**Haven Frat House**
The night air around Eagles University is buzzing. Everyone's headed to the Frat House, dressed all in black.
Luxury pulled up in front of the Frat house in a matte black Porsche. The engine gave one last roar before going silent.
She came down from the car and walked inside majestically.
Immediately she entered, the sound of music and bass fully filled her ears. Neon lights danced everywhere in the room. Heads turned to her— inaudible whispers between themselves.
She didn't care as she walked further— her long coat doing the favour of gracefully moving rhythmically to her steps. She got to the cellar where drinks are tended to and sat on one of the stools.
She looked at the party that resembles a funeral which was turned to a fashion show and gave a dry expression.
She slowly removed her coat, left only with a fitted black turtleneck tucked into her tailored trousers, a silver chain rested against her chest. Her short, messy hair framed her sharp jawline and the watch on her wrist glinted under the lights whenever she moved.
Elmira came behind her back and whispered "You sure you're not secretly in the Mafia?"
Luxury flinched slightly, turning to see it was Elmira. She shrugged and gave a smirk.
Elmira kept talking, complimenting and vibing to the music played while Luxury seemed so uninterested in whatever she was doing.
"Luxury, I am coming back!" she announced and jumped away.
Luxury had a sip of the vodka in her glass while watching the crowd that were busy enjoying the occasion. Some kissing, some making out, some vibing and some doing other things.
The bass thudded in her chest while the smell of alcohol, cigarettes and sweat filled the air.
Jade saw her and strolled casually to her.
"Yo! Never knew you could look so handsome and masculine!" Jade said jokingly and clicked his glass with the glass she was holding.
Luxury gave a small smile, "Oh please! You look good too!"
"Thanks!" he replied and looked at her dressing properly —from her hair, silver chain, clothes, wristwatch down to her boots.
"Quite impressive and expensive!" he thought.
Upstairs, Mikhail leaned on the balcony railing watching the crowd from below. He wasn't even trying to blend in. He was dressed in a black shirt, his sleeves were rolled up and his veins showed while his chain glinted like danger. His smile was seen but it never reached his eyes.
He saw a figure and he already knew who it was—Luxury. He found it kind of surprising but from the way she had that silent but arrogant aura and posture, he just knew it.
He saw Jade laughing with her, leaning closer and touching her laps at intervals.
Mikhail gave a scoff "You moron! He isn't even comfortable with that!" he cussed inside his mind as if Jade would hear it.
Mikhail kept watching her and after some time he saw Jade leaving her. He gulped down the remaining content from his glass and went downstairs.
He walked to the cellar where Luxury was sitting and ordered for another drink. He sat on the stool opposite her.
Luxury's breath hitched when she saw him sitting opposite her. Her eyes landed on his half-opened chest then his face.
Mikhail gave a smug smirk at her causing her to roll her eyes.
"Good to see you closer in person again!" he said and sipped from his glass.
Luxury ignored him and purposely pushed the drink in her glass to spill on him—the glass breaking in the process.
Mikhail's eyes widened for a second. No one ever dared to stain him intentionally, yet he didn't lash out— he watched her, intrigued.
"Watch it!" he said flatly.
"Then move—excuse me!" she replied, her voice was calm and steady.
Her quiet defiance caught him off guard. Nobody talks to him like that, not in this university, not anywhere.
He leans in a little, not menacing but curious.
"You always this fearless or is it the drink?"
Luxury met his gaze with a smirk. "Maybe I just don't get scared easily or I don't like being stared at!
Their eyes locked—something unknown in them ignited.
Luxury broke the eye contact first. She gave a small, teasing smirk.
The party's center soon shifted when Jade stood on a table and clapped twice. The music was instantly turned down.
"Alright, people! Let's make this interesting. It's game time — Hunter's Truth."
Cheers filled the room and cups were refilled.
"See you around, Orlov." she waved with a smug look on her face.
Mikhail was amazed by how she said his surname without any fear.
Mikhail watched her walk away and for the first time in a long while, something about a stranger lingered.
Luxury decided to join the game even though she wasn't interested.
Mikhail also joined.
"Desperate motherfucker!" Luxury thought inwardly when she saw him.
The rules were simple: A player would spin a knife in the middle of the circle. Whoever it pointed to had to answer a truth or do a dare from the "Hunter."
Those interested formed a circle while those that weren't interested either watched the game or did their thing.
Luxury sat at the edge, mostly observing, pretending to laugh when others did.
But luck or fate had a sick sense of humor. The blade stopped in front of her.
"Truth or dare, quiet boy?" Jade's grin was too wide.
Luxury forced a shrug. "Truth."
"Fine," Jade said. "Who in this room do you not trust?"
Luxury's lips curved slightly.
"Everyone!"
"Not even myself!"
The crowd laughed, but Mikhail didn't. His eyes lingered on her, sharper now — like her words had touched something familiar.
Those words rang a bell in his mind but doesn't know how.
The knife spun again. This time it landed between her and Mikhail.
Silence ensued through the circle. Jade smirked.
"Truth or dare?" Luxury asked.
"Truth." he replied calmly.
"Who would you watch even if it burned you?"
His eyes didn't move. "I already am."
"I asked who?" she reminded.
"It might be you, who knows?" he shrugged with a dangerous smirk and leaned on the chair.
For a second, she forgot how to breathe. The silence was deafening around the circle only the music playing softly and the noise of people that were not around the game.
It was threatening.
Jade interfered and the game went on, the room loud and messy again, but something between Luxury and Mikhail stayed — something heavy and unsaid.
A few more rounds were done again until it got between Luxury and Mikhail again.
Silence occurred one more time. It was Mikhail's turn to ask this time around.
"Truth!" Luxury said right away.
"You seem so reserved naturally, so tell us something that you have never told anyone, three specifically!"
Luxury glared at him but he didn't seem to give a damn.
"I was disowned by my mom when I was five. I almost strangled someone to death when I was in high school. When my godfather died I was in his will and collected part of my inheritance." Luxury said as with no iota of shame.
A deafening silence happened again as all eyes were fixed on her.
Mikhail clapped three times and leaned back with a proud smile.
Then her phone buzzed in the silence.
Nik!
"Luxury, we've got a problem. They have searched the vault and found out it is missing!"
She froze!
Her heart started beating too fast, the music suddenly became too loud for her. She typed a quick reply, stood up pretending to answer a call.
Across the room, Mikhail's phone lit up too the same time she was about to walk out. He read something, his expression shifted just enough for her to notice.
"Come to the mansion. Now." — Andrei Orlov.
It was his Father!
He looked up, scanning the room — and saw her moving toward the door.
Their eyes met again with silent understanding, both pretending as if they didn't just receive news that could become a problem.
Luxury slipped into her car and drove out of the premises.
"Where are you?"she typed to Nik and deleted the message he sent to her earlier.
Inside, Mikhail pocketed his phone and prepared to leave.
Something was off.
And it started with him watching her!