“Brothers can be quite unpredictable, it seems”
As if fate were waiting for Inessa to say those words, Renlin seized the spotlight with a microphone in his hand. There was a quickness to it, a quick swiftness to how fast Thalia’s head had snapped towards the stage, her expression filled with a mix of surprise and apprehension. Just what was he up to? she pondered silently as Renlin launched into his speech.
Oh, was all Thalia could say, Oh. He was drunk, that much was obvious, but none of his words were wrong. ‘Oh right, they can’t answer because they aren’t here. And here we all are just okay with that? Is that okay’? No, it was not ok. It was not ok that no one was saying anything about what had happened to the victims, this past years, that people seemed to be shrugging it off as ‘just another incident’ no worries filling their minds, It wasn’t okay that Headmaster Dear showed such disinterest in addressing the matter, his words devoid of genuine concern. His speeches felt rehearsed, devoid of sincerity—as if he were reciting from a script to fulfill a mere obligation.
But such was the reality of those in power, wasn’t it? Their indifference toward those they deemed beneath them was a bitter truth. But then again, did those beneath even care about their peers?
No, that was the answer, as cold and bitter as it was.
Thalia scanned the faces of her fellow students, searching for any sign of dissent or discomfort, but found none. Most seemed content to let Renlin’s words wash over them, dismissing them as the drunken ramblings of a troubled soul. None of them truly cared, did they? They were nervous, perhaps even scared, but their concern was solely for their own well-being, not for the fate of Miles North and the other missing individuals. Most people, truly did not care for their peers.
When Inessa had left from her side, Thalia had not noticed, she had not even noticed that Renlin’s speech had halted, and that someone had come to his side, because her attention was on a completely different thing. She poured herself another drink, raising her glass to herself in a silent toast. “Cheers to Miles and Serafina,” she murmured under her breath, a solemn vow echoing in her mind. She was going to find out what happened, what happened to them, and hopefully she will find them and also who she had come here to find. After all, there had to be an explanation for all of this, right?
Right, there was always an explanation, even if it did not make sense. Her fingers traced the outline of her pendant, with one hand she had clutched it tightly, bringing it closer to her heart than it already was. The pendant had always been a source of comfort for Thalia, a reminder that everything would be okay. And she hoped fervently that it would hold true for Miles and Serafina. “I hope you’re okay,” she whispered, her words lost in the din of the party. “Be ok,” She rephrased with a sigh.
With a deep breath, Thalia drained her glass in a single motion, relishing the warmth that spread through her veins. It was a welcome distraction from the turmoil in her mind. Pouring herself another drink, she resolved to bury her worries at the bottom of the bottle, if only for a little while longer. Three more glasses followed, each one carrying her further into the comforting embrace of intoxication. Two, three, four—Thalia did not know how many drinks she had drunk, but she knew it was quite a lot. She pushed herself away from the table because she knew, against her better judgment, that if she did not leave, she would not be able to restrain herself from taking another sip. So she left the drinking table, and unto the dance floor she found herself, her head slightly swimming with each steps she took. The pulsating music filled her ears, drowning out the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind. She moved with the rhythm, letting the music wash over her and clear her mind. Music always had a way of relaxing the mind, did it not?
But sadly, it seemed that she would have to stop dancing and only listen to the calming music because the fatigue began to catch up with her. Thalia leaned against a nearby wall, removing her camera from her bag. With slightly unsteady hands, she swiped through the photos she had taken earlier, searching for a distraction. She sighed, holding the camera in her hand as she looked up to people passing by, making loud noises that drowned out the music. Those people left, thankfully, they had left and opened Thalia’s view towards a mysterious girl with medium length choppy brown hair and interesting eyes. She wore a black dress, and a black masks, and she did not seem to fit in with the crowd at all, there was something about her, something that Thalia could not quite place her fingers on her with her intoxicated mind that led her to believe that this girl was a true outsider. It was not a bad thing, no, at least Thalia did not mean it in a bad way, she meant it in an inexplicable way. But there was just something about the girl in front of her, that seemed so genuine yet far out of reach about her.
Thalia did not know when or how her hands had lifted her camera up, aiming it discreetly at the girl, snapping a photo before she could be noticed. But it seemed that Thalia had not been quite as discreet as she planned to be, for the lady began to approach her, and Thalia’s eyes tried to look at everywhere but her. She found herself, hurriedly, putting her camera inside her bag, then trying to leave the scene, but instead of letting her leave the lady had stopped her. “Can I help you with something?” Thalia said feigning ignorance, “Sorry-” Thalia began, “My mind has just been a bunch of had been’s and had not’s,” Thalia said trying to crack a joke, or at least weird the girl out enough for her to leave. The numerous drinks that Thalia took were definitely helping. “So,” Thalia began, She glanced around the room, searching for inspiration, her mind racing to find a suitable distraction. “So, I’ve heard the food at this ball has been more than great. How about you go and try out some pastries, and we can catch up later?” Thalia suggested, scanning the room for an escape route while attempting to divert the conversation.
@novella - FREYAA
mentioned:
@Madilnel - Inessa and renlin