Owen bit his inner cheek. It's fine. It's cool. He's just cutting in the dance. No big deal.
So he thought, but couldn't help feeling bitter towards Bose. But it's cool. Chapa hates him anyway. He smiled at Chapa before turning away and eventually dancing with someone else.
Bose and Chapa slowly started swaying softly to the music.
Chapa was sure Bose was going to say something. Why else would he cut in like that? There's no way he just wanted to dance with her. He was probably expecting a thank you for standing up for her after what Cori did. Even though Owen was her real hero in that scenario to her. Perhaps her perspective would alter if she'd known how Bose had dealt with Cori after the occurrence.
She turned away from Bose's intense gaze, partly because she wondered why he was gazing at her so intensely, looking down and taking in a deep breath before meeting his eyes again. "Okay, look." She said. "I know you want to hear a thank you and I don't want to seem ungrateful or fight with you after what you did." She said and Bose furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "So thank you." Chapa stated. "Thank you for standing up for me. There you go." She said, flatly.
Bose examined her for some time with no response. He took the chance to admire her features again before releasing a small chuckle. "That's all?"
Chapa was taken by surprise. "Isn't that what you wanted to hear?"
"Well, not entirely." Bose said, trying to sound like a tease. He honestly hadn't even thought about getting a thank you from her when he did what he did but he decided not to be obvious about that. Let's just go with this. "I mean, come on." He said. "I yelled at Cori for you in front of everyone and all you have to pay me back is a simple thank you?" He said. He shook his head in mock disappointment. "That's not going to be enough, Chapa."
Chapa was shocked at him knowing her name. When did she tell him? She doesn't remember doing so. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Well, what else do you want then?"
Bose remained silent.
Chapa was a little spooked by his unwavering eye contact. Dude really wasn't looking anywhere else. Then she suddenly had a thought and rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you expect money?" She scoffed. "How low can you possibly b-"
Chapa didn't expect Bose to suddenly pull her closer to him. As if they weren't close enough before. She tried to put the space back between them but he firmly held her against him. "What else do I want?" He asked. "You really want to know?"
Chapa blinked. "If this is another way of picking a fight with me, I'm not interested." She scolded. "I've had enough excitement for one night. You just want to make it even worse for me. Admit it. This is your way of getting back at me."
"You really think that's what I want?" Bose's tone became serious. "You don't know that." He said. "Why are you so sure? How can you possibly know what I'm thinking? You don't." Bose defended himself. Though did he himself even know what he's thinking? "You only think you do."
"Huh?"
Bose realized he was sort of confusing her and tried desperately to find the right words to say. It was like he had so much to speak of and so little time or rather, too little of Chapa's patience. "I'm...not that bad a guy you know." He said and then cursed himself in his head for how pathetically desperate that sounded.
He left Chapa even more confused. "What?"
"You're just really judgy." Bose said. "You judged me before even getting to know me."
"I didn't judge you, I already know what kind of person you are." Chapa said.
"Says who?"
"All the bad things you've done to people just because you're superior." Chapa said. "You might have helped me tonight." She said. "But you're still a bully."
