Felicity's POV.
Day seven. Tonight was the campus event, the Grand Dinner. The entire university had been talking about it for days. The tradition of the Formal Hall brought everyone together for one of Oxford's oldest and most respected celebrations. On this night, students, professors, special guests, and wealthy families gathered to celebrate the university's history, traditions, and achievements.
It was supposed to be elegant and beautiful. For most students, it was an opportunity to unwind, enjoy the evening, and take a break from the pressures of university life. The Grand Dinner had nothing to do with the challenge, but for me, it happened to fall at the end of the first week, just before everything became even more complicated. It should have been a welcome break from everything else. Instead, I should have known that if my life was going to fall apart, it would happen publicly.
Outside, the cold winter breeze blew through the bare trees, carrying the distant hum of the city below. Inside, the hallway noise was overwhelming. The corridor leading to the Grand Hall was packed with people, filled with the loud chatter of hundreds of students moving together as they hurried toward the event. Their voices echoed against the old stone walls, mixed into one constant background noise.
The hallway outside the Grand Hall was crowded with students laughing, talking, and adjusting their clothes before going inside. Some straightened their ties, others smoothed their dresses, while groups of friends gathered together, chatting excitedly as they waited for the doors to open. The sound of heels clicked across the marble floors while soft music drifted through the open doors. The low sound of conversations mixed like waves as people talked around me. Warm golden light spilt into the hallway from inside the hall, glowing against the old Oxford stone walls.
When I stepped inside, my breath caught for a second. The hall was enormous. High stone ceilings stretched above us while hundreds of flickering candles hung from golden chandeliers, lighting up the room and filling the air with warmth despite the cold winter outside. The warm golden light danced across the stone walls and reflected off polished silver and crystal glasses, making the entire hall feel elegant and alive. The noise from the crowded hallway blended into a mix of soft classical music and the clinking of glasses echoing beneath the high stone ceiling.
Bright lights, beautiful decorations, and endless conversations surrounded me. Students, professors, special guests, and wealthy families filled the room, moving between tables, talking, laughing, and celebrating. The smell of expensive food filled the air. Roasted meat, butter, spices, fresh bread, and sweet desserts mixed while a soft orchestra played near the far end of the hall.
Students moved between tables in sparkling dresses and dark suits as the Grand Dinner officially began. Outside the tall windows, the night wind pushed gently against the glass, making the candle flames tremble slightly. Somewhere below, I could hear the distant sounds of the city and cars moving through the streets beyond campus. And suddenly, standing in the middle of all that beauty, light, music, and noise, I felt very small.
I wore a black shiny gown that reached just above my knee and fitted neatly around my waist, simple but elegant enough for a night like this. The smooth black fabric rested softly against my skin, while the candlelight reflected across it with a subtle shine. The fitted design highlighted my figure and gave me a little extra confidence as I moved through the crowded hall. The cool material brushed lightly against my legs with every step, flowing just enough to make the dress feel graceful without being dramatic.
My skin looked brighter beneath the dark fabric, creating a beautiful contrast that made the entire outfit stand out even more. I had styled my hair into a neat, clean, elegant bun, revealing the curve of my neck and shoulders while making me feel more polished, mature, and more like I belonged in a place like this. A few soft strands framed my face naturally, preventing the style from looking too perfect.
My small silver earrings looked elegant as they caught the warm candlelight whenever I turned my head, adding a delicate sparkle and just enough shimmer to complement the gown without overwhelming it. My sparkling black flats completed the look perfectly, practical enough to survive a long evening yet stylish enough for the occasion. As I looked at myself, I wanted to look confident tonight.
Standing there, I realised I looked different tonight. Not because of the dress or the jewellery, but because I carried myself differently. My shoulders were straighter, my head held higher. For once, I looked like I belonged among the elegant gowns, expensive suits, wealthy families, and centuries of Oxford tradition surrounding me. I was not the tallest girl in the room, nor the most glamorous, but there was something quietly confident about the girl staring back at me from the reflection of the nearby windows. And for the first time that evening, I almost believed it.
But as soon as I stepped farther into the room, I felt the air change. Because right in the middle of the crowd stood Christopher, Noah, and Alexander, all in one place. The three boys were dressed formally for the occasion, creating a sharp contrast between Noah's calm style, Christopher's royal elegance, and Alexander's confident, effortless look as they stood apart from one another among the crowded room.
Noah, with his steady height and poised stature, was standing on the right side of the hall, a position that somehow matched his calm personality. He wore a dark blue suit, his style simple and understated, softer than the others but somehow just as impossible to ignore. His tie was perfectly straight, and his brown hair was neatly styled. There was something soft and steady about the way he carried himself. He looked like the kind of person who could walk into chaos and somehow make everything feel peaceful.
Christopher was standing at the centre, talking to his friends. He wore a black shiny suit tailored perfectly, with silver details at the cuffs catching the candlelight whenever he moved. He looked clean, sharp, effortless, and elegant, matching my outfit, almost as if he had stepped straight out of a royal magazine. Even his polished shoes shone under the light, completing the look perfectly. Even while standing still, he somehow drew attention without trying.
Alexander was standing on the left side of the hall, impossible to miss and completely different from both of them. He wore a dark green jacket hanging loosely over a crisp shirt, with no tie, and his sleeves slightly rolled up against his fair skin. He looked as though he didn't care much for the rules, yet still managed to look incredibly good anyway. Confident, relaxed, and completely comfortable being the centre of attention, he carried himself with effortless ease. A lazy grin rested on his face as he talked with a group of students nearby.
And somehow, in a hall packed with students, all three of them were looking at me. My stomach tightened immediately.
"Oh no," I whispered.
Penelope appeared beside me like she had been summoned by drama itself. "Oh yes."
I turned to look at her. "You're here."
A grin spread across her face. "Of course I'm here. I wouldn't miss this for the world."
I laughed despite myself. "I missed you."
"Aww." She linked her arm through mine. "I missed you, too."
My eyes moved over Penelope's outfit, and I smiled. She looked stunning in her black silk gown. The fitted dress complemented her slender frame perfectly, while her dark hair fell neatly over one shoulder in soft waves. Silver earrings sparkled beneath the candlelight whenever she moved, adding a delicate touch of elegance to her appearance. She looked effortlessly chic and graceful.
"I love your black silk gown," I said with a smile. "It's very chic."
"Aww!" She grinned. "Thank you, and you look amazing tonight, too."
I laughed softly. "Well, that was the goal."
My eyes drifted back to the room. Noah, Christopher, and Alexander. They stood in three different corners of the hall, yet all three pairs of eyes were fixed on me. A feeling of dread settled in my stomach.
"Come to think of it," I said slowly, "why are they all here?"
Penelope stared at me as I had just asked why snow was cold.
"Felicity," she said. "Look around."
"I'm looking around."
"No. You're looking at the room. I'm telling you to look at them."
I followed her gaze. Christopher had stopped talking to his friends. Alexander was no longer paying attention to the students around him. Noah had not taken his eyes off me since I walked in. Understanding hit me all at once.
"Oh."
"Exactly," Penelope smirked. "Because of you."
I shook my head. "Or maybe they're all here for the Grand Dinner."
Penelope laughed so hard she nearly choked. "Sweetheart, the Grand Dinner brought them into the hall."
A teasing smile spread across her face. "But you're the reason they're paying attention."