This never got old.

I looked up at the Plaza hotel, where the annual Secretum Ordo party would be held tonight.

"Ready?" Arisa asked, turning to me.

"There's nothing like kissing ass to old rich people."

Arisa rolled her eyes. "It's an open bar, though."

I snorted. "Why do you think I'm here?"

A little smile appeared on her face, before she tugged me forward. "Come on. Duty calls."

We walked in, and were escorted to the event hall. We were offered glasses of champagne as soon as we entered the room. There were round tables on all sides. But most people chose to stand up, going around to mingle and make connections. Byron came in our line of sight and walked up to us.

"Busy night tonight," he said.

"No shit," I replied, as I looked around the room and saw many notable alumni. Most of them were big names in the tech industry. I didn't fail to notice the number of politicians here tonight as well.

"Since elections just finished, everyone's trying to get along well with the new administration."

"No surprise there," Arisa muttered, before taking a sip of her champagne.

"Go network," he urged. "Yash and Gwen already have their hands on some pretty heavy investors."

"For their research?" Arisa asked.

Byron nodded.

She let out a little laugh, shaking her head. "I don't even want to compete."

"Scared?" I teased.

"I don't want to lose a limb."

Byron and I chuckled.

"Good news, you don't have to." Byron slightly turned her body around to face the other side of the room, and leaned closer to add, "Someone wants to meet you. They said they're interested in what you have in mind for the next industrial evolution."

Her eyes widened. "That's—"

Byron grinned. "Yup.

She looked up at me in excitement, making me smile. She looked beautiful.

"Go," I mouthed.

She bit her bottom lip, before leaning up to kiss me on the cheek. "I'll be back!" With that, she hopped off to meet the tech mogul.

"Your turn."

I turned to Byron. "What?"

"Someone wants to meet you."

"I didn't submit any proposal."

Byron looked at me incredulously. "Do you think the alumni need a proposal for them to talk to you?"

"Why would they be interested?"

"Uh, I don't know—you're a big deal in collegiate football and now you're proving to be someone to watch out for as soon as you finish law school and pass the bar?"

"You give me too much credit."

"I see your potential," he said firmly. "I have no doubt they see it, too."

"Aw, dude. You're making me blush."

He rolled his eyes. "Just go. Don't keep Senator Adder waiting."

I blinked and stared at him. "Senator?"

"Yeah." He gave me a light push. "Behave!" my roommate added in a hiss.

I glanced at him over my shoulder. I almost stuck my tongue out at him, but I stopped myself. We weren't in Boston. We were in New York City, surrounded by renowned Secretum Ordo members.

Byron was right. I needed to behave.

"Alfred O'neal."

I gave a small downward nod towards Senator Adder, who raised a hand and motioned me to come over to him. "Good evening, Senator."

"I've heard so much about you, boy."

I smiled. "I assure you, most of them are true."

He laughed. "How are you finding law school?"

"Difficult, but all that's worthy are."

He nodded approvingly. "That's a good answer."

"Thank you."

"I heard you don't plan on going pro."

I looked at him questioningly.

"Football," he explained.

I knew that was what he meant. I was just a little confused as to how he found out. That was pretty fast. Did word get out already?

"I don't have passion for it like I used to," I simply answered.

"It's a shame, but I understand. Maybe handling the law is your true calling."

"I think so."

"The important thing is, you turned your life around after that... incident in Florida."

My jaw clenched.

"The fact that you got in the Ordo is proof of that." He looked away, as if looking into the distance. "I wish my son was initiated."

I looked at him in curiosity. "I thought—"

"Just because they're legacy doesn't mean they automatically get in. That's what the initiation tests are for."

"I see."

"He decided to make use of his athleticism." He turned to me. "I believe you're in the same—"

"Excuse me, Senator," a man who seemed like his assistant cut in. "There's a situation that requires your urgent attention."

"Are you sure it can't wait?"

"No, sir."

"Very well." He looked at me. "It was very nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine, Senator."

Without another word, he followed his assistant.

I roamed around, stopping here and there to talk to people who reached out to me. A few of them knew my father, but I didn't think he was part of the Ordo. He wouldn't be able to follow their lifestyle. There was one thing that I learned from being a part of this world above all else.

"Wealth is something you possess, not flaunt," I muttered to myself, before sipping my champagne.

"Same thing can be said with power."

I glanced at the girl who sidled up next to me.

"Power is something you possess, not flaunt," she continued, tilting her head to the side.

"Is that how you were raised?" I asked.

"You could say that."

I pursed my lips. "How's your talk with—"

"It was amazing! He was down with all my ideas!"

I smiled. "That's great."

"How about you? I saw you talking to a few people."

"Just small talk here and there."

"You're bored, aren't you?"

"Severely."

She let out a small laugh, as she looked around the room. I caught her biting her lip before giving me a mischievous smile.

"You wanna get out of here?" she asked.

"And lose the chance to mingle with America's rich and powerful?" I grinned. "Hell yeah."

We discreetly backed away and sneaked out, without any of our friends noticing. They were all busy, anyway. But we were done for the night. That wasn't really my scene. I just learned how to adapt.

I was at my limit.

Arisa and I went out, running across the street and towards Central Park. We walked around in the cold until we were at the skating rink. There were people skating around, but it wasn't too crowded.

As if we were in a sappy chick flick, Arisa convinced me to rent out skates and skate in the rink for a while before we head back to our hotel.

I didn't know what it was. Maybe it was the serenity of the evening. Maybe it was the old 50's music playing in the background. Maybe it was because we were wearing black tie clothes.

There was just something about the moment as I gazed at Arisa's face that made me say—

"I am so fucking in love with you."

Arisa looked up at me, eyes filled with warmth that I didn't even feel the damn cold winter night. The corner of her lips lifted up in a smile.

"I'm in love with you, too," she whispered, before grabbing my necktie and pulling me towards her.

Our lips met in a soft dance. Gentle... slow... taking our time as if we had forever.

"You better not let me go."

"Never," I promised.

Closing my eyes, I leaned forward, rested my forehead against hers, and sighed.

"Arisa Emilia, you are my salvation."