Chapter 20 #2
I maintain a careful watch on Max, searching her expression for any signs of discomfort, but she seems content and at ease. She and Callista are still deep in a conversation that I don’t quite understand, so I stand and tell them, “I’m going to do a lap to see if I know anyone here.”
The collective calm revelry of the evening is intoxicating as I weave my way through the rooms, and my pleasant buzz from the wine only intensifies the sensation.
My eyes track across every face in the main room, and the only one I recognize is the man from the party last week with white-blonde hair, sharp features, and an air of pretentious sophistication.
Victor, I think his name was. He’s the one who tried to freak me out with stories about disappearing students.
He’s standing there with a group of four others, and it looks like he’s holding court rather than participating in a conversation.
I make my way down the hall toward one of the back rooms, and I almost collide with someone who’s turning the corner from the opposite direction.
I’m met with a stare of equal parts annoyance and disdain. “Why are you here?”
“Hi, Clarissa, lovely to see you too.” My voice is saccharine sweet, which only serves to anger her further.
“I was invited, actually, just like you.” I exaggerate the last three words, my meaning clear: she’s not as superior as she thinks she is.
Sure, she might be richer, more academically successful, and more experienced with magic, but here we are at the same party, rubbing elbows with the same important people.
And even though she may be more accomplished than me in… well, pretty much everything, I at least have the good sense to not be miserable about it. It must be difficult having everything you could ever want and still being so bitter.
“Look, I’m gonna level with you here,” I say in a more serious tone.
“I don’t really understand why you don’t like me.
I never tried to steal your boyfriend and have no interest in him, and I think you know that.
I’m not sure if I unknowingly broke some unspoken social rule, but all I want is to do decently well in my classes, make friends, and gain control over my magic, because it’s a beautiful, incredible thing that I’ve only just discovered. That’s it.”
“Well, you go right ahead and enjoy your cute little exploration of magic. Some of us are actually trying to be successful and don’t have time for frivolity.”
“You should make some time. Maybe then you wouldn’t be such an arrogant bitch.” Despite my venomous words, I smile politely as I say it.
She brushes past me in a huff, and I laugh to myself as I peek in the back room she just left.
For a brief second I’m excited to see AJ before I realize it’s not him.
It’s his brother, Mitchell. I give him an awkward wave when he makes eye contact then quickly avert my gaze to show him I know he’s not his twin.
I circle back to the room I’d left Max and Callista in, and Max is now in conversation with two other people, all of them slowly migrating to the main room.
Callista has shifted into a different group, and from across the room, I catch Max’s eye.
I give her a thumbs up and a questioning look, and she nods with a slight smile at my silent question.
I’m halfway through my glass of wine, and the edges of my mind soften. This is where I’m meant to be, I think. This academy, with these people. It feels like fate.
A woman I’ve never seen before sits in the corner alone scanning the bookshelves beside her, and, emboldened by the wine, I go to join her.
“Is it okay if I sit here?” I ask.
“Sure,” she answers with a nervous smile.
“I’m Vivian.”
“Delilah,” she states, absentmindedly twirling one of her long, dark braids. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too. I’ll be honest, though, I hardly know anyone here and feel a little awkward,” I say in an almost conspiratorial whisper.
She laughs, and the tension in her shoulders loosens slightly.
“Same here. I came with a few of the Meridian House people, but they’re off doing their own thing.
And some of them aren’t exactly the type of people I care to spend more time around…
but I figured coming here would be a good networking opportunity. ”
Her statement makes me wonder whether she might be talking about Clarissa, but I’m hesitant to say so in case that’s not who she’s talking about. Still, I can’t help but ask in more vague terms. “Who from Meridian House don’t you care to spend time with? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Delilah looks torn for a moment before answering, “Just one of the girls who thinks she’s better than everyone because she’s in a position of authority.”
I take a calculated risk. “Soooo… Clarissa?”
She bites back a small smile. “Yes. I think she has good intentions, but she seems to be misguided in her behavior.”
I nod in understanding. “She’s the TA in my Intro to Magic Theory class, and she seems to have a disproportionate amount of hatred for me after I accidentally spoke to her boyfriend thinking he was his twin. I can’t imagine what living with her must be like, though.”
Delilah shrugs. “I manage to avoid her pretty easily. There’s nothing personal between us, and she’s friendly enough toward me; I just have a difficult time entertaining conversations with people who think they know everything.
I find that those who have a superiority complex about their intellectual achievements are often the most insufferably condescending people I’ve ever met.
She may be at the top of her class, but she can’t let a day go by without announcing it, as if people will forget she’s smart if she doesn’t. ”
“Wow. That actually makes so much sense,” I respond. Clearly, this woman has an insight to Clarissa that comes from being forced to spend a significant amount of time around her. I like her already. She’s intelligent, which is obvious from how well-spoken she is in addition to her apt observations.
Delilah shrugs. “Anyway, she’s not worth spending more time on. If you’re in Intro to Magic Theory, does that mean you’re a freshman?”
I explain to her the bizarre circumstances of me coming to be here, and she’s rapt with attention the entire time.
“That’s fascinating that your magic didn’t manifest until your twenties,” she says.
“It makes you wonder if one’s current impression of reality is a part of what allows magic to manifest. If you don’t believe magic is real, then you’re never going to be looking for signs of it and may even actively ignore them.
I’m sure there must be studies about this, potentially related to the observer effect or…
” she trails off as she pulls a miniature notebook and pen out of her cardigan pocket and scribbles down a note for herself before slipping it back and refocusing her attention on me.
“Sorry,” she says with a sheepish smile. “The curiosity never ends.”
“No problem,” I assure her. “I love that you’re so into it. This is an entirely new world to me, so it’s fascinating to hear about… well, everything.”
As I listen to Delilah tell me more about her studies—she’s a Classicist, apparently, studying languages, art, and history in the context of magic—I drain the rest of my wine and absentmindedly take another glass when the server comes around.
I’m halfway through the second glass of wine, my body warm and my head pleasantly light, when there’s a commotion in the main room.
Oh no. Please don’t be Max. There’s a sinking feeling in my gut, and I shoot up off the chair, though I have to pause and steady myself on the back of the seat as my vision swims.
“I’ll be right back,” I toss over my shoulder as I rush toward the commotion.
There, in the center, is Max. Her usually stoic demeanor is gone, replaced by teary-eyed anger.
Black streaks trail from her eyes as she shouts, dangerously close to Victor as she points a finger in his face.
He stands there, smug and unbothered, smirking at her as if she’s a toddler throwing a tantrum.
I push my way through the crowd. “What’s happening?”
Max stops shouting to pin me with a glare, then promptly turns on her heel and storms out the door. I rush after her.
“Max! Wait! What’s going on?” I yell after her as she stalks down the hallway. “Max!”
She stops and spins around. “I knew I shouldn’t have come. I shouldn’t have trusted that any of those pretentious assholes would actually want to be my friend. So, go back to your little party and I’ll go back to doing what I do best—being alone.” She doesn’t wait for my response.
“Wait!” I yell after her, desperate to fix this somehow. “Just tell me what happened. I’ll walk back with you.”
“Can’t you take a hint?” she hisses. When she sees my hurt expression, she softens her voice to something almost desperate. Her eyes are brimming with tears. “Please. I just need some time by myself right now.”
I sigh. “Okay. I’ll give you some space then, and I’ll see you later, okay?”
She nods once then walks away, and I’m left reeling. What the hell happened in there? It seemed to be going so well.
Ignoring the patterned wallpaper in the hallway that only makes me dizzier, I head back into the suite, where the party is continuing as if nothing transpired.
When I catch sight of Callista in the far corner, I make a beeline to her, though as soon as she sees me, she does the same.
We meet in the middle, and she clutches my hands in hers.
“Vivian, I am so sorry about what happened with Max. Those assholes won’t be at another party ever again if I can help it.” Her tone is harsher than I’ve ever heard it, and that only makes the pit in my stomach grow. If whatever happened was enough to get her angry, then it must be bad.
“What happened? I wasn’t in the room, so all I know is that Max got upset, was yelling at Victor, then stormed out.”