Modern Family:From Foes To Forever

The next day, the student committee gathered in the library to finalize the theme for the gala. Alex sat at the head of the table, flipping through Sanjay's revised poster designs when Lorenzo strolled in, as casual as ever.

"Ah, my favorite people," he said, dropping into a chair beside Alex. "Miss me?"

"No," Alex replied flatly, not bothering to look up.

Alice grinned. "I did."

Lorenzo shot her a wink before turning his attention back to Alex. "So, what's the final verdict on my genius idea?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "You mean your ridiculous idea?"

Lorenzo placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "Tainted Garden of Eden is a brilliant theme. Forbidden fruit, temptation, mystery—it has everything a gala should have."

Sanjay adjusted his glasses. "It's certainly… unique," he admitted hesitantly.

Alice leaned forward. "Actually, it could be really cool. We could decorate with dark vines, golden apples, and those dramatic candlelit chandeliers. It'd be classy but also… edgy."

The rest of the committee murmured in agreement, some already envisioning the aesthetic.

Alex sighed, rubbing her temples. "I still think black and white is the safer choice."

Lorenzo smirked, leaning closer. "Safe is boring, sweetheart. And let's be honest, you don't really do boring."

Alex turned to him, her expression deadpan. "Oh, trust me, I do. I thrive in boring."

Lorenzo chuckled, tapping a finger against the table. "Then let's make a bet."

Alex narrowed her eyes. "A bet?"

"If Tainted Garden of Eden wins, you have to dance with me at the gala." His voice was smooth, his blue eyes glinting with amusement.

Alice gasped. "Oh, I love this."

Alex scoffed. "And if it doesn't win?"

Lorenzo shrugged. "I'll leave you alone. No flirting, no teasing, no distractions."

The room went silent. Even the committee members seemed invested now.

Alex hesitated. The thought of getting Lorenzo out of her life was very tempting. But did she really want to risk it?

She glanced at Alice, who was barely containing her excitement, then at Sanjay, who looked somewhat terrified.

Finally, she squared her shoulders. "Fine. You have a deal."

Lorenzo's grin widened. "Perfect."

As the meeting continued, Alex couldn't shake the feeling that she had just made a terrible mistake.

The committee spent the rest of the meeting debating the details, and despite her best efforts, Alex found herself losing ground. More and more members were siding with Lorenzo's idea, throwing in suggestions for how to make it work. Alice, of course, was the loudest supporter.

By the time the meeting ended, the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of Tainted Garden of Eden.

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fantastic," she muttered.

Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, arms folded behind his head, a victorious smirk on his lips. "Looks like I'll be seeing you on the dance floor, sweetheart."

Alex shot him a glare. "It's one dance. Don't start planning our wedding."

Lorenzo chuckled. "No promises."

Alice nudged her playfully. "Come on, it's not the worst thing in the world. He's hot, rich, and can actually dance. That's a win."

Alex groaned, standing up and gathering her things. "You're all traitors."

Lorenzo stood as well, slipping on his blazer. "You should start thinking about what you're gonna wear, Dunphy. I like red on you."

Alex rolled her eyes and walked out, ignoring the way her heart betrayed her by beating just a little too fast.

---

The next few days passed in a blur of planning. Alex threw herself into organizing, determined to focus on the logistics and not on the fact that she had to dance with Lorenzo Valenrian.

But of course, Lorenzo had other plans.

He started showing up to every committee meeting, throwing in ideas, some of which were actually good—though Alex would rather die than admit it. He found ways to be around her, offering help, teasing her, and making sure she never forgot about their bet.

One afternoon, as she was checking the venue's decoration list, Lorenzo leaned against the table beside her.

"Don't look so stressed, sweetheart. It's just a dance."

Alex didn't glance up. "A dance with you, which makes it ten times worse."

Lorenzo grinned. "You'll love it."

Alex sighed, finally looking at him. "Do you ever take anything seriously?"

For a moment, something flickered in his expression, something unreadable. Then it was gone, replaced by his usual cocky smirk.

"Only when it matters."

Alex frowned, but before she could question it, he straightened up and winked. "See you later, Dunphy."

As he walked away, Alex found herself staring after him longer than she should have.

And that was definitely a problem.

The following week, the excitement for the gala began to build, and Alex found herself constantly distracted by the planning and, more annoyingly, by Lorenzo's relentless teasing.

One afternoon, as the committee was wrapping up another meeting, Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, arms casually draped over the backrest. He fixed his blue eyes on Alex, a mischievous glint in them.

"So, Dunphy, have you already picked out a dress?" he asked, his tone light and teasing. "I need to prepare myself for your beauty."

Alex murmured something under her breath, her face heating up.

Lorenzo leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't quite catch that. Care to repeat it?"

She shot him a glare. "I said I haven't bought a dress yet."

Lorenzo gasped dramatically, clutching his chest as if she'd just delivered a mortal wound. "Unacceptable! My dance partner needs a dress. It's a matter of principle!"

Alex rolled her eyes, fighting a smile. "I'll manage, don't worry about it."

He leaned in closer, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "Nope. Saturday, we shall go dress shopping. I can't have my date looking like she just rolled out of bed."

"I'm not going dress shopping with you, Valenrian."

"Why not? It'll be fun! Just think of all the fashionable options." He flashed her a playful grin. "I promise not to let you look terrible."

"Very generous of you," Alex replied dryly, though she felt a flutter of reluctance.

Lorenzo leaned back, hands behind his head again. "Come on, it'll be a blast. Plus, you'll get to see my impeccable taste."

Alex crossed her arms, trying to suppress a smile. "I can't believe you think you have impeccable taste."

"Oh, I know I do." His voice dripped with confidence. "But seriously, you're going with me. I'll even treat you to ice cream afterward as a reward for surviving my company."

"Tempting," Alex admitted, though she still hesitated.

"Great! It's a date." He winked, standing up and strutting out of the room, leaving Alex to stew in her thoughts.

As she gathered her things, she couldn't help but wonder how she'd let herself get roped into this. It was just shopping, right?

But as the day drew closer, the flutter of excitement mixed with nerves began to grow. What had she gotten herself into?