Chapter 11

Zoe

Nothing excites me more than getting a two-day break from my classes, so when the weekend rolls around, I couldn't be happier.

Unfortunately, Friday is the night of the party, and I have yet to decide whether or not I'll be going. On one hand, I have Seamus, who I've barely exchanged an awkward glance with since our argument in the library a few nights back. On the other, I have Flint, who has been unreasonably kind to me so far and really wants me to come. I keep reminding myself of what he didn't tell me, though - that a girl was assaulted at the same party last year. It feels like a cold, sharp needle to the chest.

And stuck somewhere in the midst of it all, I have Blaise, who I'm not entirely sure what happened with at our last tutoring session. I felt something very foreign when he touched me, and I'm not sure what it was. For now, I've decided to ignore it, and shove it to the back of my mind like a cobweb swept under the rug.

Somehow, Eric singlehandedly convinces me to go to the party an hour before it starts. He keeps insisting that maybe I'll "finally make friends" with the other Slytherins (he says that opposites attract). So naturally, I find myself sneaking him into my empty dorm that night to help me get ready, because I know nothing about party attire.

"Just," He says, his eyes closing in frustration, "let me put some earrings on you - "

"Eric, I don't have my ears pierced." I say.

"I can just poke a safety pin through, real quick. It doesn't even hurt - " (he adds the last part on after seeing the horrified expression on my face).

"Sorry, Eric." I say, and take another glance at myself in the mirror. I did let him throw my hair half-up, but that's about it. "I think I'm good. Thank you, though."

A genuine smile creeps onto his lips. "Don't be nervous. Just try to have some fun, okay?"

It's not often that Eric gives straightforward advice without expecting something of equal measure in return, so I decide to embrace it. I pace a few steps forward and wrap my arms around him.

"Love you." I whisper, and he returns the phrase before dancing past the threshold and out of the door.

***

By the time I make it down to the party, the common room is packed and dark, save for a few white lights and dwindling fires. I can hear my heart pounding in my chest, but the room is so alive with chatter and music that I doubt anyone else can.

Just as I begin to consider heading back up to my dorm room, I feel a clammy hand grasp onto my arm.

"Zoe!"

It's Flint. His eyes are almost as red as the fizzing liquid inside of the plastic cup he's holding.

"I didn't know you were coming." He says, his voice a slur. "I'm gonna get you a drink."

I shake my head, a small laugh blowing past my lips. "Oh, no thank you. I don't drink." And it's true - not once have I had alcohol before.

"You sure?" He says, pressuring me. "It's so much more fun when you do."

I shake my head again, and clasp my hands behind my back, shifting from foot to foot. I've never really been to a party before - I'm not the most outgoing person, and I grew up with just two close friends who left me every autumn. I feel out of place right now.

Flint grabs my hand forcefully, dragging me off to another part of the room. "Well, follow me. If you're not gonna drink, you can at least play a game with us."

I'm having trouble figuring out who 'us' is until Flint turns the corner and we're suddenly standing at the head of a circle of sixth years, perched on top of armchairs and couches and strewn across the floor. Immediately, I recognize a few familiar faces. Pansy, Draco Malfoy, Warrington. My stomach begins to churn. I'm starting to wish I would've just spent the night with Stevie or Eric.

"Hey, guys." Flint shouts. "We're adding someone else to the game."

I give a sheepish wave, and then wish I hadn't, because most of these people hate me. I settle into a small space on the couch, and Flint plops down uncomfortably close to me. Normally, this would make me feel strange, but right now, he's my only friend in this group of people.

"So the game is truth or dare." Flint says. "It's dumb as hell, but it gives us something to do. Sometimes it can get interesting."

I nod my head, feeling like if I open my mouth, my small dinner will reappear.

It's then that I spot Blaise from across the circle, sitting with his arms splayed across the back of the couch. From the deadpan expression on his face, I can guess that this is something Flint dragged him into, too.

"Zabini." A voice shouts from across the circle. "Your turn. Truth or dare?"

The group goes quiet as Blaise makes up his mind.

"Dare." He finally answers to everyone else's delight. I realize that I have no idea what I'll say when it comes to my turn. Hopefully, they'll just ignore me.

The boy who asked - a sinewy seventh year whose face doesn't register in my mind - looks around the circle quizically. "I dare you to...make out with Pansy."

The group gives a collective chuckle. A smirk plays on Blaise's lips, and he turns, pulling a delighted Pansy into him. Flint howls with laughter when their lips connect. For a moment, I can't tear my eyes away - the longer I look, the more that a boiling, impulsive heat begins to eat away at my chest. When I finally force my eyes downwards, my heart is pounding eratically. The game moves on before I can figure out why.

"Your turn, Pans." Goyle says. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare, obviously." She laughs, and wipes her wet lips with the back of her hand. I find myself grinding my teeth together. Why do I dislike her so much?

After Pansy removes her flimsy shirt, the game moves onto Draco, who reluctantly shares the details of his first time. By the time that Goyle is dared to chug five shots of firewhiskey, I begin to ease up. I even allow myself to laugh a little when Theodore Nott gets dared to do a comical striptease on the table.

So when Flint turns to me with a devious smirk, I'm immediately horrified.

"Zoe," He sings, "truth or dare?"

I hesitate. Why did he have to drag me into this?

"Dare." I blurt without thinking. Right away, I mentally curse myself for not sticking with the safer alternative. Flint wouldn't make me do anything too crazy - right?

The corner of his mouth twitches. "I dare you to kiss me."

My stomach jumps into my throat - he can't be serious.

But then, Flint is leaning in, his lips parted, the stench of alcohol reeking off of them. My heart is pounding, drumming so wildly against my ribs that I think it might break one.

No, no, no.

I lean slightly to the left. When I speak, my voice is just above a whisper.

"I have to go."

And with that, I rise from the couch, quickly striding as fast as my feet can carry me out from the circle and off towards the other side of the room. All I know is that I need to be away from those people - Pansy, Blaise, and especially Flint. I know they'll give me hell for it later, but I have to get out.

I thought that he and I were just friends. Hopefully, his actions were the result of a drunken impulse, and he won't remember it by tomorrow morning. The truth is that I've never kissed anyone before, and I sure didn't want Flint to be my first.

And if I hadn't been staring at my feet with such determination as I'd walked away, I would've seen Blaise from across the circle as his friend tried to put his lips on mine. Eyes narrowed, jaw strained, fingers curled together a little too hard - almost as if he was angry.

***