Mount Asteria

Chapter Forty One

"So tell me about this party we're going to," Alexandra said as she and Hestia trudged up the stairs of the house, their new dresses in hand.

Hestia shrugged, leading the way into her room. "It's an annual thing. My parents' friends have it around Hallowe'en every year. It's a benefit so most of the money goes to charity. There's a dinner and an auction and some dancing, the usual, you know. We'll probably see some people from school there. You know Macey Dixon in sixth year? Her family always comes, and sometimes Laura Hunt comes with her if she's staying with the Dixons."

"Sounds fun," Alexandra said, excited.

Hestia flopped onto her bed, exhausted from the morning's shopping. "I suppose so," she yawned. "But the speeches always go on forever. It's the dressing up and stuff that's fun."

Alexandra nodded in agreement. "Well, at least it's a nice way to spend Valentine's day."

"I've never been in a relationship so I wouldn't know any different."

"I've only had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day once and we broke up a week later so...."

Hestia laughed. "At least it happened once." She sighed. "I think I'll still be single when I'm eighty."

"There are worse things."

"What about you and what's his face?"

Alexandra shook her head, hands on hips. "I can't believe you almost told Pierre and Daniel about him."

"Oops! Sorry, I didn't think. But who cares? It's Pierre and Daniel."

Exactly! Alexandra thought in frustration, but didn't let it show.

"Anyway, what was his name again?"

"Ahmet," she said quietly.

"Yeah, Ahmet. So what happened with him?"

Alexandra shrugged, turning away. "He... He told me a couple of weeks ago that he'd met someone else."

"Oh." Hestia was quiet for a moment. "Oh well, you said you didn't think it could work out anyway."

"Yeah."

"You okay?"

Alexandra shrugged. "So much has changed. I can't see myself ever going back to my life before I started at Mount Asteria. Anyway, it's been nearly six months since I last saw him. It feels like just a distant memory now."

Hestia giggled.

"What?"

She shook her head. "I was just thinking what Ebony would say if she were here."

"Probably tell us to stop reading so many romance novels."

There was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" Hestia called.

Daniel's face appeared around the corner. "We're going to Greenwich. Want to come?"

Hestia looked at Alexandra who smiled and shrugged. "Okay," Hestia said.