20 - The Invitation

Nova's POV

The cafeteria smelled like stale pizza and desperation.

I sat across from Ryker, pushing a plastic fork through my lunch, watching the grease pool on my tray. My appetite had evaporated somewhere between Harper's bathroom threat and now. My mind kept looping back to her words. Burned and forgotten.

"You're doing that thing again," Ryker said.

"What thing?"

"The thing where you stare at something like it personally offended you."

I dropped the fork. "I'm fine."

"You've said that three times in the last hour. Each time more unconvincing than the last."

I opened my mouth to fire back something clever. Then Harper's voice sliced through the noise.

"Ryker!"

She materialized at our table, all polished hair and practiced smiles. Courtney and Mia flanked her like matching bookends.

"Harper." Ryker didn't bother hiding his disinterest.

"I'm having a party this weekend. My house. Seven o'clock. You're coming."

"That sounds more like a command than an invitation."

"It is." She flipped her hair. "You never miss my parties. It's tradition."

Ryker leaned back in his chair. His eyes moved to me, then back to Harper.

"Then Nova's coming too."

Harper's smile went brittle. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. She comes or I don't."

The air around our table thickened. Harper's fingers curled into her palm, nails biting into skin.

"Ryker, can we talk privately?"

"Whatever you need to say, say it here."

Harper's eyes flicked to me. Cold. Calculating. Then back to Ryker. Her smile reformed like clay.

"Of course Nova's invited. She's my friend." She turned to me, the word friend tasting sour on her tongue. "Right, Nova?"

"Right."

My voice came out steadier than I felt.

"Wonderful." Harper clasped her hands together. "Saturday. Seven. I'll text you the address."

She walked away. Her heels clicked against the tile like a countdown.

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.

"That was stupid," I said.

"You keep saying that about things I do."

"Because you keep doing stupid things."

He reached across the table and took my hand. His thumb traced circles on my knuckles.

"She's not going to hurt you," he said. "Not while I'm around."

I pulled my hand back.

"I'm not afraid of her and I can take care of myself," I said. "I don't need your protection."

His face flickered. Something shifted behind his eyes. Then he nodded.

"Fine. But I'm still picking you up on Saturday."

"Wouldn't expect anything less."

________________________

The house looked nothing like the last last house. This must be another one of their houses. 

The last time I was in Harper's territory, I was still playing nice with Harper, still pretending to be one of them.

Now I knew better.

Ryker parked and turned to me.

"Ready?"

"Thrilled."

He didn't reach for my hand this time. Neither did I.

We walked inside together, shoulders brushing, but the space between us felt wider than before.

Harper's house was packed. Bodies pressed together. Music throbbed through the floors. The air was thick with perfume and spilled alcohol and the particular brand of wealth that came with Crestwood Academy.

Harper found us before we'd made it past the foyer.

"Ryker! Nova!" She pressed a drink into my hand before I could refuse. "I'm so glad you came. You have to try the punch."

Ryker took his drink but didn't sip. I held mine like it was poison.

"You two are adorable," Harper continued. "Really. It's like you've been together forever."

"Feels like it," Ryker said.

Harper's smile held. She leaned toward me, her breath warm against my ear.

"Enjoy yourself, Nova. Really."

She disappeared into the crowd. 

I watched her go, my fingers tightening around the glass. I instinctively looked around for Chase, and I was relieved he didn't come.

The party stretched on for what felt like an eternity. I was exhausted from all the shifts I had to pick up to afford this outfit, tutoring Ryker and also doing my own school work. 

Ryker stayed close. But we didn't touch. He kept his hands in his pockets. I kept mine at my sides. The performance was there, but the edges were frayed.

"Stay here," he said eventually. "I need to find the bathroom."

"I'll be fine."

He nodded and walked away.

I stood alone by the drinks table, scanning the room. The bodies blurred together. The music pounded. My head was starting to ache.

Then I spotted them.

Courtney and Mia. Cutting through the crowd. Each holding a glass of red wine. Moving with purpose.

My blood went cold.

"Nova!" Courtney's voice was syrupy sweet. "We've been looking for you."

"Here," Mia said. "Try this."

She extended a glass toward me. The wine sloshed dangerously close to the rim.

"I'm good."

"Come on. It's a party."

"I don't drink."

"One sip won't kill you."

"I said no."

Courtney stepped closer. Her body blocked my escape. Her smile was a mask stretched too thin.

Then she stumbled.

The wine erupted from her glass. A red wave crashed across my chest. The liquid spread across the fabric in seconds. Staining. Ruining. Destroying.

"Oops!" Courtney's voice was innocence personified. "I'm so clumsy!"

Her hand was steady. Her smile was not.

I looked down at my dress. The stain was enormous. The fabric was ruined. My dress. My rented dress. The one I'd spent three shifts paying for. The one that was due for monday. I literally had to beg the shop keeper before she let me rent this particular dress. 

"No," I whispered. "No, no, no."

My hands were shaking. My voice cracked. I couldn't stop it.

"Nova?" Courtney's tone was a question wrapped in false concern. "It's just a dress. Are you okay?"

I couldn't answer. I just stared at the stain.

Harper appeared like a ghost.

"Nova. How awful." Her voice was gentle. Her eyes were not. "Don't worry. It'll come out."

It wouldn't. I knew it wouldn't.

"I need to go."

"Go?" Harper frowned. "The party's just getting started."

"I need to go."

I pushed through the crowd. I didn't look back. I didn't stop.

Ryker found me in the hallway.

"Nova, what happened?"

"My dress is ruined. I'm leaving."

He looked at the stain. His jaw tightened.

"Who did this?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me."

"Just take me home, Ryker. Please."

His eyes searched my face. Then he nodded.

The drive was silent.

I stared out the window, watching the streetlights blur past. My hands were still shaking.

"Nova," Ryker said. "Talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You're crying."

I touched my cheek. It was wet. I hadn't even noticed.

"It's just a dress," I said.

"Clearly it's not just a dress to you."

I looked at him. His eyes were searching mine.

"Tell me what's going on," he said. "Please."

I opened my mouth to say something. Anything. But the words wouldn't come.

I couldn't tell him about the cost. About the shifts I'd worked. About the money I didn't have. About how one ruined dress could unravel everything.

I turned back to the window.

"I can't," I said quietly.

He didn't push. But I felt his gaze on me the rest of the drive.