The invitation to the charity gala hung in the air, a beautiful, terrifying, and utterly unexpected plot twist in Leon's already chaotic life.
Sofia's reaction on the other end of the phone was a moment of pure, beautiful silence.
"A gala?" she said finally, her voice a mixture of surprise and a deep, irrepressible amusement. "You, the boy with the white hair and the philosophical teammates, are being forced to wear a tuxedo and give a speech?"
"Mandatory," Leon confirmed, the word sounding like a death sentence. "It's a leader thing, apparently. So... are you in? I'm going to need a very good-looking and very intelligent co-conspirator to help me survive a night of polite conversation and tiny, confusing forks."
He heard her laugh, a bright, happy sound that was already his favorite in the world. "A fancy dress, huh? I think I can manage that. But you have to promise me one thing."
"Anything."
