I was back home in my room unzipping my dress when I heard a noise from outside. Was that--a footstep? Sure enough, there on the balcony was the black-haired boy. He was perched with one knee bent, leg up on the rail.

Holy-- I dropped the zipper pull I'd been fumbling with. In one hand, he held up the something small and glinting. The hair pin.

When I swung the door open, he said, "Ever think about getting blinds?"

The heck kind of thing was that to say? I really wanted to come back with, 'Ever think about not appearing outside a girl's window?' But my face was burning so bad all I could do was look away and hope he didn't see how much he'd embarrassed me. I had so many questions I wanted to ask, but the only thing that came out was, "How'd you get up here?"

"Just came to return this," he said, holding out the bobby pin between two fingers. Which didn't really answer my question at all, as you may have noticed.

If it weren't for the hairpin, I might have doubted it was really him at the... Fight. I still didn't know what to call what I'd witnessed.

I hesitated before taking it, afraid that if I did, he would turn and disappear again. There were too many things I needed to know before I let that happen. After all, I certainly wasn't going to be getting the answers I needed from Mercurius.

But first, the thing I'd been wondering since the black-haired guy first appeared.

"What's your name?" I asked, finally accepting the hairpin. Then somewhat quieter, I added, "And thanks."

He hesitated a moment, eyes darting towards the house in a way that made me wonder if he'd heard something. At last he said, "Call me Chance."

Then there was a noise behind me--the opening of a door--and when I glanced back, he was gone.

"Were you saying something, hon?" asked my mother from where she'd stepped into my room. She was removing one of her earrings, still wearing a luminous evening gown like she'd just got home herself.

"Just looking at the stars," I said, "Talking to myself. You and Dad go out?"

She tilted her head to take off the other earring, saying, "Dinner party at the Winchester tonight. Lovely place for a gala. But more importantly--" her face grew eager as she gauged my reaction. "You look flushed. How was your date?"

For a moment, I considered telling her how weird it was, about the strange fighting event. That I hated she'd set me up on it, and to please never make me do anything that awkward again.

But she must have gathered what she needed from my hesitation, because she added, "They're a good family, you know. I think you two will make a lovely match. Give it time."

And with that, she turned and disappeared back inside.

I waited until I heard the door to my room close behind her before I finally felt like I could breathe again.

Leaning out over the balcony, I strained to look up. I felt a bit silly, but--

"You guys have one hell of a pool," said a voice from above. Chance's voice. "Spa, too."

So he was still there! My heart leapt as I pulled myself up onto the rail and saw him grinning down at me.

He held out his hand, waiting expectantly. He was going to help me up.

I hesitated, glancing back towards my room. We were still alone. But still--

Oh, what the heck. You know what they say--YOLO. I kicked off the high heels, then, "Ready."

- - -

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