Chapter 4

"What's going on here?!"

Dean Finch came hurrying over.

"The welcome party is about to start—what are you all making a fuss about here?!"

Robin Delgado immediately stepped forward, pointed at me, and said to Dean Finch,

"Dean Finch, it's Tabitha Winfield who keeps refusing to go on stage and dance. We've got the costume all ready for her, but she wants to leave!"

Dean Finch didn't answer Robin.

He looked him up and down a few times, then instantly broke into a wide smile.

"Young man, may I ask your name?"

"Delgado. Robin Delgado. Dean Finch, you can just call me Robin."

Hearing Robin introduce himself, the smile in Dean Finch's eyes deepened.

He stepped forward and grabbed Robin's hand.

"So you're Robin. I was planning to get to know you tomorrow at dinner with your father—I never expected to meet you today."

Robin wasn't surprised by Dean Finch's display.

He only smiled faintly, then let his gaze fall on me.

The sly Dean Finch immediately understood what Robin meant.

When he turned to look at me, he instantly put on the airs of a Dean of Student Affairs, his tone extremely stern.

"Tabitha Winfield, how do you have absolutely no sense of teamwork?"

"The party's about to start—what are you dawdling for?! Get backstage and change, now!"

I looked at Dean Finch.

I slowly took out the palm-sized piece of cloth from my arms, unfolded it, held it up in front of the dean, and said quietly,

"Dean Finch, this outfit—I can't wear it."

Dean Finch looked at the nearly transparent clothing in front of him, swallowed hard, and a flash of shock crossed his eyes.

Clearly he hadn't expected the outfit to be so revealing either.

But at the cough Robin gave behind him,

Dean Finch's expression changed in an instant.

"What... what's so impossible about changing into it?!"

"I can't wear it."

"Why can't you wear it?!"

Dean Finch's tone grew more and more impatient.

But I stayed calm.

"My dad won't allow it."

That one sentence left Dean Finch stunned.

"Your dad won't allow it? Who's your dad?"

Hannah Simmons jumped in at once.

"Dean Finch, her dad flips woks in the school cafeteria!"

The moment she said it, a deafening burst of laughter erupted all around.

Dean Finch, who had been a little tense a moment ago, grinned along with them.

He shoved the garment back into my arms.

"Tabitha Winfield, whether you wear this or not isn't up to your dad."

"Today, in this auditorium, I, Joel Finch, am the one in charge. I say you wear it, so you wear it."

"You hear me?"

Robin stepped forward and grabbed my wrist.

"Today, you're changing into this, no matter what."

The students around us started egging it on too.

"Just wear it! Tabitha Winfield, you're the reason our squad came in dead last during orientation training—time to make it up to us today!"

"Put on that sexy little dress and dance a number for us big brothers!"

The onlookers pressed in tighter and tighter.

Every year the school leaves the welcome party open to the public,

so besides the students, there were plenty of people from off campus too.

Clammy stares fixed on me one after another, and a cold sweat broke out down my back.

"Come on, girl, look how hot you are already!"

Suddenly a pair of big hands reached out from behind and clamped around my waist.

"Hurry and change into that nice cool little dress, get comfortable! And give big brother something to feast his eyes on!"

Amid the crowd's jeering,

Robin stepped right up, grabbed my jacket, and yanked hard.

Riiip!

The jacket tore in two in Robin's hands.

Underneath I had on only a camisole.

Those revolting, filthy gazes landed on me again, but Robin showed no sign of letting go.

The very moment his hand caught my camisole,

a huge crash came from behind.

The auditorium doors were blasted open from the outside with a bang...