At Alice's request, Calla visibility flinched, pressing against the wall as she curled and unfurled her fists slowly. She didn't want to play nice. She wanted to walk away and find another drink and Sisse or Sloane. "But you don't miss me enough to accept help," the Hufflepuff snipped, though the queasy feeling in her stomach made her instantly regret it and she had a feeling if she hadn't been fed by the warmth of the champagne under her skin she'd never have had the courage to say it.

"Look Alice, this year has been awful for me as well. Frankly, these past few years. Someone is always fighting and I'm left not knowing anything and completely out of control while it feels like my friends just drift further and further away. You were the one time something was happening that there was even an inch of something I could do. You were the only one it feel like I could keep from falling away. That's why I pushed you so much. That's why I just can't drop it. Because I liked you."