System Revenge: From Trash Boy to Top Boss

Chapter 19

At the first moment when he announced that Damon was a platinum sponsor of the University’s Academy Ball, guests became shocked and dismayed. That shock soon had the effect of making them all excited and speculative, as gathered guests struggled to pin together the idea of the troubled and rebellious student they’d once known and the rich patron who’d just cut corners to save them from embarrassment.

Xavier looked around, still reeling from the surprise turn of events. His friends turned to head back to the corner, in the same kind of state of rage and humiliation as when they got busted. Their elaborate plan, to humiliate Damon and Aria horribly, had just gone horribly wrong. Now they had the formidable responsibility of either salvaging their reputation and getting back on their social ladder.

"This just cannot be happening, '' Xavier murmured, hardly audible over the noise of the crowd. "How did he do that? "

"I don't know, " Mason said, his face torn in anger, "but we just can't let him get away with it. We have to do something.

"What do we have to do? " Sierra asked, shrieking out of frustration. "He's the sponsor of the gala. He has everything.

"We will, no matter what, " Xavier said, his eyes focused on something at once. "We will. "

Meanwhile, Damon and Aria were walking through the grueling hall, befuddled by an army of admirers and eager followers -- students, alumni and faculty members so eager to gain favor with this promising new power couple came over and gave them compliments and praise.

"Mr. Newton, a pleasure to be here, " a graduate said, reaching out his hand. "You are truly generous. "

“Ms. Aria, you look fantastic, ” another person said, “that dress is really great. ”

Damon and Aria remained curt and patient, shrugging off the compliments with a smile and sneaking through the crowd unnoticed by the slight pulse of curiosity and ambition that was wafting through them.

The night progressed into an evening that wasn’t quite in keeping with the persona of Damon, especially when the Luxury Gift Bags were presented personally from Felix. They were fantastic, having all the high-end products, and were just very beautifully designed. Soon the celebrity singer whom Damon had chosen and flown in for the party, did a fantastic performance, with her beautiful voice, and her amazing stage presence, who stunned everybody.

It was the same atmosphere in the grand hall, feeling like there was an overpowering sense of excitement and anticipation. Damon and Aria gleaming in their full confidence and charm were quite frankly the stars of the show - overshadowing everything Xavier and his guys had been working on.

Seeing their carefully laid plans crumble before their eyes, Xavier and his friends grew increasingly desperate. They knew that they had to do something, anything, to regain control of the situation and reclaim their social dominance.

"We can't let them steal our thunder," Sierra said, her voice filled with urgency. "We have to remind everyone who we are."

"I have an idea," Tyler said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Let's announce our secret afterparty. That'll show them who the real VIPs are."

Sierra's eyes lit up. "That's brilliant, Tyler! We'll make it the most exclusive party of the year, and we'll make sure that Damon and Aria aren't invited."

With renewed determination, Xavier and his clique began to spread the word about their "secret" afterparty, boasting about its exclusivity and its star-studded guest list. They made sure to emphasize that Damon and Aria were not on the list, subtly implying that the couple was not worthy of their company.

"Still before the gala we’re going to organize a little get-together, ” Xavier exclaimed with a high-pitched snort. “It’s supposed to be a very private party, for the extremely important people. ”

"Yeah, " Mason added, his eyes closing rapidly, "if you have to ask if you're invited then you're definitely not.

As the gossip of the secret afterparty spread through the big hall there was a sense of embarrassment building up in the air, as patrons sought out Xavier and his clique as a way to protect their social standing and hopefully be invited to the hidden party.

As Tyler saw the crowd shift attention from Damon and Aria to something more extreme, he approached a group of students and talked about securing an internship in a prestigious investment bank.

"I'm so happy for my internship this summer, " Tyler said with a proud smile. "To work with some of the biggest names in the industry. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity.

He paused and thought again and then added, in a moment of serendipity, "I heard Damon was trying to get an internship there too but he lost out on the first round of interviews. Guess there are things you can't get for free.

The crowd jumped in hysterics with pride and admiration for Tyler, who had accomplished so much in such a short time frame. Damon and Aria were just listening in and noticed it, knowing that Xavier and his group was desperate, and that they were willing to use any means at their disposal to get them down.

Despite the clique's terrible efforts to get back in control, the crowd started to become attracted to Damon and Aria. The generosity and his intelligence and the real decency of him were captivating the hearts, while Aria was beautiful, graceful and convinced of her love for Damon.

The tension in the grand hall was growing tighter, the tension in the hall was really tense. Xavier, and his clique, were doubling down on their attempts to stop Damon and Aria, and Damon and Aria were quietly cementing their position as the new power couple on campus. What did we have coming down the pike tonight - a battle for social dominance that will decide the fate of the university’s social hierarchy. There was no such thing as a bad night in this house, and for that matter the stakes were higher.