“God… I knew this day would come.” Orlando murmured to himself and squeezed Thelma’s hand a bit. She looked up at him shyly and saw the tiredness and boredom in his features. She gave him a warm smile to lift his spirit which he returned with a cocky smirk.
“Mr Chester, please come forward to the stage and give us a heartwarming speech. It’s been a while since we heard from you.” Kaycee says and the crowd laughs. "Come on, everybody give him some encouragement!"
The crowd roared and clapped until Orlando took the mic. He did not like the attention but took the microphone.
“I have nothing to say, you are all welcome to the party.” Orlando spoke in a blunt tone and stepped down from the stage with Thelma by his side. Kaycee looked taken aback by Orlando’s emotionless words and looked at the MC for help.
“Well, people let’s get this party started.” The MC took over and called for the DJ’s special while everyone took position on the dance floor as the music came alive.
A slow beat music by Jordan Sparks ft BTR ‘counting on you’ played in the background. Orlando led Thelma to the middle of the dance floor, he twirled her around so she faced him and placed one of his large hands on her small waist and the other interlaced with her free hand.
Thelma's nerves messed up her mind, she was unsure how to dance like the rich people and the irresistible scent of his cologne distracted her so much she could barely concentrate on thinking normal thoughts. The closeness between them spread heat on her cheeks. It was hard not to drop to her knees.
Thelma thought she was going to faint right there but Orlando held her tightly. He suspected she was tensed and held her close.
“Loosen up would you.” He whispered slowly into her ear but she got more tensed and wobbly. Her breath came out in short pants, if care wasn’t taken she might suffer a nervous breakdown or collapse right in front of the whole crowd. “Look at me.” He demanded strongly but his voice was kind.
Thelma could not control half of her mind and she did not want to look. If she refused to look at him, he might be offended and her identity was a secret she cannot avoid any of them to be suspicious.
Thelma slowly lifted her head and looked at his dark shades, a few times she wished to see those eyes, to see their colors and read them. It is still a puzzle in her mind why he kept the glasses on. ‘or did he have some eye condition’ Thelma thought.
Orlando noticed Thelma’s difficulty and helped her sway to the music, his moves were so graceful like he had done it several times, Thelma still had a hard time keeping up with him despite his efforts but managed to keep the flow and looked away from his intense gaze.
“You know it’s rude to stare right?” Thelma voiced out. She could feel his intense gaze piercing through her skull with every move they made.
“I like it that way.” He replied with a smirk and lowered his mouth near her ear. “You seem nervous around me even when we are dancing, do I make you nervous?
"N-no-" She stuttered.
"Hmm... is it the crowd?” Orlando puffed light air at the side of her cheek as he spoke, and it heated up.
“I- I- I- don’t kn-” Thelma stuttered to answer, she tried to relax and breathed out a nervous laugh.
“Do you mind if we go somewhere… private?” Orlando suggests even though he planned to leave in the middle of the party. He did not want to go against her will so he asked politely that he was going to steal her for the rest of the night before anyone spotted them leaving.
Thelma’s throat went dry. Her windpipe felt clogged to refuse his offer. ‘privacy with Orlando?’ How would that be possible when she could barely tolerate his presence in public. 'but where is he taking me?’  
“I… I… I don’t know.” She whispered with her eyes staring at the nice floor tiles.
“I think you do.” Orlando spoke on her behalf and twirled her around to slowly move out of the dance floor. He caught her off guard when he pulled her flush against his hard chest. 
Thelma looked up at him in surprise and he winked. He performed three spins with her that would get them out of the dance floor without anyone noticing. A technique he had mastered years back. The saying is true that whatever you learn stays with you forever.
Once they were near the closest exit, Orlando let go of Thelma’s hand and led them out of the hall till they reached the hotel lobby. It will be the first time she saw the hotel lobby since she started working as a chef. The beauty was unexplainable, with LV expensive carpets that decorated the glass tiles, Gothic wooden shelves, and a traditional couch pinned to one side of the lobby, it's a wonder people loved the hotel. Thelma could not get her eyes off the chandelier that hung above them, it was fascinating.
“I didn’t expect it would be this beautiful.” Thelma breathes out unknowingly.
“You’ve seen it before?” Orlando asked in surprise. He wanted to be the first to show her this part of the hotel but didn’t expect she had seen it before.
Thelma’s eyes widened in realization he heard her words. She searched everywhere but him for an answer.
“I..I- umm.” She clears her throat and tucks an invincible strand of hair behind her ear.
“You look cute when you are confused.” Orlando unconsciously blurted out a compliment and frowned slightly ‘what did I just say?’ he had a look of confusion and caution in his eyes.
He felt clueless about how to explain to Thelma why he gave such a weird compliment. It was supposed to sound charming, not creepy.
Thelma didn’t know whether to blush or feel offended, she was flushed at his words.
‘Why do I get so flustered around him’ she asks herself over and over again but there was no answer for it.