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None.

At all.

Literally nothing.

That wasn’t normal.

I mean, it wasn’t altogether abnormal, but generally there was a ghost here or there or maybe outside, or peaking in from the next house. Here, though? Not one at all. Not even a creepy vibe.

The second thing that happened? Cassian and a bunch of others from my school arrived. Guess the Homecoming dance was done. They arrived in droves. Jason Emcee pounced into the room, his arms in the air. “And the Haven Rock studs have arrived.”

One of the guys in the back threw a beer can at him. “You guys lost. Like bad.”

He scowled, caught the beer and swiftly opened it. He took a long swallow before smiling at the guy. “But we lost like champions.”

A bunch more from the popular crowd was next.

Rebecca Stilteine ran in, throwing herself on the couch to my right. Her other friend and the third girl in the Homecoming court, Maya Miller, spilled into the room, already laughing and drunk. Maya tripped and fell on me. “Oh. Oops!” She continued giggling before she saw who she’d fallen on. Her smile wiped away. “Wait.” She blinked at me, confused. “I know you. You go to my school.”

The room went silent.

I tensed, waited for her to announce I was the school outcast or at the very least, that I didn’t belong. I wasn’t popular.

“You’re the girl Cassian was falling all over before.”

I met Lee’s gaze, catching his instant scowl.

“Hey!” Claudia had entered the room and I hadn’t noticed. She stomped over, scowling first at Maya and then at me. “What are you doing here?”

I stiffened. “I was invited.”

She scoffed. “By who?”

“By me,” both Cassian and Lee said at the same time. Lee as he was standing up from playing his video games and handing off the controller to the guy beside him. And Cassian as he was stepping into the room. They both shared a surprised look before scowling, turning to address Claudia.

“This is my party. My house. She’s my guest.”

Cassian said nearly at the same time, right after him, “I told her about the party. She’s my friend.”

Both of them glanced at the other again.

Claudia gaped. “Are you kidding me?” Her gaze went my way. “You’ve not even been here two months and you already got both of them after you? What kind of slut are you?”

“Hey!” Cassian yelled.

Lee said, “Get out.”

“What?”

Lee stepped forward, bristling. “You heard me. Get the fuck out of my house.”

She clamped her mouth shut, staring at them, almost seething, and when seeing that he meant it, and that Cassian wasn’t going to back her up, she let loose a half-gargled scream. “I cannot believe this.”

And there went any semblance I had for a normal social life. There was no way she wasn’t going to target me on Monday, but when I expected her friends to run after her, to check on her, no one did. In fact, Rebecca and Maya began laughing.

Maya slapped the side of my leg. “That was hella dramatic. If you’re worried Claudia’s going to go after you next week, it won’t happen. She’ll try, but Lee carries a lot of weight at school. He’s vouching for you which basically says you’re untouchable. No one wants to get banned from his parties, and Cassian not sticking up for her? Oh yeah. She’s bottom of the barrel on Monday. You’re the least of her problems right now.”

I didn’t know if I believed her but mustered up a smile and a thanks.