"Do you mind if I just have water for now?" I don't want to peak too early in the night and cut my time with him short.
"Of course," he promises, already disappearing into the crowd.
I should have asked Daphne to come. Maybe I can text her now and see if she's about. That way if Caspian gets waylaid, I don't have to be on my own.
Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think it's a good idea. I pull out my phone and start typing a message to her. Thankfully, there's a flat number on the door that helps me know where I am so I don't have to tell her that I'm at a party but she has to find it herself.
I pause. Should I ask her specifically not to bring Ryan? He has no idea that I know how he feels, but that doesn't mean I won't feel awkward. Why did Daphne put me in this position? It's bad enough I have a crush on her brother, but she knows about it? That's even worse.
"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in?" a familiar voice drawled.
"I think you'll find I walked," I threw back, enjoying the moment of shock on Ivy's face when she realises I haven't just shrunk away in fear because she said something. Mean girls are the worst sometimes.
No. Not sometimes. All. The. Time. And the worst part is they never know when to st
op. Or when they're beaten.
"No one invited you." Ivy puts her hands on her hips, thrusting her cleavage forward.
"You do realise I'm not male. Those don't work on me." I look pointedly at her boobs, then meet her gaze head on.
I can see from her face that she's struggling to come up with a retort. No doubt I'm not reacting the way she expects. But honestly? I'm done with how she treats me. Up until the other day, I didn't care. But there was no need for her to get me kicked out of class just because I didn't do a spell quite right.
"You're trouble," she hisses at me.
I shrug. "Quite possibly, but right now, there's nothing you can do about it," I point out. "I'd run along, if I were you." I feel like a bitch just saying these things. Seriously, how do people go around constantly being mean all the time? I feel icky and it's only been the past five minutes for me. That's just ridiculous.
An arm slips around my waist, pulling me close and reassuring me in a way I don't expect. "One water," Caspian whispers in my ear, handing me the plastic cup.
"Thank you," I respond, a little breathy.
"Are you normally that savage?" he asks. There's a hint of something I don't like in his voice. It might even be distaste.
"No. She really got to me the other day in class, and when she came over, I kind of lost my patience. I'm sorry, I'm not normally like that." Shame fills me as I consider how much of a bitch I just was.
"That's okay. I doubt she's hurt by it," he says, but I can still hear the unease in his tone. He's really not happy with how I was right then. To be honest, neither am I.
"I..."
"There she is," Ivy says, re-arriving and pointing a finger at me.
"What'd you say to my girl?" the big burly man behind her demands.
Uh oh. She has a magic jock with her. They're even worse than normal jocks. At least, in my experience they are.
"I told her to leave me alone," I say evenly.
"That's not what she told me." Everything about the guy in front of us says gym bunny. He verges on being intimidating, he's that big.
"I paraphrased," I admit. Ignoring him, I turn to Ivy. "I'm sorry I was mean, you caught me at a bad time."
Her face falls. I don't think that's what she wants from me, but with witnesses around, I don't think she can ignore it.
"No harm done," she sing-songs. "How about a game?"
Oh no. I don't like where this is going. Last time I played a game at a party, I made a fool out of myself.
"Mona, want to play?" There's an evil glint in her eye that I don't want to think about too much.