"I actually enjoyed myself," I admitted softly, looking down at my reflection in the amber surface of the tea, a warmth blooming in my chest that had nothing to do with percentages or logic. "It has been an incredibly long time since I experienced that specific category of fun. I didn't realize how much I had been missing out on by isolating myself in the libraries. I didn't think it was possible to feel so... entirely included in a place like that."
I turned my head toward my father, my expression resetting into a deeply serious, profound frequency.
"Thank you so much, Dad," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly as the full weight of his sacrifice hit my conscious mind. "When you first presented me with this gown and told me I was going to the gala, my system resisted. I didn't think
