The following day we were kept in our rooms, only let out for breakfast and lunch. For dinner, they brought us sandwiches and a bag of chips to our rooms since the cafeteria was being set up for the big dance. From the small barred window in my room, I was able to watch the sun go down. Not long after it did, the guards walked up and down the halls doing their final bed checks. 

As the two peaked in our rooms, I listened to them talk about how they would be heading downstairs to patrol the dance for the next couple of hours. It was just like we suspected, most of the guards would be on dance duty. The guard stepped away from my door and I got into position, ready to perform the first part of what Lolly referred to as " Operation Boogie Night".

I ran to the door and peered out, watching the guards as they checked the rest of the rooms. When the began to pass my door to head back, I eyed the guard with the keys jingling on his belt. It was simply slid onto the belt, that way it was easy for them to get to in case of an emergency.

I reached out to the keys with my mind and mentally tested their wait, lifting them slowly from the belt. This required being very careful, which was hard to do using only my mind. But I had to be quick too, if they walked too far away too quickly I wouldn't be able to get the keys free.

Luck was on my side, the keys slipped from the belt easily and without making any noise. I held them there, suspended in air, as the guards walked to the end of the hall and turned the corner. When I was sure they were gone, I sent the keys flying through Lolly's door's window where she was supposed to be waiting. Once they were through the window my mind released it's hold on the keys and I listened as they clanged to the floor.

"Got it, Chloe," Lolly announced as quietly as possible.

I watched through my door's window as Lolly appeared out of thin air into the hall, keys in hand. She unlocked my door first and went on to Sage's next. By the time I opened my door and walked out into the hall she was already working on getting Alicia's door open.

"I have to go let the boys out," Lolly told us after finishing Alicia's door and then zapping out of sight.

That was our cue to make our way to the guard's desk just outside the Class B hallways. We made sure to walk quietly so as not to let the others in the hall know we were free. Didn't need them wanting in on our little plan, or worse, yelling for the guards.

We waited just inside the B-Girls hallway, where we could keep an eye on the guard but stay just out of sight. It didn't take long before Lolly popped back into the hall with us.

"The boys are out and waiting for the next move."

Alicia nodded and went ghost mode before going out to the guard's desk. I couldn't see what she was doing, but the plan was for her to see if he was asleep or awake. We didn't have to wait long, a minute later she reappeared right in front of us with a thumbs up and a nod.

Very carefully we stepped out into the small guard area and looked for the boys. Through the B-Boys entrance, I spotted Wes peaking from around the corner and I motioned for him to come out. The boys made their way out and all of us began our slow and quiet decent down the stairwell. At the bottom, we ducked down behind the doors that looked out into the guard area in front of the Class A dorms. Simultaneously we all let out a sigh of relief when the coast was clear. Looked like Lucas' assumption that the rest of the guards would be at the dance was right.

We were able to make it down to the next floor without any problems, but now we were on the same floor as the dance. Music boomed and blared from the cafeteria and the hallway lights were turned off. Both of those would help to sneak across the hall to the next set of stairs if we were lucky.

One by one we looked around the corner to get a glimpse of the action in the cafeteria. The lights inside were dimmed, a few tables were set up with snacks and punch, and the loud music seemed to be coming from a large stereo set up in the back. It looked like every guard in the building was standing along the walls including Mr.B and Ms. Pierce. The kids dancing and mingling weren't in their usual gray uniforms but instead wore what looked like donated and hand-me-down dresses and suits. The whole scene may not have looked like much to some, but to us, it looked like Cinderella's ball.

After we all got a look at the festivities, we took turns quickly darting across the hall to the stairs. Well, all except Lolly who just popped to the other side, and Alicia who disappeared until she made it across the hall.

The rest of the journey to the basement training room was a breeze considering the first floor was completely empty. Still though, once we made it to the big room we used to hone our schools, I let out a deep relieving breath that we had done it without getting caught. Everyone else seemed equal parts relieved and nervous. It was like now that we had made it no one was sure what to do next. Lolly seemed to pick up on this pretty quickly.

"I'll be right back!" She announced enthusiastically and poofed into thin air.

We all stood around, awkwardly looking at each other and waiting for her to return. When she did, she held a small radio in her hands. Lucas helped her set it up on a chair and together they decided on a radio station that seemed to be playing all the latest hits. Neither one of them paid any of us attention after that, as they grabbed hold of each other and began dancing.

"Want to dance?" Declan asked turning to Sage.

She nodded and I could have sworn her face turned a deep shade of pink. Hand in hand they walked over to where Lucas and Lolly were bumping and grinding and began to dance in much more appropriate manner. I watched, a big smile spreading across my face, as my sister seemed to be actually letting loose and enjoying herself. But the poor girl didn't seem to hold an ounce of rhythm in her body. Luckily, Declan either didn't notice or didn't care as he tried to pull off a weird interpretation of the running man.

"Hey."

I turned to find Wes standing right behind me, that sly smile I loved so much taking hold of his face.

"Hey yourself."

"You want to dance?"

I looked over to the others moving and swaying to the music before looking back into Wes' gray-blue eyes.

"I don't want to embarrass myself," I answered.

Wes opened his mouth to say something else when a slow song started pouring from the radio's speakers. Whatever he was about to say was quickly forgotten as he grabbed my hand and led me to the unofficial dance floor.

"You can't embarrass yourself with a slow dance, just follow my lead," he instructed.

A nervous chuckle escaped my mouth. "You won't be saying that when I crush your toes."

"You, Chloe McKenna, may be strong, but I promise you won't hurt me," he replied turning to face me and pulled me close wrapping his arms around my waist.

I followed his lead and wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned my head down on his chest as we slowly swayed back and forth to the music. Swaying was good, it was easy and meant I didn't have to move my feet too much. It also meant I could just focus on the feel of Wes' arms around me and the sound of his heart beating steadily in his chest. The whole thing was both soothing and exciting. I had never felt safer or more nervous then I did in that moment.

As much as I was enjoying our dance, I felt the need to talk. Maybe talking would help to calm my racing heart.

"After we fight the Keepers and released from Landry's, what next? What do you think will be next for all of us?" I asked not bothering to lift my head up from his chest.

A moment of silence hung in the air before Wes finally replied, "I'm not sure, but something tells me the Organization isn't going to let us go that easily."

That statement did make me lift my head up to search for answers in Wes' eyes.

"You think we'll be stuck? Like Ms. Pierce and Mr. B?"

The thought had never crossed my mind, that we would be permanently owned by the Organization. We could be their prisoners, forced to fight their battles whenever they called. Was that what my life was destined to be like?

Wes must have saw the shock and panic in my eyes because soon his own worried expression relaxed and his mouth twitched up into that beautiful smile before he answered with, "Being stuck with you doesn't sound so bad to me."

My own smile took over my face and I knew I was blushing some shade of pink.

It was sweet and exactly what I needed to hear in that moment. It may not have been the answers to all my questions but it did remind me that whatever was ahead of us, we would at least have each other. All seven of us together, we could face whatever came our way.

With that thought, I looked around the room at my friends enjoying themselves. Lolly and Lucas danced clung to each other, looking for like they were trying to make a baby then dance. Declan and Sage had stopped dancing but were snuggled together sitting against the wall, deep in their own conversation.

The room was filled with simple joys and everyone having fun. It made me feel euphoric and when I drew my attention back to Wes I could tell he felt it too.

"You want to go somewhere more private?" he asked, almost looking bashful.

The idea of being somewhere "private" with Wes made my heart start to race all over again and I had a feeling talking wasn't going to be much of an option. At the same time, turning him down wasn't an option either. I had a feeling that telling Wes no about anything was going to be a challenge for me. Besides, alone time did sound fun, in a scary kind of way.

With my nerves on edge, I was unable to get a word out, so I opted for nodding yes instead. Wes' eyes lit up before he grabbed my hand a lead me out the door to the basement hall. On our way out I could hear Lucas, Lolly, and Declan all hoot and holler. I was grateful they couldn't see my face as I was sure it was turning a deep red now.

We didn't go far down the hall, only one door down and into the rest room where Declan and Wes had napped after their all-nighter a few weeks ago. The fact that their were beds, cots, in the room made me a bit more nervous. Wes must have felt my unease once again and grabbed my hand, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb while he looked me in the eyes.

"I just wanted some time alone with you, nothing more. This isn't some scheme to get into your pants."

His eyes practically pleaded with me to believe him, and I did. All I've ever felt with Wes was safe, and I knew he would never push me to do something I wasn't ready for. Realizing this, I smiled before giving him a small kiss. The action caused his whole body to relax and he let out a deep breath of relief.

We each took a seat, me on one of the cots, and him on a chair facing toward me. He held my hand in his and continued to rub those soothing circles as he looked at me.

"So tell me, Chloe McKenna, how does your first Landry's dance compare to ones you went to at school?"

I tried to act affected by his question. Thinking about the weak person I was before coming here was something I wanted to do tonight, but I didn't want to be rude either. If I was as strong as I thought I was, I could talk about my past with Wes.

Shrugging I answered, "I never went to dances at school."

"What? Why not?" Wes asked with actual shock written all over his face.

"I stayed in the shadows at my old school. No one noticed me so no one ever asked me to go to any of the dances."

"The kids at your old school must have been blind," he answered looking me from head to toe.

I looked down at the floor, trying to hide my embarrassment. It was no use though. Wes hooked his finger under my chin and pulled my face up to look at him.

"You should never be in the shadows, babe, and I don't want you to ever hide from me. Deal?"

Tears stung my eyes but I managed to get out a small, "Mm-hmm," right before Wes leaned down and pressed his mouth to mine.

The kiss started small and sweet but soon it felt like both of us were on fire as each movement of our lips deepened. What he gave, I took, and vice versa. But the space between us was too much, so I pulled him closer to me, ultimately making him switch from his chair to sitting on the cot next to me. Once there, our arms wrapped around each other and we held on tightly to one another, leaving no space between our bodies.

Wes' lips left mine only to skim along my jaw and work their way to my neck. I couldn't help the small whimpers that escape my mouth. The feeling of his mouth against my skin was memorizing like he was putting me in a trance of desire and pleasure. I could have stayed like that forever but the moment was broken when a glass breaking scream sounded from the floor above.

Wes pulled away to look at me with worry and confusion, "What was that?"