Zenery's POV

After the headmistresses vanished, the real party began. Apparently Caleb had gotten the message of mandatory drinking, because as soon as they left he scooped up two beers and sauntered off. I myself found the idea of drinking rather distasteful. I had had occasional sips of various alcoholic beverages courtesy of my parents, but found them all to be rather vile. Also the idea of purposefully dampening ones senses seemed rather idiotic. Why would one willingly choose to become a blathering idiot?
I sighed, and ventured over to the bar where Set, Xerin, Briar, and Larimar had all seated themselves.
Briar already had a pint of beer half drunk by the time I seated myself, and was enthusiastically talking about Ireland to Nico, who had yet to get anything to drink. Xerin was daintily sipping on a glass of red whine while staring bleakly at the wall behind the bar counter. Both of these companion options I quickly dismissed. Xerin seemed to be deep in thought about something, and I was willing to let her ponder in silence. Briar was obviously going to be drunk out of his mind within the first half hour or so, and I didn’t need to be anywhere near him if and when he decided to start dancing on the bar counter. So instead I seated myself between Larimar and Set. Set was staring blankly at the glass of vodka in front of him, and Larimar was absentmindedly sipping on a shot glass full of some white liquid while staring off at Caleb, who was talking enthusiastically to Amber.
I decided to aid her some in her thoughts.
“So, why don’t you go over there?” I said to her.
She shifted her gaze to me questioningly.
“Go where?”
I sighed crossly.
“Where do you think?”
She glanced back at Amber and Caleb who were now sitting centimeters away from each other, bumping shoulders as they laughed about something or other. Oh dear. It looked like Amber was one of those girls who became super slutty when drunk.
“I don’t want to disturb them. They look like they’re having a fine time.” She said briskly.
“You feel left out.” It wasn’t a question.
Larimar looked at me again and sighed.
“You know it’s really creepy how you do that.” She muttered.
I raised an eyebrow happily, and she sighed again.
“What, is it so wrong that I want to have friends too? I think Caleb is cool to hang out with, but obviously doesn’t have time for me with Amber around.”
“So you’re jealous of Amber.” Again, not a question.
Larimar flushed a deep hue of red before sputtering out her response.
“N-no! Look at Caleb going all gooey eyed at her! You think I want that little childish psycho making eyes at me? No. I just…” She trailed off as she watched Amber scoot into Caleb’s lap, giggling and sloshing her beer.
“I just wish he had time for other people too. I though maybe I would have someone to really call a good friend. But its all about Amber now.” She finished quietly.
“You know you could make other friends too right? There ARE twelve of us.”
She eyed me cautiously.
“No offence but most of you are either crazy psychos, currently drunk, or already stuck to someone like glue.”
I nodded slightly.
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you cant still find friends. Now I would suggest you stop moping about and staring at them, and try to talk to Nico and Briar. They seem to be suited to your kind of interactions.”
Larimar shrugged slightly, and returned her attention to Caleb and Amber.
I could tell she wasn’t going to be very interesting to talk to for a while now, so I turned my attention to Set, who was still glaring at the glass in front of him.
“You do know the headmistresses said ‘drink’ not ‘glare at’ right?”
Set’s face shot up, but when he realized it was me, he returned his attention to his drink.
“Yeah.” He said in his low voice, and proceeded to take a drink from the cup.
We sat in silence for a few more minutes.
“So you’re still set on keeping everyone out, huh?” I said, breaking the silence.
He paused.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
He turned to me again.
“None of your business.”
“Actually it is. If you keep acting like I don’t exist, it becomes my business.”
“Why are you so obnoxious about this? I don’t need anyone, and don’t want anyone.”
“Right. Which is obviously why you’re so happy all the time, staring at your dead girlfriend’s locket and sighing.”
A burst of rage flashed over Set’s face.
“Don’t talk about that. EVER.” He growled out.
“Oh yeah, because it’s a huge secret that you killed her.”
His face was turning darkening by the second, and I began to feel a chill run down my spine.
“And that’s exactly why you should stay away from me. All of you. I can do it again.”
I waved my hand at him.
“Oh don’t make threats at me. You loved her, so obviously it wasn’t your choice to kill her. Stop trying to act like you did it on purpose.”
There was silence, and the chill subsided.
Set was staring at me. I returned his stare just as intensely. The anger from his face had vanished. Instead it was now unreadable.
I waited for him to speak, and I felt that he was about to, but just as he opened his mouth there was a slight gasp from beside me. Then Larimar leaped off of her barstool.
“WHO WANTS TO HAVE A DRINKING CONTEST?” She said loudly, and to no one in particular.
I had my assumptions about her outburst, and they were confirmed when I saw in the reflection of Set’s glasses, Amber and Caleb with their mouths glued together.
Well this ought to be interesting.