Page 8 of Feel Free to Scream

"Of course. She's a character, for sure." Christ, I need to move. "Well, then?—"

"There's a party tonight, at my cousin's house. Just a few people getting together before the start of the semester. You should come. Get to know everyone."

"Oh. Erm, I mean, I'm not much for parties, and I don't know my way around yet…"

"The Wyvern House. It's right across from the dorms, can't miss it." Keller removes two black cards from his back pocket and hands them to me. "Bring someone if you'd like. Roommate, boyfriend, whatever."

He's not hitting on me, then. He's just welcoming. I smile back.

"I mean, maybe?" It's not the worst idea, to get to know a few people before school starts.

I've barely seen my roommate, but I could ask her if she's there when I get back.

"Thank you, Keller. And thank you so much for the notebook, and the gift card, too. You didn't have to get me anything. It truly was my pleasure to spend a few minutes with Octavia."

"I know," he assures me. "See you later, little ghost."

I walk in, still feeling out of sorts. I really didn't think I'd see him again.

I stare at the cards in my hand. They're fancy. Shiny business cardstock, with an ouroboros stamped in foil at its center.

Welcome to the wyvern's den.

Who uses this kind of invitation for a college party? Rich, uppity folk, that's who.

It occurs to me that I was right to think of Keller as belonging to another world. The kicker is, for some reason, I'm the one who landed on his planet, somehow.

I look back, and he's still at the door, staring at me.

He's no longer smiling. Those blue eyes seem darker in the distance, somehow.

Fuck. If I tell Noah I saw him again, I will never hear the end of it.

I definitely shouldn't go to that party.

4

CLAIRE

Iarrived in Thorn Falls three days ago, and in that time, I’ve only seen my roommate twice in passing, dropping off boxes so full of colorful clothing they were left open on her side of the room. The bright pinks and blues and yellows are surprising, as both times she was dressed in sensible navy and gray.

She seemed friendly enough from what I saw in the ten minutes we spent together, but I don’t think there’s any chance I’ll see her today. Both times we met were early morning; she’s disappeared the rest of the time. Her social life is clearly very active.

When I come back from the library, my backpack full of books, I’m surprised to see her hanging her stuff in her wardrobe.

Lily’s a pretty, tall girl with straight black hair and bangs. I am officially jealous. I’d look ridiculous with bangs, and my hair wouldn’t behave like that even right out of the hairdresser. She wears overly large, oval glasses that complete her sexy librarian look. She is truly pretty; a classical beauty.

“Oh, hi!” I say, feeling a little awkward.

Today, she’s in jeans and a cream button-down blouse with a large lace collar; the kind of clothing I could have worn, and I shop with my grandmother. Incongruously, she’s holding a piece of shiny fabric—PVC or latex, I think—in bright red.

“Hey!” she calls back. “How are you doing? Used to the madness yet?”

I shrug. “I can’t say it’s been all that crazy so far. I shopped for stationery, registered at the yoga studio, that kinda stuff.”

She spares me a glance. “New in town, huh? Don’t sweat it. That was me last year. You’ll fit in just fine. Only about a tenth of the students are local, given the insane admission requirements. I can introduce you to my friends, but fair warning: we’re all major geeks.”

“Oh, I’m a geek,” I assure her, unsure how that wasn’t clear.

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