Invictus

Chapter 16

DENISE

After the gym session which seemed to have lasted the entire day, we spilled out onto the parking lot, looking all tired and achy.

After piling into the car, I drove quietly back, dropping April at her place, her mark had grown, her entire arm was covered in 3d flame. I looked at mine, a dark blue. It changed daily.

I got home, picked up a slice of pizza from the fridge, put it in the microwave and sat in front on the tv. Two Broke girls were on.
Yay!

After a while, a beeping distracted me, I went into the kitchen and retrieved my pizza, it was warm and the cheese had remelted into its gooey goodness.

I sank my teeth into it and moaned as the taste exploded on my taste buds.

"And here I was thinking that Lyanna's reaction to hot pizza is absurd "

I turned, Khione lounged by the door.

"I'm here to get dressed" She followed me upstairs and my mum met us on the landing.

Crap. Crappity crap.

"Denise, you're home.I'm about to leave for a meeting" She hugged Khione "I don't think we've met,whats your name? "

"Khione " Khione replied " after the Greek goddess "

"Well you definitely look like a goddess. How apt."

My mum nodded and kissed me, bustling away in a sheath dress and heels. We re-emerged later,me in a pair of jeans and a tee, Khione in a sheath dress and heeled sandals.

I put the black envelope in my back pocket as I went downstairs to the car, April was sitting in denim shorts and a racerback top, a bunch of bracelets on one side and her tattoo. She hugged Khione and I.

"When did you get here?" I asked.
"some minutes ago"

LIU

We pulled up in front of Zoe's house, we knew it was her house, cause of all the other cars and pop music blaring. I and Lyanna sat in the dark, sharing a pack of Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies. She was on her Instagram, searching for a suitable filter for the selfie we took when we got here thirty minutes ago, I looked back at the house which seemed to be covered in a smoky haze.

"We'd be walking into the beginnings of lung cancer" I muttered, picking up my flashing phone, "The others are here."

Lyanna was craning her head out the window, she put it back in as Denise's car slowed to a stop across us. We got out the car and sat on my hood, Lyanna's sleeve tattoo her major accessory, her oversize tank top stopping mid thigh, black leather pants and black studded boots, the Obsidian at her wrist. Her hair had been pulled up in a messy bun and her eyes were heavily lined.

Meanwhile, here I was, looking like her girlfriend. Powder blue crop top, dark denim and sparkly flats. I looked at April, who seemed to have had the same idea with Lyanna, her flames burning dimly in the night light. Denise in jeans and Khione looking like a movie star.

"Heeled sandals? " Lyanna asked "it's a party, not dinner"

Khione blushed, the sandals changing to flat ballet pumps. "So, are we going in or nah?"

"Yeah, sure, but we have to be together. We need as much clean air as possible " I said.

We walked to the front door, which swung open as soon as we got to the threshold, Zoe Hardin stood in the doorway, arms outstretched .

"You made it" She shrieked, giving everyone a once over. "Come in"

Zoe's short hair swinging around her chin in curls.she was in a playsuit and sneakers.

We stepped into the house, pausing to allow our eyes adjust to the crazy lights, a white haze floated above the crowd and the smell of alcohol hit me. I twirled my fingers, sighing with relief as fresh air covered us.

Zoe held my hand and led us through the crowd, pausing to introduce us to other people from school that I haven't met. We ended up in a room, a different room.

A couple of guys sat at one end with girls on and around them, drinking from red cups, probably cheap beer or vodka.

"Welcome to the inner circle " Zoe said "here we are much more important than the commoners out there."

" if you're more important, then why invite them." Khione asked.

"That's How it works like,  hun" Zoe replied, looking at her, "you're not from here, are you?"

"I am not "