Page 25 of Mixing Drinks For Tipsy Weasels

It opens to reveal Nini and Asher, both of them still in their loungewear, though Nini's hair is already neatly pinned up.

"What's up?" I ask my flatmates.

"You're on the ball committee, right?" Nini asks.

"Mmhmm."

"Great." She looks at Asher.

He sighs. "We were wondering if it's true that there are going to be mocktails there?"

"Oh, yeah, absolutely." Though with the mishap with the cocktails, I still haven't tasted any of them. "I didn't realise you didn't drink."

He sighs. "It's not that I don't drink, it's that the finale of our cheer competition is coming up and we're under strict instructions from Zara not to drink."

"Zara's your captain, right?" I ask, remembering something Mandy said.

"Yep, Zara the ice queen," Nini murmurs.

"Surely she'll let you drink for one night," I say.

"It's not that she won't let us, it's that she'll give us thislookwhen we turn up to practise tomorrow morning. And then she'll put us through the most punishing warm-up imaginable," Asher says.

"I never realised cheerleading was so intense."

"It's competitive cheer," Nini says. "It's strict, and sometimes the captains can be slave drivers, but it's worth it in the end."

"Oh yeah, when we lift that trophy next week, it's going to be the highlight of my year," Asher says. "So mocktails it is for us tonight."

"Then you're in luck, a few of us made sure they were put on the menu."

"Great, thanks, Erica. We'll let the others know," Asher says even as Nini pulls out her phone to type the message. I suppose that'll look good for the mocktail numbers if the entire Sapphire Sparks cheer squad is going to be drinking them, and that will mean that we get them again next year. I'm going to count that as a win.

"Oh, is that your dress for tonight?" Nini asks, gesturing towards it.

"Yes."

"It's gorgeous, it's going to look great on you," she says. "Don't you think, Asher?"

"Oh yeah, definitely."

"Thanks," I respond, smiling broadly. "I got it from my sister's shop."

"Oh, yeah, I got my dress from her too, she has such a great selection," Nini says.

"We should make sure to get a photo of us both so I can send it to her," I say, knowing Danielle will love that. Nothing makes her happier than seeing people having a good time in the dresses she helped them choose.

My phone buzzes, and the two of them take it as their cue to leave. I wave goodbye to them, though it'll only be temporary considering my flatmates are all going to the ball together, and me with them.

The fact I don't have a date didn't bother me before tonight, but now there's a small lingering voice in the back of my head that feels like it's telling me I should be going with someone specific, but I'm trying to ignore it.

I open up my phone, my heart skipping a beat as I see that it's from Rupert.

I click on the message, surprised to find a photo of a bow tie next to the bouncy ball I gave him.

I laugh, even though he can't hear me, before typing out a response.

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