26. Milo
26
Milo
P arties were the bane of my existence. I was terrible at small talk and I struggled to read social cues. The only saving grace this evening was the dress code. Wearing a stupid mask allowed me to blend in and hide in dark corners.
I’d deliberately chosen a mask that covered three-quarters of my face. It was black, like my tuxedo, and I’d switched out my glasses for contacts.
A few people had attempted to make polite conversation earlier, but had soon given up when I stood and stared at them in silence. I heard one woman mutter something that sounded a lot like “weirdo” before she walked off.
Not that I cared. I was only here to support Cassian. My parents didn’t move in the same circles as Lucian Forsyth. My family was obscenely rich, but it was mostly because of the software my father had sold to Microsoft a few years back. The sale had made him billions.
I could have gone to MIT or Stanford to study, but I’d chosen to go to Abernethy. Just like Landon. Where Cassian went, we followed.
My decision had baffled my father, but his latest project took up most of his time, so once he realized I wouldn’t change my mind, he let it go.
Landon had left me a while back when he saw Lucian head outside, looking for Cassian. I hung around the main ballroom for a while, watching people dance, and silently laughing at their inane small talk. A couple of women hit on me but I brushed them off.
The only woman I cared about was Thea, but sadly, she wasn’t here tonight.
I wondered what she was doing. Was she tucked up in her bed reading? Or was she in her favorite spot in the library?
A small pang of something unexpected shot through me. Did I miss her? I examined the emotion and concluded yes, I missed her.
It was odd. Cassian and Landon were the only two people I cared about. Kyril was OK. Cassian had brought him into our circle, and as much as it pained me to admit it, the Russian was a good guy.
Loyal.
Cunning.
Violent and vindictive.
All qualities I recognized Cassian needed in his life.
Maybe that was why Thea was a good fit for our little found family. She was definitely violent and vindictive, and I had a feeling that once we earned her trust, she’d be loyal.
A flash of vibrant red hair caught my attention. A girl in a black dress and sparkling face mask slipped out of an alcove and through a side door.
Her mask told me she was a guest, but the way she acted was a bit off. Not that anyone noticed. Only me. Since I was bored out of my skull, I decided to follow her.