Chapter 6
I t got worse, so very much worse. I got back to the Courts that afternoon to find the house a flurry of activity. Melody greeted me at the door and pulled me into the main sitting room, where what looked like most of the girls were sitting on the various stuffed sofas and chairs. Julia practically sneered at me from one side.
"Now that everyone is here," Melody said, clapping her hands to draw everybody's attention, "we can start planning." There was a murmur of excitement that ran through the group, and I had no clue what they were talking about.
"Planning for what?" I asked and everyone turned to stare at me like I had suddenly grown two heads. Julia scoffed and shook her head.
"Idiot," she sneered as her two ever present shadows Megan and Hannah sniggered and whispered behind their hands. "Seriously Melody, why is she even here? She's clearly not one of us." I rolled my eyes. Like I wanted to be in this hell anyway.
"Julia," Melody scolded. "Cadence is as much a Courts lady as you are, and you will treat her as such." Then Melody turned to me with a bright smile.
"I am talking about the back to school party," she said. Oh, the back to school party . This was the first event of the school year. From what I had heard, it was a long standing tradition at the University, designed to welcome new students and start the school year off right. It took place the Friday before classes started, which would mean it was this Friday coming up. Since I wasn't really a party person, I didn't even bother with it last year.
"Oh," I said with a quick nod. "I wasn't actually planning on going." There was another wave of murmurs through the room as Melody smiled with what looked like a tinge of sympathy.
"Of course you will be going," she said. "As a Court's girl, you will be expected to not only go, but it is part of our responsibilities to plan and host the main events throughout the year." My eyes widened. Seriously, it wasn't enough that I had to deal with the likes of Julia and try to manage my studies, but now I was expected to play party planner as well.
"And how many events are there?" I asked.
"Oh, for fucks sake," Julia snapped. "It's all in the contract. And you would have to have been living under a rock for the last year to not have known about the parties."
"That would explain the stink," Hannah not so quietly whispered, causing her, Julia and Megan to snigger again.
"Ladies," Melody scolded once again. "I will ensure that you don't get to be involved if this carries on." I frowned, confused by how Melody's threat of not being involved in party planning was enough to make Julia and her cronies shut up. But I was grateful for the reprieve from their sniping comments, nonetheless. Melody turned back to me with a patient smile.
"The Courts are responsible for organising five major events throughout the year, as well as several smaller ones. The big ones are the Back-to-School Bash which is this Friday, the Halloween Haunted House, Christmas Gala, Valentine's Day Ball, and the End of Year New Regents Coronation. Each requires meticulous planning and flawless execution."
I felt my stomach sink and my palms started to sweat. Five major parties, plus more? The mere thought of being involved in event planning made my chest tighten. I'd never organised anything bigger than a pub crawl with my friends back home, let alone lavish galas for the elite.
"And we're all expected to help plan these?" I asked hesitantly, my voice trembling slightly. The idea of having to coordinate with caterers, decorators, manage guest lists for hundreds of people and still actually study for my degree made me want to crawl under my bed and never come out. Melody nodded.
"It's part of our duties as Court ladies. But don't worry, we'll guide you through the process. Now, let's start by assigning tasks for Friday's party..."
As Melody began delegating responsibilities, my mind raced. How was I supposed to balance my studies, this unexpected social obligation, and still find time to investigate my mother's past? I was in way over my head, but backing out wasn't an option. Not if the stack of papers in my bag that weighed heavily on my mind read the way I expected, or if I wanted to protect my grandparents and keep my scholarship. With a resigned sigh, I settled in to listen as the plans for Friday's party unfolded around me.
Three days later
Friday afternoon came around way too quickly, and I found myself sitting at the large kitchen table with Sylvia, my fingers cramping from tying what felt like the thousandth ribbon onto yet another party favour. Melody had introduced Sylvia and me the other day after the meeting. She said that she thought that Sylvia and I would get on. Unlike the other Court girls, with their polished exteriors and sharp tongues, Sylvia seemed genuinely kind, if a bit reserved. Her quiet nature was a stark contrast to the elite socialites I'd grown accustomed to dodging in the house and on campus, and I was starting to think that I might have another ally in this shit show. Which was kind of a relief since my many attempts at getting a hold of Luce had proved fruitless.
Melody had paired Sylvia and me up, assigning us the task of party decoration preparations, a duty I was completely unprepared for. Luckily for me, Sylvia seemed all too familiar with the duties of a Courts girl and was patient enough to show me, even when I was being a bitch about everything. As we worked side by side, I couldn't help but notice how Sylvia's gentle presence made the tedious work a little more bearable. We talked a fair bit, and she told me how she lived with her mother and stepfather, but it was her biological father that was what made her a legacy, and the reason why she was on a Courts Scholarship. I had asked what she meant, and she had told me that it was normally required for a parent to have a connection with the Trivium foundation to get a Court scholarship. She had been pretty shocked when I told her my pitiful history of being abandoned by my mother and that I had no clue who my father was, so it was unlikely that I was a legacy anything. More examples of the fucked up nature of my situation. The past few days had been a whirlwind of unexpected duties and social minefields. I'd been thrust into planning this ridiculous party without any warning, all while trying to dodge Damien's incessant calls and figure out why Luce was suddenly unreachable.
"I think these look great, Cade," Sylvia said, her kind smile a brief respite from my growing anxiety. I managed a weak nod, grateful for her attempts to make me feel welcome, even if I couldn't fully let my guard down. The mix of flowers and battery operated candles did look pretty I guessed, if you were into that sort of thing. My phone buzzed on the table again and I glanced down at the screen, feeling a seed of apprehension in my stomach. I saw as Sylvia glanced over before looking away again.
"That's the third time he's called in the last couple of hours," she remarked, and I turned over my phone. Sylvia's cheeks flushed and she shrunk back into herself.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
"It's okay," I said with a sigh. "Honestly, I am going to have to deal with it sooner or later. I was just hoping for later." I grimaced and Sylvia shot me a sympathetic smile.
"Is he an ex-boyfriend?" she asked, and I quickly shook my head.
"Oh, dear god no," I said quickly. "He's a friend. Or was until I fucked it up by sleeping with him last year." It was Sylvia's turn to grimace.
"Ouch, awkward," she said. Then her face brightened. "But, you never know, at the end of the night it might be a moot point."
"Oh, how so?" I asked. I was all too happy to hear of a way that this could all be sorted out, especially as quickly as in a night.
"Well, it's a rule that a Regents girl is untouchable," she said with a shrug. "You never know, tonight that could be you." I could help but bark out a laugh.
"Oh, I don't care about finding a guy at the party, especially not a Regent. The ones I have met are self-centred pricks," I said, shaking my head in amusement. Sylvia shot me a confused look and I realised what I had said. It was only yesterday that Sylvia told me that her main reason for being a Courts girl was because her boyfriend Matt was in the running to be a Regent next year.
"I didn't mean that all of them are... I mean, I'm sure your guy is great."
"No, I didn't mean at the party," Sylvia said. "I meant after at the-"
Sylvia stopped at the sound of heels echoing through the hallway. Julia swept into the room, flanked by Megan and Hannah like a mean girl entourage. Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed our work.
"Oh sweetie," Julia cooed, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "Is that really how you're arranging those? I suppose it's... quaint, in a way. Very 'scholarship student chic.'"
"Very cheap," Hannah snipped.
"Tacky," Megan smirked. I gritted my teeth, my hands clenching around the ribbon I held. Sylvia shot me a warning glance, but I couldn't hold back.
"Thanks for the feedback, Julia," I retorted, my tone sharp. "I didn't realise you were such an authority on centrepieces. Tell me, did you major in napkin folding or is that just a hobby?"
Julia's eyes flashed. "At least I know how to fold a napkin properly. Unlike some, who probably just use their clothes."
Hannah snickered. "I mean, what other use are they for? It's not like she can afford any decent brands, or have the fashion sense to even try." I shook my head at the attempt of mocking. I really couldn't believe that this shit was such an important issue to these people.
"You're right, Hannah. I save all my money for, you know, actual education. But please, enlighten me on the finer points of table settings. I'm sure it'll be riveting."
Megan piped up, "Maybe if you paid more attention to these things, you wouldn't be a total waste of Courts space."
"And maybe with a single brain cell you might manage to be something other than an airhead trophy wife someday," I shot back. Julia's smirk widened.
"Well, some of us were raised for this sort of thing. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll catch up... eventually. Though I doubt even Cinderella's fairy godmother could work enough magic to make you fit in here."
Sylvia, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. "Come on, Julia. That's enough. Cade's doing her best, and the arrangements look lovely." Julia whirled on Sylvia, her voice dripping venom.
"Oh, look who finally found her voice. Careful, Sylvia. Defending the charity case might make people question your own standing. And we all know how fragile that is, don't we." Sylvia blushed at her words and both Hannah and Megan sniggered. I felt like I was missing something here, but right now it didn't matter. I was sure as hell not going to allow Julia to bully someone else.
"Back the fuck off, Julia. Sylvia's twice the person you'll ever be. At least she has the decency to be kind, unlike you three who seem to get off on being complete bi-"
"Excuse me?" Julia interjected, her face turning a deep shade of red, a clear sign of her rising fury. "How dare you speak to me in such a manner! Do you have any idea who I am?" I rose from my seat, locking eyes with her, unafraid and resolute.
"Of course I know who you are. You're a desperate, insecure individual who can only find self-worth by tearing others down. It's a pitiful existence, isn't it?" I stepped closer so that our faces were mere inches apart, my voice dropping to a low, intense growl. "And then there's your father's money. You flaunt it like it's a part of your identity, but deep down, it's your crutch. Without it, you're nothing. Just an empty shell, a spoiled child playing at being an adult, terrified of the day the cash flow stops." For a brief second, I saw something like hurt pass through Julia's eyes, before the defiant mask returned.
"You fucking cheap ass little whore," she growled, "I am going to destroy you."
"Bring it on bitch," I spat back.
I could see Julia was about to say something else when the front door banged shut and Melody's voice trilled through the house.
"Ladies, it's time to get ready." Her declaration was met by a scary amount of shrill excitement and movement. Julia glanced towards the kitchen door and then huffed. She looked back at me.
"You're not worth it," she sneered before pushing past me and storming out of the room. Hannah and Megan hesitated for all of a second before Julia shouted for them to follow her, and they rushed out of the room.
I stared at the door. Did I win that one? It felt like I did, but I had a sneaky suspicion that it would come back to bite me in the ass. My phone buzzed, pulling my attention away. I glanced at the screen to find a message from an unknown number:
Unknown : “See you tonight, Princess.”
My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of unease washed over me. Before I could even process who might have sent it, the door opened, and Melody entered with her usual bright smile.
"Ladies," she clapped her hands at me and Sylvia, then waved at the decorations on the table. "This looks amazing, but now it's time to start getting ready for the party." Melody locked eyes with me, her expression suddenly focused.
"Cadence, I think I have the perfect thing for you to wear." Oh fuck, I hoped to whatever god that might have been listening that it wasn't pink.