Chapter 331: House Party I

Chapter 331: Chapter 331: House Party I

After lunch ended, Damian, along with Julian and Adrian, spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around campus.

There were several Sportsfest events happening across the university grounds, so they had no particular reason to hurry back.

They watched part of a football match.

Then they wandered toward the polo grounds and stayed there for a while, watching one of the matches already underway.

Julian talked.

Adrian occasionally joined in.

Damian listened.

Or at least, he tried to.

Every so often, his hand slipped into his pocket.

He took out his phone.

Looked at the screen.

Nothing.

He locked it again.

A while later, he did it again.

Still nothing.

Vivienne hadn’t texted him.

Not since their conversation that morning.

Not once.

By late afternoon, Damian had stopped expecting the screen to light up.

At least, that was what he told himself.

Still, every time his phone vibrated with some meaningless notification, his attention immediately went to it.

Not her.

Never her.

By the time the sun had begun to lower over the university grounds, Damian finally returned to his room.

He showered.

Changed into something comfortable.

Then lay back on his bed.

His phone rested beside him.

He stared at it.

Nothing.

Damian picked it up.

Checked the time.

7:27 p.m.

He opened his messages.

No new message.

He went back to the main screen.

Nothing.

He locked the phone.

A few seconds passed.

He unlocked it again.

Still nothing.

Damian exhaled through his nose.

He was being ridiculous.

She had a boyfriend now.

He knew that.

He had seen them together that morning.

He had no right to expect her to text him.

No right to expect an explanation.

No right to expect anything.

And yet...

He still couldn’t help wondering what she had been doing all day.

He didn’t know if she had stayed with Christopher.

Didn’t know if they had gone somewhere after leaving the residence hall.

Didn’t know if they had lunch together.

Didn’t know if she had spent the entire day with him.

And, perhaps most irritatingly, Damian didn’t know whether Vivienne had any intention of talking to him about what had happened.

He had expected her to say something.

Eventually.

Surely.

She couldn’t simply pretend nothing had happened.

Could she?

Damian frowned.

Apparently, she could.

Because his phone had received nothing from her.

The thought irritated him.

It also hurt more than he wanted to admit.

He turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

He hadn’t texted her either.

He wasn’t going to.

She had lied to him that morning.

He wasn’t going to be the one chasing after her now.

Besides, Vivienne was not the only woman on the planet.

There were plenty of other girls at Saint Albion.

Girls who were single.

Girls who were actually interested in him.

Girls who wouldn’t make him spend an entire day staring at his phone and wondering whether he mattered to them at all.

And to be honest, Damian knew there were more than a handful.

Did Vivienne think he was too available?

Did she think he would always be at her beck and call?

Did she think he would keep waiting around for someone who had chosen another man?

Well, she hadn’t informed him of anything yet.

So maybe she still wanted what they had.

Sorry to say, Damian would prove tonight, at least to himself, that Vivienne was not the only woman in the world.

There were plenty of fish in the sea.

And they definitely wanted him.

The thought was partly practical.

Partly spiteful.

And partly the wounded, bruised logic of a man who had spent the entire day being ignored by the woman he had once believed might choose him.

Vivienne was not the only woman in the world.

He repeated it to himself until it almost sounded convincing.

His phone vibrated.

Damian immediately grabbed it.

His eyes went to the screen.

Julian.

He opened the message.

Meet us at the lobby by 8:30.

Damian stared at it.

Then typed:

Okay.

Damian looked at the time.

7:31.

He had another hour.

He might as well get ready.

—

At 8:10, Damian stood in front of his wardrobe.

He looked through several shirts.

Then finally settled on one.

Dark.

Simple.

Well fitted.

He changed and adjusted his cuffs before looking at himself in the mirror.

He ran a hand through his hair.

Fine.

He looked good enough.

Probably too good for someone who had spent the entire day in a foul mood.

He studied his reflection for another moment.

If he was going to prove to himself that he could move on, he might as well look the part.

By 8:25, Damian grabbed his jacket and phone.

He left his room.

The corridor was quiet.

He made his way downstairs and toward the lobby.

Julian and Adrian were already there.

Julian looked up.

His eyes immediately went over Damian from head to toe.

Then he grinned.

"Oh."

Damian frowned.

"What?"

Julian laughed.

"I’m just saying."

He gestured toward Damian.

"Lord Blackwood is looking particularly dangerous tonight."

Damian sighed.

"Fuck off."

Julian laughed.

"Come on. Admit it."

"Admit what?"

"You’re going to have half the girls at the party falling at your feet."

Damian gave him a flat look.

Julian continued.

"And tonight, one girl might just get lucky."

Adrian glanced at Damian.

"He does look good."

Damian looked at him.

"You too?"

Adrian shrugged.

"I’m only stating a fact."

Julian laughed.

"Lord Blackwood, please take me."

Damian stared at him.

"Are you finished?"

"No."

Julian laughed again.

"Come on."

He turned toward the entrance.

"We’re going."

Damian shook his head.

Then followed them outside.

--

The party was hosted by William Dean, a third-year Political Governance student.

It was the second time he had hosted it.

The first had been the previous year.

Damian had attended that one too, back when he was still a third-year.

It had been tolerable.

Political Governance students tended to come from families where connections mattered just as much as money—political families, noble families, judicial families, and others with influence that extended far beyond the economy.

So naturally, the party attracted a great deal of interest.

People came to meet people.

To talk.

To make connections.

To be seen.

But at the end of the day...

It was still a university house party.

There was plenty of alcohol.

Flirting.

Games.

Music.

People disappearing into quieter corners.

William’s house was large enough that there were several private spaces, guest rooms, and empty rooms throughout the upper floors.

And because Political Governance was considered one of Saint Albion’s premier majors, students from other faculties were often eager to be invited.

Not because they lacked friends.

Quite the opposite.

Being part of this particular social circle simply carried a certain weight.

Damian had seen it all last year.

He expected much the same this time.

Nothing particularly interesting.

At least, that was what he thought.

Though perhaps something interesting would be useful.

A distraction.

—

Tbc