Page 13 of Her Devil

“We got an invitation this morning,” Tamsin says, pulling the flyer from class out of her clutch. “Didn’t you guys get one?”

I don’t know why I didn’t mention the one at home this morning, she got busy talking about Taylor and Jacob and it sort of slipped my mind…

“Uh, no,” Charlotte replies, peering at the paper and reading it with interest. “Does anyone know where this is? Off-campus, maybe?”

“No, this is the big stone house opposite ours,” Stephanie says with interest. “I didn’t know they’d be doing that this year.”

“What, parties?” I ask, amusement laced through my tone.

“No, the Devils,” she says, pointing to a small logo at the top of the poster. It’s the Pendleton Prep crest in a black circle with gold and silver rivulets running through it, like it’s been stuck in a chunk of black marble, almost.

“Ooh, what does that mean?” Tamsin excitedly asks the question on everyone’s lips as she slides the paper safely away in her bag.

“It’s like a fraternity thing. They throw big parties and do stupid challenges in silly masks. They make a big show out of picking theirangelsand they always end up being the power couples of the year. It’s a whole thing.”

Ice runs through my veins at the thought of the invitation we received this morning, that said, ‘Angels’. It’s got to be a coincidence, surely?

“Did you see the invitation on the table this morning?” I ask, looking from one girl to the other. “Red rose, white envelope, gold writing. Ringing any bells?” The blank looks that come my way says they clearly have no idea what I’m talking about. But it was there, I’m sure of it.

“You’re losing it already.” Charlotte giggles, the drugs coursing through her veins clearly taking the edge off.

“Well, if it’s such a big thing, how come nobody else has any idea about it and why is it such a tiny logo? Surely that’s your selling point right there,” I say, pointing to where the tiny hidden mark was on the paper that’s now gone.

“My sister told me about it, apparently it doesn’t happen every year. She wasn’t of any interest to them because it happened in her second year and they’re only looking for the hottest girls, so the older ones aren’t usually in the running. But I guess that means we are…”

“How does a frat not run all the time?” I ask, my confusion evident. But Stephanie just shrugs her shoulders, clearly no more in the know than we are.

“But I remember she said they all live in a big house down the dirt track at the back of the academic buildings. Like the one by ours. And it’s quiet and secluded so there’s no one to piss off with loud music and drunk students, hence they have the best parties.”

“They were moving out,” Tamsin says quietly, her eyes wide. “And now they’re having a big party with this logo on the flyer.”

“Ooh,” Charlotte adds, her interest piquing. “Tell me more about your hot friends and their huge house.”

“Do you think they could be some of these Devils Frat guys?” Penelope asks, looking around. “Are they here? Were they hot?”

“Yes, they were,” Tamsin agrees with a nod. We both turn and look around, the girls already trying their best to point out every hot guy they pass, and there’s plenty to choose from.

“Shit,” I hiss, locking eyes with someone I certainly wasn’t expecting to see here.

“Is that…” Tamsin asks as I duck behind her, not that it helps. “Is that Spencer?”

“Spencer who?” Penelope asks, leaning around me to get a better view “Ooh, he can come and entertain me any day of the week. And he’s coming this way.”

She fluffs her hair up, moving around me to be better in view, but as I look left and right, panic gripping my throat, there’s nowhere for me to escape to.

“Tamsin, darling, how good to see you again.” His voice slides over my skin like sandpaper, and I barely manage to suppress the shudder. How did I ever find this guy attractive? “Did I see Ivy Rose around here somewhere?”

“It’s Ivy,” I reply with a roll of my eyes, stepping out from behind the wall of girls that helpfully moved in front of me. “It always has been.”

He moves towards me, a greeting peck on the cheek no doubt at the forefront of his mind, but I step back out of reach. He purses his lips, irritation flicking across his features for nothing more than a second.

“Well, I didn’t realise the two of you were going to be here. What a pleasant surprise,” he continues, undeterred, ignoring Tamsin completely.

“Sure,” I agree. “Pleasant. Have you met the girls? This is Penelope, Stephanie, Charlotte and Aimee.”

The four of them smile, offering him a hand, or cheek, or whatever, as Tamsin loiters awkwardly at the side, completely ignored by the man himself.

“Well, you landed on your feet,” she comments, gesturing to the group of guys he left. They’re all different versions of him; haughty and condescending, if the nasal laughter is anything to go by.

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