Elena
When I got back to my room, Alexa was gone, so I took the opportunity to shower. There was nothing better than the feeling of getting clean after a long day of training. I lingered in the shower ten minutes longer than I should have, letting the warm water ease the tension out of my shoulders.
You did really well today, Eevie told me. Before you know it, you'll be as good as me.
I smiled at that. To be as strong and courageous as Eevie would be amazing. I glanced down at the pouch I had on my stomach and wondered if all the training would help get rid of it and get me into better shape.
Sighing, It turned the water off, dried my hair off, wrapped my towel around my body and made my way back to the room, where I quickly changed into yoga pants and a t-shirt and fell asleep for a couple hours.
When I finally awoke, I noticed I had a missed text from Noel and Alexa was back, reading in her chair. The training must have made me a lot more tired than I thought. Even after getting a couple hours of sleep, I still felt exhausted. But then, I'd never done the sort of training I did today. IT was as much mental training as it was physical.
"Good morning, sleepy head," Alexa smiled, barely glancing up from her book. "You must have been tired. What did you do today?"
I returned the smile as I sat up and stretched my arms over my head before I grabbed my phone to start texting Noel back that I had fallen asleep after a heavy training session with an old friend of Eevie's. "I was doing some exercising." I figured it didn't hurt to tell Alexa what I'd been doing. I just wouldn't mention who the teacher actually was. "What about you?"
"I was checking out the library to see what resources would be at my disposal. Then I went out with some friends for some last minute school shopping," she yawned a little. "Are you going to the block party tonight?"
"Block party?" I asked. I vaguely remembered being told about a block party, but I had zoned it out.
Noel texted me back I know how you feel- did some training today, too.
Yun probably trained him, I thought. Even though he was little, he had to be powerful to be associated with Nori. I had barely interacted with Yun. I reminded myself to change that. I needed to get used to being around other demons.
"They talked to us about it at orientation. It's out on the commons, on the grassy knoll. Supposed to be a bunch of treats, punch, some games, a movie on the big screen, that sort of thing. The schools way of helping us celebrate our last night of freedom," Alexa explained as I was texting Noel.
Are you going to the block party tonight? I texted back to him.
"Okay, yes, I remember hearing about this now. Are you going?" I asked her.
"If Noel brings Austin, I'll go with you two. No way am I being your third wheel," Alexa teased.
"You wouldn't be a third wheel!" I exclaimed.
I was thinking about going. came Noel's reply.
You and Austin should meet Alexa and I there.
Deal. See you there.
"Okay, Noel's bringing Austin even though you wouldn't be a third wheel anyway," I told her.
I feel like a third wheel with you two, Eevie interjected.
Exasperated, I went to my closet to decide what to wear. People could think what they wanted.
Eevie
As Alexa and Elena got ready to go out to the block party, I thought about the last party I had gone to that I had had fun. It had been a masquerade ball in New York City with Rhys many many decades ago. While I had grumbled about getting ready then, I had secretly enjoyed getting dressed up.
This wasn't the same kind of party, I knew. But being under house arrest hadn't given me much access to the fun kind of parties. My parents hosted little galas at our home, but I always felt like I was on parade for all the eligible bachelors to look at me and decide if I was pretty enough to look passed my terrible personality.
Knowing Nori was a noble, I wondered if he had heard of me, or rather heard of the daughter of the Montilyet clan. Not that he knew I was that daughter. What would he say if he found out I was the daughter? I didn't know which clan Nori was from either, and I tried to think of the families and their sons to see if I could figure out which clan from which he hailed.
Alas, I never had paid much attention to the other noble families as I had no such interest in them. They all stared at me like I was an insect to be studied. Why would I wish to know anything about them? Unless, of course, I wanted to get revenge on them for the way they treated me and my family. But if I did so, that would be doing my father a favor, and I wasn't about to make anything easier for him.
I needed to get home and make sure he knew I wasn't going anywhere right now. No need to keep him on edge about me. It was more for my reassurance that Alistair and his family would be okay more than anything else. I wondered if Elena would mind a quick trip to the demon realm over the weekend.
Would you be opposed to going to the demon realm and meeting my family this weekend? I asked Elena, breaking the silence as she laced up her chucks.
Why so soon? I thought you didn't have to go home until winter break? she hesitated. For good reason. I wouldn't want to meet my family in her shoes, either. I didn't want to meet them at all now.
I want to speak with my family and make sure they don't do anyhing to hurt Alistair or his family. My family needs to know I am complacent and still willing to be a part of the family- that I'm not going againt theme openly.
Then, yes, of course.
Thank you, Elena. We can leave Saturday morning and leave by Saturday night or Sunday morning by the latest, and I will help with your homework so you don't fall behind.
I'm sure we will manage.
Elena's phone dinged and she read the text Noel had sent that he and Austin were already at the block party.
"Are you ready?" she asked Elena, grabbing her purse and together the two locked their door behind them and they made their way out of their dorm and out to the party where they would meet up with the boys.
Parties made me wish I was actually there to enjoy them. I wondered if Nori struggled with that as I did. I wished the two of us would be able to speak more. But we made the most of our situation because what else could you do?
