Serenity felt her ears start to ring and the room blur around her, but she shook her head and determinedly re-focused her gaze.
And she was met by exactly the same sight as before:
Kaiba and his mystery woman.
The former was as stunningly perfect as always, as much as Serenity hated to admit it. In fact, his look was even more polished because, like most of the other male guests, he wore a black tuxedo. Only it was nothing like the other guests, because it was Kaiba. That tuxedo in particular had obviously been made for him, but it also seemed to Serenity at that moment as though tuxedos in general, as a concept, had been developed with Kaiba in mind. He pulled it off effortlessly.
Then there was the girl.
Serenity didn't have any idea who she was. She looked a year or two younger than he was - maybe about her own age. Her short blonde bob was so sleek and shiny it looked almost silver, and the dark green dress she wore looked like something off a runway. Even in the dim lighting, the diamonds on the necklace she wore sparkled all the way across the room.
Serenity was still staring openly when Kaiba - by a horrible stroke of bad luck - happened to look in her direction.
Under any other circumstances, his look of shocked horror might have been satisfying. However, as things stood in that moment, it just made the encounter feel like that much more of a bad joke.
As he stared, his mouth slightly open in shock, the girl hanging on his arm seemed to tune in and followed his gaze. However, rather than immediately looking like she might be sick (as Kaiba had done) she lit up with a smile and began to gesture excitedly.
After a brief moment of confusion, Serenity realized that Kaiba's date must have noticed the banner advertising the coffee.
Watching their exchange from across the room was like watching a miserably awkward silent movie, exaggerated gestures, arm-waving arguments, pouting, and all. The only difference was, Serenity didn't get dialogue cards to fill in the blanks of what was being said - she could only make her best guesses.
It seemed the blonde mystery date was in the mood for coffee, and it seemed like - most likely because of Kaiba's distaste for public scenes - she was going to get her way.
As the two of them approached, Serenity sent up a silent prayer that she could just sink into the hardwood ballroom floor.
The prayer went unanswered.
In fact, it seemed as though time sped up, and she didn't have even a fraction of a section to mentally prepare herself before the two of them were standing right in front of her table. The anonymous blond date was glowing and effusive, and Kaiba looked like he had been carved out of ice.
"Hello, Seto," Serenity delivered in monotone, her smile not extending even halfway to her eyes. "Who's your friend?"
She had never called him by his first name - or any name, that she could recall - but in that moment, something about it felt a little devious and cold.
Exactly the feelings she wanted to convey.
"Seto, you know the coffee girl? That's so cute!"
The girl's voice - cutting in before Kaiba could even open his mouth - overflowed with the same oblivious excitement that had been evident in her expression from all the way across the room.
"My name is Regina Jaeger-LeCoultre," she continued. "I don't know anybody here! This is my first gala since my family moved back from Switzerland. I didn't think I'd be able to get a dress so last-minute, but my mom's stylist is a miracle worker. It also helps that I can fit the runway sizes."
Of course this girl hadn't realized anything was wrong, Serenity realized, she's much too focused on herself.
"It's a very pretty dress," Serenity replied.
"Do you think so? Thank you! It's a Murad. I met him last year in Venice and absolutely fell in love with his work. Don't tell anybody, though: it's from last season!"
"Your secret's safe with me."
As Regina laughed and clutched Kaiba's arm tighter, Serenity began to wonder how long she was going to allow this horrible, awkward interaction to go on.
Well, at least long enough to find out some answers to her own questions.
"How do you two know each other?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even.
"You mean, how was I lucky enough to get the Seto Kaiba as my date?" she asked, her bright blue eyes glittering.
Serenity felt her heart pounding in her throat.
"Something like that."
"Well, it's the craziest thing," Regina said. "I went with my father to a dinner party two nights ago, and Seto here happened to be at the same restaurant, a few tables over. Of course, we stopped by to say hello, and my father happened to ask if he was going to the gala. He said that he was - which, obviously he was, what a dumb question - but I thought to ask if he had anyone to go with! When he said he didn't, we were able to set this up."
"A man like Seto Kaiba, not having anybody to ask as a date," Serenity said, allowing her eyes to travel up to the subject of their conversation for the first time. "It's almost unbelievable."
Every muscle in Kaiba's face was tense, and he looked like he was praying his own version of Serenity's disappearance-prayer from earlier.
To her satisfaction, it wasn't answered for him, either.
"I couldn't imagine it either," Regina agreed. "But what a stroke of luck! We've had an amazing night."
As she watched Regina push her head into Seto's upper arm - she was a little too short to rest it on his shoulder - Serenity felt like her insides were being squeezed in someone's fist.
"Let me get you a cup of coffee," she heard herself say. "Decaf or regular?"
Regina paused for a moment, then brightened up again.
"Regular, of course! I've got to stay sharp for the after party!"
"Of course," Serenity agreed.
As she turned to reach for a cup from the table behind them, she was momentarily surprised to feel the sting of tears in the back of her throat. Stubbornly, she shook her head, swallowed, and made a brave face.
"I'll leave room for cream and sugar," she said as she turned around, knowing she sounded a little overly cheerful.
"Perf! How much?"
"Oh, uh, the coffee is complimentary for gala guests," Serenity replied.
"That's nonsense!" Regina exclaimed. "Here you are, working your fingers to the bone while we all have a party. And you don't even want any money? I won't take no for an answer."
Serenity had already put the tip jar away, so she awkwardly held her hand out to accept the fifty dollar bill that Regina had pulled out of her tiny evening bag.
"Thanks," Serenity said, her own voice sounding somehow far away. "Have a good time."
"Of course," Regina exclaimed, grabbing the styrofoam cup and giving her a quick grin. "The party's almost over, you should go home and get some rest. You've earned it!"
Serenity imagined for a moment that Kaiba might turn his head back over his shoulder and give her some kind of apologetic or even helpless look as his date steered him away, but of course, he didn't.
