Heir To The Iron Crown: Butterfly ✓

9 - Níunda

Our pack was quite small and everyone lived close to each other. It was a short distance to Frida's house, so we decided to walk.

Asael and Mordekai had caught up with us on the way. There were quite a few people heading in the same direction.

When we reached the party, we could tell it was a party. The house was loud, people were everywhere, and there was music blasting from the subwoofers.

We walked into Frida's overcrowded home, and thankfully not many people gave us the looks we normally get at school.

As Asael headed our group into the living room, Frida, who seemed a little drunk, saw him and immediately made her way to him. She gave him a tight hug causing him to blush from her gesture.

She told us to enjoy as she took Asael by the hand and to the dance floor.

As everyone else was either getting something to eat or drink, or go on to join the majority to dance, I stood there awkwardly looking for the one person a part of me hoped to see.

I was honestly relieved that Valente wasn't here, but I couldn't shake away the disappointment either.

"Too bad he won't see you in that dress," said Ima.

"Shut up," I told her, now genuinely irritated.

"Jeez. Someone's touchy," she replied.

I sighed. At that point I realized that I wished I was better with people. But I just couldn't get along too well.

There was no way I was going to dance with the girls because I knew I'd make a fool of myself. So I just found a stool near the kitchen counter and sat there, hoping it was an acceptable time to leave soon.

A boy I knew from school came and sat on the tall stool next to me.

"Didn't expect to see you here," he said.

I poured out a glass of punch for myself, and then one for him because I didn't want to be rude.

"Thanks," he said as he took the glass from me. I remember him from Valente's group of friends. He was at training too.

"Is it really that odd to see me here?" I asked him.

"Rayne at a party? No big deal. But you did turn Val down," he said.

I could feel my ears burning again.

"Don't worry. He doesn't talk about his personal things too much. He just told me when I asked him why he wasn't coming with us," he said.

"Oh," was all I could manage.

"Why didn't he come?" I asked without thinking.

I didn't want to sound as if I was looking for him. But it really did sound that way.

And it was a little bit true.

He just laughed lightly.

"I literally just told you. He didn't come because you said no to coming with him," he said.

"If a date is what he wanted, he could have gotten so many. Heck he doesn't even need a date to go anywhere," I told him, sipping on my punch, almost sadly.

"I think he just wanted to go with you. He told me he'd contemplated asking you ever since Frida invited him," he said.

It's really my decision whether I want to go or not, but this conversation with this guy was making me feel really guilty.

"Why'd you say no?" he asked me.

I stayed quiet hoping he would go away. My reasons seemed stupid in front of him, even though I knew they weren't.