nodded although she was too embarrassed to reply. Shortly after, Kaiba offered to drive Alex back to her apartment. Feeling too flustered to refuse, Alex simply nodded and followed Kaiba as they left the mansion and then headed back to her place.