Elude

He Said That?

There's only an hour before the party, and I spent most of the day being completely unproductive. It's a costume party, which plays well in my favor. I'm dressed in a hooded black clock with a mask.

I meet Caelan downstairs and see that he's dressed like me, just in all white. "Dear god, who coordinated this?" he asks.

We walk down the street to a fancy looking building that Jace rented for the night. When we enter, I'm blown away.

It's a tall and long one story room. There's a balcony going all around the room about halfway up the wall. People are everywhere- the balcony, by the refreshments table, and crowded around the room. People dressed as formal butlers carry around trays offering drinks.

Caelan nudges me and gestures to a girl dressed as a devil. "Go talk to her," he says. "That's Nox."

I leave Caelan to socialize and make my way over to Nox, at the edge of the room.

"I'm so, so, sorry," I say. "We got caught up and didn't think when we moved here."

She doesn't answer me. What if she's not Nox? That would be awkward.

"It's fine," she says at last. "I'm surprised you're here, though. Seeing how much you hate Jace." She puts an emphasis on the word you. "He's really not that bad."

"You may think that, but I have the scars on my back to prove otherwise," I say.

She shrugs. "Whatever," she says. "I'm staying in the same building as you."

"Really?" I ask. Jace didn't tell me that.

"Yeah," she replies. "Have you gotten anything to drink yet?"

"I'm not allowed to," I confess. "Public image and all."

"You mean because of the rumor Jace started?" she asks, and I can tell she knows that's why.

"It's not true," I say. "As I've said, it's only at parties and dinners."

"You passed out in my room," she says. "Anyway, we should get something to eat."

I follow her over to the refreshment table and grab a plate. My mouth practically waters at the choices. I finally end up with three chicken drumsticks, a piece of chocolate cake, chips, strawberries from the fruit salad, a bread roll, and a few other things.

"Indulging yourself, I see?" Jace says from behind me.

I notice Nox slipping away, then turn back to Jace, who's dressed as a soldier in a navy blue uniform. "Food is meant to be eaten," I say. "How did you know it was me?"

"Wild guess," he says. "How is it so far? You enjoying it?"

"If you mean the food, yes," I say. "Talking to you, no." I hope that there are some journalists around and I'm not putting on the act for nothing.

"You don't have anything to drink," Jace replies nonchalantly. "Aren't you thirsty?"

"Not really," I say. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Caelan. He looks over at me and slides his finger across his throat.

"I have something you might like," he says. "You look awfully thirsty."

"Do you have any water?" I ask.