LOVED ONE

The light in the club was low but blinding, Cade looked around trying to soak in the face of everyone there. This was his last night at Starlit Haven. He had spent the last six years of his life studying and partying so hard, that he could not believe it was finally over and that he had to return home. He had taken early admissions because the school offered admission to those less than eighteen years of age. 

He had gotten in with his brains and family influence when he was just sixteen years old and had spent the next few years completing his bachelor's degree and two master's degrees in business management. He was adamant and determined to take over his family’s company. He was twenty-three now and this was finally his escape from all the studying he had to do. 

He was a regular at this club and he always loved it here, there were always girls to pick up, especially those who willingly threw themselves at him because of his wealth. Yes, his family back home in Rosewood City were in the top five of the city's billionaires. His identity was never hidden. 

“You have been saying for years now that you can not wait to get out of this school but why do you seem sad now that it is time to go?” Luke asked before taking a swig from his cup. 

“What do you mean sad?” he scoffed looking around. 

“You are not partying as hard as you usually do” Luke replied and he chuckled. 

“Nothing of interest today” he said gesturing to the dance floor. 

“Harper did not come today,” Sam said and they all shivered. 

“Why would you call her name and pronounce bad luck on us like that?” Luke said as he threw one of the pillows to Sam. He turned to Cade and began to speak. “You will not find any fun if you decide to sit on your ass here all night” 

“Are you asking me to go to the dance floor?” he asked sitting up and pointing to the dance floor from the VIP table they were seated at. 

“Yes, you proud wealthy man, to get a girl you need to be in her space” Luke encouraged.

“Except she is Harper” Sam added earning a glare from the other two men. 

“The night is young let loose and have fun,” Luke said standing up before filling the glass in his hand and heading to the dance floor. 

Cade could not believe that for the first time in forever, he had to go to the dance floor before he found a lady. It had never been that difficult for him before. Ladies always flocked around him, he was the one who tried to run away from them because of their persistence. 

“If you don't want to come to the dance floor then I guess you'd have to suit yourself” Sam said before going in the same direction that Luke had gone. 

Cade shifted in his seat and sat at the edge of the chair taking up the bottle and pouring a little into his cup. Suddenly it was like the dance floor cleared for a woman, she was shaking so vigorously and unrhythmically that anyone could refer to it as dance but surprisingly everyone left the dance floor for her. Some amongst them were even hailing her.

He pressed his lips together as he tried to make out her face, she had a round small face and she danced so horribly that it was hard to miss but her face was so perfectly sculpted that it was as though someone had sat down to draw out the details themselves. She kept dancing so much that she did not stop at any point to see what others were doing. 

Some people were already joining in the dance at some point, but she still stood out among them all. A smile was permanently pasted on her face, after a good solid minutes of dancing she finally slowed down her tempo and began to walk out of the dance floor towards the VIP booth section. 

She slowed down as she passed by his booth and gave him a wink, he could not be so sure about what he saw because of the dim light in there but he could swear that she was making advances at him. He cleared his throat and slurped down the contents in his cup before standing up and walking over to the booth she had stopped at. She smiled to welcome him as though she had been waiting for him.

“I see you are alone” he said and she nodded. 

“Must you be with the company when you come to the club? If you have company then you should go on a date instead” Her voice still sounded firm even though he could swear that she was already tipsy.

“That is a fair point, can I join you?” he asked and she nodded, he slipped in and sat with her. 

All his lines were suddenly lost in his throat as he could not for the life of him remember anything he would have said normally and instead, he said. “You dance…”

She did not allow him to finish his statement before she cut him off. “Beautifully? Like an angel? Like I was born to dance?” she asked and he laughed. She was no ordinary girl, it was obvious she came from money with how she spoke and acted. 

“Well, if you say so then I guess it is true,” he said and she nodded. 

“You should have joined me on the dance floor instead of just watching me,” she said with a wink. 

“Are you flirting with me?” he asked so suddenly that she was thrown off by his question. “It is just that it feels that way,” he said and she shook her head. 

“I guess your ego must be bigger than your head” she said taking the cup to her mouth and downing the entire cup contents in there. 

“Well confidence is key isn't it?” he asked taking out his hand for a handshake. “I am Cade” 

She looked at his hand intently, it was as though she was carefully studying it and weighing in her mind the reasons why she should take his hand, after a second of his hand in the air and him already getting embarrassed she finally took his hand, his huge hands covering her small hand that it was almost lost in there. 

“I am Victoria, but you can call me Toria”